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‘The unfinished business between you and Ned. I mean, we’re all aware of the history but Arlo’s new to it. I thought you and he might find it a bit awkward … if anything …’
‘Anything what?’ Katie queried, finding it impossible to keep the irritation out of her voice.
‘Oh, I don’t know.’ Jess shrugged. ‘Look, ignore me. I only thought that you’d worked so hard to make this a lovely holiday for us all and it’s got a bit complicated.’
‘Well, maybe having Arlo here might ensure there won’t be any awkwardness,’ Katie said, torn between annoyance at being challenged and dismayed that her friend was probably right. Not to mention guilty because Jess didn’t know that Katie had already told Arlo all about her relationship and split with Ned.
‘Ned and I have already decided to set everything aside until after Boxing Day – that was his idea. So you needn’t worry about me or Ned or Arlo,’ she said. She was trying to be fair to Jess too, who was justifiably concerned about having a peaceful Christmas. She patted her on the arm. ‘All you have to do is relax and enjoy the festivities.’
While all Katie had to do was make sure the next two days were relaxing and fun for everyone and avoid any more awkward moments between Ned, Arlo and herself.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
After a shower and change of clothes, Arlo gave Pongo his dinner in the kitchen and was relieved to find that Athene’s therapeutic whisky was still on offer.
He hadn’t eaten since a snatched hot dog at Firholme and hoped to fill as much of his time as possible with drinking and feasting so he didn’t have to dwell on the consequences of having agreed to spend Christmas with Katie and Ned.
It was surreal that he’d even agreed to such a thing but he was past the point of no return so he had to make the best of the situation.
‘I bet you’re starving after working on the boat in the cold.’ Wanda offered him a plate of home-made mince pies.
‘You know, they look delicious. I wouldn’t mind one.’
‘Oh, have two,’ Wanda said with a beaming smile.
‘Wanda makes the best mince pies ever, don’t you?’ Ned said from the sanctuary of a wing-backed armchair that had been a favourite of Arlo’s grandfather. Arlo wondered what he’d think of a vampire actor lounging in it now.
Wanda looked over at him indulgently. ‘You should know, Ned. You used to be my biggest customer.’
‘Who wouldn’t be?’ Ned popped half a pie in his mouth and sighed in ecstasy.
It was an innocuous conversation, yet it reminded Arlo that Ned must have been a fixture on the Katie scene for a couple of years at least if a number of Christmases had passed. He knew they’d split up earlier in the year but he wasn’t sure how long they’d known each other or been together. Wanda clearly regarded him as a surrogate nephew which, technically, he would become if he married Katie.
Not my affair, he reminded himself, focusing on eating the pies and accepting a top-up of whisky from Athene, who was acting as barperson.
Her reindeer antlers bobbling, Katie walked in with a platter of Stilton, Brie and biscuits to applause that Arlo thought Ned would have killed for. She laughed and caught his eye. He swallowed hard. She looked absolutely edible and he longed to kiss her right there and then in front of everyone before sweeping her off to bed.
After grabbing a mince pie, he stuffed half into his mouth and the crumbs set off a coughing fit. With only Scotch to hand, he tossed some down his throat and made it burn even more.
Katie was on her feet and brought the jug from the bar on the sideboard.
‘Here,’ she said, pouring some into a tumbler that had also been Arlo’s grandfather’s. ‘I should take more water with your dram in future.’
Her eyes sparkled in the firelight like the crystal glass. Everyone laughed while Arlo glugged the water. It made him long to sweep her away even more.
Everyone lounged around in a state of lethargy and cocktail-infused languor. Arlo felt himself unwind and his inhibitions slipping away. He mustn’t have any more whisky.
Looking as at home as if he owned the Island House himself, Ned hooked a footstool towards him and planted his feet on it. He lifted his own glass and examined the amber contents languidly before waggling the tumbler in Arlo’s direction.
‘You know, if you can’t get that engine fixed, we could all be here for days.’
‘It won’t come to that,’ Arlo said, his hackles rising. ‘It’s an intermittent fault that I’m sure I can sort in the daylight.’
‘Not tomorrow, though,’ Katie said, sitting on the sofa near Ned.
‘No, no one is allowed to do anything but enjoy themselves tomorrow,’ Ned said with a knowing glance at Katie. Arlo told himself not to be paranoid.
Jess entered the sitting room carrying a knitted wrap, her eyes bright with excitement. ‘Have you looked out of the windows lately? The snow’s really coming down.’ She slung the wrap around her and opened the brocade drapes, beckoning everyone to join her.
