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‘You have?’ She glanced around the room. ‘Where is it? When can I have it?’
He hesitated. ‘Another time. Not here.’
Oh, hello… ‘Is it big?’ she asked innocently.
‘It is, actually.’
‘I want it now.’
‘No can do.’
She pouted. ‘But I’m the birthday girl.’
James grinned at her and she smiled back. Alcohol was fizzing through her blood and making her skin tingle.
‘I like it when you smile,’ she said, then clapped a hand over her mouth.
He burst out laughing. ‘Have you eaten anything besides cake so far today?’
She shook her head, her cheeks on fire.
‘I’ll go make you a birthday sandwich and a cappuccino. And if we get a chance later, I’ll go get your gift. Okay?’
‘Deal.’ She didn’t trust herself to say anything more without announcing to the whole room how much she wanted James to be her birthday strippergram.
By six o’clock, there had been no opportunity for Estelle to be alone with James. They’d worked straight through, eating at their desks.
‘Did you have any plans for this evening?’ he asked.
‘I was going to work here until I went cross-eyed, then go home. Elyse said something about cooking tonight.’
‘Do you have time now for a quick meeting up at the site? The main-stage manager wanted to chat about disabled access.’
She frowned. ‘But we’ve got disabled access. Please don’t tell me he’s taking it out?’
‘I don’t think so. But…’ He shrugged as if it were a possibility.
‘Okay, let’s go.’ Closing her laptop, she put it in her bag. ‘After we’re done, I’ll work from home.’
Estelle was hungry and irritated. This time last year she’d turned thirty, and it seemed like the past twelve months had gone by in the blink of an eye. Her twin was coupled up with Libby and her best friend was married and pregnant. Everything was changing for the people around her, but her life seemed stuck in the mud. She’d planned her birthday to be a non-event, but couldn’t help feeling sad.
Get over yourself! You had cake and prosecco earlier. And everyone knew you weren’t celebrating but still messaged to say happy birthday!
Estelle followed James’s Ferrari out onto the country roads towards Foxbrooke Manor, Chester and Joy on the back seat of the Defender. As soon as they turned into the open area in front of the gates to the manor, it was clear just how much the festival was taking shape. Construction was everywhere, with gates already in place and hard standing on the grass verges on either side of the long drive.
She parked outside the house and got out. ‘Are we meeting him at the main stage?’
James checked his watch, then his phone. ‘Yep. We’ll go around the back and see what the issue is.’
Estelle led the way, her annoyance growing with every step. She didn’t have time for this. There was too much else to do. She let her hunger and frustration mask the deeper feelings of loneliness inside that she didn’t want to dwell on.
James frowned. ‘I should have got us food this afternoon. Time just ran away from me.’
‘It’s not your job to tame the hangry beast,’ she muttered.
His frown turned into a sexy smile. ‘That sounds exactly like the kind of job I’d enjoy.’
Estelle’s heart flip-flopped in her chest. ‘I need my present. Can we go back and get it after we’ve dealt with this?’
