Free Summer Nights at the Moonlight Hotel by Jane Costello Page B

he responds, he’s clearly mildly rattled.
    I shrug. ‘On the grounds that she wanted to pickle your spleen in aspic this time last week. And I believe she wasn’t the only one.’
    He lets go of my hands and looks at me. It makes me uncomfortable. ‘I’m quite the villain, aren’t I?’
    ‘People are just worried about what you’re doing to that hotel – you know, that beautiful, historic building which has been part of the very fabric of Lakeland for centuries
upon centuries.’
    ‘Since 1895 actually.’
    ‘And their jobs – the hundreds of people this is affecting.’
    ‘Twenty-three members of staff. None of whom have lost their jobs.’
    ‘
For now
,’ I add pointedly.
    His jaw twitches, before he is forced to concede: ‘For now.’ Then he draws a long breath. ‘Well, I can live with being the bad guy. They get all the best lines
anyway.’
    I am about to respond with a stinging, quick-fire riposte, but Marion starts clapping and I’m just left to slink back, sizzling with dislike for him.
    ‘I think it’s definitely time we moved a few of you beginners up to the improvers’ class,’ she announces. ‘Joe and Lauren – I’m fairly sure you two are
ready for some of the more advanced turns. Can you come and help us do a little demo of some back steps and crossover?’
    We exchange the kind of look you see before pistols are drawn. Then he reaches for my hand, as my heart flutters resentfully.
    I tell myself to just blur my eyes, pretend I don’t want to run a million miles away, and concentrate on what my feet are doing while Lulu counts our steps. ‘One two three, tap, five
six seven, back steps and open!’ I’m making a half-decent job of it too, when the door flies open and I look up and catch the briefest glimpse of someone wearing a tailored jacket.
    He disappears behind a pillar as I strain to get a look, my stomach lurching as I realise that I recognise the jacket. HE’S COME! Edwin’s here and all is right with the world
again!
    The problem with happiness flooding your body is that it has a terrible effect on your co-ordination. My legs start to wobble, and I don’t mean in a way that’s good or sexy or cute.
And instead of completing a fairly basic turn I absolutely know is within my capabilities, this time it’s as if someone’s trying to practise tying a slip knot in my ankles. Despite my
best efforts to steady myself, I end up with my face momentarily stuck to Joe’s T-shirt, quietly dying at the thought that Edwin might have witnessed this. Joe pushes me away, his lips
twisted in amusement, as Marion thrusts her hands on her hips.
    ‘I’m sure that’s not
really
the best you can do, Lauren,’ she says.
    ‘Just . . . lost my concentration,’ I mumble, wondering when and how I signed up to being critiqued, particularly when Edwin is here to witness it.
    I look up again, my cheeks sizzling – and realise with a crunch of disappointment that it’s actually Frank, the ex-theology lecturer, mid-way through battling with his combover,
which couldn’t be more of a contrast with Edwin’s gorgeous hair.
    ‘OK.’ Marion purses her lips. ‘We’ll move you up to improvers’ anyway, I think.’
    Having been initially concerned that I wasn’t ready to move up, this vote of confidence lifts my mood. ‘You really think I’m improving?’
    Marion looks at me doubtfully. ‘No, love. We’ve just run out of space in the beginners’ group.’
    It becomes evident that the leap from the beginners’ to the improvers’ group couldn’t be bigger if I dislocated both inner thighs making it. Which is an apt
analogy, in fact, because I almost do. Particularly compared with some of those in the class who are endowed with more natural ability than me. Two of the nurses especially are fantastic, as are
Andi and Joshua.
    Part of the problem is that I can’t stop looking at the door, willing Edwin to walk through it. And partly praying that he
doesn’t
, given that being