Page 46 of A Christmas Celebration
‘She seems nice,’ I commented, when she’d gone.
‘Tilly?’ said Jack, his voice a few octaves higher thanbefore. ‘Yes, she’s great. I’d be lost without her.’
I’d wager he thought she was a lot more than great, given his reaction.
‘So,’ I said, thinking I might as well keep the ball rolling, ‘you said you wanted to talk.’
‘I did,’ he said. ‘I do.’
He then stopped again as Tilly came in with our drinks.
‘That was quick.’ I smiled as she set down the tray.
‘I’d literally just boiled the kettle,’ she said, her gaze focused back on Jack’s face.
‘Thanks, Tilly,’ he said.
‘Shall I close the door?’ she asked.
‘Yes, please.’ He nodded.
‘You were saying,’ I prompted when he didn’t pick the conversation up again.
‘Yeah,’ he eventually said, sounding uncomfortable. ‘I know you’re probably thinking it’s a bit weird for me to comment on your relationship with my brother…’
‘I haven’t got a relationship with your brother,’ I cut in. ‘I barely know him.’
‘But the thing is,’ he carried on as if I hadn’t spoken, ‘I’m a bit protective of him at the moment.’
Out of everything I had considered he might say, that hadn’t featured. I wondered what had happened to make him feel protective, but as he didn’t elaborate, I carried on.
‘Well,’ I said, ‘Brodie doesn’t need protecting from me.’
Jack nodded.
‘I do like him,’ I confirmed, ‘but I can promise you,I’m not a danger to him. Our introduction was hardly a classic meet cute,’ I joked, ‘but I’m not holding that against him.’
‘The dog in the gallery day.’ Jack frowned. ‘Yes, he told me all about that.’
‘Did he?’
‘Um,’ he confirmed, chewing his lip. ‘He said he was very rude to you, but he was having a hell of a day. Not that that’s any excuse,’ he hastily added.
‘Well, our conversations have improved a bit since then,’ I conceded, thinking of the few we’d had. ‘But there haven’t been enough to warrant us having the relationship you earlier suggested.’
‘That’s all right then,’ Jack said, sounding relieved as he poured the tea. ‘And probably for the best because he’s not in a good place at the moment. He’s really been through it with his work and I just don’t think that getting involved with someone would be a good idea. Not that there’s anything wrong with you, Paige…’
I was rapidly being nudged towards feeling offended and quickly butted in. There was no way I’d be having that drink with Brodie now. Casual or otherwise.
‘Jack,’ I cut in. ‘Not that it’s any of your business, but we’re not involved and I’m really not sure you should be telling me any of this, even if we were.’
‘Oh, god,’ he sighed, putting his head in his hands. ‘I’m so sorry, Paige. I honestly didn’t mean to make such a hash of things.’
‘It’s fine,’ I said, forcing myself to remember that this was simply one kind, but misinformed brother looking out for another. ‘Let’s just forget it. I’ll pour the tea and then you can give me the grand tour.’
We finished our drinks and I was just about to ask, based on what I’d witnessed in the gallery the day we met, if Brodie was an artist, when Tilly knocked on the door. I was frustrated by the interruption because the question would have further proved to Jack how little I knew about his brother and hopefully set his mind at rest.
‘I’m sorry to disturb you,’ Tilly apologized, ‘but I’ve got a query about the order from The Mermaid.’
