Chapter Twenty-four
Lara plumped the sofa cushions again and checked she had enough good coffee – not that Flynn would notice a cushion if it fell on his head or care about coffee. She was annoyed with herself for even touching a cushion; it was a signal that she was starting to be too excited.
Yet she knew better than most that once you’d started to fall for someone, it was almost impossible to avoid that rollercoaster.
So, she decided to be kind to herself and accept the fact that she’d been on a high ever since she’d fallen into Flynn’s arms and into his bed the evening before.
Not even the day’s small trials could dampen her spirits: a Portaloo issue or the cancellation of a corporate Christmas event. On the upside, Tessa had kindly agreed to make her costume for the ball and to alter Flynn’s highwayman outfit to fit his physique.
Flynn was on duty that evening and they’d arranged to meet up after the Spectacular had ended and he’d finished closing everything down.
She hoped he wasn’t too knackered after sorting out the grotto problem.
He’d need his energy … a thought that made her want to laugh.
At this rate, they’d both give the game away by looking permanently knackered at work.
She’d already had to stifle a yawn during a health and safety meeting.
She checked her phone. The site closed at nine officially, but Flynn might be up to an hour after that. It was only eight-thirty, so she had a while to wait. She might as well relax and watch some TV or read a book, not that she could concentrate on either.
She’d restarted a historical documentary three times when Flynn messaged:
Grotto issue still not totally sorted. Probably damp :( Don’t worry but it might be a late one. Don’t wait up. F x
And that was it. Lara felt as if she’d been dunked into an icy lake.
How disappointing. Poor Flynn. He must really be up against it to bail out.
Still, it couldn’t be helped. She might as well get an early night and catch up on her lost sleep even if he couldn’t.
There was always tomorrow evening when they were both off-duty.
She suggested he come over after her Zumba class and, with that pleasant thought to console herself, she settled down to watch TV with a hot chocolate and tried not to dwell too much on what she was missing out on.
‘You’re looking well, Lara,’ Henry whispered at the end of the Christmas tour the following afternoon. One of the guides felt unwell and had to leave at the last minute, so Lara had stepped in.
‘Thanks. You’re looking better yourself, if you don’t mind me saying.’
Henry beamed. His cheeks were ruddier again and he was more relaxed. ‘Mustn’t grumble. This diet is a nuisance, though I do feel like I have more energy and it’s better than being carted off to hospital. I wonder if I dare have a mince pie. No, perhaps not. Fiona might catch me.’
Lara was not up for such self-denial. While the tour group admired the trees and decorations, she tucked into the mince pies that Jazz’s team had served in the banqueting hall. With just over two weeks to Christmas, there was an air of excitement and anticipation that was infectious.
Her mood was also helped by a serious dose of anticipation and excitement that had nothing to do with presents or Santa coming down the chimney.
She didn’t even have to wait until dinnertime, because she bumped into Flynn on her way out of the castle.
‘Flynn. Hi.’
His mouth opened in surprise, as if he’d been startled by her. He looked very harassed.
‘Problems?’ she asked.
‘What?’ he said, frowning, almost angrily, before his expression changed to the wry grimace she was used to. ‘The usual. Actually, I’m glad I caught you. You know you suggested I come over after your dance class tonight?’
‘I did,’ Lara said, with a wrinkle of her brow.
‘I’d forgotten I was meant to meet Harvey for a drink. I’ve got some presents for his kids and I promised to hand them over and I’ll be pretty late back. I’ve got a very early start in the morning, so I thought – um – maybe it’s a good idea for us both if we sleep in our own beds tonight?’
‘Oh,’ Lara said, taken aback. ‘I see – erm, well you can’t let down a friend.
It’s fine.’ It wasn’t really fine but she wasn’t going to make a thing of it.
‘We can rearrange … I’ll just have to contain myself a while longer,’ she murmured, with a look that spoke volumes.
She had thought of kissing him and not caring who saw them but didn’t dare.
He flashed her a smile in return. ‘Yeah. We can.’
‘Speak tomorrow? It’s not as if we won’t see each other around,’ she said, with a knowing eyebrow raise.
Flynn smiled back. ‘No. Yes. We certainly will,’ he said. ‘See you. Have to go. Carlos is after me and I don’t want him to think I’m skiving.’
‘No, you don’t want that …’
‘Speak soon,’ he said, and with a wave of the hand, hurried away without looking back.
Lara shivered as if a sudden cold wind had rushed down from the fells, heralding a storm to come.
Then she sighed and walked back to the cottage.
Flynn was busy and their relationship was barely a day old.
He had a prior engagement – an unfortunate choice of words, she thought, but it described the situation well.
Her life didn’t revolve around him and she was looking forward to seeing Jazz at Zumba.
How she would manage not to blurt out her secret about Flynn, though, she wasn’t sure.