10 OF THE BEST… Board Games
Carole woke to find the duvet over her head. When she pulled it back, she was horrified to see sunlight streaming into her bedroom. Sunlight meant one thing; she was running horrendously late.
Muzzy-headed, she stumbled into the shower. Gabriel. A pub. Fish and chips. A bottle of wine. A club. Mocktails. Dancing. Dear God! Gabriel had kissed her. Then he had told her he was falling in love with her.
She shut off the water abruptly. And what had she said in response? Idon’t havetimetofallinlove! She had only admitted to her true feelings as she had watched the disappearing tail lights of the cab that had carried him away. Carole knocked her head against the tiled wall.
The office had a concentrated hum of activity as she entered. Gabriel was at his desk, looking none the worse for their lively night out.
“Morning,” he said with a grin that set her heart on fire.
“Morning,” she mumbled in response. “I’ll get you a coffee.”
She was grateful and nonplussed at the same time. There was a reason why she didn’t mix business and pleasure. It was to avoid awkwardness like this. She decided to go to the bathroom. He was waiting with her coffee when she returned.
“About last night…”
“I think it’s best if we carry on as if last night didn’t happen,” she said briskly, staring at her computer screen. “I have to concentrate and…”
“I understand.”
“You do?” She looked up. Was he relieved? Carole couldn’t tell.
“Yes. We have to be professional.” “Absolutely. I’m glad we’re…” She searched for the right term. “On the same page about this.”
“Drink your coffee. You”ll feel better,” he said with a smile.
She watched him walk to the door, remembering how well he had moved on the dancefloor, how he’d held her body against his. As he turned, she looked down at her desk, embarrassed to have been caught watching him.
“You should know, however, that I
www.myweekly.co.uk meant every word,” he said. “In case you were wondering.”
It was lunchtime when the sound of voices, rising in song, caught her ear. She looked up. The Christmas tree lights winked at her across an empty office. The sea of parcels had grown but true to his word, Gabriel had marshalled them into neat piles. On the noticeboard, Christmas cards grew like Japanese Knotweed.
As Carole moved to the corridor, the sound of singing grew louder. InTheBleak Midwinter. It was one of Carole’s favourites.
She crossed to the banister and looked down into the main atrium, three floors below. The atrium was full of singers, the staircases lined with people clutching print-outs of the words and singing along.