Apparently.
Kind of hard to tell if they were laughing at each other or their mobiles of which Sally and the new bloke were swiping the screens, while Sid had his mobile to his ear. The new woman said something, they all stopped, the girls pouted, the boys flexed, and yep, more selfies for the social media page.
Never mind, they were here!
Flynn stood up and waved. “Sally!”
Sally glanced up, spotted her and waved. Sid looked up, leered, waved. The two newbies kept walking.
“Catch ya later!” Sally hollered.
And they disappeared into the crowd.
Flynn stared after them. What the… What the heck had just happened? They’d walked away as though she was a casual acquaintance and nothing more, leaving her standing there like an idiot with her hand still in the air.
Dumfounded, she lowered her arm. What the freakin’ heck? Was everyone going mad? Was she going insane? Was her family really around her and she’d had a brain fart or something and didn’t recognise anyone?
As the hustle and bustle of shoppers passing to and fro came back into focus, she sat back down. No, she wasn’t going nuts. Her rellies had slowly but surely peeled away from her and gone their own ways, leaving her waiting. To add insult to injury, Sally had just given her a casual brush-off.
The temper started to simmer again. They were here at her invitation! Facing having Christmas alone, they’d all come to spend Christmas together instead, yet Sally and Sid had ditched her and gone their own way without so much as a ‘sorry, we have other plans.’ As for the rest of them, they’d agreed to go shopping together followed by a nice lunch in a café, spend some quality time relaxing and chatting, really getting to know each other again.
But were they here?
No they bloody weren’t.
She was alone, ditched by the bloody lot of them as they all took off without the courtesy of even letting her know where they were going. How could they be so inconsiderate? She couldn’t even contact them on her mobile because she hadn’t a clue what their numbers were, hadn’t thought she’d needed them.
Hadn’t thought they’d ditch her.
Argh!
Sure as it didn’t snow in hell, she was going to get everyone’s mobile numbers when they were together again.
She bought a coffee. Went onto tea. Had an orange juice. Steamed some more. Needed the loo after all the liquid she’d consumed. Stomped off to the loo, stomped to the newsagent to buy a freakin’ magazine she didn’t want but it was either read or foam at the mouth while being bored out of her mind, and stomped back to the bench to find Dax, Gramma and Gram all waiting and holding bags.
“Really, dear,” Gramma admonished. “We’ve just been standing here waiting for you. It’s a little inconsiderate.”
“Inconsiderate?” Flynn spluttered. “Me?”
Dax watched her from eerie eyes that today were silver. “Waiting opens the soul to darkness.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Gram asked.
“Seeing people spending what they can’t afford, the false gaiety when normally they can’t be bothered, it breeds discontent, darkness, stains the soul.”
“I don’t have a clue what you’re saying. I don’t think I want to.”
Dax shrugged. “Expected.”
“Whatever.” Gram started digging in a paper bag. It had Shop with Delight stamped on it in bright red. “I swear, Flynn, I only left you for five minutes and you disappeared.”
“I was right here!” She pointed at the wooden seat. “I only left to go to the loo and get something to read!”
Gramma sniffed the air. “I’m starving. Can we get something to eat now? All this waiting around is stirring the juices.”
“My juices got stirred in that adult shop,” Gram commented as she led the way to a bakery. “I gotta get my strength up.”
Oh, for goodness sake! About to say something cutting, Flynn’s gaze got caught on a nativity scene in a nearby shop window. Seeing the little baby Jesus lying in the manager, the kneeling figures of Joseph and Mary, made her stop the angry tirade before it started. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly.
Okay, she was with three adults who were used to doing things their own way. They were alone for Christmas.
I wonder why.
Ignoring the snide little thought, she stomped down the hot annoyance, allowing the soothing Christmas music to filter through her rattled senses.
It was Christmas, the time of love and sharing, kindness and forgiveness.
Rolling her shoulders, cracking her neck side to side, easing her grip on the magazine, she plastered a smile on her face and swept after her relatives. Her family. Her Goth cousin, free-wheeling Gram, and prim Gramma. She had family, she reminded herself, many people had no one. Be grateful.
By the time she caught up they were ordering lunch. She put in her own order and joined them at the little table. Blinked when her order came on a plate and theirs arrived in takeaway bags. “Wha…?”
“Oh dear.” Gramma bit her lip. “We’d decided to have lunch in the park.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“Well, honey, while you were off gallivanting around we had a little chat,” Gram pointed out reasonably. “Guess we forgot you weren’t there.”
Flynn ground her teeth. “Imagine that.”
“Never mind.” Gram waved her hand at the waitress. “Can we have a doggy bag over here please?”
~*~
Ben opened the back door and Scruff scampered out to snuffle the despondent woman sitting on the back step before bounding into the yard to attend to Important Yorkie Business, which mostly consisted of peeing against the gardenias, poohing near the geraniums, and kicking his feet near the hibiscus.
Taking in the slumped shoulders of his visitor, Ben’s eyebrows rose. “Seeking sanctuary?”
“Uh huh.”
“Right.” He popped into the kitchen, retrieved a Diet Coke and a light beer from the ‘fridge, a packet of Tim Tams from the pantry, and came back outside.
Dropping down onto the step beside her, he popped the tab on the Diet Coke and handed it to her before popping the tab on his light beer. After taking a sip, he tore open the Tim Tam packet and held it out to her.
Mutely, she took a biccie, bit it in half, and chewed.
They sat in silence for several minutes, just eating and sipping.
Though he enjoyed having her sitting beside him, the faint floral perfume she wore drifting into his senses, he finally nudged her thigh with his. “Want to talk about it?”
“I wish I was an orphan.”
“That bad?”
“I wish I had a crystal ball and could see into the future.”
“Ah.”
“First that debacle early this morning, then the shopping centre.”
Actually, after his fear that something had happened to Flynn resulted in him, clad only in his boxers, leaping the fence in the dark of early morning to save her, had proved unwarranted, Ben had really enjoyed holding her in his arms. He’d have thanked Dax personally if Goth Boy hadn’t been laughing like a hyena at Ben’s precious Flynn. So he’d just thanked him mentally, glared at him for laughing, and cuddled Flynn closer.
Oh man, he could still feel her in his arms, all sweet and warm and cuddly and soft. She might be having a hard time but he was getting some great side benefits from it. Namely her here more often and the chance to hold her without freaking her out. Plus he couldn’t miss the way she’d clung to him even if she had been pissed at Dax.
“If I knew what was going to happen, I wouldn’t have invited them,” she continued.
“What happened at the shopping centre?”
“They ditched me.”
His eyes widened slightly. “They what?”
“Ditched me. We were spending a lovely time together but then they kind of disappeared one by one until there was only me left.”
In an attempt at comfort, he patted her knee.<
br />
“I saw Sally and Sid with their new friends and they just waved and gave me the brush-off.”
Another pat to her knee.
Scruff came up, snuffled Flynn’s sandal and Ben’s ankle, then wandered off to lie in the grass.
“So after an hour-”
“An hour?”
“Yeah.” Her expression was almost pitiful when she looked at him. “An hour.”
Annoyance rippled through him. “Now that’s just plain rude of them.”
“When they finally came back we went to the bakery for some lunch, but guess what?”
Ben shook his head.
“They’d ordered lunch and so I ordered lunch, and then I found out they’d ordered takeaway and I’d ordered dine-in.”
“Do not tell me they left you alone in the café.” If they had, he was going to have some harsh words with them.
“No. Gram made the waitress get me a doggy bag.”
At least the old bird had meant for Flynn to accompany them, that was something.
“Because they’d chatted without me and decided to have lunch in the park.” Flynn sniffed.
His heart melted. “Aw, babe.” Hooking his arm around her neck, he pulled her into him. “Come here.”
Leaning against him, Flynn settled her head on his shoulder.
Ben rested his cheek against her head, indignant at what her family had done but enjoying her closeness nevertheless. If he didn’t know how much she’d looked forward to her family coming, how hard she was trying to make it pleasant, he’d be over there now ripping them good.
After a few minutes of silence in which he sipped his beer, she sipped her Diet Coke, and they ate more Tim Tams, Flynn sighed. “Am I such a bad host?”
“Nope. They’re just thoughtless guests.”
“Maybe I’m boring. Is that it?” She tilted her head back to look up at him. “Am I boring, Ben?”
He tilted his dead down to study her. Boring was the last word he’d use to describe her. Funny, cute, sweet - those were words to describe her, but boring? “Never.”
His gaze wandered over her face, taking in the big blue eyes, the pert little nose, the lush lips that were usually smiling.
He wanted to make her smile for the rest of her days. His days. Their days. Together. He wanted their days to be together. Every day.
Instinctively, he lowered his head a little.
Breath catching, her eyes seemed to darken a little with…desire? Could it be?
His heart leaped with hope, his pulse quickened.
The warm air was hushed as they gazed deep into each other’s eyes.
Something in the air between them, something in the air around them. Something tugging at him. Something as warm and sweet as Flynn, as her lips, as her heart…
Slowly Ben leaned further down, closing the small gap, watching her reaction, barely breathing as he waited for her to pull back, express astonishment, maybe…maybe lean forward and meet him partway, press those luscious lips to his.
She didn’t pull away, didn’t ask him what the heck he was doing. No, instead she leaned into him, lifted her lips, those blue eyes going dreamy, so beautifully dreamy and-
“Hey!”
Startled, they jerked apart.
“Get out of it!”
They jumped to their feet, Flynn bumping into Ben as her foot slipped on the step. Grabbing her under the elbow to steady her, Ben forgot about the beer in his other hand and the amber liquid slopped over the top of the tin to spatter across his scrubs.
Scruff barked, jumped at the fence, scrabbled with his little Yorkie paws.
Phoebe shot over the top of the fence, down into Ben’s yard, and dashed past them into his house.
“Hey!” Archie yelled. “That damned cat was licking my scone!”
“Flynn!” Gramma called. “Flynn, where are you? Why weren’t you watching the cat like I told you to?”
“It licked all the cream up, too.” Gram tsked. “No cream with the jam. Flynn!”
Flynn stared at the fence. “Bugger.”
Ben sighed. The moment, it seemed, was over. Talk about lousy timing.
“What?” She was still staring at the fence.
Cripes, he hadn’t realised he’d said it aloud. Ben looked down at her, all that fair hair that he just longed to see spread out on his pillow. Felt all that warmth still stirring in his loins.
Hmmm, even the oldies’ ranting couldn’t stop the embers of desire. Didn’t surprise him. Where Flynn was concerned his embers were always simmering. It was amazing his jocks hadn’t gone up in flames back when she’d first moved in next door.
She chose that moment to turn and look at him.
And what do you know, the annoyed voices next door simply vanished, leaving him and the woman of his fantasies gazing into each other’s eyes yet again.
“Ben…” Clearing her throat, she lowered those thick eyelashes.
“Flynn.” Reaching out, he hooked his fingers loosely around her wrist.
She peeked up at him.
His heart thudded a little harder, a little faster. She wasn’t pulling away, wasn’t looking horrified, and wasn’t aiming a kick to his nuts. That was a huge bonus. It gave him hope, gave him courage to bend down towards her.
And holy heck, those soft lips opened, Flynn swayed towards him, and he knew it - just knew it - finally they were going to kiss. He was finally going to taste her lips, press against her delectable curves and-
“Flynn!”
She froze, opened her eyes.
Ben swore softly.
“There you are!”
Straightening, he looked over her head at the fence and groaned at the sight of three heads hovering over the top.
Flynn winced. “They’re right behind us, aren’t they?”
“Yep.” He nodded.
“Damn it, Flynn!” Gram yelled like a fishwife. “While you’re over there sharing drinks with that boy, your cat is into our food!”
“I can’t believe Phoebe ate all that cream.” Gramma tutted. “Cats can’t tolerate cream, the lactose, she’ll probably…you know.”
“Shit through the eye of a needle?” Archie growled.
Gramma’s expression was disapproving.
“What?” he demanded. “It’s true. And she better not do it in my garden.” He switched his glare to Flynn. “No shitting in my garden.”
Her shoulders sagged.
Not liking her defeated expression, Ben frowned. “I’ll deal with it.” He started past her towards the fence. “Now look, you mob-”
“No!” She grabbed his arm. “It’s fine. It’s all good.”
“Here, what happened to you?” Gram eyed Ben’s chest.
Catching sight of the tin at foot of the steps, Archie snorted derisively. “You drinking that lolly water again, boy?”
“Huh?” Gram squinted.
“Light beer, not soft drink,” Ben explained. “What about it?”
“No wonder you’re such a nancy boy. Get a real man’s drink. You want a beer?” Archie glowered. “Get a real beer.”
Ben shrugged. “I prefer reduced alcohol. So what?”
Gram sucked in her breath.
“What’d I tell you, Linda? Joy?” Archie shook his head. “What real man doesn’t like a real beer?”
“Hey,” Flynn said indignantly. “Ben’s a real man.”
Her defence warmed the cockles of Ben’s heart. He patted her back tenderly. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. He can’t just-”
“Boy’s a vet nurse,” Archie said. “Drinks lolly water. You’ll never catch a woman like that, Ben.”
“Because I care for animals and don’t get drunk? That’s fine with me.” Realising what he’d said, not wanting Flynn to misunderstand, he began quickly, “A real woman would understand-”
“And she’d be proud,” Flynn staunchly took over. “Because she’d recognise that Ben’s a man who isn’t scared to do his own thing.”
; Archie glared. “Nancy boy.” With that last parting shot, he withdrew.
“Might have a point,” Gram commented a little apologetically, and also disappeared.
“What?” Flynn glared. “How dare you.”
“Wash your hands and come inside,” Gramma instructed. “I’m sure you’re a nice boy, Ben, but do something about your shirt, dear. Nobody likes a man reeking of alcohol.”
Ben brushed at the damp splotches on the scrubs. “It was an accident.”
“And it’s light beer,” Flynn pointed out, “with decreased alcohol content.”
“Yes, well, I do approve of that.” Gramma nodded.
Personally, Ben didn’t care what she thought, the only approval he needed being Flynn’s, but seeing her give her grandmother a grateful smile he didn’t voice his opinion.
“Still no reason to reek like a brewery. Do be more careful, Ben. Flynn.” She fixed a steely eye on Flynn. “We have guests.”
Hmm, talk about a pointed hint.
“Yeah,” Flynn muttered. “I sure do.”
Gramma disappeared from the top of the fence.
“Damn it,” Flynn added woefully.
“You okay?” Ben regarded her resigned expression. “You can stay here if they’re getting to you. Phoebe’s already here.” He smiled. “I’ll protect you both.”
“That’s why I came over in the first place,” she replied ruefully. “For a little peace and quiet.”
His heart went out to her. No surprise. “How about I go over and sort a few things out for you?” He’d face down a horde of zombies just to keep her safe and happy, no worries. “They’re a grumpy, rude lot, I’m sorry to say.” Oh shit, probably shouldn’t have said that even if it was true, after all, they were her family. “Flynn, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-”
“It’s okay. It’s all true.” Grinning, she patted his chest. “You’re so sweet to want to ride to my rescue and sort them out, even if I have to decline that chivalrous offer.”
Relief filled him, followed quickly by astonishment when she started to laugh. “What?”
“You and Archie toe-to-toe. I’d call that an uneven match.”
“Really? Because I’m a nancy boy who drinks lolly water and an animal nursie?” Amusement slid through him. “And Archie’s a tough old bird who drinks real beer and is an ex-wharfie? I’m shaking in my sneakers.”
Christmas Blue at Flynn's Page 5
