Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye - Jacquelyn Middleton Page 0,35
suit behind a slim laptop, a large coffee and important papers keeping him company on his stark desk. “I’m good. I’m just heading home from Simon’s.”
“Oh, you went? Good!”
Simon didn’t text him? That’s good, I guess. “Yeah, I started a prom dress today.” Get to it! The traffic signal blinked green, and she followed the crowd across the street. “So, how’s your day been? How many coffees did you need?” She scrunched her nose. Chicken! You are your own worst enemy.
He chuckled. “Ah, it’s been good—a two-coffee day. I visited an old cinema I’m repurposing into a climbing gym and had two property go-sees—I put in an offer on one, a gorgeous old church. I think we might turn it into a performance space.” He paused.
Is he waiting to say something? Waiting for me?
Tarquin cleared his throat. “I guess you’re calling about your umbrella? I can drop—”
“No, that’s…I’m—sorry, I didn’t mean to cut you off.” Leia stopped behind a pillar advertising sneakers from Sports Now and did a double take. His dad’s company. Rubbing her temple, she blurted, “I’m calling about Somerset House.” Smooth, Leia, really smooth. She closed her eyes and shook her head.
“Oh? Uh, okay…”
She scuffed the sidewalk with her boot. “You know their ice rink, the one with DJs and cocktails?”
“I do. It’s not Christmas in London without it.”
“Right! Well, I’m going to check it out before it’s gone. Would you like to go Saturday night?” As friends with benefits. Hopefully.
He didn’t answer right away. “This Saturday?” His tone dipped.
Shit. He’s got plans. “Uh, yeah.” She blew out a breath. “Look, I’m sorry. Here I am, calling last minute—again.”
“No, no! It’s okay. I was supposed to see a film with Harry and Lucy but…plans got cancelled.” Through the phone, his voice carried a hint of a smile, coaxing the butterflies in Leia’s belly into a full-on frenzy. “I’d like to see it too—before it’s gone.”
“Great! How ’bout you meet me at eight by the Christmas tree? I’m guessing it’ll still be up.”
“I’ll be there! I’ll be the Scott Moir to your Tessa Virtue.”
How does he—? Leia raised her eyebrows. “You’re a skating fan?”
“Hey, what can I say? I’m a sucker for cute Canadian ice dancers!” Tarquin chuckled. “What? You’re surprised?”
“Well, yeah. You’re British…and a guy.”
He laughed harder. “I’m a guy full of surprises, Ginger Spice. Just you wait and see.”
Eight
TARQUIN
Frantic blades chipped the ice, spraying snow into the air. No! Not again! Not… “Fuck!” Toppling sideways, Tarquin slammed shoulder-first into the waist-high plexiglass barrier hugging the Somerset House rink. Ow—ch! He slipped, landing with a thud on the unforgiving ice. Oh, mate! Fuuuck. He sucked in a stifled breath, his leather gloves clutching his arm and ribs. I thought this would be a lot easier. Bugger. I must really like this woman, risking my neck and arse like this. Climbing was never this tricky! Sitting up on his knees, he brushed snow from his coat’s sleeve for the third time while the large illuminated letters spelling S K A T E above the south wing of Somerset House silently mocked him. Oh, shut it! I’m trying!
“Mate, you okay?” An orange-bibbed rink employee barely out of puberty bent down and extended a gloved hand.
Tarquin accepted it with a muted “Cheers” and slowly rose onto one blade, then the other. Straightening up, he wobbled and cursed under his breath but at least he was no longer channeling Bambi, all limbs akimbo on the ice in front of several hundred Londoners. “I will be.” His ego bruised more than his body, he nudged his cashmere beanie above his tense brows and clutched the rail as the staffer glided off into the fray, searching for more skaters in peril.
Leia didn’t see that, did she? His eyes shot to the rink’s entrance. He let out a nervous chuckle and his ribs kicked back, unleashing a sharp twinge that stole his breath away. Ah, flippin’ heck! I didn’t… He patted the inside pocket of his coat and stuck a hand in. The flask he had squirrelled away was still screwed closed and intact despite his bone-rattling fall. Nice one.
His gaze coasted over the parade of smiles sailing by, but Leia’s laughter was nowhere in the mix. Ten minutes earlier before they had stepped onto the ice, a broken skate lace sent her back to the cloakroom for a replacement. “Start without me!” she said, and Tarquin did, using her unexpected absence to find his groove. Unfortunately, three tumbles later, it was still nowhere