Under The Mistletoe: Mistletoe Mansion / The Mince Pie Mix-Up / Baby It's Cold Outside. Kerry Barrett

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СКАЧАТЬ twenty-four hours since we’d last spoken and he’d obviously been fed up with me for weeks prior to that. Although I had to admit, just occasionally, Adam’s protective nature felt suffocating and in a funny way it had felt good to hear Luke say I was capable – that he didn’t feel the need to rush around to fight my battles. Which was a messed up way of thinking because I totally loved caring Adam, didn’t I? Whereas Luke’s unprovoked rudeness was TOTALLY, definitely, unquestionably off-putting – even though I just knew his earthy smell and teasing mouth must make my pupils dilate (nature’s giveaway that something’s got the potential to turn us on).

      My mind raced and I blocked out inquisitive thoughts about what Luke would be like as a boyfriend. Something dug into my side as I leant back against the wall– a pair of my high heeled shoes – perfect, to gouge the eyes out of anything that came near. Every centimetre of my body froze as the door creaked. Someone entered the room. It was too soon to be Luke. Stiletto in hand, I stared across the room.

      ‘Aarggh!’ I hurled myself over the mattress and lashed out with the shoe.

      ‘Ow! What the hell…’ someone shouted. Firmly, the thing prised my weapon out of my hand, then backed me up against the drawers. The demon or whatever it was felt solid and blew warm breath onto my neck, as if I was standing under a tropical shower. I sniffed. Hmm. A musky smell teased my nostrils. A firm hand slipped around my back and covered the pointed drawer knob, as if to stop it digging into my back.

      ‘Surprise, surprise, you’re all right,’ muttered the voice and flicked on the lights.

      ‘Luke?’

      He was still pressed against me. Wow. What amazing moss green eyes. How come I hadn’t noticed them before?

      ‘Y…you didn’t take long to get here,’ I stuttered.

      ‘I was already walking nearby. Couldn’t sleep, so reckoned I’d get some fresh air and check on Walter’s house. It’s been empty for so long, guess that’s become a bit of a habit.’

      I squirmed uncomfortably. ‘You can back off now.’

      ‘Are you sure? You won’t attack me again? First a Christmas tree and now…’ He glanced at the floor. ‘A shoe.’ He stepped away and rubbed his chest. The hood of his jacket fell onto his shoulders. It was spotted with rain.

      ‘Sorry,’ I mumbled. ‘It’s just you looked like… Is Jess okay?’

      ‘I came to you first. Just in case this was another trick. Talking of which, where’s the smoke this time?’

      ‘It’s gone again. But Jess’ll tell you…’

      I followed him onto the landing and towards her room.

      ‘It’s only me, Jess,’ I called.

      She opened the door, Groucho standing on her feet, her face as white as his tail.

      ‘Maybe you can tell me what’s going on?’ he said. ‘Everything okay? Kimmy said you weren’t well.’

      ‘I’m fine,’ she snapped. ‘Was there really a fire?’

      He shook his head.

      ‘You saw the smoke, right?’ I asked, willing her to say yes.

      ‘Thought so, but it was dark. Things always look different at night.’

      ‘She saw smoke,’ I said, confidently to Luke. ‘And something…someone came into my room. It grabbed my leg. I was worried you were next, Jess.’

      ‘I heard you scream,’ she said. ‘My door wouldn’t open, otherwise I’d have tried to help. And there was this dead strange noise, like a whirlwind. We should call the police.’

      ‘And say what? I’ve seen a spooky face, there’s the sound of wind and some well weird smoke? The police don’t deal with hauntings, do they?’ Oops. There. I’d said it.

      Luke burst out laughing. ‘You think there’s a ghost? And I was hoping you two were more sensible than your predecessors.’

      ‘Why? Has something like this happened before?’ asked Jess.

      ‘And what’s all this about a…’ he smirked, ‘…spooky face?’

      I shrugged at both of them. ‘Laugh if you want but I’m convinced there’s a spirit stuck in limbo here.’ Best not to mention Walter. They’d probably get me sectioned. I thrust my hands in the air. ‘Why didn’t anyone warn us about these ghostly goings on?’

      ‘Because this place needs to get sold and Deborah wasn’t going to jeopardise that because of the witterings of a bunch of housesitters. Sure they all mentioned noises in the night, but ghosts are for kids at Halloween.’ He put his hands in his anorak pockets.

      So I wasn’t the only person to have suspected supernatural goings-on. Suddenly Jess put her hand to her mouth, darted to the bathroom and threw up.

      ‘Just as well you’re off work tomorrow,’ I said to her when she came back and collapsed on the bed. Groucho snuggled up to her side. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll deal with Deborah and her clients.’

      ‘She’s coming tomorrow?’ said Luke and passed Jess the glass of water from her bedside table. ‘Cancel her. You’ve both had a shock. Get her to re-schedule the appointment.’

      ‘We can’t,’ said Jess, weakly.

      I gazed at the black rings under her eyes. ‘It might be an idea,’ I said. ‘I’m over at Melissa’s in the morning and without your help, I’m not sure I’ll get this place spotless in time. It’s Deborah’s fault anyway. She knew about this ghost thing. I’m sure that’s what I saw written in her notes.’

      ‘That red scrawl could have said anything,’ said Jess.

      ‘Time I left this nuthouse,’ muttered Luke and disappeared onto the landing.

      ‘You aren’t going?’ I called after him. ‘What if that thing is still here?’ I caught him up in the hallway, downstairs. He turned around by the front door.

      ‘What the spooky ghoul?’ He smirked. ‘Make a cross out of two wooden spoons and sleep with that above your bed.’

      ‘Can’t you at least open the room at the front, upstairs? I’m sure I heard movements in there.’

      ‘Chill out.’ Luke went to leave. ‘Whoever it was is unlikely to come back. And, as I’ve found out the hard way, you’re good at defending yourself.’

      Tears pricked my eyes. I wasn’t crying really. Not in front of him. I was tired, that’s all; in shock. ‘Whatever,’ I mumbled. ‘Thanks for coming.’ I headed for the Game of Thrones Room, wishing there really were some helpful warriors in there. Sitting at the bar, I grabbed the tube of Pringles and shoved in a handful, sideways on.

      ‘That is one wide mouth.’ Luke appeared at my side. He helped himself to a crisp. ‘Okay. I’ll kip on the sofa in the office upstairs – that’s if you control your attraction to the Adonis that is Luke Butler.’ He took another crisp and chuckled.

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