Page 15 of The Christmas Holiday
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘It means that sometimes people are just asking a question, with no hidden meaning. Or just doing something nice, with no agenda. I’d hoped, for your sake, thatyou might have come to realise that by now. I guess not.’
‘Hunter. It’s been five years. It’s obvious we’ve both changed. Don’t pretend to know me.’
He gave a laugh that to everyone else might have sounded normal; to me, though, there was something off about it.
‘Believe me. I have no intention of ever again beginning to think I know you. I’m not in the habit of making the same mistaketwice. I really was just asking a question, making conversation, trying to be polite for the sake of Liv and Sandy, and for my own sanity over the next two months. Stop reading into everything so much and you might actually enjoy yourself occasionally.’
He stopped his lecture just in time to lift two champagnes off the tray brought by his new favourite employee. She gave me a subtly appraisinglook as he handed one of them to me, then smiled at him again and moved on through the cabin.
‘I enjoy myself plenty, thank you very much!’
‘Really,’ he said, the disbelief evident in his voice as he took a sip from the flute.
‘Really,’ I replied, with emphasis.
‘When?’
‘What?’
‘When was the last time you enjoyed yourself? Really let yourself go and laughed and didn’t care?’
‘I think I need to swap this for some orange juice.’ I turned to see if I could catch the eye of one of the crew.
‘Just drink the champagne, Mia. You like champagne. Unless that’s changed.’
‘No. I do. But I’m working. You might get away with drinking on the job. But I intend to be a little more professional.’
‘Probably helps that I don’t fall asleep after two glasses.’
I narrowedmy eyes at him. A glimmer of a smile played at the corners of his mouth.
‘It’s not unprofessional. It’s one glass and we’ve got an eight-hour flight ahead of us, so you can sleep it off anyway.’
I rolled my eyes at him.
‘See it as a celebratory drink for getting a great assignment.’
‘No thanks to you.’
‘That’s true.’
‘Sorry if I spoiled your plans to take your friend.’
‘Are you?’
‘No. Not in the slightest.’ And with that I silently congratulated myself. as he’d suggested, pulled out theSkyMallmagazine and began window shopping.
Several hours later, I’d read the magazines I’d brought, watched a film and made some more notes. Opposite me, Hunter was dozing, thick eyelashes casting shadows on his cheekbones. I took the opportunity to pull the guidebookhe’d dismissed earlier out of my bag and began reading some more.
‘Don’t let their views and writing influence yours.’ His deep voice was soft in deference to the others around us.
I jumped anyway.
‘I thought you were asleep.’
‘Resting my eyes.’
