Page 35 of All We Want for Christmas
‘You could do the same for the ball. The theme is historical costume.’
Flynn made a spluttering noise that caused Lara to dissolve into laughter. It gave him great pleasure to hear her laughing, despite his horror at the prospect of dressing up. If his discomfort was the price of seeing her relaxed, it was almost worth it.
‘I don’t think so,’ he said. ‘Can’t I come as a grumpy biker?’
‘No. Sorry.’
‘Grumpy electrician, then?’
‘Would anyone notice the difference?’
He feigned hurt. ‘That’s a bit harsh.’
Lara rolled her eyes good-humouredly. ‘Well, give it some thought, because the staff and locals tend to reserve their costumes months in advance and there’s only two fancy-dress hire shops within a thirty-mile radius. And the ball is less than five weeks away. It rolls up at an alarming rate.’
‘Oh f—f—that’s not very long.’
‘No. Look, as you’re new and I appreciate the ball has kind of landed on you, I could help, if you like. We keep a few costumes for the guides on re-enactment days. You could borrow one of those if there’s something you like and it fits you?’
‘There won’t be anything I like,’ Flynn said. ‘I can’t see myself in a harlequin outfit with jingly balls on my hat, can you?’
Lara put her hand over mouth, clearly trying to stifle her giggles. ‘Oh, I don’t know. I think you could pull it off.’
‘Ha ha.’
‘There’s a limited choice, but still a choice. If you can spare the time in the next couple of days, I can show you and you could try a few on?’
‘Great,’ Flynn muttered. ‘I mean, thanks. I think. I’m very grateful.’
‘You sound it,’ Lara said, narrowing her eyes. ‘It’s not compulsory.’
‘No, I mean, I am genuinely grateful. And, yes, Iwouldlike to try some on, as long as I don’t have to wear anything with one of those things.’
She frowned. ‘What things?’
‘Those things that Henry the bloody Eighth stuffed down his breeches.’ He screwed up his nose. ‘A codpiece.’
Lara squeaked with mirth and Flynn heaved a sigh. ‘You’re loving this, aren’t you?’
With a saintly expression, she held up her hands. ‘No, not at all. And for your information, I think we have gentlemen’s costumes that don’t require a codpiece.’
‘Thank God for that. I’d never live it down if the apprentices saw me in a codpiece.’
‘I don’t think I’d ever recover either,’ said Lara, adding, ‘Byeeee! See you soon!’ before flitting off through the door to the great hall, spluttering with laughter.
Flynn had the feeling she would be giggling about him for the rest of the day.
Even as he lingered, trying to work out their puzzling conversation, he found himself smiling too. Their flirting – if you could call it that – had brought a flush to her face that accentuated the emerald of her eyes.
Yet she had been so wary when she’d first bumped into him, quizzing him about his evening in Keswick as if she was trying to catch him out – though God knows why. Still, the encounter had ended far more promisingly than it had begun and he’d gladly make a prat of himself in a stupid costume if it made her happy.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Lara chose the stairs to reach the family apartment in the castle. She certainly wasn’t going to take the lift and risk having to be rescued by Carlos or Flynn.
Her conversation with him the previous day had helped set her mind at rest. The ‘rumours’ about his personal life were nothing more than the gossip that inevitably circulated in an enclosed community like Ravendale. They were vague and largely involved Flynn having been seen with a woman in a pub and having left behind a trail of broken hearts in Cornwall. Both stories were based on speculation, from what Lara could work out.
To be fair, Jazz had stressed at the restaurant that she didn’t give any credit to such tittle-tattle either. Now Lara was annoyed with herself for even wondering why Flynn was talking to Molly at the Christmas market. Of course he would be polite and pleasant to her. She knew him from the café and the Spectacular and she – and her grandmother – clearly loved a chat. Flynn was very good with people, despite claiming to be grumpy.
