Page 86 of The Night Before Christmas
‘He tracked me down. I don’t know how. He had got hold of my number and he called me. Asked me to go for a drink. And that’s when he asked me – begged me, really – not to see you anymore.’
‘And that’s why you didn’t come on that Saturday?’
James nodded slowly, a crinkle appearing between his eyes. ‘I’m sorry, I know I completely messed up there, but I was trying to do the right thing. By you. By him. How was I to know how you felt? He made it sound so convincing. Like I’d be interfering with the love of the century or something.’
Felicity flinched at the word.
‘You should have told me,’ she said levelly, giving his shoulder a nudge. ‘But I can understand why you didn’t.’
James looked relieved.
He looked even more relieved when she told him all about Bex and Adam.
‘Woah. I did not see that coming,’ said James.
‘Neither did I. And I’ve known them both for years. Does that make me a bad friend?’
‘Not at all. We see what we want to see, I guess.’
‘They were bloody sleeping together, and I didn’t notice. I’d say that’s pretty bad on my part.’
‘Well then… she’s not exactly friend of the year, is she?’
Felicity giggled. ‘No, I suppose not.’
‘So, what happens now? Do you intervene or leave them to it?’
Good question.
Felicity thought for a long moment.
‘She thinks it’ll make her happy. She says she knows all about how weird he’s been with me lately and she reckons she’s okay with it. That she’d rather have him like this than not at all. I know she’s almost certainly going to get hurt but then she’s already been causing herself so much pain over it – maybe this will be a step up?’
‘Maybe. Or a car crash.’
‘There is that.’
‘But it might be the next big romance, who knows?’
‘I have no idea. I need to talk to her but not just yet.’
James nodded.
‘Anyway, in other news… I have one more question. And it’s rather important, I’m afraid.’
‘Go on,’ he said, a smile playing around his lips.
‘What do I call you, exactly? I mean, do you have like a 00 number or something? Your name is James after all. It’s not James Bond… is it?! I just realised I don’t even know your bloody surname.’
‘God, can you imagine if it was James Bond? That would be beyond cool.’ He laughed, pulling her towards him. ‘It’s James Taylor.’
She shot him a look.
‘I’m kidding. It’s James Cowley. But you can just call me James. Or Penguin Man. Or Officer McClane. I liked it when you called me that.’
He drew her into his arms and kissed her hungrily. As she pulled him down onto the chaise longue beside her, Felicity wondered for the umpteenth time if this was all an elaborate dream she was about to wake up from.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
