Chapter Three #3
‘It might be an opportunity to have a quiet word with Kieran,’ Tony said matter-of-factly.
‘After all, if it hadn’t been for him none of this would have happened.
And coming from you, the boss’s nephew, it will probably put the fear of God into him too.
Not a bad thing, eh? Make him think twice in future. ’
Luke nodded. ‘Maybe I’ll do that,’ he said, watching as Tony wandered back to his office.
He rubbed his head again, still feeling aggrieved.
While Kieran Maddern might be the cause of the problem he was only part of it.
Cat Trevelyan hadn’t even attempted to say sorry for what she had done.
Something he wasn’t going to forget in a hurry.
Arriving back at the hotel, Cat killed the engine and sat there for a moment.
She knew she shouldn’t have given her run in with Luke another thought, but for some reason she kept seeing him standing there, full of his own self-importance, only too keen to put her in her place.
Okay, maybe what she had done was dangerous, even stupid.
He could have been concussed, cut his head open.
That would have meant a trip to ED, stitches, even an overnight stay.
Rubbish, she damped down on such over-dramatic thoughts.
Of course that would never have happened. She was simply overreacting.
Remembering Jodie’s over-the-top praise, she decided to give her a call and relay her own experience.
‘So you got to meet him after all?’ Jodie’s excited voice echoed down the phone. ‘What did you think?’
‘Well, actually I …’ Cat drew out a heavy breath.
‘Ah, you’re a fan already, I can tell. I’m not surprised.
I have to say he has that effect on people,’ Jodie interrupted.
‘You know the women around here are in shock. I mean, they can’t believe he’s related to Jordan.
And he’s so nice … horrible word, nice, but he seems to go out of his way to be helpful. ’
‘Excuse me,’ Cat interrupted, determined to halt more of this endless praise which was beginning to annoy her, ‘are you sure we’re talking about the same man?’
‘Tall, untidy brown hair, amazing grey eyes?’
‘That’s the one.’
‘Lush, isn’t he?’
‘Not exactly the adjective I had in mind, Jodie. Try rude, overbearing, a real piece of work.’
‘No.’ Cat could almost see Jodie shaking her head in disagreement. ‘That can’t be him. You must have met someone else.’
‘It was definitely him,’ Cat insisted. ‘Tony Marsh introduced us.’
For a moment Jodie fell silent on the other end of the phone. Cat could hear her gentle breathing as if gathering her thoughts and then she said, ‘No, this doesn’t sound right to me. Did something happen between you two to trigger this obvious dislike you seem to have?’
‘Like what?’ Cat stalled, knowing exactly what Jodie was digging for.
‘Like you doing something to upset him, maybe?’
‘Me? Upset him? Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous,’ she said, trying to laugh it off. ‘Why would I do that?’
‘Cat.’ The sound of Jodie’s voice made her think of her father. He often used the same low, reprimanding tone when chastising Gussie or Gulliver.
‘Oh, all right,’ Cat caved in. ‘I couldn’t find the keys to my car,’ she said with a huff of annoyance. ‘Debbie was busy on the phone and Tony wasn’t in his office. She told me to go and see Kieran in the service workshop because he’d know where the keys were.’
‘And?’
‘Remember the other night? What I told you he did?’
‘Yes, and you swore you’d get him back kind for kind when the opportunity arose. Oh, Cat, no, don’t tell me you …’ Her voice trailed away and Cat heard the first bubble of laughter down the phone as Jodie realised what must have happened.
‘Yes, I mistook Luke for Kieran … well, how was I to know when all I could see was someone in overalls leaning into the boot of a car?’
‘Hilarious!’ Jodie hooted with laughter. ‘So, what happened next?’
‘Well.’ Taking a deep breath, Cat told her everything. She knew once she’d finished Jodie would see that Luke Carrack had a different side to his character; one which could be arrogant and condescending. Only she didn’t.
Instead she said, ‘Cat, he could have been injured,’ in the kind of voice which indicated she’d be at the front of the queue with bandages and TLC.
‘Well he wasn’t,’ Cat snapped, ‘he bumped his head that’s all … and swore. Loudly.’
‘Did you apologise?’
‘I planned to, before he decided to be patronising. He called me a stupid woman and then followed up by lecturing me about the service area being off limits to the public. I ask you. Since when have I been the public? I was about to enlighten him when Tony turned up with my keys.’
‘Oh, poor old you, all in all a bit of a bad day then,’ Jodie soothed.
‘You could say that.’ Did she detect a glimmer of sympathy on the other end of the phone?
Probably not; Jodie, ever the peacemaker, usually tried the calming route to bring contentious moments to their conclusion.
Despite being friends they were total opposites.
Jodie hated arguments and confrontations.
For her it was all about making peace, finding common ground.
In total contrast, Cat, growing up in a male dominated environment, had always tended to be assertive and strong-willed.
‘Never mind, I’m sure things will be different next time,’ Jodie said, continuing to appease.
‘I’m sure they will,’ Cat agreed, too tired to argue about there not being a next time.
It appeared that Jodie, like the rest of the female population of Carrenporth, had become a fully paid up member of the Luke Carrack fan club.
Nothing, it appeared, would sway her from her high opinion of him.
Thankfully, she was able to bring the call to an end when a black Audi SUV pulled up in front of the hotel entrance.
The Abbotts had arrived; time to do her Wonder Woman spin and morph into her event planning role once more.