The Younger Woman by Mandy Byatt

Author:Mandy Byatt [Byatt, Mandy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
Published: 2022-11-23T17:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

‘You’ve been a great help today, hasn’t she, Bil?’ Ruth said as she topped up my wine glass.

Nick raised his glass towards me. After a round of cocktails to start, we were well on our way down a second bottle of Chianti, although Ruth had drunk the majority of it. I wondered if she always sunk a load every night – and who wouldn’t, living with a misery guts like that Claire? – or if she was using the drink to bolster her nerves because I was there.

‘I’m learning loads,’ I said. ‘And I’ve really enjoyed it.’ I was learning a lot. Not about the business. About Nick. About the way he ran his hand through his floppy fringe when he was nervous or tired, how he liked apple turnovers but not cinnamon rolls, how great he was at talking to the people who came on the stand, how stressed he was about the new hotel project. I was also learning that Ruth had the serious hots for me – even if she hadn’t admitted it to herself yet.

Ruth hiccupped. ‘Sorry,’ she said, hiccupping again, as she touched my arm. ‘We’ve enjoyed having you with us, haven’t we, Bil?’ She pointed at my plate of cannelloni. ‘Aren’t you much for that? Here, swap if you like.’

‘I’m fine. Not that hungry.’

‘Here.’ She held out her fork. ‘This carbonara is delish. Go on, try some. She’ll be wasting away, won’t she, Nick? There’s nothing to her.’

There wasn’t anything to me, compared to Ruth, but, although I was slim, I still had the curves that men loved. ‘You’ve got a great pair, angel,’ Kenny said, every time he saw me, adding a wink in case I didn’t get quite how much he wanted to do me.

‘Come on, just a teeny-weeny bite.’ Ruth waved the fork in front of my face. A sudden flash of my mother doing the same when I was three or four came back to me. Her eyes were brown, like chocolate milk buttons. Sad. Lined by kohl. I’d forgotten that.

Nick pushed away his empty plate. ‘Leave her, Ruth. She said she’s not hungry.’

‘Who made you the boss?’ Ruth scowled at him, threw her fork onto her plate and hiccupped again. ‘Let’s stick to the drink, then.’ After seeing that there were only dregs left in the wine bottle, she flagged down a passing waitress. ‘Tequila shots, please. Three each.’

‘Ruth!’ Nick shook his head. ‘Don’t forget the exhibition’s still on tomorrow.’

‘You met with the owners of the hotel project today, didn’t you? Thought you said you’d got an easier day tomorrow.’ Ruth leant towards me, her voice low. ‘He is such an old fuddy-duddy.’

Nick pushed his fingers through his hair. ‘An easier day than I’ve had today, hopefully.’ He glanced at his watch and I followed his gaze, down to his tanned arm, brown hairs covering it. I had the sudden desire to lean forward and lick him. His phone buzzed. He glanced at it, before turning to me. ‘What time’s your train again?’

‘Nine.

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