Page 7 of The Day After Christmas
Felicity shrugged. She was getting more used to it by now although it still cut her heart a little bit in two anytime it happened. She put her hand down to the other puppies and gave their little heads a stroke. They responded by wagging their tails ten times harder.
‘Who knows? It’s money, sometimes, or just people not thinking through the consequences. Retrievers get big, after all. Or it could be puppy farmers, maybe they didn’t come out how they wanted, or the right colours. They were probably trying to get chocolate ones, that’s what usually happens.’
Mike was now licking Charlie’s ear. He was giggling again. ‘How could anyone leave this little guy?’
‘I know. He’s amazing, isn’t he? They all are. But not all people are kind.’
Something must have passed across her face then because Charlie studied her for a long moment, as if trying to figure her out. Felicity was the first to look away, feeling inexplicably cross with him.
‘So… Felicity. Tell me something.’
Uh-oh.
‘Ask me whatever you like.’
‘Have you got a boyfriend?’ he said, too casually, as he gently placed Mike back down in the pen. The little puppy wiggled back into the group and then turned and continued wagging his tail furiously about in their general direction.
‘Wow, you don’t hang about,’ said Felicity, tucking a strand of her long red hair behind her ear and then panicking about them sticking out and pulling it to the front again.
Charlie gave her another flash of that crooked smile. ‘Life moves fast,’ was his only response.
‘Well, yes, yes I do.’
Charlie’s eyebrows lifted.
Felicity went on hastily, ‘I do have a boyfriend, that is. Not move fast. And anyway, I’m far too old for you.’
‘I’ll be the judge of that,’ he said, his grin growing wider.
‘Shall we move on?’
Charlie did a little mock bow. ‘Lead the way.’
CHAPTER 5
As soon as Charlie had left the premises, Felicity marched straight into Andrea’s office.
‘Any chance you’re going to explain what the hell you’re up to?’ she said sharply.
Andrea spun on her ancient office chair, its hinges creaking beneath the weight of her enormous purple fleece. For some reason today’s sensation had a wolf howling at the moon emblazoned across the front. It was quite the visual treat.
‘I honestly don’t know what you mean.’
‘Yes, you jolly well do. You’re up to something.’
Andrea put a hand to her chest. ‘I most certainly am not. If you’re referring to that nice young man, I am just doing a favour for a friend, that’s all. Why? How did he get on?’
Felicity clicked her tongue. ‘He was… fine, actually. But that’s very much not the point.’
‘What is the point exactly?’
‘I don’t know. He keeps staring at me. I don’t trust him.’
‘I wish he’d stare at me,’ said Andrea with a sigh. She turned back to her computer even though she only ever seemed to pretend to use it. ‘Those eyes… my Lord.’
‘You are old enough to be his grandmother,’ said Felicity, not even attempting to sugar the pill.
‘I do like them young,’ said Andrea, almost to herself. ‘One, they have more stamina. Two, they appreciate the wisdom and experience an older woman can bring. Three, they don’t expect you to be their carer when they get old and saggy-arsed.’
