back and smacked him. He grabbed her hand,
swung her around and kissed her soundly. He was a fast mover, she’d
give him that. Mrs Lawson glanced around to find Cindy standing
there with a big grin on her face and her cheeks flushed, while Tim
managed to look innocent and was straightening his shirt. When Mrs
Lawson looked away, Tim leered at Cindy.
The by-pass
between them was so loving and teasing, so genuinely fun, that it
tugged a little at Belle’s heartstrings. To find a love like Cindy
and Tim had, like Mr and Mrs Lawson, like her own parents, it
seemed something she’d only ever view from afar.
In the dining
room everyone sat down and by some design, however intentional or
innocent, the only vacant chair for Marty was that opposite
Belle’s. Tim and Cindy sat opposite each other, while Mr and Mrs
Lawson sat at either end of the table.
It was already
set with platters of sandwiches and several jugs of chilled orange
juice. Within seconds the platters were being passed around and Mrs
Lawson was pouring the glasses of orange juice and handing them to
everyone.
For several
minutes there was general chit chat and catching up between the
family members and Belle was content to let the conversation drift
over her head. She only looked up when Marty entered and sat
opposite her, looking every inch the neat, relaxed, business man
and far removed from his tousled state. His shirt was clean and
tidy, his hair combed, and every button done up except for the top
two. A tie hung loosely around his neck.
She rather
preferred him in the torn shirt with that rebellious nipple
piercing, but it wasn’t as though she had any say in the matter.
Besides, she had other things on her mind, namely making
excuses.
Picking up a
sandwich, Marty starting eating but his gaze stayed on her and
finally she had to meet it.
“So, how are
you feeling?” he queried quietly.
Since everyone
else was still chattering, she felt safe in replying just as
quietly, “Good, thank you. It was kind of you to see me home.” She
blushed a little under his regard. “Thank you for everything.”
“No worries.”
His smile was easy.
So easy, in
fact, that it shouldn’t have made her heart stutter and skip a
beat. Clearing her throat, she took a sip of orange juice.
“Marty.” Mr
Lawson turned his attention to his son.
“Dad.” Marty
gave Belle one last long look before switching his regard to Mr
Lawson.
“How did the
meeting go this morning?”
“Very good. The
Olsen’s have agreed to our price and the paperwork is being sorted
out as we speak.”
“Excellent.” Mr
Lawson practically beamed. “When’s the signing?”
“Thursday.”
Mr Lawson
rubbed his hands and beamed. “Ah, the sweet taste of victory!”
“And another
one bites the dust.” Tim raised his glass. “To victory!”
Belle half
expected him to be admonished by Mrs Lawson, who was shaking her
head reprovingly, but then she broke into a wide smile and raised
her own glass, giving out a very unlady-like “Whoo hoo!”
Cindy laughed
at Belle’s expression. “Don’t let Mum’s innocent demeanour fool
you. She’s a shark in a guppy tank.”
“Really, dear,
that’s not a nice comparison.” Mrs Lawson winked and the sudden
similarity between her and her son’s wicked humour was clear to
see. “True, but not nice. I prefer to think of myself as a pussycat
in a cage of mice. A much nicer comparison.”
“Oh yeah,” Tim
agreed. “A pussycat it is.”
“Thank you,
dear.” Laughing, Mrs Lawson patted his hand.
“I guess you’re
going to take a holiday now?” Cindy asked Marty.
“What for?”
“You haven’t
had a break in over a year.”
“You noticed?
I’m touched.”
“We know you
are, we’re just too kind to point it out to you.”
“You’re
supposed to sharpen your claws on Tim now.”
“Yeah, but I
find it so entertaining when she does it on you instead,” Tim
said.
“Want to go
back into the lounge room for round two?” Marty
swung her around and kissed her soundly. He was a fast mover, she’d
give him that. Mrs Lawson glanced around to find Cindy standing
there with a big grin on her face and her cheeks flushed, while Tim
managed to look innocent and was straightening his shirt. When Mrs
Lawson looked away, Tim leered at Cindy.
The by-pass
between them was so loving and teasing, so genuinely fun, that it
tugged a little at Belle’s heartstrings. To find a love like Cindy
and Tim had, like Mr and Mrs Lawson, like her own parents, it
seemed something she’d only ever view from afar.
In the dining
room everyone sat down and by some design, however intentional or
innocent, the only vacant chair for Marty was that opposite
Belle’s. Tim and Cindy sat opposite each other, while Mr and Mrs
Lawson sat at either end of the table.
It was already
set with platters of sandwiches and several jugs of chilled orange
juice. Within seconds the platters were being passed around and Mrs
Lawson was pouring the glasses of orange juice and handing them to
everyone.
For several
minutes there was general chit chat and catching up between the
family members and Belle was content to let the conversation drift
over her head. She only looked up when Marty entered and sat
opposite her, looking every inch the neat, relaxed, business man
and far removed from his tousled state. His shirt was clean and
tidy, his hair combed, and every button done up except for the top
two. A tie hung loosely around his neck.
She rather
preferred him in the torn shirt with that rebellious nipple
piercing, but it wasn’t as though she had any say in the matter.
Besides, she had other things on her mind, namely making
excuses.
Picking up a
sandwich, Marty starting eating but his gaze stayed on her and
finally she had to meet it.
“So, how are
you feeling?” he queried quietly.
Since everyone
else was still chattering, she felt safe in replying just as
quietly, “Good, thank you. It was kind of you to see me home.” She
blushed a little under his regard. “Thank you for everything.”
“No worries.”
His smile was easy.
So easy, in
fact, that it shouldn’t have made her heart stutter and skip a
beat. Clearing her throat, she took a sip of orange juice.
“Marty.” Mr
Lawson turned his attention to his son.
“Dad.” Marty
gave Belle one last long look before switching his regard to Mr
Lawson.
“How did the
meeting go this morning?”
“Very good. The
Olsen’s have agreed to our price and the paperwork is being sorted
out as we speak.”
“Excellent.” Mr
Lawson practically beamed. “When’s the signing?”
“Thursday.”
Mr Lawson
rubbed his hands and beamed. “Ah, the sweet taste of victory!”
“And another
one bites the dust.” Tim raised his glass. “To victory!”
Belle half
expected him to be admonished by Mrs Lawson, who was shaking her
head reprovingly, but then she broke into a wide smile and raised
her own glass, giving out a very unlady-like “Whoo hoo!”
Cindy laughed
at Belle’s expression. “Don’t let Mum’s innocent demeanour fool
you. She’s a shark in a guppy tank.”
“Really, dear,
that’s not a nice comparison.” Mrs Lawson winked and the sudden
similarity between her and her son’s wicked humour was clear to
see. “True, but not nice. I prefer to think of myself as a pussycat
in a cage of mice. A much nicer comparison.”
“Oh yeah,” Tim
agreed. “A pussycat it is.”
“Thank you,
dear.” Laughing, Mrs Lawson patted his hand.
“I guess you’re
going to take a holiday now?” Cindy asked Marty.
“What for?”
“You haven’t
had a break in over a year.”
“You noticed?
I’m touched.”
“We know you
are, we’re just too kind to point it out to you.”
“You’re
supposed to sharpen your claws on Tim now.”
“Yeah, but I
find it so entertaining when she does it on you instead,” Tim
said.
“Want to go
back into the lounge room for round two?” Marty
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