Mistletoe Proposal on the Children's Ward by Kate Hardy

Author:Kate Hardy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-09-10T15:46:07+00:00

* * *

As they filed out into the foyer, Anna said, ‘I think the school concert’s my favourite bit in the film—well, that and when Colin Firth’s character tries to speak Portuguese and is endearingly pants at it.’ She grinned. ‘But the Christmas lobster—that’s genius. Which reminds me, I was going to ask you: would you like to come to the Christmas concert at my nieces’ and nephew’s school next week? The three middle ones are performing. They’ve done rehearsals at my parents’ place and I can’t wait to see them in costume. Aria’s a shepherd in the Reception class nativity, Charlie’s a robin in his class’s special dance, and Megan’s got the board for the partridge in the pear tree for her class’s song, so she’ll be leading the line on the front of the stage.’

‘Thank you for inviting me, but I’m afraid I can’t make it.’

How did he know? She hadn’t given him a date. Anna really hadn’t expected him to balk at a school Christmas concert. But something in his eyes warned her it wasn’t because he was busy. ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked quietly.

He shook his head again, clearly not wanting to discuss it in public.

‘Let’s go back to mine for a hot drink,’ she said, and shepherded him through the park and back to her flat. She didn’t push him to make conversation, because she could see he was struggling.

He stopped at her gate. ‘Thank you for this evening,’ he said politely. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’

‘No, you’ll come in and have a mug of tea or something with me,’ she said, ‘because I have a feeling that right now you could do with some company.’

‘I...’

‘Jamie, I’m not going to hurt you,’ she said gently. ‘I want to help. And sometimes it’s easier to cope with something that’s upset you if you share it with someone else.’ Her counsellor had taught her that. ‘Whatever you say won’t go any further than me.’

Thankfully, that made him walk through her gate.

She ushered him into the kitchen. ‘What can I get you? Tea? Coffee?’

‘I don’t mind. Anything,’ he said.

It was so obvious that he was trying not to be difficult. And he was struggling. She’d had days like that herself. She made them both a mug of hot chocolate, then led him through to the living room.

‘Let me introduce you. This is George the Gorgeous Goldfish. George, this is my friend from work, Jamie.’

‘Hi, George,’ Jamie said, but his voice was a flat monotone, worrying her even more; she’d hoped that the sheer incongruity of being introduced to a goldfish might at least make him smile and put a crack in the wall he seemed to be building round himself.

Clearly not. So how was she going to break through to him?

She thought about it. He’d chatted to her before the film, and she was fairly sure he’d enjoyed the film itself—but he’d gone really quiet when she’d asked him to the concert. That had to be the problem. She didn’t know how to make this better; and she was scared that whatever she said might make things worse.

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