Chapter 7 #2
‘Me! Hey, Evie,’ called another woman. ‘I’m housekeeping for you and the hottie next door. Have you seen him? Phew.’ She fanned herself. Another woman nudged her.
‘Laetitia.’
I did not want to talk about Noah. ‘What are you doing? It looks like Santa’s grotto in here.’ I touched one of the rolls of velvet ribbon in a bronze colour which coordinated perfectly with the cream paper dotted with bronze reindeer.
‘Oh, that’s for the Greenford family,’ piped up Joanie.
‘They come every year, with their children. Just the sweetest family, and those two little girls, they’re adorable.
Mr and Mrs Greenford order all the presents and have them delivered to us and we wrap them so that they’re under the tree when the children arrive on Christmas Eve.
It’s a longstanding tradition. We’ve been doing it since the youngest was a baby.
She’ll be seven this year.’ Laetitia held up a little fluffy rabbit and waved it at us.
‘You wrap all their presents?’ I repeated flabbergasted.
My mum had loved wrapping presents, having a stranger wrap them for you seemed a little bit impersonal to me.
But then when was the last time I’d sat down and wrapped presents?
If I absolutely had to, for a secret Santa at work or the odd things for friends, I might, but quite frankly Christmas was something of a non-event, apart from binge-watching my favourite holiday movies.
‘Come on, I’d better get you back to Raoul’s office. You don’t want to be late for whatever the next activity is.’ Angel chivvied me along.
‘How long have you worked here?’ I asked as we trotted along. For a small woman she could sure walk fast.
‘I’ve been here fifteen years. I started in housekeeping but then after my husband died, I applied to be a butler. I needed to earn more.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that. You’re very young to be a widow. That must be tough. What was he called?’
She stared at me and then her face softened.
‘You know, no one ever asks that. They always shy away from the subject. And friends who did know him shy away from talking about him, I guess because they don’t want to upset me.
But it’s like he didn’t exist. I want to talk about him.
His name was Tony. I met him when I was eighteen,’ she smiled, remembering him.
‘He was half-Italian, with this head of curly hair. Bit like yours. He worked for Amtrak and … there was an accident one day.’
I winced in sympathy as she continued. ‘I still miss him, but I got a little girl and my mom to look after, so there’s no time to mope. This job is demanding but it keeps me busy.’
‘What sort of things do you have to do?’ I asked, intrigued.
‘I’ll save that all for another day. Here you are, this is Raoul’s office. He runs the restaurant during the day.’
A young dark-haired man, as neat as a penguin in black and white, appeared at the door.
‘You must be Evie Green,’ he said excitedly, with a touch of a Greek accent. ‘I’m so happy to meet you and I’m thrilled you’re taking over from me for today. Although don’t get too attached, honey. You can’t have the gig full-time because it’s one of my favourites.’
‘Hi,’ I said, pleased by his warm, enthusiastic campy welcome. ‘Raoul?’
‘One and the same. Alicia sends her apologies, she got called into a meeting, but I can brief you.’
‘Okay.’
‘Now honey, the costume’s right over there. If you want to get changed, I’ll be back in five minutes to take you up to the restaurant.’
‘Costume?’ I looked at Angel.
She shrugged. ‘I don’t know nothing about that. I’ve got to collect some dry-cleaning and deliver it to some folks on the sixth floor.’ With a cheery wave, she disappeared leaving me staring at the pile of clothes on the corner of the table.
‘You want me to wear this?’ I picked up a pair of red-and-white stripy leggings. Lying beside them was a little green felt tunic and a matching hat and next to them a couple of large wicker baskets filled with candy canes.
‘Yes, you’re going to be our Christmas elf!’
I stared, as much surprised by his words as by the children’s-birthday-party levels of excitement in his voice.
‘It’s such a fun job.’ He clapped his hands together.
‘You get to decide who’s been naughty or nice.
’ His eyelashes fluttered suggestively. ‘And if they’ve been nice, they get a candy cane.
Everyone just loves it.’ He clapped again, his face lighting up with so much infectious enthusiasm I had to smile, even though that wasn’t quite how I’d imagined the afternoon would go.
So much for a fancy photo shoot. I picked up the hat with the little bell on the top and laughed out loud.
Yes, this was much more my life than designer clothes.
Who had I been trying to kid? I was the eternal hot mess, why did I really expect things to change?
‘I’ll leave you to get ready, Elfie,’ he said, with a happy chuckle. ‘You’re really honoured, this is my favourite job of the year. You only get to do it today.’ He winked. ‘Be right back.’
Before I could say a word, he’d bustled away through the door and closed it behind him.
I looked totally ridiculous. My tangled curls, because I couldn’t get my untidy bun under the hat, spilled out over my shoulders like a cartoon character who’d stuck their finger in an electric socket.
The tights were a size too small, and the crotch was several inches short of where it should have been, and the tight lycra threatened to cut off my circulation mid-thigh.
The only positive thing I could say was that the little green curly slippers, again with bells, fitted perfectly. They tinkled announcing every step I took.
I sighed and looked in the mirror one last time.
‘Oh, oh, oh,’ cried Raoul, when I opened the door.
‘Don’t you look cute. Aw, the customers are going to love you.
Make sure you say hi to Mrs Evans, she’ll be in the corner with her little bichon frise, Monty.
She’s a widow. Has no family. Comes for the holidays every year.
She’s a doll. Mind you make a fuss of her.
There’s a dog treat in there for Monty. And there’s a party of ladies in today who make an annual event of it and come for lunch on their shopping day.
They tip real good, so smile and be real nice to them. ’
Years of working Christmas Day in Paula’s restaurant had been a good training ground for false cheer. I could do this. Tightening my elf belt, I trotted after Raoul, my bells ringing like Rudolf and Co’s sleigh en route to the world’s chimneys.
‘Look who’s here!’ squealed Raoul at the entrance to the Palm Court Restaurant. All eyes turned my way and silence fell on the room. Absolute pin-dropping sort of quiet. For a moment I froze, and then I remembered this was supposed to be fun.
‘Don’t forget, Happy Holidays,’ whispered Raoul in my ear as he strode into the room expecting me to follow. I hauled in a deep breath and stared down at the little brass bells on my toes. Finally I looked up, to find everyone still staring.
Gripping my basket, I shook one foot and stepped forward. ‘Happy Holidays.’
Grateful for Raoul’s heads-up, I darted to the elderly woman holding court in the corner, a little white dog perched on her lap.
Elegantly dressed in an exquisite lavender cashmere sweater, she sat ramrod straight on her chair, surveying the room.
Her soft white hair was beautifully styled and reminded me of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
‘Hi, you must be Mrs Evans. Santa has asked me to make sure I stop by,’ I yelled, a little too loudly. ‘He said to say hello. And this must be Monty.’
‘Why, you must be the Christmas Elf,’ said Mrs Evans, thankfully playing along, otherwise I’d have looked a right idiot.
Her powdered face lit up. ‘What a treat, eh, Monty?’ Her faded blue eyes wreathed in wrinkles shone with all the life of a twenty-year-old’s, before she confided, ‘He’s been a very good dog this year. ’
‘Has he?’ I blinked at her and then remembered the dog treat secreted in the basket.
‘Then this is for you, Monty,’ I said to the dog, handing over the paper-wrapped treat.
‘Isn’t that lovely. Say thank you to the nice Elf, Monty.’
The little dog lifted a paw. Enchanted, I took the paw and bowed, feeling a smile take over my face.
And how about you, Mrs E,’ I said with a teasing wink because she was rather adorable. ‘Have you been naughty or nice?’
‘Darling,’ she drawled the word. ‘At my age, I can be as naughty as I like.’ She gave a throaty, movie-diva chuckle, before adding. ‘And I am.’
‘In that case, you can definitely have a candy cane.’ I handed it over. ‘But don’t eat it all at once.’
She patted my wrist with a blue-veined hand. ‘I’ll use it to stir my whisky, how’s that?’
I burst out laughing. ‘In that case, you’d better have two.’
She laughed delightedly back at me. Suddenly, this gig didn’t seem quite so bad after all.
I bounded over to the large table of shopping ladies, making sure the bells on my toes tinkled.
‘And, ladies. Which one of you has spent the most?’
They laughed and pointed to a woman on the other side of the table and chorused, ‘Ava.’ I tiptoed over to her.
‘And have you been naughty or nice?’ I asked her.
She blushed pink at the attention. ‘The present is for my husband,’ she said quietly while the others teased her.
‘So, I think I’ve been nice.’ I handed her a candy cane.
‘I think so, too.’ I turned to the other ladies and eyed one of the louder ones at the end of the table. ‘What about you? You look like a troublemaker.’
Her friends all laughed again.
‘You got that right, sweetie. She’s hell on wheels.’
‘Yeah, Barb,’ replied the woman, grinning. ‘But I’m a lot of fun.’
They were all a lot of fun, and as I went round the table doling out the candy canes, I quickly got into the swing of being Christmas Elf.
My basket was nearly empty, and I’d worked most of the centre of the room with Raoul periodically giving me the thumbs up and passing me, whispering, ‘You go, girl.’ Hopefully he and his team weren’t going to be missing out on their tips.
I’d just finished dispensing candy canes to two little girls, both dressed in matching frilly dresses and wearing the cutest patent Mary Janes on their feet when I had a feeling I was being watched.
I mean I’d been at the centre of attention in the room for the last half hour, but this was different.
When I turned and looked towards the table near the bar, I spotted him. Noah. I could have predicted it.
He lifted his coffee cup and gave me a cocky salute.
The gesture fired me up and I bounced over to him. ‘Can I interest you in a candy cane?’ I said, hamming it up because everyone was watching.
His stubbled jaw tightened, and a wary expression came over his face, as well it might. And as luck would have it, someone – I’d call it divine intervention – dropped a tray. The crash reverberated around the dining room, silencing it momentarily once again.
I leaped straight in. ‘And have you been naughty or nice?’ I asked in a very loud voice and as suggestively as I could at that volume.
Who knew it was so difficult to speak at full volume and be seductive at the same time?
However, I must have managed it, because suddenly everyone’s attention was on us.
‘Have you been a good boy?’ I tilted my head, one coquettish hand on my hip, waiting for an answer. A naughty spark lit in Noah’s eyes and a slow smile spread across his face. It unnerved me, making me feel like I might just have poked a bear with a very sharp stick.
He looked me up and down, those blue eyes missing nothing, his mouth tilted in a wicked smile. I couldn’t help the quick shiver that ran through my body at his slow diligent assessment, weighing me up inch by inch.
Well, I wasn’t going to back down, was I?
I put my foot on the chair next to him, revealing my stripy leg in all its glory, like some mad elven dominatrix. ‘Not got an answer for me?’ I asked, poking the bear some more.
Our audience, because the assembled crowd were all tuned into the performance, giggled and murmured.
I was aware of Raoul taking photos on his iPhone, which to be fair he had been doing all the time, but now I felt like I’d stepped into no man’s land, and I was in danger.
Noah’s steady, unblinking gaze held mine.
‘Well, what’s it going to be. Naughty or nice?’ I asked.
To my surprise, his eyes narrowed, and an unholy look of glee lit up his eyes. Unknowingly, I’d just issued a challenge.
He ran a finger along my leg, from mid-thigh to knee and down my shin, suddenly shooting me a smouldering smile. ‘Well, that depends on who’s asking?’ he murmured.
His hand circled my ankle with a firm, gentle but implacable hold. The bastard. I could have pulled away, but it would have spoiled the show, which he bloody knew. It was hard to resist the insistent tug deep in my belly telling me that I liked his touch and that hint of possession.
He was in total control. When his thumb caressed the inner part of my leg just above my ankle, I took in a sharp breath as a tiny tingle shot up my leg. As his thumb continued to brush over the same spot, my knees wobbled and heat pooled in a place it had no place going.
‘Pardon?’ I whispered, a little dazed.
‘I think you heard me,’ he said with a suggestive raise of one of his dark eyebrows. ‘I can be naughty or nice. Which would you prefer?’
I gulped because, right at that moment, I wasn’t sure which I’d prefer but either way I wanted it to be with me.
Aware of the interested gazes, my mind flitted backwards and forwards trying to work out the best way out of this.
I’d started it, so I would see it through.
I gently pulled my foot away with as much balletic grace as I could, which as it turned out wasn’t much, and Noah, the bastard, rose to help me, that cocky smirk back on his face.
There was no way I was going to let him get away with having the metaphorical last word.
Curving my lips into a big smile, I stood on tiptoe and chastely kissed his cheek and then, like a champion mime artist, I peered into my basket as if searching for just the right candy cane before I plucked one out.
With a flourish and a bow, I presented it to him, blew another kiss and skipped out of the room to a cheer and a round of applause.
I wasn’t sure which one of us was going to live it down.
Noah Sanderson: challenge accepted.