by Carrie Elks
Jonas gave her a look that screamed ‘duh’.
‘I know that. It’s in the first line. But even shepherds need to wash their socks, otherwise they’d get cheesy feet. Uncle Adam said a person’s feet are the most important part of their body. If you don’t look after them you’re in trouble.’
‘Sometimes your uncle makes things up for fun,’ she pointed out patiently. ‘You’re singing about shepherds. And they were watching their sheep as the angel of the Lord came down.’
He screwed his face up in confusion. ‘I don’t want to get it wrong. What if everybody laughs at me? I want to make Oma proud.’
‘You will.’ She pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. ‘Remember what Annie said? Your Oma used to love going to midnight mass, but this year she can’t make it to church. So we’ll bring the songs to her instead.’
‘Will you sing with me?’ Jonas gave her a beseeching smile.
Kitty made a wide-eyed face. ‘Oh no, not unless we want to burst her eardrums. I may have many qualities, but a good singing voice isn’t one of them. Honestly, she’s going to love it. So will everybody else. You have a beautiful voice.’
His singing was pure and true, enough to bring a tear to her eye. Kitty started the music again, mouthing the words as he came in at the right time, remembering to sing about flocks instead of socks.
It was typical that the one afternoon she was trying to do anything but think about his uncle, Jonas would bring him up in every other sentence. For the past hour the room had been full of ‘Adam said this’ and ‘Adam said that’ until Kitty’s mind was full of nothing but him.
Because he was all she wanted to talk about, too.
‘How was that?’ Jonas interrupted her thoughts. ‘Did I get the words right?’
‘You were perfect.’ She flashed him a smile. ‘Why don’t we take a break? We could reward your throat with some milk and cookies.’
‘The chocolate chip ones with the icing?’ His eyes were as round as saucers. ‘Oh boy, those are to die for.’
His words made her want to laugh. Kitty wondered if he’d heard his mother using the expression. It sounded so grown up for a seven-year-old boy. ‘Well let’s go and see if there’s any left. I’ll let you have two if you promise not to keel over afterwards.’
Jonas frowned. ‘Keel over?’
‘You said the cookies were to die for. I don’t want you going that far.’
He laughed. ‘OK, if I promise not to die for them, can I still eat ’em?’
‘Sure.’ Kitty hugged him, smiling.
Together they walked into the kitchen where Annie already had a pot of coffee brewing, and a saucepan of milk warming on the stove. If there was one thing Kitty was going to miss when she went back to LA it would be this kitchen. Stepping into it was like stepping onto the set of a TV programme, the visual equivalent of a warm, cosy hug.
Annie passed Jonas a mug of sweet chocolate and slid a plate with two cookies in front of him. Returning to the stove she poured out two mugs of coffee, turning to Kitty with a sheepish look on her face.
‘Could you take these through to the library? Mr Everett asked for them.’
Kitty shook her head. ‘No way, not after last time. He told me never to darken the library door again.’
Annie gave her a placatory smile. ‘But he asked for these ones. I’d go myself but my knees are playing up. It’s a long walk to the library.’
Kitty narrowed her eyes. Annie hadn’t shown any sign of pain when they’d walked into the kitchen. Plus the library wasn’t exactly miles away. If Kitty didn’t know any better, Annie was as scared of walking into Everett Klein’s operations hub as she was.
‘Maybe Jonas could…’ Kitty looked around to see Jonas sitting at the table, his legs swinging as he took a mouthful of hot chocolate. He shot her a grin, his lips framed by a brown moustache, and Kitty didn’t have the heart to send him into the fray.
‘OK,’ she said, sighing. ‘I’ll do it.’
‘God bless you. The black mug is for Everett; he likes his coffee dark and sweet. The white mug’s for Mr Montgomery.’
‘Got it.’ Kitty picked up the mugs and carried them the short distance out of the kitchen and into the hallway. As usual the library door was closed, and she had to bang on the dark mahogany wood with her elbow, both her hands occupied with the mugs. A moment later Drake pulled the door open, his face erupting into a smile when he saw her standing there. He ushered her in, and Kitty took her first step into the forbidden room.
‘I’ve got your coffee.’
‘Put it on the table in the corner, please.’ Everett was sat at his desk, staring intently at one of the three screens there. ‘Hey, Drake, take a look at this.’
Ignoring them both, Kitty walked across the room to the large oak table, stepping over leads and avoiding boxes. Lying spread out on the table was a script, the first page opened for her to see.
Her eyes widened when she looked at it. She glanced back at Drake and Everett, who were still distracted by the computer in front of them.
One little read wouldn’t hurt. Right?
FADE IN
Extreme close-up of a pair of eyes shifting from left to right. Pan out slightly to reveal a bead of sweat running down their face.
Move camera up to reveal an old 3 blade fan, circling incessantly though clearly having no effect on the heat in the room.
Camera pans out to reveal a documentary being filmed. Pared down equipment including a camera, boom, lights and other paraphernalia.
Adam (to be renamed) taps a pen to his lips. His expression is set, his eyes narrow.
ADAM
I have evidence that you regularly use children under the age of ten to traffic drugs.
GARCIA
Who have you been talking to?
ADAM
I never reveal my sources, you know that.
Shouts come from just outside the windowless room. The door opens and a big burly thug drags in a teenage boy, who’s kicking and screaming. A glance between the boy and Adam alerts the viewer that the two of them are already acquainted.
Garcia pulls a gun from the holster on his leg.
She stared at the black print for a moment, blinking to let the words sink in. Was his brother making a movie about Adam? It couldn’t just be a coincidence that he was using that name. She reached out, wanting to turn to the next page, desperate to see what happened. Her hand hovered for a moment, unsure.
‘What are you looking at?’ Everett asked. Kitty glanced up to find him glaring at her, his muscles drawn into a frown.
She put the mugs on the table, feeling guilty. ‘Nothing.’
‘Everything in here is confidential, remember?’
She nodded. ‘I remember.’
Drake stood up, ushering her out yet again. If he wasn’t so into himself, she might describe him as a knight in shining Armani. ‘And as we said before, she’s signed an NDA. She can’t tell anybody about the things she’s seen in here, otherwise she’ll be in breach of that. You’re just interested in the way we make movies, right, Kitty?’
‘Right,’ she replied, still not quite clear in her mind about what she saw. ‘What’s your project about?’
‘Please, Kitty.’ Everett sighed, rubbing his face with the heel of his hand. ‘Stop asking so many questions.’
He sounded almost defeated, as though he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. She nodded quickly and hurried out, but not before taking one last glance at the script lying on the table across the room.
It was about Adam, that much was clear. What she didn’t know was why, and whether Adam had any idea his brother was making a movie about him.
24
All made of passion and all made of wishes
– As You Like It
‘You look different.’
Adam smiled indulgently at his mother. ‘I’ve only just walked into the room. How different can I look?’
‘Oh, you’d
be surprised. A mother can sense things. When you were a child I knew as soon as you walked through the door if you’d had a good day or a bad day. Right now I’d say your day’s been going pretty well.’
His chest tightened. He’d spent the morning playing with the dog before going for a run to end all runs. Anything he could do to stop himself from stalking up to the big house and hunting Kitty down. He had the urge to grab her and spirit her back to his cabin, back to where they’d lain together happy and sated. Back to where he’d got to know every inch of her body.
Even intense physical exercise hadn’t been enough to eliminate the urge altogether. It barely made a dent on his need to see her. That was why he found himself walking up to the house later in the afternoon, letting the wind whip his face as he crunched through the forest.
Annie had raised her eyebrows as he walked into her kitchen, and he’d muttered something about needing to spend some time with his mom. To his disappointment Kitty was nowhere to be seen, and he couldn’t exactly ask Annie where she was, could he?
Instead he’d made the trek upstairs to the master bedroom, where his mother lay on the bed, exhausted after an hour spent with her physiotherapist.
‘It’s Christmas, isn’t everybody supposed to be happy?’ Adam dragged a chair to her bedside. ‘’Tis the season, after all.’
‘Speaking of which, I hear you’re going to join us for Christmas lunch.’ She squeezed his hand. ‘I’m so pleased to hear that.’
‘I’ll suffer anything for you, Mom.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t pretend to be a Grinch. You walk in here with your eyes bright and your beard trimmed and you think I’m not going to notice?’
Adam ran his palm across his chin. His beard had needed grooming, and today had seemed as good a time as any; it wasn’t anything more serious than that. Though he had, for one long minute, considered shaving all the hair off, in the end he’d opted for a neaten-up.
‘As I said, it’s Christmas. I don’t want to come to dinner looking like a vagabond.’
‘When’s that ever stopped you before?’ his mom teased. Then, turning serious she added, ‘You really do look different. Alive. I can’t tell you how much it warms my heart to see it.’
Adam suppressed a grin. He wasn’t about to confess he hadn’t felt this alive in years. Nor that it was the gorgeous blonde who happened to be taking care of his nephew who’d caused such a big change in such a short time. That was his secret to keep – his and Kitty’s – and he wasn’t about to dilute it by sharing it with anybody else.
‘Maybe it’s the puppy I’ve been looking after.’
‘Jonas’s puppy?’ Her eyes twinkled. ‘I heard about that. Annie told me you agreed to look after him until Christmas, that was very kind of you.’
‘Kind? I was press-ganged into it. Saying no wasn’t an option.’
‘Oh stop it. You can pretend to be grumpy and gruff with everybody else, but you forget I’m your mother. I know you inside and out. You may be tough on the outside, but inside you’re about as hard as a marshmallow.’
‘A marshmallow?’ Adam replied, raising a single eyebrow. ‘I guess it beats being a teddy bear.’
Mary reached out to squeeze his hand. ‘You’re one of those, too. But don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.’
He shot her a rueful smile. ‘Who are you going to tell? Everett would never believe you. And Dad always said we were both as tough as steel.’
‘Your father’s soft as cotton, too.’ Her expression turned sad. ‘That’s why he’ll be so happy to have his family all together under one roof for Christmas. It means a lot to us both.’
He nodded slightly. He knew his feud with Everett had broken both of their hearts, and he hated that it did. He just didn’t know how to get over it, how to forgive a brother who’d all but crushed his heart, too.
‘Yeah, well don’t get any ideas. This thaw is for Christmas, not for life.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of it.’ She winked, but Adam knew that she definitely dreamed of it.
If he was any kind of son, he’d find a way to make those dreams come true.
He was deep in thought when he reached the first floor, walking right into Kitty as he reached the bottom step. She stumbled back, flinging her arms out in an attempt to steady herself. As quick as lightning he grabbed her around the waist, stopping her from falling to the floor.
‘I didn’t see you there. You OK?’ He frowned, looking over her body, trying to find evidence of any injury.
Kitty was breathless. ‘I didn’t see you either.’
He was still holding her. His hands were moulded around her waist as if she was made for him. Her sweater was so thin he could feel the warmth of her body through it. In spite of the fact he was in his parents’ house, only yards away from where his brother was working, he felt his own body responding.
When he looked again, Kitty was smiling at him. The way her lips curled, making her cheeks plump up, caused his heart to stutter. In all the excitement some hairs had escaped from her ponytail, so he reached out and tucked the strands behind her ear.
‘I’ve been thinking about you all day,’ he whispered.
‘I’ve been thinking about you, too.’
That was all he needed to hear. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her into the living room, his eyes sweeping left and right to make sure they were alone. He kicked the door shut then pressed her against the wall, his body held against hers as he lowered his head.
‘I’ve been thinking about this, too.’ Adam kissed her hungrily. Her lips welcomed him, soft and warm.
She curled her arms around his neck as he put his hand in the small of her back, pulling her closer still. Every sense was full of her, and of the need to have more.
Christ, he couldn’t get enough. He slid his hands beneath the waistband of her jeans, fingers caressing her soft skin. She arched her back, pushing into him and he was immediately hard.
He stepped back, his heart racing. ‘I’m sorry.’
Kitty touched her mouth with her index finger, brows knitted in a frown. ‘Why are you sorry?’
‘For dragging you in here and taking advantage of you, without even so much as a hello.’
She smiled coquettishly. ‘What if I wanted you to take advantage of me?’
Adam shook his head, taking in a deep breath. Somehow he needed to get control of his body. ‘You shouldn’t say things like that,’ he told her, his voice low.
Kitty took a step towards him, leaning her head back so she could look him in the eyes. ‘There’re a lot of things I shouldn’t do. The problem is, I want to do them.’
His mouth was dry. It was hard to think straight when she was so close. His body was overriding every sensible thought he could muster. ‘Kitty…’
‘Hush.’ She pressed her lips to his again. This time she took the lead, kissing him softly, her mouth enticing. Her palms cupped his face, her fingers brushing against his beard. When he opened his eyes she was staring right at him, hot and needy, and it took every ounce of self-control he had not to pick her up and carry her to her bedroom.
‘Come down to the cabin tonight,’ he said when they finally parted. ‘Let me cook you dinner.’
‘Oh!’ She pressed her hand against her chest. ‘Are you sure?’
She was so damned cute he wanted to kiss her again. ‘I’m sure I want to cook you dinner,’ he said. ‘But are you sure you want to come?’
She tipped her head to the side. ‘That sounds remarkably like a date.’
‘That’s because it is a date. I wasn’t inviting you because you look hungry.’ Although she did. She looked as hungry as he felt.
‘I’d have to come down later, after Jonas is in bed. Would that be too late?’ Her eyes sparkled as she asked him, reflecting the Christmas lights festooned around the fireplace.
‘That would be fine.’ He pulled her into an embrace. ‘It’ll give me enough time to work out what the hell I should cook for you.’
&nbs
p; ‘Better make it good, if you want to top last night’s romantic gesture.’
‘I’m always good, you know that.’ He kissed the tip of her nose, ruffling her hair with his palm. ‘I’ll see you this evening.’
Adam was still smiling when he walked into the kitchen, planning to steal some food from Annie for their date. Everett was leaning against the worktop, holding a mug of coffee in one hand and his phone in the other, pressing it against his cheek as he barked orders into the mouthpiece. On seeing his brother, he ended the call, shoving his phone into his pocket as he stared at him. He drained his coffee before he said anything, putting his empty mug onto the countertop.
