You Had Me at Halo

stop around the corner from The Pool Palace.

“Sorry. I thought you heard me call out.” Holly apologized as Gemma quickly shoved her BlackBerry back in her purse. “Are you okay?”

“Of course I’m okay.” Gemma flushed as she glanced around and awkwardly fiddled with her hands. “Why wouldn’t I be? I just didn’t hear you arriving—that’s all.”

Holly narrowed her eyes. This wasn’t the first time Gemma had acted strangely around her today and she felt a small knot of disappointment form in her belly as she wondered if Andrew had been right about her friend?

Perhaps she didn’t want to mix with a technician? Holly hadn’t said anything earlier because she didn’t want to offend Vince, but he wasn’t here now.

“Are you embarrassed to be seen talking to Vince?”

“What?” Gemma squeaked as she clutched at her purse. “Holly, that’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?” Holly folded her arms. “This morning we saw you on the third floor running away from us, and then later on when we went up to your desk and you were acting all weird. Plus, you’ve been jumpy and fidgety all day.”

“No, I haven’t.” Holly glared at her. “Gemma, what the hell is going on?”

Her friend let out a long sigh before pulling a flyer out of her purse. She thrust it into Holly’s hand.

“What the—” Holly knitted her brows together as she studied the suicide help line brochure. Then she turned back to her friend. “Why are you showing me this? I’ve been pulling these things down all day.”

“I know and as fast as you’ve been pulling them down, I’ve been putting them up,” Gemma said in a miserable voice.

“That was you?”

“Holly, it’s not my fault. It’s just that after a certain incident, my boss thought we should…well…look into the matter more closely. Perhaps offer support for other staff members in case they are in a similar situation.”

“What, in case they were slipped some pills just before hopping into a fatal bath?”

“No! Of course that’s not what I mean.” Gemma wailed. “Look, you know what it’s like there. If they give you something to do, you just have to do it. I know one hundred percent that you didn’t commit suicide, and the sooner we find out how those pills got into your system, the sooner we can prove to everyone at Baker Colwell that you were tragically taken from us all before you reached the prime of your life.”

Holly sniffed. “I was, wasn’t I?”

“Yes.” Gemma nodded frantically. “Yes, you were, and we’re going to find out how. No matter what it takes, and then we’re going to say ‘I told you so’ to anyone who thought otherwise.”

Holly gave another little sniff. Gemma always knew how to make her feel better.

“So are we okay?” Gemma peered from under her lashes, her voice laced with concern.

“Yes.” Holly gave her friend a sheepish smile. “We’re cool. To be honest I’m sort of pleased that’s the reason you’ve been acting so funny.”

“What do you mean?” Gemma pushed the flyer back in her purse and widened her eyes.

“I thought it was because you didn’t want to be seen talking to Vince. I thought maybe you were embarrassed.”

“That’s ridiculous. Of course I like Vince. A lot,” she added in a loud, clear voice.

“It’s all right, Gem. He’s not here.”

“What? But I thought—”

“It’s a long story,” Holly said as she explained her impromptu visit by Dr. Hill. “But he should be back sometime in the next few hours.”

“Oh.” Gemma looked relieved. “After everything he’s done for you, I didn’t want to offend him…so is he going to be all right?”

Holly nodded. “Dr. Hill said there wouldn’t be any side effects.”

“You know I think it’s so sweet that he let himself be knocked out like that so you could have your test. I didn’t realize he was so nice. Or so funny.”

Holly shot her friend a startled glance. “Don’t tell me you fancy me…I mean Vince?”

“Please.” Gemma looked hurt. “That would just be weird on way too many levels. Anyway, I’m going on a date with Simon Trimmer.”

“Sorry.” Holly flushed as a jolt of relief ran through her. For some reason she didn’t like the idea of Gemma having a crush on Vince.

Her friend look at her strangely. “I just meant Vince is a nice guy. That’s all.”

“You’re right. He is nice. Not to mention clever and kind-hearted, and I don’t like to boast”—Holly lifted up her shirt and tapped Vince’s rock-hard stomach—“but there’s nothing wrong with his body, either.”

Gemma made a choking noise. “Holly…don’t tell me you have a thing for Vince?”

“What?” Holly spluttered. “That’s ridiculous. Of course I don’t. How can you even say that when I’m about to see Todd? Remember him, my almost fiance?” There was no need to mention the two embarrassing bedroom incidents, since clearly they were only the result of now knowing how to handle all of that testosterone. Boy, it was dangerous stuff when in inexperienced hands.

“I know that; I’m just saying…oh never mind. Anyway, we should probably get going. I don’t want to be late for my date, and I doubt you want to miss Todd.”

Absolutely not, Holly shook her head. It was all about Todd. Todd, Todd, Todd. As for Gemma’s ridiculous idea…well her friend was just confusing admiration and friendship with something else. Again—it was all about Todd.

“Okay.” Holly turned the corner toward the understated entrance of the Pool Palace. “Now let’s go over the plan one more time.”

“Sure,” Gemma agreed. “That would be a great idea except there is no plan, which means we’re going to have to wing it.”

Holly stopped and groaned.

Wing it?

She needed this to work. After all, this was the guy that up until two weeks ago, she was going to marry.

It was going to be a beautiful wedding too. Todd’s nephew, little James, would be old enough to be the ring bearer by then and Holly’s dress was going to be the most ravishing thing this side of…well anywhere.

It was going to be perfect.

The sun would be shining, the birds would be singing. Most importantly of all, she wouldn’t be dead.

But now that dream was gone and in its place was nothing but a horrible future in horrible heaven, possibly with no memory of any of this. The only way she was going to get a chance to talk to the love of her life was to… wing it.

Gemma glanced around to check the coast was clear before reaching over and squeezing Holly’s hand. “It’s going to be okay you know. Trust me.”

“You’re right.” Holly felt a positive surge of energy soar through her. “It’s going to be fine.”

* * *

Everything about the Pool Palace was upmarket and sophisticated, from the tournament-size pool tables to the cutting-edge brown leather couches and discreet lighting.

Also, owing to the fact it was right next to The Fix, Holly and Gemma had spent quite a bit of their time there in the past. But tonight Holly felt completely out of place and she could suddenly see why Vince wasn’t a fan. All around her were young and fabulous things with lots of designer clothes and trust funds. Why hadn’t she ever noticed that before?

Not that Holly had tremendous wealth growing up and any designer clothes she had came from discount outlets, but she had been exposed to this environment from a young age. And she’d taken it for granted.

She watched Gemma saunter over to where Simon and Todd were sitting. Her heart did a little flip-flop. Todd looked gorgeous in a navy polo shirt and a pair of beige trousers and she longed to give him a kiss and snake her arms around his waist, but instead she was forced to slip into an empty booth just near the door.