Chapter 31
CHAPTER 31
JESSY
T he sound of Christmas carols fills the shoppers with Christmas cheer as the cold bite of winter attempts to bring them to their senses. Cinnamon and orange collide in an onslaught to the senses as shops entice you inside with the promise of finding that perfect Christmas gift to tick off your list.
Angie is already several shopping bags in but for some reason I’m lacking inspiration because life has turned on its head and nothing makes sense anymore.
“Hey, Jessy. Do you think my mum will love this scarf?”
I glance across and smile at the vision of Angie with a huge scarf wrapped around her neck several times.
“She will love it.” I reply as I stare with frustration at the various candles I’ve been sniffing for close to five minutes already.
“Hey.” Angie appears by my side, concern written in her eyes.
“What’s up? You’re not really feeling this today, are you?”
“Not really.”
She nods towards her crammed basket. “Let me pay for these and we can grab a coffee. I heard their gingerbread cinnamon delight is to die for.”
I grab a couple of random candles and line up with her and wonder where my Christmas spirit has gone.
Ordinarily, I love these days with Angie. It’s one of the highlights of our year and we save up hard to make it a memorable one. Usually I exhaust my gifting list and head home to wrap the packages in front of a Christmas movie, but I don’t even feel like doing that.
It’s ever since the ‘almost’ kiss with Luke. It may be my imagination, but I really sensed a connection between us. The anticipation was high and then Morgana yelled, ‘cut’ and brought me to my senses. Thank God she did because that could have been the most embarrassing moment of my life and I spent the rest of the evening avoiding Luke, who, in turn, has spent the last few days avoiding me.
I’m aware his physio is taking up most of his time, but there are things I need to run past him regarding the business plan I’m writing. Steven has been the one overseeing that, causing me to wonder if Luke saw the longing in my eyes and was appalled by my infatuation.
It can only be that and so I follow Angie to the coffee shop across the road with a heavy heart and as we manage to grab the last table, I wait for her to order with a heart filled with desolation.
“Here you go.”
She sets the steaming coffee before me with a side of shortbread and smiles.
“What’s up?”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“You. Ever since the night you almost kissed Luke Adams, you’ve been like a closed book. Did anything happen between you I should know about because I’m seeing a guilty conscience written all over your face?”
“Is it obvious?” I groan and her eyes widen in shock.
“Oh my God! I was joking. You mean you really have done something I should have been told about immediately?”
“Not really. I mean, I haven’t done anything. Only inappropriate thoughts concerning my new boss.”
“Well, that’s hardly a crime, babe. I’ve had inappropriate thoughts about many men who don’t even know I exist. You’re just the lucky one who nearly got to act them out.”
“In front of his girlfriend, not to mention the village.”
I stir my coffee and sigh heavily.
“What am I going to do, Angie? Why do I like him so much knowing he is already taken? What type of person does that make me?”
“Human?”
She leans forward, mischief dancing in her eyes like a candle flame in the wind.
“I admit it’s an impossible situation, but there is hope.”
“Is there?”
“Of course. I mean, don’t forget what I saw that day. Morgana isn’t averse to playing away from home either and if I’m right, she is having an illicit affair with Luke’s manager, Steven.”
“You don’t know that? It could have been anything. They are a close group and he could have just been comforting her, or something along those lines.”
She stirs her own gingerbread latte with a thoughtful expression.
“Perhaps they are breaking up. You hear about it all the time, couples living a lie. It would explain why he is so keen on you and she is, well, carrying on with his manager.”
“I doubt it.”
I remember the soft expression in his eyes and the loving way he speaks of her.
“You’re just imagining it. Anyway–” I exhale sharply. “As soon as his ankle heals, he’ll be heading back to Manchester and Granthaven will be a distant memory.”
Angie shrugs. “Possibly, which is why you need to step up your campaign.”
“What campaign?”
“Luke, silly. If you are going to stand any chance of winning his heart, you must be ruthless.”
I shake my head and make to speak, but she cuts in with an excited, “Take a leaf out of Morgana’s book and dress to impress. Show him you are her equal, if not better, and anything she can do you can do too.”
“Like what? I’m not becoming an influencer, no way.”
“You only need to influence one person, and he is already primed. The play is your perfect chance because if you build the tension and drop subtle hints, when the deed happens, you can all but reel him in.”
“You’re mad.”
“I’m right and you know it.”
She leans back and smiles. “The kiss under the mistletoe is the perfect moment. One taste of your lips and he won’t know what hit him.”
“If you say so.”
I shake my head and concentrate on my latte instead because as plans go, Angie’s has all the makings of an unsuccessful one. It will only end with me waving goodbye to him in the New Year while I live with the humiliation of ever thinking a man like Luke would ever be interested in a woman like me.