Crazy For You. Emma Heatherington

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СКАЧАТЬ seen Fanny face to face either,” he roared.

      “Oh, here we go. How very mature,” muttered Jonathan, “and how very, very true.” He reached for a wine glass from the top cupboard of the kitchen and poured some wine, then remembering his manners, he turned to Daisy.

      “Red or white, Daisy? Or maybe you’d prefer some champagne? We have some on reserve for the run-up to the wedding, but maybe the marvellous news of yours and Eddie’s, er, relationship deserves an extra celebration?”

      “Ha ha,” mimed Daisy towards him with an outward smile, hoping that Isobel didn’t see her. “Champagne would be wonderful, please Jonathan,” she said cheerily. “That’s only if you’re sure there’s enough left for Shanny and Fanny. We wouldn’t want to leave them dry.”

      Eddie couldn’t hold it in any longer. He’d tried his best but he just had to give way to an almighty explosion of laughter from the corner of the room.

      Jonathan ignored his brother’s reaction and handed Daisy a glass of champagne with a forced grin. His mobile phone sang a funky ring tone from the worktop and he grabbed it quickly, praying it wasn’t Shannon phoning to cancel their plans. As much as he hated the thought of wedding chat, he really needed Shannon and her mother here right now to relieve the tension between him and Daisy. Having her back in his family home reminded her too much of the past. Right now, he felt suffocated and outnumbered.

      The caller display showed it was Christian, and Jonathan breathed a sigh of relief as he made his way out of the kitchen to take the call.

      “Hey Christian, what’s the craic?”

      “The craic’s good, Jonathan, the craic’s good,” said Christian’s familiar husky voice from the other end. He always sounded as though he had gravel in his throat and could easily have made a fortune on radio or audio versions of bonk-buster novels. “I couldn’t be better. Top of the world.”

      “So the heartache is finally over. Congratulations. You’ve suffered for approximately, er, six hours and fifty-seven minutes. I pity you. Truly, I do,” laughed Jonathan, shaking his head.

      “No, no. You’re getting me all wrong, Jonathan. I’ve just heard from Anna. She’s arrived safe and sound in Copenhagen and is missing me terribly. Not that I should be surprised, of course. She’s wondering if she has done the right thing, parting company at such a blooming stage of our relationship. I’m on a high after hearing from her, that’s all.”

      Jonathan considered himself well and truly corrected. He had pictured his friend in a town-centre bar, eyeing up each and every skirt that walked past and frothing at the mouth with thirst. It might have been only six hours, but Jonathan was proud of Christian’s commitment to Anna so far.

      “So, what’s up then? What can I do for you?” asked Jonathan. Surely Christian hadn’t rung him to tell him he’d got a phone call from his girlfriend. If that was the case, the pair of them would be on the phone constantly.

      “You’ll never guess what I’ve just heard. This is going to crack you up, big time,” said Christian.

      “Go for it.”

      “Remember Gerry whatshisface – the smart-ass barman from The Chocolate Bar earlier today?”

      “Yeah, Gerry O’Donnell. What about him?”

      “Well, I just met him in the video store and he had the latest episode of your brother’s love life all wrapped up in a nutshell. You’re right about old Gerry – he has all the best contacts for gossip but this is pure mental.”

      “Christian, please just get on with it.”

      His friend paused. This was going to sting.

      “He reckons your Eddie is shagging Daisy Anderson. Your Daisy Anderson.”

      Jonathan didn’t warm to Christian’s way with words and couldn’t hide it.

      “He’s not shagging her, as such. Honestly, Christian, you and your filthy mind. And she’s not my Daisy. Not anymore.” Eddie shagging Daisy? Gross, he thought, as pictures flashed through his mind. No, that would be a giant step too far.

      “What? So it’s true he’s at least seeing her, then? Excuse me while I just pick myself up off the floor. And here was me expecting he had hooked up with some weird American transsexual.”

      Jonathan felt irritated by Christian’s gloating where his brother and childhood girlfriend were concerned.

      “Christian, it’s really no big deal. Daisy and Eddie have been good friends forever. We all were until…” He halted before saying something he might regret. “Anyhow, I think you’re getting a wee bit over-excited about something that probably won’t last a second. Eddie’s just upset over Mum and needs some reassurance from someone he knows. He trusts Daisy. That doesn’t mean for a second that he’s shagging her, so for God’s sake don’t ever say that again. It’s a scheme he has dreamed up, thinking he is pulling the wool over Mum’s eyes, but we all know the score. I’m going to have a good chat with him when I can. Daisy is just playing along to give him the reassurance he needs.”

      Christian gave out a dirty cackle. “I wouldn’t mind getting a bit of reassurance from Crazy Daisy myself if it’s up for the taking.”

      “Don’t say that. She’s not crazy.”

      “She was at one time, in a nice way. Is she still? Come on, just because you’re getting married soon doesn’t mean you’ve lost the power of your eyes. Or your heart.”

      “You are one messed up mother…”

      “Don’t worry, I’ve no intention of hitting on her behind your back. I’ve eyes for only one woman myself but I’m still curious. Is she still hot?”

      At that, Daisy came into the hallway, brushing past Jonathan on her way to the bathroom. The hallway in the houses of Ivy Cottages were extremely narrow and Jonathan’s manly frame took up most of the space as he leaned with one arm against the wall. Daisy looked at the floor the entire time, breathing in so that their bodies wouldn’t accidentally touch.

      Jonathan waited until she turned left through the pine door and locked it from the inside before answering. He rubbed his forehead and took a breath.

      “Not really hot. Sort of lukewarm, I’d say.”

      In truth, he felt like he was in a sauna. He was burning up from how hot Daisy looked right now.

      “Lying bastard. Don’t lie to me. How does she look?”

      Jonathan was getting really peeved. Just because Christian was bored without Anna didn’t mean he had to stand here all evening and listen to him talking shit.

      “Christian, will you drop it for God’s sake?” he whispered through gritted teeth. “She just walked past and you were drooling down the phone like a bloody pervert. You might still think she’s hot but I don’t. Now give it a rest, will you? ”

      “Wait a minute. Daisy is there?” asked Christian. “In your mum’s house? And Shannon is on her way over with her posh mummy-poos Fanny? I swear to God I would pay money to be a fly on the wall.”

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