The Catch Up, page 14
Jan fixed a coffee from the top-of-the-range coffee maker and smiled back. Nettie was nearing retirement and said she was dreading it.
“Thon thought of ma man under ma feet al’o the day. He’s gan tae get into fishin’ or else bowls.”
Jan laughed. “He said or you said?”
Nettie’s eyes twinkled. “We’ll say it’s a mutual decision to ensure marital harmony.” Her voice had lost its dialect and she spoke in a soft accent with no slang words. Jan marvelled at the way she could do that. Nettie had told her it came in useful at times. “So as not to upset some people.” Jan knew what she meant. If a local spoke too pan loaf—that was posh—they might be considered above themselves. Too much local accent and they might be said to be taking the mickey. Sometimes, Jan reckoned, you just couldn’t win.
“I’ll wish you luck for later,” Nettie said as she finished her coffee. “Meant to say the boss will be over with our food in a bit. Wants to chat to you. Luck there as well.”
A chat was the last thing Jan wanted. She had a busy day mapped out with little time for chatting. If, of course, he really only did want a chat.
She would soon find out. She came out of her reverie to see Nettie staring at her. How long had she been in a dream?
“Thanks, I reckon I’ll need it,” she said wryly. “Then think of me tomorrow at seven. I swear some people would complain and object to an RAF plane flying over at nine a.m., fifty miles away in case it disturbed them. On the outside. Some of the arguments given are so ludicrous I had to read them twice. One was that it might increase the midges, and another that it might mean the lines on the car parking spaces need redoing. Their private spaces, mind you. Outside their own cottages. Not by the hotel or golf course.” She grimaced as she thought of the dratted meeting. One she’d suggested so at least there could be a concerted effort to find out what both sides wanted and were or were not prepared to compromise on. “I think I’ll need a drink after, and I try not to drink weekdays.”
Nettie patted her shoulder. “Rules must be bent if needs must. And I must dash and see what complaints came in overnight. Yesterday’s best one was that the flowers in the outer gardens weren’t in full bloom. Might it have something to do with the fact they’re sun-blooming ones and the sun wasn’t out? I swear I’m with you over the stupid things people complain about. Right, I’m off. See you later.” She bustled out and Jan heard her footsteps as she climbed the stairs to her office.
Jan poured a second cup of coffee, snagged a chocolate wafer bar—it would do until the breakfast pastries and fruit juice arrived with Zac—and headed to her own domain along the corridor. As she didn’t have a formal appointment with her boss, and had no idea when he would arrive, she’d start to clear whatever was waiting for her.
* * * *
Half an hour later a polite cough made her jump, swivel around to greet her visitor and blink. It wasn’t Zac who stood inside the doorjamb holding a basket of what she assumed were the morning pastries. It was several seconds before she could gather her scattered wits together and speak.
“Well, well. Look who’s here.” Jan jumped out of her chair and hugged the man who stood in front of her. It wasn’t a total surprise to discover who he was. “What have you done with my boss, and did you bring the pastries?”
Thom laughed as he returned the hug one-handed. “Pastries and lunch basket on the table in the room down the corridor, though I filched a couple for us.” He waved the paper carrier bag in the air as Jan released him and took a hearty breath. “Zac will be here in a few minutes. He was fending off a very irate bloke off who seemed to think that if he just turned up and said he wanted a room he’d get one. The last I heard was him—the bloke, not Zac—asking if Zac knew he was and Zac answering very politely with the bloke’s name and saying as he had no reservation and as the hotel was full he was unable to accommodate him.”
“Who was the man?” Jan asked as she relieved Thom of the bag of food and noticed two Danish pastries nestled on top of a cool bag. “What else is in the basket?”
“No idea re the bloke, never seen him before in my life. Lunch just for us. A working lunch.” He grinned. “Allegedly.”
The aroma was making her tummy rumble. “Do you want coffee? There’s my secret stash in the cupboard and my super-duper fast maker on the shelf. I just need to jot down a couple more reminders.” She’d thought of something she could mention at the owners’ meeting.
“Yes please, I’ll make it, do you want one?”
“Eh? Oh, um, I’ve got one here.” Jan waved to her desk as she sat down and typed rapidly.
Thom lifted the mug and waved it under her nose. “It’s cold.”
“Then please.” Jan smiled her thanks and promptly ignored him until she’d added what she needed to do.
She saved her work and turned her chair in the direction of where Thom sat on a settee to one side of the long floor-to-ceiling window that opened onto the gardens.
“Sorry, I’m all yours now.” Heat rushed into her cheeks as she registered her words and Thom smirked.
“Oh, I do hope so.”
“Shut up.” She threw a pencil at him. It missed.
“Sorry, couldn’t resist. Anyway, how are you? Really?”
“Frazzled,” Jan confessed. “Honestly, they’re all a bunch of kids. Your film lot included. I wish I’d never let May persuade me to come.”
“Even if it would have meant we only had a few weeks together in Hong Kong and then no idea when we’d meet up again?”
“We didn’t know we were going to meet up so soon,” Jan pointed out. “Even if both of us thought it on the cards.”
“Point taken. I’d hoped anyway.”
“So did I,” Jan confessed. “If only it wasn’t for this shit-fest.”
“That sounds like Moss has given you a clue.” Thom drank in the sight of his beloved and mulled over her words. She looked tired and dark shadows showed around her eyes. Temper sparked in those eyes and Thom wondered just who she was ready to go head-to-head with and hoped it wasn’t him.
“They spitting the dummy out?”
“Oh yes, and more. I swear, if we gave all of them everything they wanted they’d still find something to argue over. Moss didn’t say anything, but it’s a perfect expression. As there is no way we, or rather, the hotel lot can get everything everyone wants, it’s up to me to try and find something that everyone is sort-of okay with.” She grinned with a swift change of attitude. “Look out for flying pigs.”
Thom laughed. “Will do. Meanwhile, I forgot to say Zac will be here around eleven and until whoever the film lot send over for the meeting, Moss and I are the only two around, and he says hi, and not coming within two hundred yards of this place. He’s at home with Ari, and we’re both invited for dinner tonight.”
“Great, so until then?”
“Zac and you have your chat or whatever, I’ll sit in the corner and be quiet and we all then think sod the lot of it and go for a round of golf.”
“I don’t play,” Jan pointed out. “And you say you’re crap at it.”
“It’s a good place to talk. I can pretend and you can drive the buggy.”
* * * *
In the end the so-called meeting was held as they made their way round the golf course. Thom hadn’t played for several months, hadn’t been any good then, and was no better now. It wasn’t that he didn’t take any exercise—he got plenty of that in his job—but it was a different set of muscles used when swinging a club. He was better off at squash, or tennis. The banter between the three of them was cheerful and inconsequential until, as they reached halfway round the course and munched on hot sausage roll in the halfway house, Zac led them to a table set to one side of the tiny room.
“Okay,” he began as soon as he finished eating. “Who knows anything about a Lois Mc…McDonald?”
“McDonald?” Jan said with a dry throat and a faint sense of nausea. “Please tell me she’s not a McDonald. You didn’t call her that before. You said Nimmo. No wonder she puts my back up. I’m a Fraser.”
Zac laughed as Thom spluttered the coffee he’d just taken a mouthful of.
“I was told Nimmo, now informed she wishes to be McDonald. Good old ancestral history?” Zac said and shook his head. “Tell me about it. Or rather, no need. Any true Scot knows who their ancestors fought with and against. I’m informed that Ms McDonald is to be one of the film liaison people, and definitely will be here today.” He cleared his throat. “I was also told in a separate email that you, Thom and she are very good friends and should be housed together.”
“What!”
Coffee went everywhere as Thom thumped his mug down on the table and stared at Zac.
“Say again? No way, not a cat in hell’s chance. If I had my way she wouldn’t be within a thousand miles and even that is too close. That woman is a menace, a troublemaking, full-on, pain-in-the-you-know-what menace. A pest. A stalker. No, more than a stalker. A…” He stood up and began to pace, much to the alarm of two golfers who had just entered. Jan tugged at his jacket to force him to stop.
“Thom, enough. You’ll traumatise everyone else.”
“What?” He looked around, then sat down with a thump as Jan saw realisation dawn on him.
“Oh damn, sorry. Yeah. Just because I’m traumatised, no need to make others the same way.”
“Stop the dramatics.” Jan waggled her finger at him as Zac stared from one to another. “Save them for work. Honestly, Thom, behave.”
Thom rubbed his hand over his chin. “Yes, Miss.” He glanced at Zac. ”Sorry, but that mere name gives me hives. She’s a bloody nightmare.”
Zac sighed. “This whole bloody thing is a nightmare. I’m beginning to wish I’d never seen Romansa Castle. As for films, tenants and molehills on the tennis court? No wonder I’m losing weight.”
Jan stared at him for a second. Thom could see what she was thinking. If he was indeed losing weight, she wondered where. He had to agree.
Zac rolled his eyes at them before he laughed.
“Well okay, but I’m definitely losing sleep. Any suggestions?”
“Over Lois or lack of sleep?” Jan asked.
“Either or both. Plus owners.”
“Have the meeting, get every pro and con offered, be it stupid or not, and we’ll try to come to a compromise. If not…”
Thom didn’t want to think what the ‘if not’ would be. With regards to Lois, though, he had an idea. If Jan went for it remained to be seen.
“I have an errand to run. Want to come with me?” He held his breath as Jan checked her watch.
“Why not, nothing on for a while. Be good to get away and try not to think of—well, things that thinking about probably won’t solve.”
“You all ready for tonight’s bun fast then?” Thom asked as, arm in arm, they headed towards his car. He was proud of the way he had commandeered her, with Zac’s blessing. They’d finished their round of golf early. Or rather, as Zac remarked, he had played golf and Thom played the part of a golfer. A bad one.
They’d not reached his car before Jan’s mobile rang.
She glanced at the screen. “May. I better answer it, she’s ringing from home. Er, where shall I meet you?”
“I’ll ring in an hour.” Thom kissed her cheek and got into his car. “Got to run that quick errand.” He didn’t say for what. “Be good, and if you see Lois, hide.”
“She’s not due till around five.” Jan pressed answer on her phone as Thom sketched a wave and drove away. “Hi, May, how’s it going?”
* * * *
Fifteen or twenty minutes later, Jan ended the call and scowled. She could have gone with Thom on his mysterious errand after all. May had rung to say that she’d heard on the grapevine, i.e. via Peggy, that Lois was telling everyone she was headed to Scotland to be with Thom. She’d decided to forewarn Jan. Jan thanked her, informed her they already knew she was on her way—but not about the especially for Thom bit—and they’d had a quick chat.
“So,” May had asked cheerily. “How are you two getting on? Thumped each other yet? Done the deed? Any good goss?”
If it had been anyone else but her friend, even Arietta, Jan would have been inclined to take umbrage at such a loaded question. Instead, she’d laughed. “Done the deed? Good grief, May, what an old person way of asking if we have been to bed together.”
“That’s no more modern, is it?” May had said. “Have you then?”
“We have both certainly been to bed,” Jan had said. “I can truthfully say years ago we did indeed go to bed together and do the deed, and what an awful sentence that is. Seriously, May, we’ve only just met up again and are being cautious and careful.” She’d crossed her fingers.
“I should hope so. When you eventually do whatever it’s called these days, I hope you are both of those.”
“What?” Jan had been confused. “What are you on about?”
“Getting together and having sex. Careful and cautious? But things are progressing? I worry about you.”
“No need, my lovely, I’m a big girl now. And if I keep eating the pastries we get for mid-morning snacks, I’ll be an even bigger girl.” There had been no point in upsetting the applecart by saying getting nowhere fast. May was an incurable romantic, and certain there would be apple blossoms and wedding bells whenever any of her friends entered a relationship.
After a few more minutes of general chit-chat, they’d ended the call. Which meant Jan had an hour to kill. She might as well have lunch in her cottage and go over her notes and ideas for the meeting later.
Morose and out of sorts, for no apparent reason as far as she could think—unless being thwarted of a ride out somewhere counted—she stared at the contents of her fridge and saw nothing that appealed to her.
“Jan Fraser,” she said out loud in a severe voice, “you are spoilt rotten. Now just because you missed out on a drive and not being the driver, you’re sulking.” She refused to admit she’d wished Thom had offered to wait for her, or at least said just where he was headed. Although if he had told her, and it was a treat she’d have enjoyed, then he’d still gone without her, wouldn’t that have been worse? She shook her head at her arsy attitude. Definitely acting like an entitled brat. Enough was enough. She made a ham salad sandwich, ate it at the breakfast bar while she read the news on her tablet, and did her best to forget Thom, the forthcoming meeting, Lois and anything else designed to give her a headache.
The thump on her door made her jump. Why would anyone be bothering her at that time of the day? With a great deal of reluctance, she closed her tablet and headed towards the door as her phone rang. She glanced at the screen. Zac.
“Hey, I’m only in the cottage. Quick lunch and back to the grindstone.”
“Do not answer the door,” Zac said urgently. “Not yet, and don’t let her see you. That bloody incompetent Linda. What does she go and do?”
“Zac, you’re confusing me. Don’t let her see me? Who?”
“That Lois person. She’s headed for Thom’s cottage even though Linda and everyone else has been told never to divulge who is staying or where. But to make it worse, she gave her your cottage address, not his. Or does that make it better? I’m not sure.”
Nor was Jan. “Shit. Right, er, not sure what to do for the best. Why on earth did Linda tell her where Thom stays, even if she got it wrong?”
The sigh Zac gave echoed through the phone. “Because she never bloody listens properly. She—Linda that is—says the Lois person told her Thom was expecting her and surely he’d remembered to tell reception? Let her in and so on?”
“She hasn’t got a key, has she?” Jan said tersely. What a guddle that would create.
“Thankfully not. Linda couldn’t find one. Somehow there wasn’t anyone to sort that out, or anyone to drive her down in a buggy, they were all out. Lois sort of stamped her feet and said she’d walk. Linda gave her directions. To you. Silly cow.”
The thumping on the door started again.
“Is that her?” Zac asked.
“No idea but I’d guess so. I’m in the hallway and not near the window.” Thank goodness. “Thanks for the warning. If she thinks this is Thom’s cottage and I’m here it might help things.” Or it might not, but if she didn’t answer the door, she’d never know. “Look, I’ll go and confront her and let you know how it goes.”
“Okay if you think that’s best. You know her. I’m on my way anyway. See you in a few minutes. I have a buggy.” He rang off and Jan headed to the door. Took a deep breath and counted to three then opened it.
Lois swung round. “Thomas, why did you not tell them I was coming? You knew… You!” She nigh-on spat the word when she saw who faced her. “What are you doing here?”
“I live here,” Jan said truthfully. “What are you?”
Chapter Nine
“Do you honestly think this will work?” Jan rolled her ring finger from side to side and watched the row of diamonds and platinum sparkle and gleam. “I mean, won’t she be instantly suspicious that we’ve suddenly become engaged, no fanfare, just me sporting these rocks? I know we intimated we were close in Hong Kong, but…” She wrinkled her nose. It was hard to put her worries into words. “Oh, I’m just stressing over nothing I hope. But—well, the visit from her unnerved me. I honestly worried about my eyes for a moment. Those talons she calls nails were pointed in the direction of my face. Thank goodness Zac arrived and told her that her room was in the main hotel, and he’d take her there. He also said if she intimidated anyone like she appeared to be doing to me, she would be asked to leave. When she tried to protest you and her were close, Zac said how nice and he’d be sure to ask you what you wanted to happen. Apologised to me for her unwarranted intrusion and almost dragged the woman away. Her last words were I hadn’t heard the last of it and didn’t I know how pathetic I was, hounding you. I almost did the pot, kettle, black thing. But I resisted, not sure how. Mind you, Thom, I’m not sure anything short of seeing the marriage certificate would work and even then it would be doubtful, and no, that is not a proposal.” Though if you proposed to me, it would be a different matter. “This ring, gorgeous as it is, might not do any good.”
