‘You’re the boss,’ he replied whilst cheering inside.
Cassie strode off fuming. How dare that bloody woman flirt so openly with Rory? It was as if she’d been invisible! There was no way she would ever entertain the likes of such an unprofessional agency.
‘Mr Molloy, if you ever want to reconsider, here’s my contact details.’ The agent pushed a business card into his top pocket and gave him a sultry look. He calmly took it out and handed it back.
‘I don’t think so.’ He smiled politely and turned back to his car. Cassie was sat stony-faced waiting for him. Job done and without even trying, he thought happily.
‘So,’ he said whilst setting off, ‘not for you then?’ He forced himself to keep a straight face.
‘No. It isn’t,’ she snapped back, folding her arms. Then added, ‘Did you see the way she was sizing you up?’
Rory faked a puzzled look.
‘She was all over you like a rash!’
He let out the beginning of a laugh, then immediately turned it into a cough when seeing Cassie’s furious face.
‘I’m sure she was only doing her job,’ he tried to appease.
‘Huh.’
‘So it’s a definite no, then?’ He gently asked, touching her lap.
‘A definite no.’
Rory grinned to himself. Obviously Cassie’s opinion had been influenced by the estate agent’s actions and not the house itself, but so what? He felt like punching the air.
Chapter 23
In The Cobbled Courtyard, Adira was talking to Max and Fitz – more precisely, she was asking them to make her wedding favours.
‘I thought of bottle openers for the men, in this design.’ She passed Max a drawing of a cast-iron bottle opener, with a laurel-shaped leaf for the handle. ‘And a cute doorstop for the ladies.’ She passed Fitz a picture which had a little shepherds hut carved into a wooden block. She looked anxiously at them both. ‘Do you think you can do it? I know it’s short notice, but I really wanted them to be unique, with a connection to The Laurels.’
Fitz nodded. ‘Yeah, no worries.’
What else was he going to say? She and Jasper were his landlords and he was also a guest at the wedding, he could hardly refuse, but was happy to help anyway.
Adira gave him the thumbs up then turned to Max.
‘Go on then, seen as it’s you,’ he grinned.
‘Oh, thanks, guys!’ she gushed. Now she had to sort out the flowers with James.
Inside the florist, she breathed in the sweet fragrance of all the flora and foliage. Unlike Fitz and Max, James had been given plenty of notice. He’d offered many suggestions, but Adira had opted for traditional Christmas colours for the wedding.
‘Here we are, dear.’ James ushered her towards his counter where samples of what he’d ordered lay spread out. Adira marvelled at the red and snow-white poinsettias, roses, lilies and carnations, sprinkled with bright berries and glittery mistletoe.
‘And this,’ he said, lifting up a delicate white flower on an almost leafless branch, ‘is Christmas honeysuckle.’ He wafted it under her nose. ‘See, it has the most exquisite fragrance.’
Adira breathed in the scent.
‘Oh, that’s lovely,’ she said closing her eyes. She opened them to see James looking rather pleased with himself. ‘James, they’re going to look beautiful!’
‘Yes, they certainly are. And may I just say how delighted I am to have received an invite.’
‘My pleasure,’ smiled Adira. ‘I’m so pleased all The Cobbled Courtyard crew will be there.’
‘My, my,’ laughed James, ‘is that what we are? The Cobbled Courtyard crew?’
