Page 34 of All We Want for Christmas
‘Don’t let’s stand in the snow and get cold. Let’s go inside.’
‘I don’t have long,’ Lara said, glancing around her as if she was looking for an excuse to leave.
‘You’re busy, I know. We both are, but we haven’t had time to talk at all lately.’
She joined him in the entrance porch. Melting snowflakes glistened in her lashes. He wanted to kiss them away.
‘No. We’ve both been working …’ She paused and then seemed to brighten up. ‘Although I did go out with Jazz to Keswick on Friday. We saw a film and went to the Greek taverna afterwards.’
‘Oh? Were they any good?’ he asked, pleased that she was engaging with him. ‘The film and the meal, I mean.’
‘The film was good. It was an adaptation ofJamaica Inn, the Daphne du Maurier novel.’
‘I don’t think I’ve read the book.’
‘You don’t need to in order to enjoy the film. The Greek place is great too. I recommend it.’
‘Thanks for the tip. I didn’t know you could get Greek food round here. I must check it out. Where is it exactly? I was there myself the other night and I didn’t see it, but I was only going to the barber’s and then for a quick pint with a friend.’
‘Afriend?’ Her voice lifted and she was obviously prompting him to give more detail.
‘Harvey. He works at the National Trust house on Derwentwater. In fact, Harvey is the one who first mentioned the Penhaligons were looking for a replacement for Gerald. I think I might have told you I stayed with him the night before I arrived at Ravendale,’ Flynn said, keen to keep the conversation going.
‘Oh.’ She frowned and Flynn instantly regretted putting his size ten in it. He knew it was still a bit of a sore point that Lara hadn’t been informed about Gerald. ‘I hope you enjoyed yourselves.’
‘We did, although we didn’t have long together. Harv had to get back in time for his kids to write their letters to Father Christmas and I was keen on an early night.’
‘Of course. It’s a busy time.’
‘Yes. Erm … So, you had a good evening? With Jazz,’ he added, changing the subject but desperate to keep her talking.
‘Yes. Yes, it was … We both had a night off, which was why we took the chance to go out.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Not sure that’ll happen again this side of Christmas.’
‘No. Best to take the chance while you can …’ Flynn was floundering a little. It was strange to be making small talk like this, or perhaps it was understandable that they were both skirting around the issue that was occupying his mind much of the time, and was probably occupying hers too.
The fact that they had jumped on each other in that lift, and if someone hadn’t banged on the door and rescued them, who knows what might have happened? Then again, maybe Lara was horrified that they might have had sex in the middle of the working day at their place of employment.
Thinking of it in those terms, Flynn was also horrified – though probably not as much as he ought to be.
‘Hmm. Oh, I also saw someone we both know in town. You didn’t happen to bump into Molly, the waitress from the café, did you?’
‘Molly?’ Flynn was hamstrung for a moment. It seemed an odd but very specific question. ‘As a matter of fact, I did.She’d been to a kids’ party at the soft play centre and was at the market waiting for her friend. Why do you ask?’
‘I only wondered.’ Once again, Flynn thought how beautiful her green eyes were. ‘Well, I’m glad you found time for a break and to sample the delights of Keswick.’ She hesitated before adding, ‘I was on my way to see Fiona about the Twelfth Night Ball. We talked about it – the other day.’
‘In the lift,’ he said, partly because Lara obviously wasn’t going to allude to the incident and partly because he felt wicked.
‘Yes,’ she said haughtily, then her tone softened. ‘You will be there, won’t you?’
‘I wouldn’t miss it,’ he said, picturing Lara in a little black dress with her hair piled on her head and him slow dancing with her. It seemed like the kind of old-fashioned affair where people would do that and, if so, he was all for it.
‘Good, because I’m not sure I mentioned that it was fancy dress.’
‘What?’ He swore softly and Lara bit back a giggle – or was it a snigger – and Flynn shook his head while giving her a wry grin. ‘Ah, you’re winding me up, aren’t you?’
‘Not at all. Everyone joins in. It’s great fun. Even the people who hate fancy dress seem to enjoy it. They did last year, anyway.’
He sighed deeply. ‘The last time I wore a costume was at primary school. I was a king in the nativity play.’
