From Paris With Love This Christmas. Jules Wake

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      Siena would rather have died than admit to anyone how long it had taken her to step out of the bedroom and go downstairs. When she’d heard the two deep voices downstairs, her nerve had almost failed her. She found Jason’s grumpy disapproval disconcerting. It seemed as if everything she did annoyed him and she had no idea why.

      At home she knew everyone, knew what to expect. For the first time in her life she felt horribly out of depth. What if Jason’s friends didn’t like her either? What if they were all like him? She’d only said yes to his invitation to the wine bar because she’d been a bit bored today. At home, she could always go down to the kitchens and chat to Agnes or the other members of staff.

      Now as they walked into the wine bar, she could let some of the tension go. What a relief that Ben had been so sweet. At least she could talk to him all night, and this bar was lovely. You could almost imagine you were in London or Paris. She didn’t like to admit it but what she’d seen of the town so far hadn’t lived up to what she’d imagined. Luckily this place was more what she was used to. The décor reminded her of a place in Monaco, although without the presence of Johnny Depp or Cameron Diaz.

      ‘Jay, over here.’

      A tall blond guy with a scrubby ponytail hailed them from the bar and Jason led the way over to a fabulous Perspex bar which sparkled with embedded crystals. Fascinated, Siena reached out to touch it, probably Swarovski.

      ‘Isn’t it gorge?’ The petite girl who had bounded over to give Ben a big hug and greet Jason with a brief kiss on the cheek, all the while managing to studiously ignore the blond man, grinned at Siena.

      ‘It’s amazing,’ agreed Siena.

      ‘The whole place is amazing. Not very Leighton at all. I love it.’

      ‘Pretentious if you ask me,’ said the blond guy, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the other girl.

      No tension there then, thought Siena watching the body language between the two of them.

      Around her the group exchanged hellos, hugs and kisses until Ben came to her rescue.

      ‘Guys, this is Siena.’ Ben put his arm round her and pushed her forward into the group moving away from the bar as he made the announcement. Siena almost giggled, he made it sound as if he’d made some huge discovery. Then as all eyes turned his way, he flushed pink and rattled off a series of names with the speed of a machine gun. ‘Lisa. Claire. Will. Katie. Tom.’

      ‘Ben!’ admonished the friendly girl. ‘Hi Siena. I’m Lisa. This is Claire.’ She pointed to a girl in black jeans with a blonde bob, ‘Katie.’ Siena quickly registered blue jeans, pink silky shirt. ‘Tom.’ He winked. Clearly Katie’s boyfriend from the way his hand casually rested on her hip.

      Lisa’s mouth tightened fractionally. ‘And that’s Will.’ She inclined her head towards the blond guy who had turned to talk to the barman

      ‘Nice to meet you.’ As she said the words, Siena realised that in Lisa’s case she actually meant them. The bubbly woman, with her sparkling eyes and wide mouth seemed to want to put Siena at her ease without asking or wanting to know anything more.

      ‘Wow,’ Lisa’s eyes widened as she looked downwards. ‘OMG. If I knew you better I’d be down on my knees kissing those babies. Your boots are awesome. Where did you get them? Oh God, I bet they were really expensive, weren’t they?’

      ‘Not really. A couple of hundred euros.’ Siena shrugged and smiled. She couldn’t actually remember. At home no one ever asked that sort of question. For a second she had that stepping out on ice feeling, wondering whether it would hold up or if cracks would radiate out from where she stood.

      ‘Of course, darling. So you bought two pairs,’ drawled Claire.

      Siena felt herself blush. She had actually. She particularly liked this pair of Gianvito Rossi two-tone fringed ankle boots, so had bought them in the other colour.

      Lisa frowned at Claire. ‘They’re absolutely lush.’

      ‘Thank you.’ Siena smiled back. Compliments she could handle.

      ‘Where did you get them, then if you paid euros? Not that I could afford them. They’re so nice.’ Lisa stretched out her hand as if she wanted to touch them.

      ‘Paris.’ And even saying that had her praying the ice would hold up.

      ‘Paris.’ Claire rolled her eyes. ‘Gosh, how the other half live. Pop over to buy shoes, do you?’

      ‘I’d love to go to Paris,’ said Katie hurriedly and then looked at Tom. ‘Not hinting. Definitely not hinting. No need to worry that I’m expecting you to whisk me off for a romantic weekend.’

      ‘We can go to Paris,’ said Tom with a cheeky grin. ‘Two months’ time when England plays France in the Six Nations.’

      ‘Ha, ha.’ Katie smiled and Tom pulled her towards him and kissed her neck.

      Siena looked away, unused to the display of open, easy, affection.

      ‘So how do you know Ben?’ asked Lisa with a friendly smile, tossing her tawny blonde hair over her shoulder, her eyes guileless.

      ‘I don’t really.’ The other girl’s warmth was irresistible. Siena definitely wasn’t in France any more. Normally newbies on the block were circled like prey. Weighed up in whispers as their credentials were checked out. Subjected to a gamut of interrogative conversations full of nuance and ultra-polite queries. Lisa’s uncompromising acceptance made her feel warm and funny inside.

      ‘I met him tonight.’

      ‘Quick mover,’ Tom chipped in, nudging Ben. ‘Nice work mate.’

      ‘She’s with Jason,’ explained Ben shaking his head and mock punching Tom’s arm. He inclined his head towards Jason who had finished talking to Will at the bar and had come to join the group. ‘Staying at his place.’

      ‘Really?’ The girl called Claire managed to get plenty of loaded inference into the one word.

      Jason’s lips tightened into the forbidding expression she was rapidly becoming used to. ‘Siena is my landlady’s sister. She’s here for the weekend.’ He gave Siena a pointed look.

      He didn’t need to sound quite so pissed off about it. Good job she hadn’t told him how long she planned to stay. Laurie was bound to be OK with it. When they’d talked before about Siena’s dream of studying fashion design, her sister had been so encouraging.

      Will started handing out drinks, obviously ordered before they’d arrived. ‘Look there’s a table over there, with a couple of stools.’ He nodded over the vacant table and the group started to move that way.

      ‘What do you want to drink?’ asked Jason, including both Siena and Ben in the question.

      ‘Half a lager, please.’

      ‘I’ll get mine thanks,’ said Siena reaching into her handbag for her purse and following him to the bar.

      ‘I can stand you a drink.’ Jason scowled again.

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