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“Have a nice meal?” he asks.
“Mm, it was lovely, thanks. I told Mack he should have called an Uber to save you coming out.”
He chuckles. “It’s fine,” he says as Mack slides in and shuts the door. “I like to keep an eye on him.”
I’m still intrigued by their relationship, and the way Mack hinted that he’d somehow looked after him when they were younger. I’m guessing it was connected with them coming to New Zealand. But I can tell he doesn’t want to talk about it further. I guess I’ll never find out the whole story.
Jamie eases the car into the traffic, and heads us back to Grafton.
I look out of the window, at the shops and houses with twinkling fairy lights and Christmas trees in the windows. Outside one larger store there’s a big model of Santa dressed in shorts, a vest, and gumboots, with his sleigh being pulled by nine sheep, one of which has a big red nose.
“How old were you when you found out Santa wasn’t real?” I ask Mack.
He raises his eyebrows. “What? You’re kidding me?”
I chuckle. Jamie doesn’t, though. He keeps his gaze on the road.
“Six, I think,” Mack says.
“Aw. That’s young.”
“Yeah.” He and Jamie exchange a look in the mirror, and then Mack looks away, out of the window. Curiouser and curiouser.
Not wanting to upset him by making him talk about his past, I resolve to keep quiet for the rest of the journey. But then Wizzard’sI Wish It Could Be Christmas Everydaycomes on the radio, and the two of them start arguing about what’s the best Christmas song. Soon they’ve pulled me into the discussion, and we end up talking all the way back to the apartment.
“If you think anything butLast Christmasshould get the number one slot, you’re crazy,” I tell them, as Jamie drives into the underground car park and parks the car.
“We’ll let you win this time,” Mack says, opening the door. “But only because we’re being polite.”
I chuckle and get out, and follow the two of them over to the elevator and into the carriage. They both touch a card to the box by the door, and Jamie hits the button for floor twenty-two, then the button for the Penthouse.
“Of course,” I murmur, and Mack grins.
The two of them talk briefly about the Black Caps cricket match that’s taking place over the Christmas period. Then the elevator arrives at twenty-two, and the doors slide open.
A woman is standing in the corridor, holding Gus, and she smiles as Jamie walks out. “Hey you.”
“Hey.” He bends and kisses her.
“Hey Mack,” she says, bringing Gus into the elevator.
“Hi Em. Thanks. This is Sidnie, by the way. Sidnie, this is Emma.”
We shake hands, and she gives me a big smile. “Lovely to meet you,” she says. “Have a great evening.”
“Thanks for looking after Gus,” Mack says.
“Oh he’s no trouble. I took him for a run in the park. He should crash out—I think he’s knackered.” She waves goodbye.
“See you tomorrow,” Mack says, and the doors close.
To cover my nerves, I bend down and fuss the dog, ruffling his ears. “Aren’t you gorgeous,” I tell him, kissing his nose.
“I’ll get jealous,” Mack says.
I chuckle and straighten. “Want me to ruffle your ears?”
“Wouldn’t say no.” He smiles as the elevator pings, and the doors slide open. Gus immediately runs past him up the corridor to the door, obviously knowing where he’s going.
