Page 56 of You, As You Are

Maisie’s mouth hung wide as she whipped her face across her shoulder.

He clinked his glass to hers, toasting “Iechyd da?*” before wandering off.

True to her word and feeling the pull of sleep, Maisie curled her hand gently around Vera’s arm half an hour later. “Nain?Nain, I’m going to go,” she said, having to lean in to be heard over the music.

Vera’s eyes rounded. “Go?”

“I have to work tomorrow. I’ll come by early to clean up some of the mess in here.”

“Oh don’t worry, sweetie. Ronnie is staying the night. He’ll help me.”

Maisie didn’t like the sound of the two of them having to tip the house upside down by themselves to get it cleaned. The gin stain on the rug would take time on hands and knees to come out completely.

“If you’re sure?” she ventured.

“I’m sure.” Vera patted her hand then closed her fingers around Maisie’s. “Wait, before you go, I have something for you.”

“It’syourbirthday,Nain.”

“It’s upstairs.”

Which is how Maisie found herself being guided through the dance floor of pensioners to the staircase.

Iain stepped into her path, still leaving room for her to pass. “I thought we were leaving?”

‘We’ sent a shock of something through Maisie’s system.

Her palm not held by Vera’s landed on his forearm when she leaned in. “Nainjust wants to show me something.” His eyes had watched her lips but Maisie quickly convinced herself it was just so he could be sure of what she’d said in this ruckus. Seriously, it was like a nightclub in here.

He nodded. “I’ll wait here.”

Vera had the strangest look of giddiness and pride on her face when they set off up the staircase, and Maisie couldn’t help but feel a fraction humiliated about the meddling plot that’d been unfurling right under their noses.

Iain had been by her side for the last half of the night, nursing his glass and watching the party around him whilst she was drawn into half-drunken conversations about this and that. She’d tried to get him to dance, too, but it was a feat with no reward.

The way he’d asked for permission to touch her was pantie-ruiningly hot, though the request had been unfulfilled so far since that moment in the kitchen. He’d chosen to caress her with his eyes instead, which didn’t entirely make sense when his brow was always taut with stress.

It’s all for the plan.

Another step up the darkened stairs.

It is all for the plan.

Vera looked back over her shoulder, a not-so-subtle smirk on her rouge-painted lips. “Going somewhere?”

It took Maisie a second too long to realise she referred to Iain’s ‘waiting’comment. “He’s walking me home.”

“Good man.”

There she went, blushing again. She needn’t have bothered with the pink make-up tonight when her face supplied enough of the colour.

“Just watch your step, please. You already have one broken wrist.”

Vera turned the upstairs landing ahead of her. “If you want to kiss him on your doorstep, then I say good for you,” she hushed for no reason when there was no one up here to hear. And why would she finally lower her voicenow?

“We haven’t had an actual date yet,Nain,” Maisie said, slowing by the myriad of family photos on the wall. “No one is kissing anyone.”

“Well that’s a shame. What are you waiting for? I’m not getting any younger – I’d love to see another grandchild married before I pass.”

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