Page 10 of The Christmas Holiday
‘Umm, no, not really. I used to work for a regional paper, and covered all sorts. A few years ago, I came for an interviewwith your dad. I’d actually been going for a travel position but it had already been filled. Jeremy said he still wanted to hire me and there was another section he wanted to pep up, if I’d be willing to take that. It wasn’t what I’d been hoping for when I went for the interview but I knew I was lucky he was giving me a foot in the door.
‘And you enjoy it?’
‘I do. Well, mostly. I coverbirths, marriages and deaths and I have to admit I’m not so keen on the obituaries bit, if I’m honest.’ I looked up and saw their faces, and then, realising some of this could get back to Jeremy, quickly elaborated. ‘Only because they make me a little sad. Some of these people achieved so much, were clearly so loved and then… well, they’re not here any more.’
‘But surely one should be happythey had a good life, and achieved what they did?’ Sandeep asked.
‘And I am! I just…’
‘It makes you sad,’ Olivia said. ‘That’s perfectly understandable. I wouldn’t even be able to think about writing that stuff. I’d be a mess before I even started!’ Sandeep looked at her in a way that made it clear to every other diner just how he felt about her. His eyes were filled with utter adoration.To my horror, I realised Olivia’s were filled with tears. Perfect! I’d made my client cry. Hunter glanced up from his menu and saw the same thing. His gaze slid to mine momentarily and I could tell he’d just found yet another reason why his girlfriend, or whoever she was, should have got this job and not me.
‘Olivia, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to upset you.’
Across the table, she wavedher hand. ‘I’m fine, honestly! Not your fault.’
Sandeep lifted her hand and briefly kissed it. ‘My fiancée can be a little emotional.’ She gave him a shy look under her lashes. ‘Yet another facet I love her for.’
I smiled at them. They really were adorable.
Hunter made a throwing-up sound. I glared at him and Olivia threw her napkin across the table.
‘Just because you’re a cold-heartedwretch doesn’t mean the rest of us have to be,’ she admonished him. ‘Honestly, whatever will Mia think of you?’
He shrugged. ‘I really don’t think it’s important what Mia thinks of me. I’m here to do a job. And I’ll do it well. Just because I don’t believe in all this stuff doesn’t mean I can’t capture what you two have.’ Olivia was twiddling her engagement ring, her face showing hints ofdoubt. I wanted to feel smug that, after all his banging on about how I wasn’t the right person for this trip, it was actually him Olivia was now having doubts over. But I couldn’t. I’d only just met them but I already really liked this couple and I wanted everything to be perfect for them. Obviously their first choice had been Hunter, but now…
I shot him a glance. He held it a moment beforelooking away and I knew he understood. Reaching over, he covered his friend’s hand. ‘Liv, I promise. All right?’
She looked at him. ‘All right. But it’s a good job I know you. Otherwise I might begin to think you weren’t right for this job.’
He screwed up his face. ‘But you don’t know Mia at all. How do you know she’s right for it?’
Seriously? He was still trying to get me off thejob? Un-bloody-believable!
‘Because I read her stuff every week, and I love it! I’ve no doubt thatshe’ll see and capture all the romance and love of our story in her words.’
‘So why doubt I can do it?’
‘Because you’re not a romantic.’
‘And?’
‘Mia clearly is.’
Hunter gave a shake of his head, blew out a sigh and emptied a large proportion of his wine glass down his throat.Before anyone could say anything else, a waiter appeared and we busied ourselves in ordering.
As the evening progressed, I found myself relaxing a little more, despite the fact that Hunter only spoke to me when he really had to. He was civil but that was about it. Olivia and Sandeep, however, were absolutely lovely and I found myself falling a little in love with both of them. Their feelingsfor each other were so clear to see and, despite what Olivia had said, I knew Hunter could see it too.
We said goodbye outside the restaurant, Olivia and Sandeep both wrapping me in a big hug before their private car arrived, purring at the kerb as the doorman saw them in. It pulled off quietly and Hunter and I stood on the pavement, watching the tail-lights turn off into traffic and disappear.Once they had, I looked up at him.
I was about to speak when the door opened behind us and Mr Cooper himself emerged. He noticed me and smiled. ‘Hello again.’
I smiled back. Partly because, well, it was Bradley Cooper, and partly because, from the corner of my eye, I could see the look on Hunter’s face and it was absolutely priceless.
‘Hello.’
I saw him glance across at Hunter,then back at me, before a sleek,dark Mercedes, its windows tinted, pulled up and he and two others got into it, Bradley giving a little wave to me as he did so. I could have kissed him.
‘Didn’t know you two were friendly,’ Hunter said in a flat tone, giving the Mercedes another momentary look as it drove off.
