Always, in December by Emily Stone

Author:Emily Stone [Stone, Emily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2021-08-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Max cleared his throat, feeling like a complete and total idiot. ‘Hi.’ Jesus, what the fuck was wrong with him? Hi? Hi?

Josie nodded, then pulled her gaze away from him again, that fixed smile of hers slightly faltering as she flicked a quick glance up at Oliver, then around the room. Bradley looked from Max to Josie and back again, a mildly interested expression on his face. ‘Oh, so you two know each other, do you? England really is delightfully small, isn’t it?’ He turned to Oliver, lowering his voice and leaning in, absentmindedly handing his empty champagne glass to a passing waiter. ‘Ollie, I’ll catch up with you in a bit, yes? I’ve just got to go and say hello.’ Oliver nodded, his arm still around Josie, while Bradley waved a hand in the direction of two middle-aged men who had just appeared on the second floor. As soon as Bradley left, Oliver turned to stare at Max in a way that stopped ever so short of a glare, and his arm tightened enough on Josie that it seemed to force her closer against her side. So, he had placed Max, then. At the same time, Tim stepped in to take Bradley’s place, manoeuvring it so that he was next to Liam and immediately starting up a stream of instructions to him. Liam nodded along, grimacing at Chloe apologetically.

His sister didn’t notice, though. She and Erin were both watching Max, Josie and Oliver, clearly trying to work out the connection. Erin frowned. ‘So, you two know each other then?’ For some reason, Erin’s Scottish lilt seemed particularly pronounced right now, when usually he hardly even noticed it.

Josie’s bottom teeth came out to graze her lip in the way he’d seen her do when in London, when she was trying to think of what to say or trying to get out of a situation. She caught him looking and for a moment their gazes met. Her teeth retreated immediately, like she’d just figured out what she was doing. ‘Yes,’ Josie said, clearing her throat. ‘We met at Christmas, in London.’

Oliver didn’t seem to react to this, only skimmed his gaze over Chloe and Erin, like he was trying to work out their side of the puzzle. So, Josie must have come clean to him then, must have admitted that they weren’t, in fact, long lost friends. He wondered what, exactly, she’d told him, how she’d made it sound.

Chloe’s eyes widened a fraction and Max tried not to grit his teeth. She’d clearly cottoned on. He shot her a look, and in response she took a big gulp of her wine, then immediately fixed her gaze on Josie, eyes assessing her as they did a quick scan up and down her body.

Erin’s frown lingered. ‘At Christmas?’

Fuck. Max cleared his throat again. He’d make it sore soon if he didn’t stop. ‘Yeah.’ He tried to smile at Erin like it was all no big deal. ‘When I missed my flight, do

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