Page 70 of The Night Before Christmas
‘Okay. Who to?’
James swallowed. ‘It was a girl I’d been seeing… before Christmas.’
‘Oh, right.’ Felicity’s attempt at nonchalance came out like a high-pitched squeak. ‘Didsheknow it was small?’
‘She does now. Sorry, that was a bit flippant, wasn’t it? The poor girl. She was nice enough. Olivia, her name was. I just meant it was small in that we’d been out a couple of times… it was obvious it wasn’t going anywhere… but I hadn’t exactly broken it off. Do you know what I mean? I probably should have said something sooner.’
‘Maybe that might have been a good idea, yes.’
‘Sorry.’
‘It does explain a few things.’ She was pouting, she knew, but it was impossible to stop. ‘Before Christmas you say? You mean, you were still with her when you met me?’
James sighed. ‘I had been seeing her before I met you, yes. Briefly. Honestly it was just a couple of dates. She wasn’t really my cup of tea. I should have ended it straight away but…’
‘But she was keen.’
‘Something like that, yes.’
Bloody Andrea was always bloody right.
‘I’m sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing.’
‘And now?’ she asked, gently.
He looked deep into her eyes and there was that lightning again, this time striking in the pit of her stomach. It felt delicious.
‘And now I realise I’ve made a huge bloody mistake.’
‘That’s not even the half of it,’ said Felicity. ‘Shall we get out of here?’
They bundled out of the booth, leaving the fug of the coffee shop behind them, and set off towards the town centre. It was a pretty place on a sunny day but today, through the mist and fog, the buildings loomed close on either side of them, pressed together and taller than usual, it seemed. It was like something straight out of a Dickens novel.
As they walked, Felicity proceeded to enlighten James on a few things about Adam. By the end of it, it was James’ turn to vibrate, this time with rage.
‘The absolute bastard!’
‘That’s about the size of it.’
They had reached the park without really meaning to, and both automatically slowed as they entered greener environs. Trees and bushes with misty tops surrounded them on all sides and the air was damp and thick as if they were walking through a cloud. They wandered for a few more minutes in heavy silence, eyes trained on the ground in front of them. Then, as if they were responding to an off-stage cue, they both stopped at the same moment and turned towards each other.
‘The thing is,’ said Felicity, looking up at her companion, ‘he never really wanted me, but he never wanted anyone else to have me.’
James looked down at her, his eyes wide, his fists flexing. ‘The man’s a bloody idiot.’
‘Well, that’s a matter of opinion. He’s definitely a bastard, that’s for sure. But I think, deep down, he’s afraid of being left alone.’
‘We’re all afraid of that. I’m sorry but that’s no excuse. He’s a bastard for cheating on you and a bloody idiot for letting you go.’
Felicity suddenly felt a bit hot and bothered. She held his stare for as long as she could manage and then dropped her eyes to his shoes.
‘So, I have a question,’ she said. ‘This obligation. ThisOlivia.’
‘Yes…’
‘Is it definitely over?’
‘It’s over. It never really began. She was a nice girl and all but…’
