Page 74 of If We Were Young

“And I told you you’ve cheapened yourself out of the high street. I can’t rebrand something that’s bloody dead.” My cheeks burned hot.

I was trying to dig my way out of the grave he shot me down into with his glare, when Amanda cleared her throat with more force. “I think the issue here, Matty, is that Ronnie doesn’t understand the business.”

“It’s a supermarket. I can research that perfectly well, thank you,” I retorted.

She looked at him like she had taken up communicating information with laser-beamed eye movements; not subtly either.

His skin tinged with pink right up to the tips of his ears. Wow, something made Robot Matthew flush? “No. Amanda, that is not a good idea.”

My gaze swivelled between them. Like being at a tennis match but you couldn’t see the ball. “What’s not a good idea?”

“Ronnie!” Amanda launched into her sing-song tone that meant she planned to bust some balls but would sugar-coat it, so it didn’t seem too bad. “You need to go to Scotland with Matthew.”

“Excuse me?” I took an automatic step back, one foot already turning for the door. “No.” I knew he analysed my reaction. Yeah well, analyse this. “That would be awful. Like the worst idea I’ve ever heard. And I have plans, my mother has me set up on a date.” Oh, cringe.

Amanda shook her head. “No plans. We need this done, ASAP. The pressure is on, Ronnie, and right now The Childs Agency hasn’t given us much to use.”

“The circumstances have been difficult,” I protested. Mainly with him and the glaring. “It’s impossible to rebrand something if the business model is defunct.”

“You don’t want your name to go down with Supersaver Foods, do you? There will be coverage. It would be terrible if Supersavers dragged The Childs Agency down with it.”

“What?” Was she for real? I sensed a threat, but I couldn’t believe it came from her immaculately turned out sugar bonbon style of delivering a line.

“Amanda, that’s enough.” Matthew cut in and then cleared his throat. He turned and his face pinched with regret, determination, and something else which I couldn’t quite read. “Veronica, it makes sense. I can give you a tour, show you the stores, and you can meet some of the staff.” His face shadowed, exquisite with a momentary flash of pain. “Maybe then you will understand everything.”

For the briefest flicker, his dark stare landed on my mouth and my breath eased from my chest in a low ache.

“Excellent.” Amanda rooted in her leather laptop bag and pulled out a MacBook. “I’ll book some tickets for you, Ronnie. And Matty.” God, I wanted to punch her when she called him that. “I’ll tell your mother you’re coming.”

“Thanks.” His eyes still stole secrets from my face. “I’m sorry to disturb you from your plans.” Moody Matthew was back. I didn’t know what he thought I did on a week night but he’d saved me from death by Pinot, and Ben and Jerry’s.

Oh the date. Why did I even say that?

“Oh, shit.” I clamped my hands over my mouth. “Sorry.”

My unprofessional behaviour earned me the faintest of smiles. Amanda, typing, her fingers hitting the keys with the intent of a marching army, didn’t look our way.

“Hannah has a party tonight. I’ll need to collect her and make sure she’s home safe with Mum.” My face scrunched like paper. “Otherwise I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“What time does the party finish?” He asked, already turning for Amanda. “When’s the sleeper departing, Amanda?”

“Nine thirty.” Her gaze remained on her screen; too busy contacting his mother I surmised. Why were they so close? Why would she be on the phone to her?

Oh.

Matty. His mother.

His business-like persona with me despite our desperate and intense kiss last night.

God, I’d been slow.

So slow, Ronnie. Wake up.

I crumpled a little. Like a blow-up toy that had been out in the sun too long, I deflated.

Stupid Ronnie. The Kiss was nothing more than a theory. And it had now been put well and truly to bed.

“I need to organise some things.” I turned on my heel, my heart clanging.