The Office Christmas Party: A fun, feel good Christmas cracker of a romance!. Aimee Duffy
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know how I could go back to a life without her.’
‘I’ll try to talk to her, but I’m not sure when. I mean …’ She didn’t really want to point out the fact that he was there all day, every day, but how did he expect her to get any alone time with Rose when he never left?
‘You never get the chance with me here, right? I know, and I’m sorry about that too. I don’t know how much Rose told you about me, but I have, well, let’s just say I’m not as trusting as I’d like to be.’ He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. ‘Why don’t you take her out tomorrow, either to a bar or one of your parties? I don’t want to stop her from living her life, or having friends and enjoying herself. Maybe spending all this time with me is suffocating her.’
Natalie was stunned. She’d thought of Tom as her adversary for a while and figured he was a bit of a controlling bastard too. But now it was obvious he didn’t want to be, and she decided to start giving him the benefit of the doubt.
‘Okay, we can go for dinner and a few drinks. Nothing too wild,’ she said, now she knew he’d worry.
‘Thanks, Nat,’ he said, getting up. ‘I hope we can start getting on better, for Rose’s sake if nothing else.’
‘Me too’, she said and really meant it. Which was not something she’d ever have expected to be saying to Tom. Scrap the week, this was turning out to be a month of firsts.
***
This was going to be nothing if not a shitty way to spend his Saturday night, Dean thought, as he took his place at the table in the restaurant. It’s not that the food was bad. In fact, it was one of the best à la carte restaurants in the city. And just happened to be his brother’s fiancée’s favourite place to eat.
What made it shitty was who he was spending it with. Not that he knew Alana’s parents, they seemed nice enough. But directly across from him were his parents, and they’d yet to even acknowledge him.
Luckily Jeffrey was so dumbstruck that Alana had agreed to marry him, he’d forgotten about their argument, even if Dean hadn’t. But he still forced out the appropriate congratulations, even when he wanted to shake some sense into his brother, and warn Alana that if she broke Jeffrey’s heart he’d do everything in his power to make her regret it.
And he might have, if the Wicked Witch hadn’t flown in on her broom for the evening, dragging his dad along with her.
The first poison dart came as soon as the starters were served, and it was the first time she acknowledged his presence.
‘I see your girlfriend couldn’t make it tonight, Dean.’ His mother’s disparaging gaze didn’t fit with the sweet, doting mother act she was working for the in-laws’ benefit.
He was about to tell his mother he’d had two separate women this month, but had gotten bored of their skill in the bedroom already (not that it was true, he just wanted to wipe the smug look off her face and humiliate her for a change), when he caught Jeffrey throwing him a warning glance. Dean couldn’t screw up his brother’s night and not just because his parent’ would never let him hear the end of it. He hadn’t exactly been a supportive sibling lately. Even if he thought Jeffrey was making a colossal mistake, he should be there for him no matter what.
‘I’m not seeing anyone at the moment,’ he said instead.
His mother tutted, and shook her head with a pained expression. Turning to Alana’s parents, she explained her disappointing eldest son. ‘Ten years ago, he was engaged to be married. I thought by this point we’d be surrounded by grandchildren. But Dean just can’t keep a woman. Luckily Jeffrey’s loyal. We’re so proud of him.’
Dean fisted his hands reflexively, then pulled them under the table. He couldn’t believe the witch was making it sound like he’d been unfaithful, when he’d been anything but.
Jeffrey jumped in before Dean could erupt. ‘Mum, Dean’s so busy with our business he doesn’t have time to date. He’s creating an updated version of our hospitality program, and we’ve already lined up thousands of buyers.’
But their mother just shook her head. It was their father who spoke. ‘You were forever on that computer as a boy. Now you’re a man, son. You need to get out of that office and find yourself a nice wife like your brother. You’re not getting any younger.’
Great, now he was an ancient computer nerd. But he wasn’t going to argue, he just nodded. Thankfully the conversation turned from his unacceptable (to his parents, anyway) love life to the wedding, and while dates in July and centrepiece ideas were bounced around, he zoned out and unlocked his mobile.
First he hooked up to the booking system to find the next party Nicole Porter was listed to attend, and found it easily enough – a hotel just off Trafalgar Square the following night – then added himself to the guest list.
After all, he wasn’t going to let her just get away with ruining his shirt – not that he cared about the clothes. This was a battle of wit and about the only thing keeping him occupied enough so all this wedding stuff wouldn’t drag him back to a place in his head he didn’t want to be.
And she wasn’t just a worthy rival, she was sexy too. With a smart mouth, sexy body and quick wit, she was his ideal fling – exciting, sassy and definitely nothing that would feel repetitive. What made it all the sweeter was that she didn’t seem to feel anything for him other than disdain, though he was sure he’d caught an occasional spark of lust in her eyes. There would be no risk of feelings getting involved, and more importantly, hearts being broken.
No matter what she said, they were playing a game. A sparring, lust-fuelled one. And when the time came, they were both coming out of it winners.
***
‘I really wish I didn’t have that second margarita,’ Natalie said, as she bounced up and down on the seat of the taxi. ‘I’m bursting for the loo.’
Rose smiled for what seemed like the first time that week. ‘You should have gone before we left.’
Hindsight was a funny thing, though not at this moment when she had a bladder full to bursting.
‘Finally!’ As soon as the taxi stopped, she flung a twenty at the driver and scrambled out. The restaurant was the kind of place where they seated you, but Natalie couldn’t wait for that. She was heading straight for the bathroom.
They passed the window and headed for the door, but Rose pulled her back. Natalie crossed her legs, but it didn’t help. ‘Come on, Rose. I’m going to wet the pavement.’
Rose’s expression was blank. ‘I think we should go to that sushi bar around the corner.’
‘The one three streets away? Are you kidding? I’m on the verge of peeing myself.’
Calmly, Rose said, ‘You told me it was my choice tonight.’
Natalie switched to hopping from one foot and the other. ‘You chose here, remember?’
Her friend shot a nervous glance at the door, then refocused on Natalie. ‘I changed my mind.’
She was so desperate, she could cry. ‘Please, Rose. Don’t do this to me.’
‘Look, just go to the loo in there. They’re busy tonight.’ Her friend glanced through the window, then quickly stepped away from it. ‘They won’t even notice you.’
Usually, Natalie wouldn’t dare in case the pee police were watching, but she was too far gone to argue.
‘Fine,’ she mumbled and snuck in.
Thankfully nobody was paying attention to her, but the problem was, she didn’t know the restaurant at all and finding the bathroom was not as easy a task as she thought. She tried to look like she knew what she was doing, like she was supposed to be there, but desperation got the best of her and she grabbed a waiter’s arm, almost knocking over the three steaks he was expertly holding.