Christmas Kiss by Chrissie Loveday Read Free Book Online Page A

began to answer some emails, her one handed typing improving sufficiently to make it a practical task. Charles came into her office once more.
    ‘If you intend trying to persuade me to go out with you ...’ she began.
    ‘Not this time. You seem to be closer than most to the new broom. Any chance you might talk to him? I think he’s going to have open rebellion on his hands if he doesn’t see reason.’
    ‘We’re not actually that close,’ she said flatly. ‘I’ve simply been having a couple of lifts into work, while I can’t drive. He says absolutely nothing when we’re driving and makes it clear he won’t discuss office politics with me. I have been thinking about the situation though. I’m really wondering if the problem rests with the past and the kindly Ken. Maybe he never wanted to rock any boats and the whole system has been slowly collapsing. The credit crunch has just made everything so much more urgent.’
    ‘Someone said you’d defend him. Clearly you do have some sort of relationship burgeoning. Sorry I bothered you.’
    ‘For goodness sake, Charles. It’s nothing like that. There is no relationship. I’m not defending him. I told him my target was unreasonable and exactly why I think so.’ Charles gave a snort.
    ‘And where is your precious horse at present?’ She looked down. ‘Exactly. Poppy let it slip that he was looking after him. Very cosy.’
    ‘Charles, it means nothing. It’s only while I have this dratted plaster cast on my arm. Alex happens to have a horse of his own and plenty of space to stable a second horse. Major will be back in his paddock as soon as I can manage him again. I wouldn’t have put you down as an office gossip.’ She was angry now.
    ‘Okay. You needn’t explode. I’ve obviously touched a sensitive area.’ She sighed. What was the point? There was nothing she could say to change his opinion.
    ‘Think what you like. There is nothing going on but if you want to disbelieve me, that’s up to you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have another client due any moment.’ He left her office, a smirk on his face that she could well have enjoyed removing by physical means, quite unsuited to a lady. One thing that was for certain, she would not be going to look at pups with Alex the next day. It would be sure to get back to the office gossips who were determined to pair them off. It seemed that even if she had thought that she and Alex might become good friends, it was not going to be possible. He would be furious if he knew people were already talking about them.
    ‘We’re all going round to the wine bar after work,’ Poppy announced near the end of the day. ‘You will come won’t you?’
    ‘I’ve already told Charles I wouldn’t go out for a drink with him. So, in honesty, I really can’t.’
    ‘Don’t worry about him. I’ll tell him I bullied you into it.’
    ‘Okay then. It would be nice. I’ve hardly been out anywhere since my accident.’
    ‘Great. I’ll give you a shout when we’re ready.’
    Sarah tidied her desk and decided she’d done enough for the day. She completed the dreaded time sheet and dropped it into the main admin office as instructed. As she was coming out, Alex bumped into her.
    ‘Oh, Sarah. Glad we bumped into each other. I was wondering if we might go for a quick drink before heading back to the village. Actually, I rather wanted to invite everyone to celebrate the end of my first week. What do you think?’
    ‘Tricky one. I’ve just agreed to go to the wine bar with them. I’m not sure who’s going. Maybe you could suggest it to the others. If it comes from me, it would look bad. As if we had something between us.’
    ‘And we don’t?
    ‘I don’t think so.’
    ‘Pity. I thought we were getting on rather well.’
    ‘Outside the office maybe there is something. But you’ve hardly been Mr Popular here at work and positively cool to me.’
    ‘Then an invitation to free drinks all round might be just the thing.