Moments like this, it was as though the first rays of sun were breaking through. And yes, they shone all the brighter in contrast to the dark clouds of the past few months.
Beckett had one more treat for me before they left. After we’d warmed up with the meal-train lasagne, he called me into the living room and guided me through building a fire. What meant the most to me was how he didn’t light it while I was preparing lunch, like some caveman showing off his skills. He didn’t even show me how to do it. He sat back and patiently taught me how to do it myself, letting me make mistakes and get things not quite right.
‘Oh my gosh, I love you,’ I blurted the second I was sure enough of the larger chunks of wood had taken.
I immediately froze, gripping the poker as if I were considering bludgeoning someone with it. The someone being me.
‘You’re welcome.’
‘I mean,’ I said, sliding my eyes to see where Beckett also sat unnaturally still, staring hard at the fire, ‘obviously by I love you, I don’t mean that I, well, I’m not saying that I don’t love you as a friend. If that’s… Is it okay to say that? You don’t strike me as the kind of guy who tells his mates he loves them. But me and my friends, we would do it all the time. You know, “love you!” if we made each other a cup of tea, or were off out somewhere, or one of us made a snappy comment. I know we’ve not known each other that long, but you got me through childbirth. I will love you forever for that. Oh, no. I really need to stop talking now. Please stop me before I keep making it worse. I should have made a joke and moved on. Now this brilliant day will forever be the time I made everything awkward…’
‘I love you, too,’ Beckett said firmly, his voice impossibly deep, before leaning over and kissing the top of my head in an unmistakably friend-like manner. ‘But I do need to get home. I have to tidy up before the care agency Bill recommended come over tomorrow.’
He stood up, sending a snowflake decoration spinning as he stretched his arms above his head. ‘Enjoy your fire.’
‘Oh, I will. And the tree, the decorations, the freaky-looking elf. When can I come over and make it up to you?’
‘If you were able to spend some time with Gramps on Tuesday, that would be great. But he wants to go back to the church on Sunday. If you fancy coming too, let me know.’
‘Okay. I’ll check my diary.’ I pretended to open and scan through an imaginary book. ‘I’m free, would you believe it? If the roads are clear, then me and Bob will come. He enjoyed the carols last time, and hopefully I’ll have a couple of costumes ready for people to try on, check my rusty dressmaking skills are up to the Christmas Twins’ standards.’
Beckett woke Gramps up, took a protracted ten minutes encouraging him into his coat, boots, hat and gloves, and then left, calling out, ‘Love you!’ as the front door swung shut.
‘Look at all this,’ I said, turning on the star lights draped across the window frames and picking up Bob to show him. ‘Of all the taxi drivers to come and pick me up on your birthday, I think we got a Christmas angel.’
20
MARY
I had no idea who Leo was when I met him. It was ShayKi’s summer party. This was a grand affair held in a large hotel just outside the city, and in addition to our employees, we invited key contacts from our suppliers, retailers and various other people who we had working relationships with, ranging from fashion bloggers to charity workers. That year, almost three hundred people wined, dined and celebrated another year of stomping success at our award ceremony.
I was in full-on work mode. This type of event came naturally to Shay and Kieran, but I had to make a concerted effort to work my way around our guests. As per the ShayKi way, this meant taking the time to greet those who probably considered themselves the least deserving in the room, leaving the bigwigs to chat amongst themselves.
I’d been outside in the hotel garden, talking to a group of women who had come through our apprenticeship scheme, when I spotted a man standing in a similar cluster a few feet away. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have thought anything of it. We had a lot of stylish, confident men at our parties. Even when he lifted his glass towards me and gave a playful nod, I merely adjusted my position so he was no longer in my eyeline and continued listening to how one woman had recently regained partial custody of her young children, helped by ShayKi’s decent income and flexible hours.
At an appropriate pause in the conversation, I wished them all the best and went to find another drink. Before I’d taken three steps, a full champagne flute was pressed into my hand.
‘You looked like you needed a top-up,’ the man said in a faint London accent, giving an impish smirk.
‘Not at all creepy, to have a stranger watching me from the shrubbery shadows,’ I retorted, making to move past him.
‘What can I say? I’m a people watcher.’
Supposing that this was better than the many guests who were solely interested in themselves being watched, when I reached a bench and sat down, I decided not to object when he took a seat next to me, leaving a reassuring distance between us.
‘I’ve heard you do things differently here, but it still intrigued me, seeing the big boss hobnobbing with the common workers, rather than schmoozing with the chair of the British Fashion Council, who happens to be standing by the fountain over there, with an editor from Glamour magazine.’
‘I leave all that to my co-directors.’ I took a sip of champagne. It was a gorgeous evening, the air light, the breeze carrying the scent of cut grass and meat sizzling on the barbecues.
‘It doesn’t make you sound any less creepy, by the way, knowing who I am.’
‘Even if I know who Shay and Kieran are? And that the guy standing over there is your head of branding? Now, the woman next to him I’m less sure of. I’d guess by the outfit, those stiff shoulders, that she’s something to do with finance. Accountant?’
‘She cleans our office.’
‘Ah. Okay. Close, then.’
That made me smile. ‘You still haven’t told me why you know all this. I know you don’t work for us.’ I would definitely have remembered those slanting electric-blue eyes, the smile that crinkled up his whole face. ‘Are you from a rival brand, sent here to spy?’
