Phoebe stared at the figure standing before her, trying to work out what was weird about it. Maybe it was the sudden onset of vertigo, but Batman looked a lot more buff than he had done down on the ground. In fact, he was filling his suit rather pleasingly, and this thought prompted a little kick of guilt. What the hell was wrong with her? How did a spotty, weedy youth suddenly turn into a dark and dangerous caped crusader with only the addition of a mask and suit? She shook the thought away.
‘Where have you been?’ she hissed, but there was no reply. Perhaps he hadn’t heard her and she didn’t suppose it mattered now that he had arrived. ‘The spotlight is ready to shine up here any minute now. Midnight said we’re supposed to jog up and down a bit, wave and look generally super. Is that okay?’
Batman gave a silent nod. Phoebe tried not to roll her eyes. Talk about getting into character. This had to be the most ridiculous situation she had ever been in.
‘Let’s just get it over with,’ she added, as she made her way across the roof, mustering all her determination to face the ledge.
She let out a squeal as Batman pulled her back and spun her into a grip with his arm around her neck. Unable to respond for the shock, Phoebe let him lead her to the ledge where the spotlight swept over them and the crowd below roared. Instinctively, Phoebe stamped on his toe and he let her go with a low chuckle.
‘What the hell are you doing?’ Phoebe squeaked. ‘We’re supposed to stand and wave, not fight!’
She ducked as Batman swung a theatrical punch.
‘Gareth!’
There was another low chuckle from her adversary as she ran across the rooftop to get away from him. He gave chase and caught her easily. Then he let her go and she ran back. It wasn’t the plan Midnight had outlined to her, but it seemed safer than getting herself in another wrestling grip. The spotlight followed them wherever they went. He reached to grab her again but she leapt out of his way.
‘Don’t even think about it, sonny!’
Laughing, he shrugged and stood alongside her. With a sweeping glance across the crowds below, he held his arms aloft. The crowd cheered.
What a dick, Phoebe thought as she watched him. She inched away. God only knew what he was going to do next. What if he tried to shove her off the roof? There was a safety rail, but it didn’t look as though it deserved its name. With great caution, she waved at the crowd too, eliciting another round of cheers. She couldn’t help but smile – just for a moment, she understood why celebrities craved their fame. She waved again. Then she glanced at her superhero partner and chanced a small smile. Perhaps he’d just been reacting to the adoring audience too.
But then, in a movement so fast she barely had time to scream in shock, he had whipped her into his arms and was kissing her. And in that brief moment, a scent filled her head, something intoxicating and dangerous and far too expensive for the likes of a spotty shop-floor boy like Gareth.
‘Jesus! What the hell are you doing?’ she gasped as she wrenched herself from Adam’s embrace.
‘Relax,’ he replied, in his familiar easy tone, ‘I’m just putting on a show. Look – they’re loving it.’
‘I’m not!’
‘Watch…’ He grabbed her again.
‘Will you get off!’
‘You’re making a scene,’ he laughed.
‘I’m not the one making the scene!’
‘Anyway, I thought that was the whole idea.’
‘ARGH! You’re so infuriating!’
‘I’m also your boss.’
‘Which gives you the right to kiss me whenever you feel like without my permission?’
‘Don’t you like it?’
‘No! I bloody don’t!’
‘Not even a tiny bit?’
‘Sod off, Adam!’
He grinned and turned to wave at the crowd who roared their approval. ‘I could get used to this kind of adoration,’ he said.
‘Then why don’t you go down and snog some of them instead?’
He turned to her, his grin just showing beneath his mask. Now that she looked properly, it was obvious who had been on the roof all along. His full lips were instantly recognisable. ‘I’m sorry if I’ve offended you.’
‘You don’t sound very sorry.’
‘I didn’t mean any harm.’
‘Then what did you mean, exactly? What was I supposed to do with a whole crowd of people watching? What will people think?’
‘Relax. Nobody knows it’s us in these costumes.’
‘Everyone who works for Hendry’s does.’
‘Nobody but you, Dixon and your friend know that you swapped at the last moment and nobody knows that I did either. As far as anyone’s concerned we’re the original staff members who were asked to perform this stunt.’
‘What makes you so certain that Gareth or Midnight won’t tell everyone?’
‘I’ll make sure they don’t.’
Phoebe thought about this for a moment. She supposed he had the power to make good that promise but she didn’t like the idea of it. Was it right to abuse his position in that way? But even more worrying – what were his motives for doing the stunt? And why had he kissed her? In reality, he’d taken a huge risk. She had the right to bring up the issue of sexual harassment. She wouldn’t dare, of course, and he probably knew that. A small part of her wouldn’t want to either, but he couldn’t know that. Or was she giving him signals that told him he was safe? And if she was, even inadvertently, what did that say about her feelings for Jack?
She shook herself as he nudged her. ‘Stop sulking and wave to your public.’
She waved automatically when all she wanted to do was ask him what his game was.
On cue, her dad’s re-enactors entered the fray down on the street. She could see them working their way through the crowds in their costumes. Her dad had been so pleased to get an invite and only too happy to help provide some entertainment. It wasn’t exactly superhero sci-fi stuff, but the crowd seemed delighted to see them all the same. They took their positions for a fake skirmish in an area cordoned off from the throng.
‘I suppose we’d better go down now,’ she said as the spotlight finally swung away and plunged the roof into unnerving darkness.
‘You go first. I’ll follow in a few minutes.’
Of course he wants to sneak away to get changed and melt back into the crowds, she thought. In fact she agreed it was a good plan, and if she went down first she could distract anyone who mattered. So Phoebe nodded and wandered slowly back to the stairway, wondering what on earth had just happened.
Phoebe changed quickly in the deserted staffroom, her mind bristling as she turned over the events of the evening. Overlaying it all was a stain of guilt that she couldn’t quite explain. She had nothing to feel guilty about. Did she? Somewhere in the crowd, Jack had watched the scene unfold on the roof, oblivious to who the actors were. But it wasn’t like she’d done it on purpose. And it wasn’t like she’d enjoyed it. Was it? So why did it suddenly feel so important that Jack didn’t find out?
Back in her normal clothes, Phoebe checked her phone. There was a text from Jack telling her that he and Maria had arrived and asking where she was. He’d sent it only half an hour ago, so he probably hadn’t yet had time to grab anyone she worked with to ask. But he would definitely have seen the rooftop show.
Racing down to the street, she clumsily texted him back saying she was on her way and to meet her by the store entrance. Then, amidst all the noise and chaos, she spotted him smiling across at her through a sea of faces. She rushed over, fighting the blush that spread across her cheeks. She stopped in her tracks as she saw that Archie stood with him and Maria. She hadn’t expected him to come to something like this, especially when it was organised by her. Maybe he was trying to make an effort. The thought cheered her a little and took the edge off her anxiety.
‘Everything okay?’ Jack asked as he kissed her lightly. ‘You look a bit flustered.’
‘It’s all this…’ she waved
a hand over the crowd and gave a self-conscious laugh. ‘I just can’t get over it.’
‘Well, if it makes you feel better it’s bloody amazing.’ He looked down at Maria. ‘What do you say, spud?’
‘Yeah!’ Maria shouted with a huge grin.
Phoebe’s gaze rested on Archie. He shoved his hands in his pockets and grinned. ‘I have to say, it is pretty cool. And there are some totally fit women walking around here.’
‘Thank you, I think,’ Phoebe laughed. She wondered whether it might be a good idea to find Midnight after all, perhaps she could keep Archie entertained as he admired her curves. But then, annoying younger brother or not, she knew she’d feel guilty about the fact that Midnight wouldn’t just eat him for breakfast, she’d swallow him whole and wash him down with a neat whiskey.
‘You’ve played a blinder, honestly,’ Jack continued. ‘If this doesn’t get Millrise talking nothing will. What does Hendry say? Is he pleased?’
Phoebe’s flush burned even harder and she tried valiantly to think about Old Mr Hendry’s stern face glaring down at her instead of his son grinning at her on the rooftop.
‘I think so. It’s hard to tell at this point.’
‘I think he ought to give you a pay rise,’ Jack replied. ‘At the very least he should treat you.’
He already did that, Phoebe thought. ‘It’s part of my job, isn’t it? I doubt he’ll even give it a second thought next week.’
‘Midnight was great in the rooftop show too.’
‘Yeah,’ Archie agreed. ‘She was pretty awesome. I’d like to meet her.’
‘Be careful what you wish for,’ Phoebe smiled. ‘Once met, never forgotten.’
Jack clapped Archie on the back. ‘From what I’ve heard I think you’d be in way over your head.’
‘Still,’ Archie sniffed, ‘I’d take my chances.’
‘I bet you would,’ Jack said. He looked at Phoebe. ‘Where is she?’
‘Not sure. Getting changed I expect. I haven’t seen her yet.’
Phoebe scanned the crowds wondering where on earth Midnight could be. She was in there somewhere, dressed as who knew what. With a bit of luck she would stay in the crowds and avoid a meeting with Jack. Why couldn’t Phoebe just tell him that it had been her up there? She had nothing to hide. She and Jack were adults and in a loving, trusting relationship, so they ought to be honest with each other and able to avoid petty jealousy. Phoebe had been doing her job and he’d understand that. Her mum would say she was behaving like a silly teenager. Right now she wondered whether any of her teenage years had given her quite this much angst.
‘Soooo, Maria…’ Phoebe said brightly, ‘have you seen the radio van? They’re giving out amazing lollies.’
‘We haven’t made it over there yet,’ Jack said as Maria’s expectant grin spread across her face.
‘In that case, we must go right now!’ Phoebe said. ‘Come on…’
‘Don’t you have to be on duty?’ Jack asked.
‘Dixon can handle everything for a bit. There’s not much to do right now other than supervise the stuff other people are running.’
‘Okay then…’ Jack swept Maria up into his arms and onto his shoulders.
‘I can see EVERYTHING up here!’ Maria giggled.
‘That’s the idea, spud.’
‘If it’s all the same to you,’ Archie said as they began to work through the crowds, ‘I might just check out that beer tent and see what they’ve got on offer.’
Phoebe turned and gave him her brightest smile, one that told him he was forgiven – for now at least. ‘No problem. We’ll catch you up later.’ Whether Archie was making an effort or not, whether he was forgiven or not, she was still happier when she had Jack and Maria to herself, just like it had always been; things were far less volatile. ‘Is that okay with you, Jack?’
‘Yeah…’ Jack waved a vague hand, ‘just stay out of trouble, eh?’
‘Trouble?’ Archie said with a grin. ‘Me? As if!’
She didn’t know how she’d managed it, but Phoebe succeeded in keeping Jack out of Midnight’s way. She hadn’t really tried, thinking that a meeting was inevitable, but it had just happened and she certainly wasn’t going to complain about Lady Luck cutting her a break for once. They spent time with her dad, who was delighted to introduce Maria to the rest of his re-enactment society and she was fascinated by everything that they showed her. They chatted to Dixon and other members of Hendry’s staff, and then waited patiently in the wings while Phoebe was collared by a local reporter who wanted a few words on the plans for Hendry’s. They ate every conceivable type of junk food they could get their hands on until Phoebe started worrying that Maria might throw up.
Amidst it all there was blasting music, vivid spectacle and a buzzing atmosphere. After a couple of hours Maria was too tired to stay any longer so she and Jack hugged Phoebe goodbye before disappearing off to find Archie (who was probably drunk on hormones somewhere doing his best to impress any girl with a pulse) and take him home with them. Phoebe waved them off, the argument that had seemed so disastrous that morning having shrunk to nothing. They had been as comfortable this evening as ever, and she didn’t want anything to jeopardise that.
Phoebe spent the rest of her weekend fulfilling a promised and overdue visit to her parents, and cleaning her flat. Despite the fact that she and Jack had parted on good terms after the cosplay event, there had been an unspoken agreement that a bit of space might be good for both of them. She had even enjoyed not seeing him, and couldn’t decide if this was a good or a bad thing. But on Monday morning, although she felt rested and happy, she woke feeling uncomfortably queasy.
Dixon pulled her into a hug as she walked into the office. She was surprised and flattered in equal measure but wished he wasn’t squeezing her quite so enthusiastically.
‘Here she is! My Golden Girl! What an event, eh? I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it all weekend. Do you know how much money we made on the night? We sold almost everything!’
‘How much?’ Phoebe hung her jacket on an antiquated coat stand in the corner of the room.
‘I have no idea! But I’m sure it’s a lot. Steve is doing the sums now.’
‘Christ, I bet that’s made him happy.’
Dixon chuckled. ‘Adam is thrilled with how it went too. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a little visit from him and his dad today.’
‘Hmmmm.’ Neither prospect filled Phoebe with joy. She still hadn’t forgiven Adam for taking advantage of her on the roof. Nor herself for liking it. The less she saw of him the better.
‘He wants more of the same – as much as we can give him,’ Dixon continued.
‘I bet he does,’ Phoebe muttered as she switched on her PC. The queasiness she’d woken with was now causing her some actual grief. She began to wonder if she’d eaten something dodgy or picked up a bug. The timing couldn’t be worse. She was far too busy to be ill.
The door burst open and Sue from HR stood in the gap, legs virtually buckling under the weight of a bouquet that was almost larger than her. It was bursting with exotic tiger lilies, roses, gerbera and lush greenery. It looked like a very expensive arrangement.
Sue peered around them with a manic grin.
‘Wow,’ Phoebe said, trying to muster the appropriate enthusiasm, ‘somebody really loves you.’
‘I wish! They’re actually for you, you lucky thing.’ Sue tottered over and dumped them on Phoebe’s desk, looking mightily relieved to have unburdened herself.
‘Me?’ Phoebe blinked at the flowers. Jack really couldn’t afford to spend this sort of money, even if he did feel he had something to apologise for. Which he didn’t.
‘Aren’t you going to read the card?’ Sue asked breathlessly.
Phoebe reached for the tiny white envelope nestling amid the blooms. The flap was closed but not sealed. She hoped that Sue hadn’t already peeked at the card inside, but she wouldn’t have put it past her. Phoebe opened it up.
Ho
ly cow, that was one hell of a party! Let’s do it again soon! Batman.
If she’d felt queasy before, nausea now swept over her. She read the note again. It was such a simple, innocent, even playful message, and yet there were so many complexities hidden in the subtext. Why was he doing this? It could be a harmless token of friendship, of course, and Phoebe wanted to believe that. But men like Adam Hendry didn’t need to make gestures of friendship. A part of her was flattered, but the sensible thing to do would be to throw the flowers in the bin. She certainly couldn’t take them home and she absolutely had to destroy the card.
‘Who are they from?’ Sue asked as Dixon stood with his arms folded, a huge grin on his face.
What could she say? If she told the truth the office gossip machine would crank into overdrive in seconds. If she lied she was risking the fact that Sue had already read the card and the gossip machine would get a turbo boost. She plumped for a semi-truth.
‘I’m afraid I don’t know, as they haven’t signed it. Perhaps it’s a secret admirer?’ Phoebe tried to give an impish and secretive smile hoping they might enjoy being part of the mystery.
‘Ooooh, how exciting!’ Sue cooed, already in. ‘Nothing like that ever happens to me.’
Phoebe wished she could say the same. Her nausea lurched and she took a deep breath. ‘I’m not actually feeling that great today…’ she announced to Dixon. ‘Can you just excuse me for a minute?’
She bolted from the room and arrived in the bathroom just in time to hurl into the nearest toilet. Afterwards, she gave her face a quick splash and stood at the mirror, pulling herself together. Normally, she felt better after being sick, but not today. Perhaps she’d be better off at home? But she had so much work to do and there was no one else to do it but her. Could things possibly get any worse?
Through the door, she heard Adam’s voice on the stairs, and with that, she had her answer.
The Spring of Second Chances : An absolutely perfect and uplifting romantic comedy Page 18
