The Big Little Festival. Kellie Hailes

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СКАЧАТЬ He winked, and then headed out to the kitchen.

      Jody shrugged and lifted the glass to her lips. ‘A mum’s got to do what a mum’s got to do,’ she murmured, as much to herself as to Serena. ‘Anyway, you won’t believe the afternoon I’ve had. Actually, no, first of all, how are you?’

      Serena shook her head. ‘I’m fine. Forced into farm slavery. Sick of the smell of cowpats, tired of getting up at the crack of dawn to touch a bunch of udders.’ She shuddered. ‘But let’s not talk about that. Let’s talk about you. So, who is this bloke who’s got your knickers in a twist? Don’t tell me you’ve finally broken that dumb rule of yours and fallen in love? Don’t do it, Jody. Love is a bad thing. Terrible thing. Never ends well. Secure that chastity belt of yours. And double-lock it.’

      Jody snorted. ‘Thank God I’m not mid glug right now, because you’d be wearing the wine. Nope, he’s of no romantic interest to me. No man is. You know that. Not until the boys have left home and no longer need me. What he is, though, is the event manager I hired to help get the festival on track.’ She laughed, short and harsh. Regretful. ‘On track? He’s blown up what few ideas we had. There won’t be Welly-wanging.’

      ‘No Welly-wanging? So? What’s the big deal about that? It’s not like we’re known for it. Haven’t won any competitions or anything. Heck, didn’t Rabbits Leap quit entering them when we came last at our first attempt?’

      ‘Well… I know… but…’ Jody twisted her wine glass round and round. ‘I don’t know. People seem to enjoy it. Families look like they’re having a good time…’ She shrugged and traced patterns in the condensation on the wine glass. ‘I guess it was a dumb idea. But it was the only idea I was able to get everyone to agree on. I guess it wasn’t so much about him saying no to it as the way he said it. He just dismissed it. Wasn’t even polite about it. He came in and took over, and well… that’s just not the Rabbits Leap way.’

      ‘So, what are you going to do? Get rid of him for hating the one big idea you managed to get past my mother and Mrs Harper? You did send him packing, didn’t you?’ Serena gave her a speculative look. ‘You didn’t. You bailed. You’ve left him to ruin the town festival. Jody!’ she wailed. ‘You can’t. We need you. You know how to organise stuff. You’ve done those bingo nights. Those book sales. The schoolkids were able to go on a trip to the Natural History Museum in London because of your fundraising efforts. But most importantly, we need a pool! Sure, it only gets used a couple of months a year. But, oh, what glorious months they are. And if we raise enough we could get some fancy heat-making thing to make the pool swimmable a little longer. I can’t believe you let Mr-Fancy-whatever-you-called-him-Pants steamroll you. God, if I meet that man, I’ll…’

      A cough, of an undeniably awkward nature, stopped Serena in her verbal tracks.

      Out of the corner of her eye Jody could see Christian loitering a few feet away. His hands in his shorts pockets. His gaze fixated on the timber beams running across The Bullion’s ceiling. Heat rushed to her cheeks.

      Serena’s eyes widened and her own cheeks flamed. ‘He’s behind me, isn’t he?’ she mouthed.

      Jody nodded.

      ‘Shit,’ she mouthed again and attempted to nonchalantly sip her wine, only to slosh it all over the bar.

      ‘Hey, Christian.’ Jody said, but the casual tone came out a croak. ‘Are you after a cold drink? Or an alcoholic one? Did Mrs Harper and Mrs Hunter send you round the bend already?’

      Christian shifted from foot to foot. Was it her imagination or had his cheeks rouged up? ‘Er, no. Not so much. They are… trying… though.’

      Serena snorted. ‘He just called my mother “trying”. Should I throw my wine over him or be happy someone else agrees with me?’

      The hint of colour on Christian’s cheeks morphed into a full flush. ‘Oh God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to insult your mother. I didn’t know. And if it’s any consolation, she’s much better than the other one.’

      Serena laughed. ‘Mrs Harper’s a right handful. I don’t know how the boys haven’t smothered her in her sleep already.’

      Jody grinned. ‘You forget that Bo’s a big-time rugby star, so he’s never home. Ridge spends his days and nights with his head under the bonnet of various cars. And Chase… well, he’s the ultimate mama’s boy, so he’d be buggered and bereft if anything happened to her.’

      ‘True. Pity she’s their mother. Those boys are damn hot. But who’d go there if you had to deal with that.’

      Christian stepped forward. ‘And that’s why I’m here. Jody, I need you to come back. I need…’ He paused, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as if something were stuck in his throat and he had to force it out. ‘I need your help to deal with, as your friend so eloquently put it, that.’

      Jody swung round on the stool to face Christian, propped her elbows on the bar, leaned back and laughed. Long and hard. The sound echoed around the bar and caused Christian to take the step he’d taken forward back again. Then another.

      Jody sucked in a couple of calming breaths, but couldn’t erase the grin that kept returning every time she tried to tame it. ‘What happened to Mr-I’m-in-Charge? Mr I’m-the-Boss? Have you finally realised you’re not in London any more? That we don’t do things down here like you do up there?’

      Christian’s chest – broad, she noted, and potentially even muscular – rose and fell. Once, twice, three times. He was either trying to keep himself from raging at her for laughing in his face, or breathing to stop himself passing out. Jody noted the grayish-beige tone to his skin and softened. ‘Here.’ She indicated the stool beside Serena. ‘Take a seat. Can I get you a drink?’

      ‘Water.’ The corners of his lips lifted in a smile, but his eyes remained unsure. Guarded.

      Jody grabbed a pint glass. ‘You look like you need a beer. I’m getting you a beer.’ She expertly filled the glass and passed it to Christian. Their fingertips grazed against each other as the glass changed hands, sending something that very much resembled a tingle up Jody’s arm. Warming the areas it zipped through. Surely not? Her body wasn’t attracted to him, was it? She brushed the idea aside. No, it was probably just static electricity. She caught Christian’s eye and saw her baffled feelings reflected back at her. So, not static electricity then. Strange. Still, Jody mused as she returned to her seat, her body could feel all the tickly thrills it wanted; it didn’t mean she was going to do anything about it. Not now, not ever. No amount of lusty body-feels could make up for the pain that followed the inevitable rejection.

      ‘This beer’s good. Really good.’ Christian ran his tongue over his lips, erasing the foam that had settled there.

      Her body started again. The energy moving a little lower, hovering low in her stomach, warming what she liked to joke about as the ‘cold pit’. Turncoat, she scolded. ‘It’s my brother’s. He brews it. He’s making a name for himself.’

      ‘He should have a spot at the festival. Did I see a sign for a beer garden?’

      Jody nodded.

      ‘Well, it wouldn’t be a daft idea to do the beer garden up and make it the official beverage stand. Would he be into that?’

      Tony walked through the kitchen doors. ‘The boys СКАЧАТЬ