by Rhoda Baxter
Why do women insist on wearing those ridiculous high heels when bare feet are so beautiful... and thought provoking in the most distracting way?
##
From: Olivia Gornall
To: Tom Blackwood
You've got it bad. I never thought I'd see the day when I had Tom Blackwood soliloquising about some girl's bare feet!
##
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
I could soliloquise about other aspects of her too, but, well... not in front of the ladies. Not even you.
##
From: Olivia Gornall
To: Tom Blackwood
I think I'm going to hurl.
Olivia - A lady. Apparently.
* * * *
Stevie sat on the top metal step leading into the garden. She could smell a faint scent of wisteria on the breeze. After a few minutes, she felt the thumping in her head ebb away, and with it her anger at Tom.
Of course he realised he fancied her. She was acting like a total idiot around him.
Taking up her mug, she frowned. On the other hand, she had thought he fancied her, too. It had certainly looked like it that night in the library. Perhaps he just couldn't help playing games. He obviously wasn't after a girlfriend. He couldn't have made that any clearer. And if he was after an easy lay, he had another think coming.
She took a thoughtful sip of tea. Even if she were tempted to have a short fling with him, which, she quickly reassured herself, she wasn't. She certainly wouldn't want to be second fiddle to that Vienna woman.
Ugh. Vienna. Stevie shuddered. The idea of being someone's booty call was just a little...seedy. Or needy, if you thought of it that way.
The worst thing about all this was that Marsh had been right. Again. It was infuriating how he always managed to be right. She pulled her phone out and looked at it thoughtfully. She was tempted to phone him, like she always did when anything went wrong. He had always been able to swoop in and help. Or at least give her a brotherly shoulder to cry on. But this was supposed to be her chance to show that she was a grown up. She couldn't very well go crying to her big brother because she'd fallen into the very trap he'd warned her about in the first place. She sighed and put her phone away.
She looked down at her tatty cut-off jeans and made a mental note to schedule some pamper time in before the ball. If Vienna was going to come round and be glamorous, the least she could do was try and look fresh and youthful. Besides, it was important for her to be cool and professional as the party planner. The ball was just as much an advertisement for her services as it was a fundraiser.
The thought reminded her that she needed to check if anyone else had emailed for tickets. Since Alice's announcement on her forum that Pete was going to be there, the tickets were flying out. At the rate they were selling, they would be sold out in time for the ball. Which meant that the ball would more than break even. Given the fact that they'd budgeted for a shortfall and done as much as they could on a shoestring, the charity could make a small profit.
Opening her email, she found a few more requests for tickets. She sent them payment details and added the standard disclaimer about alcohol, just in case.
* * * *
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
She's sitting outside looking really sad. I think I might have upset her.
##
From: Olivia Gornall
To: Tom Blackwood
D'you think? You're playing stupid games with her. She's not one of your highflying city girls that you normally dally with. If she's as young and naive as you say, she's going to be totally bewildered.
##
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
I didn't mean to hurt her. The realisation that she's attracted to me as I am to her was so exhilarating. I shall have to be really careful with her in future.
I'm going to have to think of a way to make it up to her. Without coming onto her. Or touching her, preferably. I'm not sure I have THAT much self-restraint.
* * * *
Listing on eBay.co.uk posted by penguin82
You are bidding for the exclusive opportunity to meet Pete Gosling from Triphoppers in an informal setting. Pete will be attending a charity ball held in Oxford to raise money for Project Peds, which is trying to buy equipment for a ward in a children's hospital in Tsunami struck Sri Lanka. There are only a limited number of tickets being issued to the public for this ball.
All proceeds will go to this charity.
Happy Bidding!
* * * *
Getting the upper boards hung in place took them several hours, with Stevie standing on the stepladder and Tom on a chair. Once they were done, Tom and Alice waited while Stevie turned the lights out. The room became instantly dark. Only the few rays of light that forced their way through small chinks round the edges of the boards showed how bright the day was.
"Oh wow!" Alice spun round. "That's amazing! There's, like, no light coming through."
"Not surprising since they're blackout boards," Tom said.
Alice ignored him.
Stevie turned the lights back on. "That is pretty effective." She was so pleased with her discovery.
"Those boards are quite thick." Tom rapped the wood. "They'll probably give very good sound insulation too, which should keep the neighbours happy."
"If we close the serving hatch, we can put a table there for Priya's nephew to do the DJ bit," said Stevie. "We can always put a table across the other door to the make a makeshift bar."
"Good idea. That'll limit the number of people crowding round at any one time," said Tom.
"We'll need some sort of lighting system though." Stevie glanced dubiously at the old iron light fitting. "Something a bit more...disco."
"Like a mirror ball?" Tom said.
"A mirror ball! That is so lame, Uncle Tom."
"Actually," said Stevie. "A mirror ball would work. We'd still have to have something that shone some lights onto it. Preferably coloured lights."
"Gran's got a couple of strong lights that she got when the kitchen was being redone." said Alice. "They've got pretty powerful beams."
"I wonder if she's still got that bubble machine thing that you used to love so much when you were younger, Alice."
"That was years ago." Alice gave him a withering look.
"Only a few years."
"I don't think bubbles would be appropriate..." Stevie began.
"I wasn't thinking of bubbles. This gizmo had a rotating bit in front. If we could attach some coloured acetate, you could have different coloured lights coming through--"
"And they'd reflect off the mirror ball." Stevie finished the sentence. "That's brilliant! We should try that."
Alice looked from one to the other. "You Seventies people are so weird."
"I wasn't alive in the Seventies."
"Neither was I."
"Whatever," said Alice. "Do you want me to go to the party shop to see if I can find a mirror ball then?"
"I'll come with you." Stevie looked down at her grime-spattered clothes. "Although, it might be an idea if we changed first."
They returned a few hours later carrying, not just a mirror ball, but a whole disco lighting set.
"Stevie talked to the guy." Alice ushered in Priya and Evelyn in while Stevie plugged in the lighting and Tom hung the mirror ball from the middle of the old light fitting. "She gave him all this chat about how it was for a good cause and everything and he said he'd loan the whole kit out to us for free! It was incredible." Alice's eyes glittered as she gazed at Stevie with open admiration.
"Not quite." Stevie slotted the coloured filters into place. She still felt uncomfortable when Al
ice looked on her as some sort of role model. It just didn't seem right.
"We paid a deposit. And we have to have a notice somewhere saying 'lighting supplied by...' and mention his shop to people who ask. But he said if we brought the kit back in one piece, he'd give us all of our deposit back, seeing as it was for a good cause." She stood up. "Okay. I think we're ready."
She glanced at Tom, who gave her the thumbs up.
Alice turned the lights off and Stevie flicked a switch. The room filled with dancing spots of multicoloured light.
Alice gave a little shriek. "That's awesome!"
Evelyn started to laugh. After a second Priya joined her.
Alice leapt into the middle of what would be the dance floor and struck a pose.
"All we need now, is some music," said Priya.
"Hang on." Alice dashed out. A minute later the serving hatch from the bar opened and Alice pushed the CD player to it and connected up her phone. Suddenly the room was full of Triphoppers music.
Alice ran back in and started jumping around to the music. Tom dragged the coffee table into a corner to give her more room. Priya and Evelyn applauded, still laughing.
"Come on." Alice grabbed Stevie's hand and dragged her onto the makeshift dance floor.
She looked self-consciously at Tom, who was now busy pulling a comfy chair back. He wasn't paying attention to her.
Oh, what the heck. She laughed and threw herself into dancing.
* * * *
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
Just had a call from Terry to say that the shortlist for the Doha job has been finalised. It's between me, Dierdre and some guy from the French office.
I was a little surprised to hear that. To be honest, I'd forgotten that today was a weekday.
##
From: Olivia Gornall
To: Tom Blackwood
Shut up you, man of leisure.
Sounds like you're having fun. How are the headaches and things?
##
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
I haven't had a headache in two days! And I've been sleeping quite well. Mind you, I tend to be totally knackered from digging/pruning/hanging up 10 ton oak panels for blackout blinds by the time I go to bed. That might have something to do with it. I guess you were right, doing something different is as good as a holiday.
Did I tell you that I dusted down Dad's wine collection yesterday afternoon? I don't think Mum's touched it since Dad died. I think she's been drinking supermarket plonk.
##
From: Olivia Gornall
To: Tom Blackwood
Poor Evelyn. She and your Dad were very much in love weren't they? I remember noticing even when I was a kid. I'll never forget the way they looked at each other when Dan did their toast at their ruby wedding anniversary. So sweet.
Not like my parents! They've been divorced for years, but they can still rip strips off each other if they meet.
You know, perhaps you and your Mum are more alike than you think. Have you tried talking to her about your little breakdown yet?
##
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
You know what Mum's like. She doesn't talk about stuff like that.
##
From: Olivia Gornall
To: Tom Blackwood
You can still try.
##
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
That's what Stevie said. She implied that I should try and talk to her while I still had her. I guess Stevie never got the chance.
##
From: Olivia Gornall
To: Tom Blackwood
I wondered how long it would take you to turn the conversation round to Wondergirl. What's she up to today? Still running around barefoot?
##
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
Oh, shut up.
##
From: Olivia Gornall
To: Tom Blackwood
Oooooh! Touchy!
* * * *
From: < EBay seller Penguin82>
To:
Congratulations! You are the winning bidder for this item:
Two tickets to exclusive event with Pete from TripHoppers
Winning bid £480.
Chapter 14
From: Tom Blackwood
To: Olivia Gornall
I had a brainwave overnight of something to do in the garden. I'm going to have to rope Alice in to help. I might surprise Stevie with it.
I just hope I can find enough lights at such short notice.
Tom
* * * *
It was still relatively early when Stevie walked around the garden and everything was damp with dew. Tom had done a great job, but there was still quite a lot to do. It was mostly small but irritating jobs like weeding and making sure there were no stray bits of rose to snag passing skirts or shawls. As she walked round, she jotted down notes.
The gazebo was now covered in pink rosebuds and cleared of stray branches. Its benches were clean, but the paint was peeling. There was still time to paint them before the ball, provided it didn't rain.
Sitting on the bench, she closed her eyes and breathed in. A faint scent of roses enveloped her. Birdsong filled the perfectly still morning air. It was almost possible to believe she was in a country house and there wasn't a city just five minutes away.
On the other side of the house, a car drove past, shattering the illusion, but the garden was still quieter than London ever was. She would miss this place when she had to go back to her own little flat. She would miss the house, the work and most of all, the people. In the past week she'd got to know Evelyn, Alice and Priya well. She felt like she belonged in their little group. It was a feeling she hadn't had in a long time.
The sound of someone clattering down the metal steps made her open her eyes. She stepped out of the gazebo to see Tom sauntering along wearing his work jeans and a t-shirt, with a pair of gardening gloves in his hand.
"Hello," he said. "Checking up on my work again?"
"It's my job."
He came close and studied her list. "Is that all the stuff you've found fault with?"
"Hardly that. It's just a list of things we might want to see to before tomorrow."
He pulled his phone out of his back pocket. "You're not the only one with a list." They compared her paper list to his digital one. Standing next to him, Stevie felt her skin screaming to touch his. She sneaked a sideways glance at his handsome profile.
The need to touch him suddenly got worse.
"That's a good idea," said Tom, pointing at her note that said 'paint gazebo bench'. "Let me just make a note of that." He tapped it in. "Even if I don't paint it, I can at least brush it down so that the peeling isn't obvious."
Stevie tried to subtly move away.
Tom put away his phone. "As you can see, I've got the garden covered."
"True." She had to admit he'd thought of most things, including some that had never occurred to her.
"So how about you leave the garden to me? That way, you can get on with the millions of things you need to do inside the house." His eyes met hers, intense and playful.
Stevie took a step back. "That's a very good idea." If she spent too much time close to him, she was going to cave in and fall for his considerable charms. This was no time to get distracted.
"You trust me then?"
Sensing the challenge in
his voice, she raised her chin. "Of course."
"Good. Off you go."
She gave him her most sparkling smile. "Thanks."
"By the way," Tom called after her. "Lady Beryl phoned. She's coming round this evening."
Stevie groaned.
* * * *
Priya turned up mid-morning with her nephew, a young man with short black hair and golden brown skin. He took one look at Stevie and looked delighted. His face was cheerful and handsome.
"Hi, I'm Dilan," He shook her hand and grinned.
"Stevie." She smiled back. "So, you're the DJ."
"I am indeed." His eyes sparkled.
"Let me show you where you'll be working." She led him into the front room. "Thank you for agreeing to do this."
"It's a pleasure. My aunty can be very persuasive. Besides, it's for a good cause."
They checked out the room and discussed what he needed. Stevie showed him the disco lights and he laughed. "That's brilliant," he said. "I can do a whole cheesy disco theme. That's very Sri Lankan." He glanced at her questioningly. "Unless you have objections?"
Stevie returned his smile. "Not at all." She felt Dilan's interest in her. Ordinarily, she would have flirted back, but right now her head was too full of Tom to think about anyone else, no matter how attractive.
Dilan's gaze stayed with her for a moment, and then he nodded as though he'd got the message. "I think you've got a great set up here. I'm looking forward to this gig."
The day was spent sorting out myriad little things. Precious things had to be moved. Bookcases had to be covered before the disco. Sponsors and suppliers had to be telephoned and delivery or pick up times organised. The inventory for the bar had to be double-checked.
Somewhere in the middle of all this, the last ticket was sold and Stevie had to send several emails saying she was very sorry, but the event had sold out. Each time she did this, she couldn't help grinning.
In the evening, everyone convened in the kitchen for last minute discussions. Evelyn was still dressed in her trouser suit; Lady Beryl was talking loudly to a glazed looking Priya; Alice was glowering at the soft drink she was forced to have while everyone else had a glass of wine and Tom was slouching in his chair and kept casting glances out of the window.