“Why? For the money? You’re doing so well. And I know, because I do your accounts and taxes.”
“This is the problem with having your sister know everything about your business.”
“And by the way, I know I do a great job, but you pay me too much,” she said.
“You’re worth it, except when you start giving me life advice. And hair advice. Maybe Iwilldo a black dye and grow it long.”
“Tell me more about the reality TV show. I heard Tabitha Balfour has joined the production.” She arched an eyebrow.
“Yep.” I’d wondered how long it would take her to get to that, but at least she wasn’t zeroing back to the subject of money.
Her eyes widened suggestively. “And? Come on, now you’re all emotional, Tim. I want to hear how you’re feeling about her constant presence.”
I shrugged grumpily. I wasn’t seeing Tabitha constantly—that was just in my thoughts.We only saw each other on weekends, even if we did text during the week. Although, I had nearly kissed her earlier.
“And nothing. We don’t get on. She’s contrary and obstructive and impractical and is making a lot of unnecessary work for me. I tell her that. And she doesn’t like it.” I felt a slight pang of guilt. Even after the tile debacle, I kind of respected her for sticking to her guns, for having a vision and not backing down.
Amy made an exaggerated pout. “Wow.You tell her. Ooh, Timmy. Why don’t you pull her pigtails too, so she knows you liiiike her.”
“What?” I went wide-eyed at her. “What are you talking about?”
She flung one of her hands, like it was so obvious. “You’ve spent your whole life half in love with her. I see your face whenever someone in the village happens to mention her. Now’s your opportunity to finally do something about it when you’re both single at the same time.”
My whole life half in love with her? Nonsense. When I saw Tabitha, I wanted to argue about everything that came out of her mouth. But then…thenI wanted to say sorry and wrap her inmy arms and squeeze her tight and tell everyone else to go home so we could…
Shit.Where did that come from? God, this job was really warping my emotions.
I gave Amy an overblown look of surprise. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. She lives in London. Plus, we have nothing in common.”
“You’d be great together if you could just get out of your own way.”
“Come on, Amy. She’s highly educated, went to that fancy finishing school, and then uni for seven years to get that architecture degree. I left school at sixteen. Do you know the sort of guy she wants?”
Amy recoiled. “I met that last guy in the street a couple of times. Percy?”
“Perry.”
“Right plonker. Horribly pretentious.”
I grunted my agreement. “She’s editor of the Home and Garden section in a national newspaper, and I can’t even…well…you know. She lives two hours away and, as a trust funder, seems to have endless amounts of dosh. According to her parents, she has her own flat in London, and I bet it’s some swanky penthouse in Chelsea.”
“Tim, you own your own house. You have your own thriving business, and I know of what I speak. Are you—the most confident guy I know—telling me you don’t think you’re good enough for her? C’mon.”
“No, it’s not that.” Was it?
No. I knew her type, and I was notit. “We’re in different orbits. She’s over there and I’m over here. Remember I told you about that masked ball where I saw her?”
“Yeah, of course. At the castle of that revolting duke who’s now in prison, good riddance.”
I shuddered. “Yes. Well, I was dressed in Grandpa’s butler’s uniform, and Tabs was in a really glamorous, fancy red dress that I’m sure is just one of many, and she looked so comfortable in that high-society setting. It wasn’t like I wasuncomfortablethere, but that kind of thing isn’t my style. It just doesn’t interest me to immerse myself in that world. And she’s in that world—she’s part of it. I could never make her happy. She’d never be content with a regular guy like me.”
Her head fell back in disbelief. “That’s absolute rubbish. You’re a bloody brilliant bloke.”
I shrugged carelessly. “Just calling it like it is—we’ve always run in different crowds.”
During high school and her university years, I was always struck dumb around Tabitha, or I’d say something idiotically boorish when I saw her in town with her fancy mates. I’d even turned up to her house a couple of times during high school holidays. Once, I was so embarrassed when her sophisticated friends came to the door behind her that I pretended I was offering lawn-mowing services. Therewerethose two weeks she came back home that summer when she finished uni, though, and was applying to jobs in London, but I was pretty sure Tabitha had completely forgotten about that time. Or pretended to. Or maybe she only remembered the very end, hence why she was angry and combative with me.
“I still think you’re perfect for each other. You’ve six weeks to convince her that you guys belong together,” Amy said. “You’re a fucking idiot if you don’t take this opportunity.”
