slightly alarming, and ironic to think that Zack had hired Christine in order to be safe, when it was becoming scarily apparent that she’d had a crush on him all along.
It just went to show, no matter how unprepossessing the exterior, a flirty soul could still lie beneath.
Back inside the house, Ellie leaned against the office door and gazed at the radiator.
For quite a while.
No, it was no good, she couldn’t do it. She just wasn’t that kind of person.
Dammit.
She had to use the plastic flyswat to reach across the desk and poke around behind the radiator until the postcard from Australia slid out. On her hands and knees, Ellie retrieved it from the floor under the desk, then straightened up again and put it in Zack’s in-tray.
A loose splinter from one of the oak floorboards had managed to rip a hole in the knee of her tights, new on this morning.
Great.
This was her reward for doing the right thing.
Chapter 44
Honestly, you tried your best and sometimes everything worked out perfectly.
Other times, it all went horribly wrong.
Ellie blamed the alcohol. Or more to the point, the lack of it. When she’d invited Roo over for dinner, the plan had been to soften her up and make her realize that the time had come to give in. And a couple of bottles of Barolo might well have done the trick. Then, when the doorbell rang and Todd appeared, the metaphorical violins could start to play and in years to come they would fondly remember the night when Ellie had managed to persuade them they really should be together.
Plus, she would be a bridesmaid.
Whereas the reality, minus alcohol, meant that Roo was stone-cold sober and Todd at his wits’ end.
‘I’ll go.’ Roo put down her glass of water.
‘No.’ From the doorway, Todd shook his head. ‘I will.’
‘Can’t you both stay?’ Was this how it felt to be a relationship counselor? Filled with frustration, Ellie said, ‘Couldn’t we just have a nice evening together?’
Todd looked at Roo. ‘I’ve sent you letters and texts and emails and you’ve ignored them all. Now that I’m here, can we at least talk?’
‘About us, you mean? I’d rather not.’ Roo was breathing rapidly. ‘No point.’
The air was thick with sexual tension, like extra-crackly cellophane. Ellie said, ‘OK, how about both of you staying and not talking about any of that stuff?’ She turned to Todd. ‘You’re one of my oldest friends. And you’—she swung back to Roo—‘you’re my newest. I don’t want to be stuck in the middle. So how about we give it a try?’
Silence.
Followed by more silence. Apart from that almost-audible zing of sexual tension.
‘Please,’ Ellie tried again. ‘Because why should I be the one to suffer? Haven’t I been through enough?’
Oh yes, she could be shameless when she wanted. Jamie wouldn’t mind.
‘I can’t believe you just said that,’ said Roo.
Todd shook his head at Ellie. ‘Talk about low.’
‘Fine. Are you staying or not?’
‘I’ll stay.’
But the next couple of hours weren’t easy. The tension didn’t let up for a second. On the surface Roo and Todd were eating and talking, but their feelings for each other remained the elephant in the room.
Finally Todd cracked and said, ‘This is crazy.’ He put down his beer and said abruptly, ‘Roo, can I talk to you in the kitchen?’
‘No.’
His eyes blazed with emotion. ‘Just for one minute.’
‘Not even for one second,’ said Roo.
They glared at each other across the table. It was almost unbearable to watch. Ellie pushed back her chair and said, ‘I’m just off to the loo…’
‘Stay where you are!’ Roo blurted out.
‘Hello? I need a wee. And no’—Ellie rose to her feet—‘you’re not coming with me.’
She didn’t need a wee, but she loitered in the bathroom for a couple of minutes. Honestly, was this a ridiculous situation or what?
Finally there was a knock on the door.
‘If you’re being discreet, you can come out now,’ said Todd.
Ellie emerged from the bathroom.
The living room was empty.
‘Where is she?’
‘Gone.’
‘Oh God, I’m sorry.’ Ellie collapsed back down on her chair.
He rubbed his hand over his head. ‘She said thanks for the dinner, by the way.’
‘Right.’
Todd indicated the table, strewn with plates and the remains of the tiramisu. ‘Me too.’
‘No problem.’ She’d have the rest of it for breakfast.
‘And for doing your best. Nice try.’
‘It would have been better if it had worked.’
‘This whole business is killing me.’ Todd looked defeated.
‘I know. I’m sorry.’
‘I feel like Bridget bloody Jones.’ He gave a huff of annoyance and flipped the top off