Mills & Boon Christmas Delights Collection

‘Right. Good. Now Michael, we discussed all this. Your house is a bloody tip and your life’s not much better.’

‘My life is just fine.’

‘No, it’s not. And don’t interrupt. You agreed to host Christmas this year– ’

‘Actually, I was just outvoted, if you remember.’

‘Because we’ve all taken plenty of turns in doing it and you never have!’

‘That’s because I wasn’t in the country most of the time.’

‘Yes. Well. Nobody forced you to jet off every year instead of spending time with the family.’

‘Janey. You know that it wasn’t as simple as that. And could we please not discuss family matters in front of strangers?’

‘Oh shush. Katie’s not a stranger. She’s a very good friend – ’

‘To you.’

‘Yes. To me. And because she is such a very good friend to me, she’s agreed to help you, you great lummox. So wind your neck in and start taking this seriously. You need to start getting your life back in order and find your way back to being the happy bloke you used to be. And believe me, Kate is your best chance at doing that.’

‘Really.’ He was clearly still unconvinced. It was the one thing we appeared to agree on.

‘Yes, really. We’re fed up of watching you work yourself into the ground, surrounded by all that crap. You’ve got a lovely house there but you wouldn’t know it because of the state it’s in! How on earth are you ever going to meet anyone else if you can’t bring them home?’

‘I’m not particularly interested in meeting anyone else. And when I do bring a woman home, it’s not exactly to give them a tour of a house.’ He looked over at me, as if awaiting a reaction.

If he was trying to shock me, he was way off the mark. I’d had him pegged as the ‘wham, bam, thank you ma’am’ type within about two minutes. Except minus the ‘thank you’.

‘Well, it’s about time that changed. We all know you’ve been through the wringer Mikey, but it’s time to start moving on.’

‘I have moved on. Weren’t you listening to the last bit?’

‘Having sex with strangers and moving on are two very different things. Now, your family’s been behind you throughout all of this, despite how difficult it was at times, but it’s time to get on with your life. And Katie’s going to help you make that start.’

‘Right.’

‘She’s your chance at finding a way to be happy again Mikey.’

‘Oh. Great. No pressure,’ I mumbled.

For a split second I thought I saw the corner of his mouth twitch into the hint of a smile but when I looked again it was set back in a grim line as he stared at his feet.

‘Tonnes of pressure, Katie. Sorry darling!’ Janey’s voice came from the speaker. ‘But he really does need to get his arse in gear and I know you won’t take any shit off him, so it’s perfect.’

‘Perfect,’ Michael repeated, flatly. He lifted his gaze. ‘Don’t worry about it, my sister’s just being dramatic. It’s a habit.’

‘Knock it off Mikey,’ Janey snapped. ‘You need to start taking this seriously. Your life is a mess since Angeline left and you’re a grouchy workaholic. It’s about time that you got your shit together and found happiness again, and Katie there’s your best chance. So stop being an arse, listen to what she says, and do what she tells you because if you don’t, so help me God – ’

‘Fine! Yes. All right,’ he cut across her.

‘I love you, you know. We all do,’ Janey’s voice was softer now and it was clear to hear the love contained within her words, ‘that’s why we’re doing this.’

‘Yep. I know. I love you too.’

I looked away and found an intense interest in the junk mail teetering on the phone table.

‘Better not get all soppy. It looks like you’re embarrassing your friend.’ Michael’s deep voice held a hint of amusement.

‘Oh, Katie’s all right, aren’t you?’ Janey’s voice assured.

‘Umm, yes. Fine.’

My client’s vivid gaze fixed on me and he shook his head, that hint of smile back flickering around the full mouth.

‘I’ll behave for Kate, Janey. I promise.’

‘Good. Because she has my full permission to kick you in the nuts if you don’t.’

Michael burst out laughing and his whole face changed. The spiky demeanour transformed into something much closer to the warm, welcoming air that Janey always gave off. For the first time since I’d met him, I could finally see him as being related to my friend.

‘I’m countering that permission and as they’re my nuts, I have final say.’

‘Just be good,’ Janey said.

‘I’ve said I will. So I will. Now, can I go?’

‘Yes, all right. Bye, Kate. Thanks so much for this. Talk to you tomorrow.’

‘Bye Janey,’ I called.

‘Bye sis,’ Michael added, before pressing ‘End’ on the screen.

Silence fell over us.

‘So. I guess it looks like you’re stuck with me then.’

‘Yes, it does rather.’

More silence.

‘When she said about you being my chance at…you know…she didn’t mean…’

‘No. I know.’

‘OK. Good.’

‘It’s a bit of a cliché but I don’t believe in mixing business with pleasure anyway.’

‘Fair enough.’

‘And I’m already seeing someone. Janey knows that.’ Why on earth was I going into all of this?

‘Right.’

‘And you’re definitely not my type anyway. Janey knows that too.’

Michael rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at his feet. ‘I’m beginning to wish I’d never opened my mouth.’

‘Not at all. It’s always good to be absolutely clear on things.’ For the love of God, Kate. Shut up!

After a beat, Michael spoke. ‘So, what happens now?’

I mentally squared my shoulders and shook my uncharacteristic babbling moment off. Focusing on what I knew best, I was back on firm ground.

‘Generally, I assess the project, then I look at my schedule and you look at yours and we see when we can fit in some sessions that work for both of us.’

‘Right.’ He moved away from me, his back turned.

‘But as I said earlier, I can only help someone if they want to be helped and are prepared to put in effort themselves. I realise that Janey is keen for you to do this, and that you clearly wish to please her, but if you’re really not invested in this, then it’s just a waste of time for both of us. It’s a very busy time, and as such, I have plenty of other people who would benefit from my services far more.’

As Janey had warned, I didn’t pull punches. I wanted her brother to know exactly what I expected from him.

‘Oh, well, I wouldn’t want to keep Little Miss Popular from doling out her beneficial services.’

I rolled my tense neck, sore from huddling against the cold earlier, and counted to ten. Ten wasn’t nearly enough.

‘Are you always this much of an arsehole?’

Michel didn’t say anything but I was almost sure I saw his lips quirk briefly in amusement at my outburst.

I took a deep breath. ‘I apologise. I shouldn’t have spoken like that. It’s been a very long day. Perhaps it’s best if I leave and you take the night to decide as to whether you wish to proceed.’

‘It’s fine. I probably deserved it.’

Probably?!

‘And in answer to your question, depending on who you ask, yes, I am always this much of an arsehole. And I don’t need the night to think about it. If I don’t do this then I’m in the shit with my family, which I know you probably couldn’t give a toss about but I do. They’ve done a lot for me and I need to do this for them. Unfortunately, I can’t do it without you.’

I raised an eyebrow.

‘I promise I will take it seriously and do what I need to do to make them happy.’

‘It’s supposed to be about making you happier too.’

He shrugged. ‘If that happens too, then it’s a bonus, but don’t get your hopes up.’

‘Oh, don’t worry. I won’t.’

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