CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
‘WELL, well, well,’ Allie said with a knowing smile when Serina walked into the office shortly after nine. ‘We didn’t expect to see you in here this morning. We thought you’d be home in bed, catching up on the sleep you didn’t get last night.’
Serina tried not to look either guilty or surprised. ‘Don’t tell me,’ she said drily as she walked past a grinning Allie. ‘The Rocky Creek grapevine has been at it already.’ She’d thought she’d managed to sneak back home without her neighbours seeing. Obviously that hadn’t been the case.
‘No need to get defensive, love,’ her mother piped up from where she was sitting at Emma’s desk. ‘Everyone’s pleased as punch that you’ve finally decided to get out and enjoy yourself a bit. Did you have a nice time?’
Serina wasn’t sure what to make of her mother’s attitude. She would have expected more disapproval. She decided to play it cool and see what happened. There was no way she could follow Nicolas’s advice and just blurt out that they were madly in love. Her mother, for one, would think she was crazy!
‘Very nice, thank you,’ she said as she crossed the room to her own desk. ‘We went to a club for a while and I’m afraid I had too much to drink. So Nicolas let me bunk down on his sofa till I sobered up. Next thing I knew the sun was coming up.’ Serina suspected this story just might be believed. She had a reputation for being stand-offish with men, so it would seem unlikely that she’d jump into bed with Nicolas so quickly.
‘I suppose he’s staying in a pretty snazzy place,’ her mother said. ‘A man like him.’
Serina dropped her bag on a nearby filing cabinet before pulling out her office chair. ‘I thought I told you the other night. He’s rented an apartment in the new Blue Horizons building.’ She sat down and turned on her computer. ‘Maybe I didn’t.’ She’d been very distracted during that phone call. Spending the afternoon in bed with Nicolas did that to her. ‘Yes, it’s a very snazzy place with a lovely view. He’s decided to stay on there for another week.’
‘Another week! But he told Mrs Johnson and me just last night that he was leaving today.’
‘He was going to. But he’s changed his mind and extended his booking. Since he’ll still be in Port for Christmas, Mum, I…er…thought I’d ask him to join us on Christmas Day.’
‘Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean…Christmas Day is for family.’
Serina’s heart turned over. If only her mother knew. Nicolas was family. He was her granddaughter’s father. ‘Family and friends, Mum,’ she said firmly. ‘I’m sure Franny and Bert won’t mind. And Felicity will be delighted. She likes Nicolas a lot, you know.’
‘Yes, I know. She never stops talking about him.’
‘Then there’s no problem, is there?’
‘I guess not,’ her mother said. Suddenly, she didn’t look so approving, confirming Serina’s suspicion that any relationship she had with Nicolas might be frowned upon. She could not imagine her mother being pleased with her daughter becoming any man’s mistress.
‘Can I come for Christmas, too?’ Allie piped up with a mischievous grin.
Serina smiled. ‘I don’t think your parents would be too pleased with that idea.’
‘Darn. Oops. Incoming call. Browns Landscaping and Building Supplies,’ she trilled. ‘Oh, Mr Dupre! We were just talking about you. Yes, yes, all right…Nicolas… Yes, she does that sometimes. Just a sec. Serina,’ Allie called out. ‘Nicolas said you’ve got your cell phone turned off and could you please turn it back on.’
Serina tried not to look flustered as she stood up and retrieved her phone from her bag. There she’d been, handling everything quite well, she thought, then bingo, Nicolas called and she was immediately in a state. In a way, she wished he hadn’t told her that he loved her this morning. It could make her go crazy, if she let it. Crazy with wanting and hoping and…and just plain crazy!
‘Tell him it’s turned on now,’ she said a little stiffly.
‘It’s turned on now, Nicolas. ’By-ee,’ Allie finished, her voice having gone all soft and simpering.
Serina suppressed a sigh.
Ten seconds later, her vibrating mobile phone was dancing over the desktop. Serina snatched it up to her ear, telling herself all the while to stay cool. Her mother was listening and so was Allie. She had to be careful not to say anything that would contradict what she’d told them about last night.