You Had Me at Halo(25)

It won’t be for much longer, Holly promised. And I’m sorry I’ve been so bossy, but soon as I’m gone you can talk to anyone you want. Kiss anyone you—

Holly, he cut her off with a gruff voice. It’s not like that.

Well, I’m sorry anyway.

You will be, Vince retorted.

W-what do you mean? Holly suddenly had an ominous vision that Vince might want to do more than just kiss Amy Jenkins. Which was fine since after all, Vince and Amy were both consenting adults and it was none of her business (despite the fact Vince could do a lot better). The thing was that she really, really didn’t want to be around for anything so...intimate.

I mean that we need to get back downstairs because you’re about to go to your first technical department team meeting. All I can do is apologize in advance.

Compared to the idea of being part of the most bizarre threesome in the world, the idea of a team meeting didn’t seem nearly so bad, and Holly, who had been planning to convince him to sneak back to look in Rochelle’s bag, found herself nodding in agreement. Fine, let’s go then. She just hoped Vince’s other colleagues weren’t quite so keen to kiss her.





CHAPTER ELEVEN


“Vincent, so nice for you to join us,” a voice boomed out as soon as they pushed open the workshop doors. As part of Finance Operations, Holly didn’t venture to this end of the building very often and when she did, she always felt like she had stumbled into The Land That Time Forgot.

Gone was the plush corporate interior of the rest of the building and it was replaced by sterile looking chest high benches covered in wires, piles of paper and tools, with the occasional Lara Croft poster randomly pinned up around the place. Vince continued walking toward a group of guys who were sitting around a large table.

Holly recognized most of them from yesterday and though she still didn’t have a clue of their names, at least today Old Spice had replaced the gym sock smell. As for why they were all wearing novelty ties, well that was anyone’s guess.

Mickey Mouse tie stood up and scowled.

That’s my boss, Bob, Vince said in her head before unnecessarily adding. I don’t think he’s in a good mood.

Holly was starting to appreciate that Vince was a master in understatement. She stared at his boss and tried to imagine him thinking happy thoughts, but the way his blue eyes were narrowed, it wasn’t likely. He should probably watch that blood vessel as well. It didn’t look healthy.

“So.” The red-faced man folded his arms. “Are you going to tell me where you’ve been this morning? Or for that matter last night when you were meant to be here working on the software for the Laser account. We’re a team remember. Even when the hours are long, we pull together. I thought you understood that?”

“I do.” Vince assured him.

“So where were you then?”

Vince coughed and studied his hands. “Well I was at Holly Evan’s funeral, and then...it’s sort of hard to explain what happened next...”

Holly groaned. As far as lies went that was pretty lousy. Hadn’t he heard of the classics before? Food poisoning. Family emergency. Women’s problems...well perhaps not that last one, but the other two would’ve worked just fine.

“To be honest I thought as much, Vincent, but in future call me first to let me know.”

She almost choked in surprise when she saw Bob’s face soften. Even the blood vessel at the side of his temple stopped throbbing as he gave Vince a hearty thump on the shoulder. And what was it with all of this back patting?

“It won’t happen again,” Vince promised.

“Good,” his boss agreed before giving Vince a sympathetic smile. “I know yesterday’s funeral must’ve been tough on you. You and Holly Evans were old school friends, I believe.”

What?

This time Holly did start to choke which only resulted in more back patting.

What on earth did he say that for? She spluttered.

“Yes.” A sad smile tugged at Vince’s lips. “We were good friends. Very good friends.”

Vince! She yelped but he didn’t seem to notice as the four other technicians all started to stomp and holler in the most ridiculously way. What were they, teenagers? And to think that a moment ago she’d almost thought they weren’t so bad. A moment ago she’d thought Vince Murphy wasn’t so bad. She was obviously mistaken.

“Woohoo! Go Vince. You sly dog you!”

“Why didn’t you say something before, Stud? I thought she and Todd Harman had something going.”

“I think that’s quite enough,” Bob said, though he also had an impressed smile on his face. And with good reason, Holly thought mulishly, since it was obvious from the personality deficiencies of these computer technicians that their chances of getting real-life girlfriends were seriously low. “Now, how about we all get on with this meeting?”

Yes, and perhaps you could all stop talking a load of rubbish at the same time? Holly hissed in Vince’s head.

Oh, well if you want me to tell my boss the truth I’d be more than happy to. Though I don’t think you’d have much luck getting back to heaven if my body’s locked up in a mental institution.

Ooooh. Holly didn’t know if she was more annoyed at his lies, or at the fact he was right. What she did know was that Vince Murphy was one very irritating person. And the sooner this business was finished, the better.