Page 15 of Holly's Christmas Countdown
“Actually, I wanted to talk about–” I tried to get back to the problem at hand but Annie interjected.
“And what about Fin? How is he?”
“He’s–”
“Good, I hope. I really should’ve spoken to him by now. Arranged to meet up.”
Going from one topic to another without waiting for an answer, Annie’s mind seemed to be all over the place and the last thing I wanted to do was send her into even more of a spin. Deciding to put the issue of Fin moving out on hold, I clung on to Annie’s suggestion that he’d be gone in a couple of days. “He’s fine as far as I know,” I said. I pictured him the last time I saw him, flitting around my kitchen. “He certainly didn’t say anything to the contrary this morning.”
“Over breakfast?”
“Yes.”
“What do you normally have for breakfast.”
“A bowl of cereal.”
Annie raised an eyebrow. “And this morning?”
Wondering why the questions, I opened my mouth to reply.
“No. Don’t tell me.” She put a hand up to stop me. “He cooked for you, didn’t he? This is so not fair. When I think about the morning I’ve had. I knew I should’ve sent Emma your way, not him.” She paused to look at me direct. “Do you know how lucky you are?” She sighed. “I bet he’s as gorgeous as ever too, isn’t he?”
I envisaged Fin, wearing nothing but a towel, every muscle and ripple on show. My nether regions tingled. “He’s not bad, I suppose.”
Annie looked at me, incredulous. “Not bad! I think you’re doing the man a great disservice.”
I laughed. “All right, he’s very handsome.”
I stirred the last of the cream into my hot chocolate, thinking I should at least know a little bit about the man seeing as he was staying with me for a couple of days. “So tell me again,” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. “How do you know Fin?”
“He’s Elliot’s cousin. From the posh side of the family.”
I considered the way Fin spoke, how his words sounded clear and rounded. His enunciation couldn’t have contrasted more with the flat Dales dialect I was used to. “That explains the accent.”
Annie laughed. “Lovely, isn’t it? Although his branch is nothing like the one I married into. Anyway, I haven’t seen him for years, not in person. Not since the funeral actually, and even then I didn’t expect him to come.”
I supposed that explained why Fin had never visited her house.
Annie appeared thoughtful for a moment. “Good of him, considering. Although he and Elliot were quite close once of a day, so I suppose I shouldn’t really have been surprised.”
I didn’t know Annie back then, so I never had the honour of meeting her husband in person. By all accounts he was a well-loved man and people often talked about him. I could appreciate why Fin would have wanted to pay his respects.
“Fin’s an only child,” Annie continued. “He used to come up and stay with Elliot’s family during school holidays, which apparently, he loved. I got the impression his parents weren’t as hands-on. Children should be seen and not heard, kind of thing.”
“That seems sad.”
“Elliot reckoned it didn’t do Fin any harm. It’s what makes him able to focus.” Annie furrowed her brow. “I thought I’d told you all this.”
I shifted in my seat. “It doesn’t hurt to have information confirmed.”
Annie’s frown turned into a grin. “You don’t remember any of what I said, do you?” She giggled. “I know we drank a lot that night, but I told you to keep quiet, not forget. This is hilarious. Boy, are you in for some fun.” She had a glint in her eye.
“Keep quiet about what?” I asked.
Annie’s smile remained. “Nothing,” she said, putting a piece of decimated tangerine and marzipan muffin into her mouth.
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