“Oh, I thought we were meant to scare the people looking for us,” she answers, perfectly.
I can practically hear Oscar rolling his eyes. “Well, I found you now. You can go and wait in the lounge with everyone else. Just Dad and Uncle Jake left to find. They’re not in there with you, are they?”
“Nope,” she answers immediately, popping the p and I smile to myself.
Good girl.
Dinner is another feat of culinary expertise. Steak and ale pie with the creamiest, smoothest, fluffiest mashed potatoes I have ever tasted, along with vegetables and gravy. When we sit down, Nel stares disbelieving at the spread and seems to draw in on herself. She’s sat next to me today, so I put my palm on her thigh and lean in.
“Are you okay?”
She starts to nod but then looks at me and seems to make a decision. “This is my mum’s steak and ale pie. She always made it at Christmas.”
I smile and squeeze her leg in what I’m hoping is a reassuring and not a creepy gesture. As much as Nel had a schoolgirl crush on me fifteen years ago, I know she’s grown so much since she started living in the city and I can’t assume that my contact is wanted. She doesn’t seem to mind though; her eyes are glassy as she looks at me. “That’s why it’s so good.”
She nods and a single tear drops to her cheek. I want to wipe it away, but she turns away before I can tell myself it’s a bad idea. Harry places a gravy boat on the table and squeezes Nel’s shoulder as he passes, planting a quick kiss on her hair.
“Lisa wanted to do something for you,” he whispers to her and Nel smiles through tears. “Make sure you thank her.”
I roll my eyes, as if Nel needs reminding to be polite. Apparently, Harry has to ruin every nice moment he has with Nel. She nods and wipes her tears, digging into the small plate she’s dished herself up. I wait, wanting to watch her and it doesn’t disappoint. Her eyes close as she takes her first bite and moans around her mouthful, chewing slowly and deliberately.
Yep, it’s official; I have a crush on my best friend’s little sister.
Dinner progresses in a blur of friendly conversation and alcohol, but I’m too focussed on Nel to take part in any of it. Before this gathering, I knew I found her attractive; have for years, even before all the social media posts. I knew I wanted to get to know her again after I started lightly cyber-stalking her, but I didn’t realise I wanted her until I started spending time with her again. She is exquisite.
“You enjoying that?” I ask with an indulgent smile.
“Oh my God, it’s so good.” She sits back and looks at me with a giant grin. “I think these potatoes may even be better than Dad’s. His were always a little lumpy.”
“I remember,” I chuckle.
“I miss them, Jake.” Her smile remains but her eyes grow sad, looking down at her empty plate.
“I know, sweetheart.” She blinks in surprise at the term of endearment. “I miss them too, you know?”
She nods, holding my gaze with her own. “I guess they were kind of your second parents too, huh?”
I nod, smiling at the memories of Mary and Carl looking out for me like one of their own. My parents worked a lot, so my summers and a couple evenings a week for most of my childhood were spent at the Forrests’. Carl insisted that Harry and I learn to cook, do laundry, and often had us helping with chores while he made sure Nel could change the wheel on the car in the event of a flat. Mary was a fusser, she was always checking that we were fed, watered, warm, comfortable. The Forrests were always playing boardgames or doing family days out. They spent their time together and doted on Harry and Nel. My parents are wonderful but their evenings after gruelling workdays were spent in front of the TV, and weekends were for chores. We had the occasional holiday, and my sister and I got along fine. I had a happy childhood in a loving family. But I can’t deny that the Forrests were as much my family as the Partridges.
When Harry called me to say that his Mum had died unexpectedly, I was with him straight away. I held him as he cried and let my own tears fall to his shoulder. I thought of Nel then, how she would be heartbroken, how she should have been with us.
“I think they’d be pleased you were spending Christmas with us this year.” Nel’s sweet voice draws me back to the present and I smile at her sentiment, knowing that what she said was true.
“I think so too.” I realise that we are so close the tips of our noses barely scraping each other.
She inhales deeply and sits back in her seat, putting some distance back between us. I do the same and try to swallow my heart which seems to be trying to pump its way up my throat. I look up to find Lisa watching on with amused interest.What?I mouth at her, and she just shrugs and goes back to pretending she was listening to the conversation between Rhiannon and Hen.
“Are you really having more potatoes, Nelly-Belly? Hope you brought your stretchy pants,” Harry snorts, taking a long gulp of wine.
Once again, Nel freezes with potato halfway to her plate. No one laughs with Harry as he goes back to his conversation with Charles about something boring. When no one is watching, Nel slowly puts the serving spoon with the small dollop of mashed potato back into the serving dish and sits back in her chair with her shoulders hunched, trying to make herself small. With a huff of annoyance, I reach over and scoop a healthy portion of potato from the dish and put it on her plate.
“Eat, enjoy the meal Lis made especially for you.”
She hesitates only for a moment before digging in and I sit with my arm resting on the back of her chair, feeling overly protective and trying desperately not to let it slip to rest on her back instead. Thou shalt not covet thy best friend’s little sister, after all.
CHAPTER TEN
“Dude, she’s kind of incredible.”
