Page 84 of Merrily Ever After
‘Will! I’m talking!’ Emily protested. His enthusiasm was endearing, but seriously, could the man not take a hint?
Will shook his head. ‘I know, but Kylie has just spotted a tiny muntjac deer in the grounds. If we don’t hurry, we’ll miss it.’
Emily opened her mouth to argue, but Merry clasped her hands together.
‘Oh, you must go! I get deer in my garden and the baby ones are adorable. Go, go, go! If you manage to take a photo, bring it back and show me.’ She waved them offso excitedly that Emily had no choice but to let Will lead her outside.
Once they were out of the room and in the corridor, she ground to a halt, refusing to take a single step more. ‘What was all that about?’ Emily said, throwing her hands up. ‘I was in the middle of something far more important than looking at a deer. As I think you well know.’
‘I apologise,’ he said, taking hold of her hands. ‘But I promise this is important too.’
‘Will!’ Emily groaned. ‘It has taken me ages to work up to telling Merry who I really am, and I’d just got to the perfect point in the conversation. My body is so full of adrenalin, I’m surprised my feet are still on the ground. And then in waltzes you with some ridiculous story about baby muntjacs.’
‘It was Merry who mentioned the babies, not me. But I take your point,’ said Will swiftly, sensing Emily’s mounting exasperation. ‘This is tough for you, I get that.’
‘Made a lot tougher by you,’ Emily muttered, shaking her hands loose from his. She felt tired and angry and unbearably frustrated; she’d been so close to telling her sister the truth. ‘I can’t restart that conversation with Merry now, the moment has gone.’
‘That’s why I interrupted you,’ he said softly. ‘There isn’t any deer outside, as far as I know.’
‘What?’ She stared at him, open-mouthed.
‘I could see from your body language that you were on the verge of telling Merry what you found out about your dad. I had to do something.’
‘No, you didn’t,’ she said incredulously. ‘You didn’t have to do anything.’
She liked Will, he made her laugh, she liked his energy and his enthusiasm, but this was a step too far.
A group of people chose that moment to exit the lounge and start a loud conversation nearby.
‘Shall we take this outside?’ Will suggested. ‘Where we can talk in private?’
‘Fine.’ Emily stomped off along the corridor, through reception and out into the wintry afternoon with Will beside her. The light was already fading from the day and the air was damp and cold. She bitterly regretted not having collected her coat, but she was too cross to go back inside. Besides, she’d probably bump into Merry again and she couldn’t face her now.
They walked along the path that ran past the communal lounge in silence. Through the windows, misted with condensation, she could see the stalls, the Christmas tree and the choir. Emily shivered in the cold as her breath formed clouds in front of her face.
‘I know you’re annoyed with me,’ Will began.
‘Yes, well, you have no idea how hard that was for me, standing there in front of Merry, trying to introduce the subject of us being related.’
He caught hold of her arm, forcing her to standstill. ‘I know I barged in on your conversation, but I just couldn’t stand by and—’
‘And what? Let me speak to my own sister?’
‘Emily.’ His blue eyes held hers so intensely that she felt herself weakening. ‘Please hear me out.’
‘This had better be good.’ Emily stared at him, doing her best to give him a mutinous look. ‘You’ve got two minutes.’
Any longer than that and she wouldn’t be able to keep a stiff upper lip. Her emotions were all over the place. She’d been so close,so close, to opening up to Merry and now instead she was standing in the cold looking at hersister through a window. Without her coat on. Her teeth chattered and she clenched her jaw.
Will tugged his hoodie over his head and handed it to her. ‘Here take this. No arguments.’
‘Wasn’t going to argue,’ she said, diving into the warmth.Bliss. She tried to ignore the delicious scent of him which enveloped her. ‘Thank you.’
‘Well, that’s a step in the right direction.’ He risked a smile.
She tried giving him an icy glare, but her face wouldn’t behave.
‘Don’t make me smile,’ she muttered, pulling the neck of his hoodie up to keep her chin warm. ‘Not when I’m trying so hard to be cross.’
