Emotionless

Iain looked at me oddly as I explained what I needed him to do for me. Slowly, a smile stretched onto his lips and he nodded in agreement but not before making a deal with me. ‘Only if you promise to let me buy you dinner tomorrow night,’ Iain replied in a smooth tone of voice that made my knees feel like a bowl of jelly and ice cream being shaken repeatedly by a hyperactive toddler on crack. Smirking at him, I told him it was a deal before extending my hand out to shake with his. Hell, he was helping me out, why should I let him take me out? Because you like Zacky. Shut up brain, you don’t know shit. I know that you keep looking longingly at that letter.

Thanking him whole heartedly, I took the paper from the tray and told him to be ready for eight as he winked and told me he wouldn’t miss it for the world. A blush spread over my cheeks as I wandered back towards the office. ‘You’re a star, KeKe. I see you met my senior editor, Iain. Good chap, amazing writer. You should read some of his stuff,’ Uncle Jason bragged on, smiling and waving towards the guy who had just made an agreement with me. I nodded, half-listening to my uncle’s words as I sat down on the smaller seat as I debated what I was going to do tonight.

[c]***[/c]

‘Alright, all you have to say is that I’ve know you through Johnny’s Bar and I’m staying with you for a while to clear my head. If Pippa and Molly question you, lie. Got it?’ I confirmed with Iain as we drove along in my Aunt’s Porsche, passing by the ocean slowly as he nodded and gave me a thumbs up. ‘Oh, and, thanks for the help.’ A hand squeezed my knee as Iain told me it was not a problem, sweeping back a loose hair that had tumbled into my face. Blushing, I stopped the car in Matt’s driveway and smoothed down my outfit.

‘You look adorable. Now, take a deep breath and we’ll walk inside, okay?’ I nodded, drawing a deep gasp of air into my lungs before letting it tumble from my lips slowly. Stepping from the car, I looked nervously up at the white faced; three tier home stood proudly in front of me. There was music seeping from the back garden, and loud voices that all seemed to be cheerful and excited to meet the unfortunate kid who’s been without a father for goodness knows how long. I knew exactly how that felt. ‘Be brave, it’s not every day you meet a friend’s long-lost daughter,’ Iain murmured reassuringly, taking my hand and rubbing his thumb over the skin. Our fingers moulded together perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle, but I still felt kind of bad for doing this.

The two of us walked through the back gate, met by the warming smell of a BBQ being stood over by seven guys with beers in their hands and tips of how to cook the perfect burger slipping from their lips like oil dribbling from an overfilled tank. Pippa ran over to me and tackled me into a hug, claiming that the house was far too quiet without me before stopping dead and eyeing Iain with big brown eyes that analysed him like a germ under a microscope. ‘Um, Pippa, this is my friend Iain from work. Iain, this is one of my best friends Pippa.’ I introduced quietly, a shaking hand motioning between the two of them.

‘Sweet. I hope you’re looking after our little Kiwi,’ Pippa threatened. Iain stayed calm and smooth though, as he promised that he was taking very good care of me and making sure I was eating my greens and going to bed on time. Pippa chuckled along with me at his way of putting things as relief washed through me. The lie was working like a treat. ‘Oh, come with me and meet Holly. She looks so much like Zee, she has his eyes and his smile, it’s the sweetest thing.’ I looked back at Iain who gave me a reassuring smile as he traipsed on behind me as I was dragged away to meet the little blonde toddler sat on Jimmy’s knee talking away like it was going out of fashion.

Pippa was right. Holly’s eyes were the purest of greens, sparkling in the sunshine as she twirled a blonde plait round and round her delicately tanned fingers. When she smiled up at me, it resembled Zacky’s so badly that I felt a tug on my heart. A blonde woman with greenie brown eyes jumped up suddenly, extending a long hand out towards me. ‘You must be the infamous Keeley I’ve heard so much about. I’m Elena, Holly’s mom.’ The woman’s shrill voice sounded as if it belonged on a porno rather than to a mother of a child that had to be around five years old. ‘Zacky hasn’t shut up about you since last night, I had to shove one of those blueberry muffins in his mouth to quieten him,’ she laughed as I tried to laugh along.

It seemed like she was trying to make me jealous that she was with Zacky and I wasn’t. oh well, I have a cute Scottish guy wrapped around my little finger, why would I want some lying, playboy, egotistical… utterly gorgeous, mouth watering – SHUT UP MIND! ‘Well, I feel loved now. Holly is just beautiful, she looks so much like her daddy,’ I said conversationally, smiling dotingly at the little girl sat with Pippa and Brian now as Jimmy went off to get another beer. Elena nodded her head, saying that she missed having an extra hand around with her and telling me how much of a wonderful father Zacky was.

‘I just can’t believe I found him again – and when he was single. That’s just a stroke of luck, don’t yah think?’ Elena was babbling on but I wasn’t listening in the slightest, unlike Iain who seemed to be entranced by the conversation though his hand resting on the small of my back was drawing miniature circles across my skin slowly, his rough finger tips brushing my flesh and trying to distract me as I tried to concentrate. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to hold back the pleasure warmth that blossomed around the area where Iain’s fingers were touching my bare skin.

Am I crushing on my uncle’s colleague?