Christmas Shopaholic(63)

“What we get up to is our own affair,” says Nadine, a bit snippily. “But if you think that’s why we invited you—” She breaks off and runs her eyes over my high-necked top as though enjoying a private joke. “Let’s say…you’re not the type.”

Not the type? At once I feel offended to my core. They’re rejecting us? On what grounds? Why aren’t I the type?

“I’m brilliant in bed,” I retort indignantly. “And Luke’s even better!”

“Sweetheart,” says Luke, his mouth twitching, “thanks for the recommendation. But…too much information? It’s been a great evening,” he continues politely, putting his wineglass down. “And thank you both. But maybe—”

“You’re not leaving?” Nadine’s voice has tightened. “You’re not even giving me a chance! Why do you think—” She stops herself midstream and smiles again. “I’ve got the pitch ready. I’ve prepared it all. I think I deserve this opportunity.”

I glance at Luke and I can tell he feels a bit stuck.

“All right,” he says after a moment. “I’m happy to listen.”

“Let’s go next door,” says Nadine, getting to her feet and swishing her hair back. “I’ve got my presentation ready there. Why not bring your drink?” As she ushers Luke to a door behind us, she shoots me a sidelong glance. “Don’t worry, Becky, I won’t jump him.”

Ha bloody ha.

When Luke and Nadine have closed the door behind them, Craig pokes the fire, and it crackles a bit, and then we sit in silence. I feel unspeakably awkward—but Craig doesn’t seem to be awkward at all. In fact, he seems barely aware of my presence.

“How’s the music going?” I say at last. “Have you got any new songs you could play us?”

“What?” he says absently. “No, not really.”

“So…where are you going to travel to next? Any more weekends in Warsaw?”

“Not sure,” says Craig in the same distracted tone.

“So…er…what d’you think of the situation in Venezuela?” I try in desperation.

“Venezuela?” He looks blank.

How can he look blank? Venezuela’s, like, his specialist subject! I want to exclaim, “You used to bang on about Venezuela all the time! And you used to play the guitar all the time! And you used to be able to make conversation!” But I’m not sure he’d even hear me.

If Suze could see us, she’d have to take back everything she said. Sexual tension? Flirting? What a joke! He’s not even looking at me. Instead, he keeps glancing at the door behind which Luke and Nadine have disappeared and taking deep swigs of wine.

“Wonder how it’s going,” he says, his tone a little tense. “She’s so talented, Nadine. She deserves a break, you know? She works so hard at her business plans. I say to her, ‘Babe, have a rest,’ but she won’t. She’s driven, you know? Driven.”

“She’s quite different from you,” I venture.

“Yeah. That’s what I admire.” Craig’s eyes shine. “She’s got her shit together. She’s got a plan. First woman I’ve ever met who had a plan.”

At once I want to object to this. I always had plenty of plans! He just never listened to them. But, actually, I’m a bit tired of talking to Craig. Once you get past the leather and the raspy voice, there’s not much to him.

“You want to watch telly?” he says suddenly, and I gape at him. This is the last straw. He’s invited us round for drinks and now he’s putting on the telly?

But I’m pretty bored sitting here, so why not?

He turns it on to a Christmas movie where a stressed-out city girl called Rae has got stuck in a gorgeous small town on Christmas Eve: all snow and hot chocolate and a handsome stubbled lumberjack called Chris. She’s just deciding to go in for the “best-decorated tree” competition and Chris is offering to help her chop down a tree…when the door opens and Nadine appears, followed by Luke.

I blink at them, still slightly lost in the Christmas movie world, and say, “Oh, hi. Have you finished?”

“As I say, Luke,” says Nadine, ignoring me, “there are plenty of other ways we could go. Believe you me, one of my strengths is being open to the future. All versions of the future. Because today is the future.”

“Absolutely,” says Luke in unreadable tones.

“So you’ll give me a call?”

“What do you think?” chimes in Craig eagerly. “She’s talented, isn’t she, Nadine?”

“Very much so.” Luke smiles politely at Craig. “But there’s a lot to think about. Maybe we should leave it there for now and pick up again in business hours.”

“I’m flexible on figures too,” Nadine adds quickly. “I should have made that clear….”

“Great,” says Luke. “That’s good to know.”

Craig has turned the sound down on the TV and is following this conversation intently, but I’m still half following the action onscreen. Rae and Chris are having a row. She’s brandishing the wood chopper at him as her hair blows around picturesquely in the wind. Why? What happened?

“Anyway,” says Luke, in a decisive voice which makes me come to, “it was great hearing about your ideas, Nadine, and thanks for the wine—delicious—but I think our babysitter needs to leave early, am I right, Becky?”