‘Married? Boyfriend?’ he asked.
‘Blimey, you don’t hang about, do you?’ she said.
The man was just under six-foot-tall (she took an educated guess) and she had to tilt her head back to look at him. She liked what she saw, even if he was a bit too smooth and cocky. He was good-looking enough to carry it off.
‘You can’t blame a man for wanting to know where he stands,’ he said. ‘I’m not aiming to tread on anyone’s toes.’
A man with morals? Refreshing.
‘No husband, no boyfriend,’ she said.
‘Bloody hell, Daisy. Leave you alone for five minutes and you’ve already bagged yourself a fella.’ Sara appeared at her side in a flurry of fuzzy brown hair and Gucci Rush.
The two women hugged and kissed cheeks.
‘Uh… I’m sorry, I don’t know your name,’ Daisy said to the stranger.
‘Art. And you’re Daisy.’ He held out a hand Daisy took it and they shook. ‘Nice to meet you,’ he said.
‘Nice to meet you, too,’ Daisy replied, then turned back to Sara. ‘Art was keeping me company until you decided to show up.’
‘The bus was late,’ Sara said, and Daisy rolled her eyes. Sara had probably been the type of school pupil who used the line “my dog ate my homework” – she always had some excuse for her tardiness. It was part of her charm.
‘I can carry on keeping you company if you like,’ Art said.
‘Er…’
As tempting as the offer was, three was most definitely a crowd. He let out a whistle, designed to be heard above the loud music, shouty voices, and raucous laughter.
‘Meet Ted,’ he said, as a man pushed through the crowd and joined them.
‘I don’t mind if I do,’ Sara breathed in Daisy’s ear. ‘This one’s mine, you’ve got your own.’
Far from being polished and smooth like Art, Ted was an uncut diamond, with long hair and loads of tattoos. He looked as though he should be in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt with a surfboard under his arm. Just Sara’s type.
‘I prefer the other one anyway,’ Daisy muttered out of the corner of her mouth as the introductions were made.
‘Sorted!’ Sara clapped her hands together.
‘Is it? What about Andrew?’
‘I can pretend, can’t I?’ Sara protested. ‘I don’t have to touch.’
‘You’d better not. Andrew would be devastated.’
‘I’ve no intention of breaking his lovely little heart,’ Sara retorted, ‘but you’ve got to admit, Ted is one damn fine piece of man.’
Daisy looked. The evening had the potential of having disaster written all over it, if Sara wasn’t careful. How Andrew put up with such a flirt for a wife, she couldn’t imagine. Sara’s wedding and engagement rings twinkled on her finger, and Daisy consoled herself with the thought that Ted could hardly miss them.
‘Where is Andrew tonight?’ Daisy asked.
‘He’s going straight to the party. We’ll meet him there later. In the meantime, I’m going to have a couple of drinks and a bit of fun.’
Sara downed her wine in one long swallow and plonked her glass on the bar. ‘Another please, barman,’ she said, and the barman duly obliged. Daisy, not to be outdone, finished hers and ordered a second. Already she could feel the alcohol sinking in, soothing her ragged nerves.
‘Any gossip?’ Sara asked, when the two men had their attention caught by the big screen on one side of the bar.
‘Hell, yeah! You’re not going to believe it,’ Daisy said. She hadn’t spoken to Sara over Christmas, so she hadn’t had a chance to fill her friend in on the series of disasters which had befallen her and her family.
‘I’ve been sacked, then Zoe announced she’s pregnant, or rather, David did, then she saved my life and—’
‘Woah, back up lady and slow down. Sacked? Pregnant? Lifesaving? I need details.’
Daisy leaned against the bar and began her story. ‘It all started with the sixpence,’ she said.
‘A sixpence? What’s that?’ Sara asked, before Daisy could go any further.
‘Old money, before decimalisation. It’s a coin about this big.’ She held her index finger and thumb a half an inch apart. ‘Smaller really, made of silver. Apparently, it equalled six old pennies. Gee-Gee got me to make a Christmas pudding and put it in.’
‘Why would anyone want to do that? Someone could choke on it.’
‘Someone did,’ she said dryly. ‘Me. At about the same time David told us Zoe was pregnant. Zoe had to thump me on the back because I seriously thought I was choking to death.’
Sara’s face was alight with astonishment. ‘Then what happened?’
‘I swallowed it,’ she replied.
‘Oh, God. Are you ok?’
‘I’m fine, but I’ve got to wait for it to come out.’
‘You mean—?’ Sara clapped her hands to her cheeks. ‘It’s still in there?’
‘Shush. Yes, but I don’t want the whole world to know.’
‘Can’t they operate?’
‘Apparently, it will come out on its own.’
‘How will you know if it has?’
‘Every time I go to the loo I’m supposed to check.’
‘That’s effing hilarious,’ Sara shrieked, and Art and Ted gave the girls an amused look.
‘Shut up!’ Daisy hissed.
‘Then what? You said you were sacked. Poor you.’
Poor me indeed, Daisy thought, trying not to think too hard about her unemployed status. ‘I went into work the day after Boxing Day, and Grumpy Simon told me they were going to make me redundant soon.’
‘They can’t do that!’
‘They can.’
‘So you’ve not been sacked then, but made redundant. That’s a relief because it’s hard to get another job once you’ve been sacked.’
Daisy was beginning to realise that. How could she have been so stupid. But then everyone in work used the internet for their own personal business, it wasn’t just her. That bitch, Melissa, had well and truly screwed her over.
Daisy explained what had happened.
‘The cow!’ Sara exclaimed. ‘What a lying, treacherous, two-faced…’
‘I know, but did you know that Zoe is a paralegal? You’ll never guess what her firm specialises in.’
‘Yeah, employment law, or something,’ Sara said.
‘How come you know more about my family than I do? First Freddie, now Zoe.’
‘Your mum told me.’
‘She never told me.’
‘I bet she did, but you probably weren’t listening. You were probably thinking about the next round of Valentine verses, I expect.’
Sara had a point. Daisy often had been known to go off on a tangent and think about work stuff if an odd comment or a throwaway remark started the creative juices flowing. But she also tended to tune her mother out, too.
‘Anyway,’ she said, finishing up the second part of her story. ‘Zoe said I might have a case for unfair dismissal.’
‘It’s worth a shot,’ Sara agreed. ‘You’ve got nothing to lose. You’ve certainly been through the mill, haven’t you?’
‘That’s not all.’
‘Isn’t it?’
‘Zoe was pregnant with twins, but she lost one,’ Daisy continued, and Sara let out a small cry of sympathy. ‘Then David had a car accident on the way to the hospital and broke his leg in three places. He had to have an operation and has got a pin in his leg. Now he’ll bleep every time he goes through airport security. And to top it all off, I’m staying at David’s house to care for both of them, because Zoe has been told not to exert herself.’
‘Effing hell!’
‘Oh, and—’
‘Not more bad news?’ Sara yelled, forcing Daisy to tell her to shush again.
‘No, but the doctor who treated me when I went to A&E after I swallowed the sixpence, thought that David was my husband, and that I was the one who was pregnant. Then Zoe was rushed in when she miscarried one
of the babies, and the doctor realised David was married to Zoe, but thought David had gotten both of us pregnant, and that I was David’s mistress.’
Sara collapsed against Ted, who manfully caught her and held her up as she dissolved into giggles.
‘I’m glad someone finds all this amusing,’ Daisy said, grumpily.
‘I’m sorry, but you couldn’t write this stuff,’ Sara gasped, dabbing underneath her eyes with the pads of her fingers.
‘Someone has had too much to drink already,’ Ted said.
‘No, someone hasn’t,’ Sara retorted. ‘But someone intends to.’ She straightened up, and smoothed down her incredibly short dress. ‘Whose round is it?’ she demanded, and Daisy steeled herself.
Here goes, she thought. Party time.
Chapter 21
‘He wasn’t!’ Art spluttered, and whatever he was drinking dribbled down his chin.
‘He was. Tell him, Daisy,’ Sara said.
‘He was’ she said, wishing Sara hadn’t aired Daisy’s dirty laundry for all to see. But now that she had, Daisy wanted to make a bit of a joke out of it. It was better than letting the world see how hurt and ashamed she felt.
‘And you never guessed your boyfriend was gay?’ Art persisted.
‘No.’ Daisy’s reply was short.
‘I can’t imagine how you must be feeling,’ he said, raising his hand to catch the barman’s attention.
Daisy could tell him exactly how she felt, but she didn’t want to sour the mood, or scare Art away. He and Ted were proving to be surprisingly good company, and Ted really was a surfer. He’d come back to the UK from Australia to visit his family and catch up with old friends. Art was an investment banker, which was not particularly interesting in itself (at least not to Daisy), but he had a whole raft of stories about wealthy clients which had her and Sara in stitches.
Which was why Sara had felt obliged to share Daisy’s misfortune with the two men, as a way to balance the scales. At least she hadn’t told them about the sixpence and what Daisy had to do every day to look for it, though get a few more drinks inside her friend and Sara may very well tell all.
‘We’ve got to be leaving soon,’ Sara said, her voice slurring ever so slightly. ‘I’ve got a husband and a party to go to. Do you want to stay here, Daisy?’
As pleasant as the evening had been so far, and as good as the company was, Daisy wasn’t looking for romance in any of its forms, whether it was a quick kiss on the way to the taxi stand, or anything longer lasting. She needed to give herself some emotional space from Freddie, so she shook her head.
The flash of disappointment in Art’s eyes was gratifying, and she wondered fleetingly if she should invite them along.
Ted, probably the most sober of the foursome, solved the problem for her.
‘It’s just as well you’re going, considering you’re hitched,’ he said to Sara. ‘Stay here much longer, and I won’t be responsible for my actions.’ He gave her friend a slow smile. ‘You’re one sexy lady.’
Daisy wouldn’t invite Art on his own, so she kept her mouth shut.
Sara giggled, and looked away, blushing, then her eyes widened. ‘Don’t look now, but isn’t that Melissa?’ Sara nudged Daisy in the ribs.
Daisy looked, and it was.
‘Want me to go over there and give her a piece of my mind?’ Sara offered. ‘She doesn’t look all that strong. I reckon I could take her in a fight.’
Sara took a step in Melissa’s direction, and Daisy grabbed her arm. Sara staggered back. Boy, was her friend drunk. Daisy, for all the alcohol she’d consumed, remained annoyingly sober. Just as well, considering. She didn’t relish the thought of being arrested for bitch-slapping, however much the bitch in question deserved it.
‘What’s up, babe?’ Ted had noticed their little exchange.
‘See her over there?’ Sara pointed at Melissa, and Ted and Art turned to stare.
One of Melissa’s friends noticed, and said something to Melissa, who turned towards them. She waved, tinkling her fingers at Daisy. Daisy waved back.
‘What are you doing?’ Sara hissed.
‘I don’t want her to suspect anything,’ Daisy answered.
‘Why the daggers?’ Ted wanted to know.
‘She’s the reason Daisy was sacked,’ Sara said.
‘You’ve lost your job?’ This was from Art. ‘What did you do?’
‘You know those cheesy birthday cards with the cringey verses inside?’ Daisy said.
Art nodded.
‘I write those.’
Art looked a bit startled – a common reaction from most people when she told them what she did for a living. Anyone would think folk expected those verses and poems to appear inside their greeting cards as if by magic.
‘And that woman got you sacked? How?’ he asked.
‘It was all my own fault really. I gave her the ammunition, and she put it in her lover’s gun.’
‘Hey, that’s quite poetic,’ Ted said.
Art was frowning. ‘I don’t understand.’
Daisy said. ‘I’m not surprised. I didn’t until I heard her talking to the MD in the toilets.’
‘The managing director was in the toilet?’
‘No, silly. Melissa Two-Face was having a conversation with Mr Dearborn on the phone, telling him all about Grumpy Simon sacking me, and that I wouldn’t cause any trouble.’
‘I still don’t understand.’ Art, the poor man, looked really confused.
‘Grumpy Simon is – was – my manager. Mr Dearborn is the MD. Melissa is having an affair with him, and from what I can gather, because I only heard one side of the conversation, the MD promised Melissa a promotion. It can’t be a coincidence I was sacked.’
‘You say you only heard one side of the convo, so maybe you jumped to the wrong conclusion,’ Ted suggested. He looked uncomfortable and had inched away from the two women slightly. Daisy suspected he thought she may be about to launch herself at Melissa, and he didn’t want any part of it.
‘I heard her say she was wearing stockings and suspenders, and that they could play bosses and secretaries. Ew.’
‘She said that to him?’
‘Yup. Nasty, innit?’
Ted shuffled further away. At this rate, he’d be out of the door in the next few minutes.
‘Don’t worry,’ Daisy said. ‘I’m not going to knock her teeth out, and neither will Sara. Will you, Sara?’ It was more of a demand on Daisy’s part, than a question.
‘Oh, alright, but I still think you should let me at her.’
Daisy watched Melissa finish her drink and shuck her bag on her shoulder, her eyes narrowing as her former friend and colleague prepared to leave. Daisy and Sara stood between her and escape, and Daisy put a warning hand on Sara’s arm.
‘Behave,’ she warned, as quietly as the noise level in the pub would allow.
Sara made a zipping motion across her mouth.
‘Daisy, darling, fancy seeing you here!’ Melissa exclaimed, when she came close enough. ‘Having a good time?’
‘Lovely, thanks, and you?’
‘The best. Oh, sorry, that was thoughtless of me, considering the troubles you’ve had recently,’ she said, then Art turned a little, and Melissa saw him face on. ‘Oh, maybe things are looking up for you already?’
‘They certainly are,’ Daisy agreed. Her words, though spoken pleasantly, were forced out between gritted teeth. The cheek of the woman!
A hand wrapped around her waist, and a strong arm pulled her close. When she breathed in Art’s masculine scent and felt his lips on her ear, she almost lost her composure.
‘Play along,’ he whispered, then turned her towards him and kissed her soundly on the lips.
Oh, my!
For a heartbeat, Daisy didn’t respond, then she snaked her arms around his neck and kissed him back. When they came up for air, it was to see Sara with a huge smirk on her face, and Melissa with a look of astonishment on hers.
‘It didn’t take
you long to get over Freddie,’ Melissa said, her tone catty.
Daisy produced what she hoped was an enigmatic smile.
‘Aren’t you going to introduce me?’ Melissa added.
‘This is Art,’ Daisy said. ‘He’s an investment banker.’
‘Lucky you! He’ll be able to invest all your savings once you get on your feet again. How is the job hunting going?’
The cow! ‘Really good, thanks.’
‘She’s been offered a job in my bank,’ Art said, and Daisy almost snorted in surprise and delight.
‘Quick work,’ Melissa said. ‘Though maybe having a boyfriend as a colleague isn’t such a good idea.’
She could talk! A number of expletives ran through Daisy’s mind but she bit down on them.
‘Anyway, must dash, I’ve got a hot date later,’ Melissa smirked.
Yeah, I bet you do, Daisy thought.
They exchanged false air kisses, and Daisy watched Melissa sashay to the exit, her hips swinging in her too-tight dress, and all the while, Art kept his arm around Daisy.
As soon as the other woman was out of sight, he released her.
‘Thanks for that,’ she said.
‘My pleasure. What a nasty bit of work.’
‘Yeah, she is. I wish I’d realised sooner.’
‘We’ve got to get going,’ Sara said, checking her watch. ‘Andrew will think I’ve been abducted. Nice meeting you Ted, you too, Art.’
‘I enjoyed it,’ Art said. ‘Immensely.’ He gave Daisy a meaningful look and she blushed to the roots of her hair.
Her blush deepened when she glanced around searching for the sign for the ladies’ loos, and saw who was watching her – Dr Hartley. He lifted his glass in acknowledgement, and Daisy smiled back.
‘You know that doctor I was telling you about?’ she said to Sara as the pair of them made their way to the toilets. ‘He’s standing over there. Don’t look!’
Sara looked. Dr Hartley was still staring in their direction, and it made Daisy feel a little uncomfortable, and a bit tingly. She couldn’t read his expression, but it didn’t appear to be particularly friendly.
‘He’s scrummy,’ Sara said. ‘Bit on the brooding side, like a medical Heathcliff, but I wouldn’t kick him out of bed.’
A Very Lucky Christmas Page 14
