Page 60 of The Mad Marchams

“I’m glad Colin’s always had you in his corner.”

There was a lot more that Mabel wanted to say but she didn’t want Frizzy to know this was all news to her. Who on earth had the nerve to blame Colin for Eric’s death and whom could she discreetly ask about it without it getting back to Colin?

“And Bumpy. He knows what Eric did to me.” Frizzy half-turned back toward the door. “I just want Colin to be happy.”

“I promise that for as long as I’m around, I’ll do my best to make sure he is,” Mabel said and held Frizzy’s gaze. “I’d never want to hurt him.”

“Good.” Frizzy said. “Because he’s my friend and he deserves the best.” She headed toward the door. “Shall we go and join the boys?”

Later that night as they were going to bed, Colin replaced the top on his toothpaste and moved over so that Mabel could access the mirror. She had her hair in two high pigtails, wore fluffy green pajamas, and was busy putting extra cream under her eyes.

“What was Frizzy chatting to you about so intently?” Colin asked.

“You.” Mabel gently patted her skin with her fingertip.

“Don’t tell me, she’s leaving Bumpy and wants to be a viscountess?”

“Not quite.” Mabel did the other eye and put the tiny pot of cream away in the drawer.

“She offered to put you in touch with one of her father’s football players who would treat you like a queen?”

She raised her eyebrows. “You already do that.”

“But you could roll around naked in his money.”

“I’d much rather roll around naked with you.” She opened another tube and put something on her lips. “Money isn’t everything.”

“Can’t argue with that.” He came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and rested his chin on her shoulder. “What did she say about me?”

“That you’ve always been a good friend to her.”

“That’s easy to do.” Colin kissed her throat. “She’s a good person.”

“She said she went out with Eric.”

“She did.”

“And that he was horrible to her.”

Colin avoided her gaze in the mirror, moved away, and fussed around with his shaving gear. “Eric could be quite possessive. When Frizzy ended it, he took offense.”

“So, I heard.” Mabel washed and dried her hands and walked over to the bed. “Are you coming?”

He offered her a lascivious wink. “I’m planning on it.”

She rolled her eyes as she climbed into bed, and he was momentarily fixated on her glorious bum as the fabric of her pajamas stretched tight. He noticed her fingertips brush her laptop before she moved it over to her bedside table and plugged it in. There was something going on and he wasn’t sure how to ask her about it.

“Work still busy?” he asked casually as he joined her in the large bed.

“The work is fine. It’s the people who are giving me headaches.”

“How so?”

She sighed and he drew her down beside him and put his arm around her shoulders.

“Just… inter-team dynamics.”

“You mean Joss is acting up again?”