‘Yeah,’ said Ross, ‘but I’ve almost finished. I’m trying to get the first draft done by Christmas, so I can help with the Carter-Joneses. Sorry I’ve not been around much to help.’
‘You’re a guest. You don’t need to help.’ Izzy’s words tumbled out more sharply than she’d meant them to. ‘Jeanette, can you pass me the pepper? Does anyone want anything to drink?’
Ross gave her a long look but didn’t say anything as general conversation took over around the table. Every now and then, Izzy would look up to find Ross’s eyes on her, studying her. Each time she looked back at her food and ignored him.
‘That was great, thanks, Iz.’ Jim pushed his plate away and rolled his shoulders. ‘I can’t decide whether to go back and finish another wall this evening or try and get it all done tomorrow.’
‘I could help you tomorrow,’ said Ross before Izzy could reply.
‘You don’t have to do that,’ she said at exactly the same moment as Jim said, ‘That would be brilliant. We’ll get it done in no time.’
She folded her arms and sat back with a mutinous expression on her face as the two of them discussed their plan of action for the next day.
Duncan gave her a sympathetic wink, misreading the reason for her displeasure. ‘Leave ’em to get on with it. If the lad wants to help, let him.’
Ross could help if he wanted but he shouldn’t expect her to be falling over him with gratitude. She’d had enough of men blowing hot and cold to last her a lifetime. One minute he was kissing her and then the next he’d barely spoken to her for two days. She was done with that. Seeing Philip today had shown her that she deserved so much more than being someone’s afterthought.
She got up and began to tidy the kitchen.
‘Let me help,’ said Jeanette.
‘No, you go and relax. You haven’t seen Jim all day, you’ll be getting withdrawal symptoms,’ she teased.
Jeanette grinned and dragged Jim off to their rooms up in the attic. Izzy was so focused on loading the dishwasher, she didn’t notice that Duncan had slipped off and it was now just her and Ross.
‘Sent him packing, then?’
‘He’s gone, yes.’
‘He didn’t stay long. I thought he’d come to propose or something. The big gesture, turning up unannounced.’
Izzy smiled. ‘Something like that, but we agreed that we’re better off being friends and I feel really good about that.’ She shot him an impish grin. ‘Besides, he had a bloody cheek turning up like that and expecting me to drop everything for him when it’s only a few days before Christmas. I made him help me put the books back on the shelves in the library while he was waiting for his taxi.’
Ross laughed. ‘You didn’t. Poor chap came all this way and you put him to work.’
‘Too right I did. There’s still so much to do.’
‘Which reminds me, I’ve done you a wine list,’ he said, pulling a sheet of folded paper out of his pocket.
‘Oh.’
‘I should have given it to you earlier. Jeanette says you’ve been shopping already.’
‘Christmas Eve is four days away,’ she pointed out.
‘Sorry, I lost track of time.’
‘Really?’ she said briskly and gave him a pointed look, making him aware that she knew he’d been avoiding her.
He winced. ‘Izzy.’
It was her turn to raise an eyebrow. He owed her an apology or at the very least an explanation.
He stepped towards her and put a hand under her chin. ‘I’m sorry.’
She lifted her face and his eyes locked on hers, the blue giving her an unexpected jolt.
‘You should be,’ she said, folding her arms, waiting to hear what he had to say. She was done with vacillating men.
