Page 24 of A Scottish Christmas Hideaway
‘Hmm, I hadn’t noticed.’ Jessica blushed, hoping she hadn’t been staring too obviously.
Iris gave her a knowing smile. ‘Don’t worry, it’s not just you. It’s you and every other woman in here. He makes a refreshing change from the usual old faces in the village. And he’s so kind. Nothing is ever a problem for our Reuben. He helped me with my TV when I wasn’t sure what to do with the Fire Stick my granddaughter sent me for my birthday. And he looks like that big Italian hunk off the telly.’
‘Which one?’ said Jessica, wondering who exactly she was referring to.
‘Vito fromStrictly.’
‘Ah. I see.’ Although she didn’t as she hadn’t watched that programme for years. She would definitely need to look him up now, intrigued to see if there was a resemblance.
Iris sighed. ‘He’s such a nice chap. He’ll make someone very happy one day, someone who deserves him.’
Jessica frowned. There was certainly something going on with Reuben’s marriage. But he hadn’t shared it with her, so he obviously didn’t want her to know.
Iris looked at her inquisitively. ‘How about you — is there a special someone?’
Jessica shook her head. ‘No. I am happily single.’
‘Well,’ she said, glancing back towards Reuben, ‘keep your options open. You just never know what’s round the corner.’
She couldn’t quite believe this was her old teacher talking this way and didn’t quite know how to respond. ‘Oh,’ was all she could manage to stutter. ‘I will do. Thanks for the advice.’
‘He reminds me of my Frank,’ she said dreamily. ‘He was a looker back in the day, with his brown curly hair and his dark eyes.’
Jessica smiled kindly at her. She knew that Iris was a widow, but she had never heard her talk about her late husband before. ‘He sounds like he was quite the catch.’
‘Oh, he was.’ She sighed. ‘But I’m lucky I’ve got Scrumpy and Sidney to keep me company now.’
Before Jessica had a chance to ask who they were, Iris clutched her hand. ‘Don’t look now, dearie,’ she said in a sing-song voice. ‘Reuben is making his way over here. Remember, stay calm and collected.’ She winked at her. ‘Play hard to get.’
Jessica was speechless as she looked at Iris in bemusement. She also felt as though her feet were stuck in buckets of syrup. She wanted to move to the side and serve anyone else but Reuben, given the way he seemed to reduce her to a wobbly mess when he was in close proximity to her, but she was rooted to thespot. Why was Iris encouraging her to flirt with him? Had she missed something?
‘Hi, ladies,’ he said with a grin.
Jessica became completely tongue-tied knowing that Iris was watching her.
Iris cleared her throat loudly and then nudged her. ‘Do your sales spiel, dear, come on.’
‘Oh, okay.’ She rolled her eyes upwards and then steadied her voice. ‘Hi, Reuben. Would you like to buy one ticket for a pound or six tickets for a fiver?’ She tried to sound breezy.
‘A complete bargain,’ added Iris knowingly and folded her arms while she waited for his reply.
‘Go on, give me six for a fiver,’ he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a note which he handed to her.
His hand brushed Jessica’s and their eyes connected for a second more than was necessary. She really hoped he didn’t think she had done that on purpose.
‘Thanks for the chat yesterday,’ she said, her voice slightly shaky. ‘Sorry I had to go. Was everything okay with your dad?’
He nodded. ‘Yes, the care home was just calling about some paperwork . . . You should come back over and see the cottage and the tree properly, in its full glory.’
‘Yes,’ said Jessica, ‘that would be nice.’That would be nice? She sounded like his ageing auntie.
‘I managed to get some of your mum’s date and walnut loaf and famous tablet before it all sold out.’ He put down a large bag of the confectionery on the table. ‘My dad always loved it and I thought I’d take some in when I visit him.’
Jessica nodded. ‘That’s good.’That’s good?Seriously, was that all she could say.‘Hopefully he’ll enjoy it.’
He nodded. ‘And if not then I will. Your mum makes the best tablet I’ve ever tasted.’
‘I know. It’s hideous to think how much sugar she puts in there. There are about three bags of the stuff in it. I swear everyone needs fillings after eating her tablet.’ There was an awkward pause as she desperately tried to think of something witty to say. She couldn’t. Then she noticed the queue that had formed behind him. He was quite the crowd puller, but then he always had been.
