Page 53 of Always, in December

‘I, well, I have a proposition,’ he said, his tone measured and even.

‘A proposition,’ Josie repeated slowly.

‘Yes.’ He took a breath. ‘I want you to come out with me for the day.’

Josie stared at him, incredulous, then shook her head. ‘And why on earth would I do that?’

‘Because . . .’ He ran his fingers through his perpetually rumpled hair, then dropped his hand to his side, where it seemed to hang flatly. ‘Because you said that you loved Edinburgh, and I thought you might like to see more of it.’

She narrowed her eyes. ‘I can see it myself, but thanks. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to go back to bed and sleep for at least another two hours.’ She stepped back, going to shut the door, but he moved to stop her.

He backed away just a step when she shot him a glare before she could help herself. She fought to even out her expression, even as the arm around her midriff tightened. ‘Josie, look,’ he began. ‘I know you think I’m a dick.’ She snorted derisively at that. ‘And I know the way I . . . that what I did to you wasn’t right. And I know that you’ve moved on or whatever . . .’ He’d moved on, more like. Not that she’d say it out loud, because she very much did want him to think she was just dandy. ‘But I’d really like to make it up to you. Please. I’ve got somewhere I’d really like to take you.’ His eyes searched her face as she stood there, considering.

She sighed, then shook her head. ‘I just don’t think it’s a great idea, Max. Sorry.’ She’d actually managed to half close the door this time when he reached out, grabbed her hand. She looked down at it pointedly and he let go.

‘Please,’ he said again. ‘We’re here together anyway this weekend, what have you got to lose?’

‘We’re not together,’ she snapped, before she could help herself. A little grimace crossed his face before he nodded, smoothed it out. As for what she had to lose . . . There was nothing she could say to that, without sounding clichéd. But she’d given so much to him in December, more than she’d realised, and she wasn’t sure she could face opening that door again.

‘Where’s Bia?’ Max asked after a beat, peering into her room over her shoulder, as if expecting to see her lurking there. As if Bia would even be letting her have this conversation if she were in the room. ‘She could come too?’

‘I haven’t even said I’m coming yet,’ Josie said, a little tightly. But it made her think. What if Bia was caught up the whole day with her new conquest, and Josie was left to fend for herself, having to spend the day alone until dinner? And now, Max had guaranteed that she’d just be sitting here, thinking of depressing things, if that was the case.

‘Where would we go?’ she asked eventually.

His expression lightened a little. ‘Edinburgh.’

‘Yes. Where in Edinburgh – you said it was somewhere specific?’

He hesitated. ‘It’s a surprise. But I promise it’ll be worth it,’ he added quickly. ‘And I’ll make sure you get some good photos for that Instagram account of yours.’

She narrowed her eyes. ‘How do you know I’m still doing that?’

‘I saw the photo of the castle that you posted when you first got here.’ She said nothing, though she felt her lips tighten. So, that was why he hadn’t been surprised to see her here then.

‘What about Erin?’ she asked suspiciously.

‘She’s going to see some friends in Edinburgh, so she doesn’t mind.’ They just looked at each other for a moment.

Slowly, she nodded. Because if he was trying this hard to be friendly, then she would try too. Besides, she really did want to see more of Edinburgh, and she really didn’t want to spend the day alone – and if she could get Bia to come too, then all the better. And it would be for today only, she promised herself. One day with him – maybe it would help her to move on, help her to see that she’d just been romanticising last Christmas, making it into a bigger deal in her head than it really was. ‘Alright. But you can wait down in the entrance hall while I shower and change.’

His shoulders seemed to relax as he smiled. ‘Thank you. You won’t regret it.’

She shut the door, then sighed and rested her head back against it, closing her eyes but falling short of groaning in case he was still the other side. She straightened, crossed to the bedside table and picked up her phone, sending a quick WhatsApp to Bia.

Where are you? You need to ditch your hunk and come back to the room. Now. We’re going for a day out with Max.

It didn’t deliver. Well, that was just fantastic. Clearly her phone had run out of battery. She sank down onto the bed and briefly contemplated ringing Laura to find out which room Stuart was in – if he was even staying at the castle at all. But it really wasn’t the kind of thing you wake newlyweds up for, now was it? So instead she sighed, and headed into the shower room to try and reverse last night’s damage.

Josie got to the entrance hall about forty-five minutes later, deliberately not rushing. If Max wanted to drag her out on some mystery expedition, then he could bloody well give her some time to get ready. She hadn’t managed to get hold of Bia, but had decided not to wait, because who knew how long it would be before she heard back from her? – she could be waiting half the day for all she knew.

What she wasn’t counting on was Erin, standing next to Max in the entrance hall, admiring a painting of an old man. She looked immaculate, pulling off the ponytail in a way very few people can do and wearing a crisp blue blouse and white slacks. Josie slowed her pace, but Max had already seen her and was waving her over. Erin turned, smiled at her too, though Josie thought her smile was a little more reserved. Josie’s eyes flickered between them as she stopped a metre or so away.

‘Erin’s plans fell through,’ Max said, acting like it was no big deal, ‘so she’s coming too.’

Erin offered another small, slightly tight smile. ‘I hope you don’t mind me gatecrashing,’ she said, with perfect courtesy.

‘Of course not,’ Josie said quickly. Because what was she supposed to say? This was her boyfriend, who was arranging a weird outing with a girl he’d slept with – no wonder her plans had magically fallen through.