Page 58 of The Happy Hour
‘I know you know about Felicity,’ Ash told her. ‘I just wasn’t sure how honest to be in front of you.’
‘I would say not at all—’ Jess started.
‘You were about to admit that you didn’t mind helping Felicity, but that you’d much rather spend the next hour kissing the sense out of my very best colleague, is that it?’
Jess gasped out loud, then felt like an idiot.
Ash laughed. ‘I can be completely honest, then.’
‘Nothing gets past me.’ Wendy smiled at him. ‘But I think it’s great, what you’re doing. Not just the kissing, but with Felicity. Especially as you have some experience, Ash. Not necessarily with this particular issue, but...’
‘Yeah, this is a new one for me,’ he said. ‘But as long as we’re careful, and let Felicity lead the way, I hope we can help her see things differently.’
‘And you’ll look after Jess?’
‘I don’t need looking after,Mum.’Jess picked up her bag from the storeroom.
‘Of course,’ Ash said seriously.
‘Have a lovely time,’ Wendy called gleefully as Jess turned Ash around in the doorway – he was entirely pliable – and pushed him out into the market.
‘She’s great,’ he said, as they navigated the throng. The rain drummed steadily on the roof, and even though the sky was grey, the market was still colourful, with its dangling hearts and cheerful stalls, visitors in their weekend-bright dresses and jackets. It was never a monochrome place.
‘She’s a challenge,’ Jess replied.
‘But you love her.’
‘She’s all right.’ Jess couldn’t have sounded any more like a petulant teenager, and Ash laughed gently.
‘Did you get away OK?’ she asked, after they’d left the market behind.
‘It was fine,’ Ash said. ‘I got Mack his paper, stayed for twenty minutes so he could rant about the latest climate change conspiracy’ – he rolled his eyes – ‘then escaped. And now, we have two whole hours.’
‘You remember what we’re spending the next two hours doing, don’t you?’
‘Of course. But it doesn’t mean that’sallwe’re doing.’ They’d reached a quieter, residential road, and Ash put the coffee carrier on the low wall of the house they were outside.
‘What’s happening?’ Jess asked.
‘Come here.’ Ash’s voice was soft, and as she stepped towards him, he put his hands on her hips.
‘It’s raining,’ she said, but it had faded to a barely there drizzle. She was in her own pair of tatty jeans and a navy T-shirt, a thin hoody slung over the top, but she might as well have been naked for the way sensation shivered through her at Ash’s touch. His kiss was gentle, and she closed her eyes so she could focus on feeling, on living in this moment: kissing Ash in the rain, in broad daylight, in the street. She didn’t even care if people were looking, judging, disapproving.
‘I feel much more prepared now,’ she whispered, when they pulled apart.
‘Good,’ Ash said roughly. ‘Me too.’
‘It’s just up here.’
‘Lead the way.’ Ash retrieved the coffees, and they walked up the hill together.
Felicity opened the door wearing a dove-grey dress and pearl earrings, as if she was off to have afternoon tea at the Langham. Ash looked a little taken aback, and Jess wondered if she should have spent more time explaining how complete Felicity’s denial was.
‘Jessica, Ash – thank you for coming. Do come in.’ She stepped back, into the narrow space left in her hallway. Jess threw Ash a quick smile and walked into the house.
‘Lovely to see you, Felicity,’ Ash said, following her in. Jess heard something fall behind him – a stack of papers, perhaps, as he’d brushed past it.
‘You’ve brought coffee, too.’ Felicity clasped her hands. ‘How wonderful of you. Shall we go into the living room?’
