Love...Among The Stars: Book 4 in the Love...Series (Love Series) by Nick Spalding
Authors: Nick Spalding
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about this, do you think?' I hiss under my breath.
'Er... um... ah... '
Oh, for fuck's sake.
Craig, who may be a bull in a china shop 99% of the time, is still capable of tact and diplomacy when necessary. 'Never mind, Laura,' he says, putting one arm around my shoulder. 'I'm sure Jamie can do the speaking for the both of you, if you'd like him to.'
'I can?' my husband responds with a slight whine.
'Yes. Yes, you can Jamie.' I tell him firmly.
'Great!' Peter exclaims and rubs his hands together. 'Thank you very much.' He cranes his head over one shoulder, and looks over to where a contingent of small Oriental men are standing near the drinks table. One tiny woman is also with them, nursing a small glass of water and pretending to look interested in what’s going on. 'We've got some important folk here this evening. Mr Sakamura is here from Rokuko Holdings.'
Peter says this as if it's meant to mean anything to us.
'Who's that?' Jamie enquires, peering through the gloom.
'Rokuko have just bought a large stake in Watermill Publishing. Mr Sakamura is very excited by his investment. He's even brought his wife along tonight, which just goes to show how proud he is,' Peter explains. 'His money couldn't have come at a better time, what with the economic climate, and the whole ebook thing... ' he trails off, as if talking about it gives him physical pain.
'Ah, I see,' Jamie says with a nod. 'Then I'll try my best.'
'Thank you!' Peter responds, genuinely pleased. 'I'll introduce you to him after your speech.' He glances at his watch. 'Speaking of which, shall we get it over and done with so you can enjoy the rest of the evening?'
'Yes please!'
My husband is eager to get things under way. I, however, am not. You see, Jamie may have been volunteered to do the whole of the speech alone, but he is to public speaking what Pol Pot was to the Cambodian tourist trade. I am not looking forward to what comes next.
'If I could have everyone's attention!' Peter calls over the crowd, immediately ending the variety of hushed conversations that were going on in the room. 'Thank you. We're all delighted to be here tonight to celebrate the launch of the third book in the Love series. It's fantastic to have the writers Jamie and Laura Newman here this evening, and I think Jamie would like to say a few words to you all. Jamie?'
Peter moves aside as a small ripple of applause breaks out. Jamie moves forward, and for a moment I think I'm going to avoid embarrassment, but then he reaches out a hand for me to join him. I suppress a growl of discontent, and reluctantly go to stand next to him. I know the lights are low, but I still don't want to be in front of a crowd of onlookers as little miss banana face.
'Hello everyone,' Jamie begins, which is as good a start as any. 'Thanks for coming.' Also fine. 'We're delighted to be here this evening.' A lie, but only a white one. 'Even if I'm a little hungover and Laura has turned into a vampire.' Yep, there we go. Not three sentences in, and Jamie has screwed the pooch already.
There are a couple of uncertain titters from the crowd.
'It's lovely to be here, so we can thank you for coming to launch our book with us.' Okay, that's better again. Let's just hope the references to his drinking problems and my skin issues were just minor aberrations on the smooth path to a successful speech.
'They say you should always picture a crowd naked when you're talking to them,' he continues. 'If you're feeling nervous that is.' Jamie looks at me. 'To be honest with you though, Laura's about the only one here I'd like to see naked!'
Oh, fuck me.
Jamie has decided he's going to be funny. Disaster is imminent.
He points at the girl with the soft drinks. 'And maybe that girl over there, eh? Ha ha!'
Nobody is laughing, least of all the poor bitch Jamie has just singled out for his perverted attentions.
My husband realises that the crowd is not with him on this one, but instead of shutting up, he instead
'Er... um... ah... '
Oh, for fuck's sake.
Craig, who may be a bull in a china shop 99% of the time, is still capable of tact and diplomacy when necessary. 'Never mind, Laura,' he says, putting one arm around my shoulder. 'I'm sure Jamie can do the speaking for the both of you, if you'd like him to.'
'I can?' my husband responds with a slight whine.
'Yes. Yes, you can Jamie.' I tell him firmly.
'Great!' Peter exclaims and rubs his hands together. 'Thank you very much.' He cranes his head over one shoulder, and looks over to where a contingent of small Oriental men are standing near the drinks table. One tiny woman is also with them, nursing a small glass of water and pretending to look interested in what’s going on. 'We've got some important folk here this evening. Mr Sakamura is here from Rokuko Holdings.'
Peter says this as if it's meant to mean anything to us.
'Who's that?' Jamie enquires, peering through the gloom.
'Rokuko have just bought a large stake in Watermill Publishing. Mr Sakamura is very excited by his investment. He's even brought his wife along tonight, which just goes to show how proud he is,' Peter explains. 'His money couldn't have come at a better time, what with the economic climate, and the whole ebook thing... ' he trails off, as if talking about it gives him physical pain.
'Ah, I see,' Jamie says with a nod. 'Then I'll try my best.'
'Thank you!' Peter responds, genuinely pleased. 'I'll introduce you to him after your speech.' He glances at his watch. 'Speaking of which, shall we get it over and done with so you can enjoy the rest of the evening?'
'Yes please!'
My husband is eager to get things under way. I, however, am not. You see, Jamie may have been volunteered to do the whole of the speech alone, but he is to public speaking what Pol Pot was to the Cambodian tourist trade. I am not looking forward to what comes next.
'If I could have everyone's attention!' Peter calls over the crowd, immediately ending the variety of hushed conversations that were going on in the room. 'Thank you. We're all delighted to be here tonight to celebrate the launch of the third book in the Love series. It's fantastic to have the writers Jamie and Laura Newman here this evening, and I think Jamie would like to say a few words to you all. Jamie?'
Peter moves aside as a small ripple of applause breaks out. Jamie moves forward, and for a moment I think I'm going to avoid embarrassment, but then he reaches out a hand for me to join him. I suppress a growl of discontent, and reluctantly go to stand next to him. I know the lights are low, but I still don't want to be in front of a crowd of onlookers as little miss banana face.
'Hello everyone,' Jamie begins, which is as good a start as any. 'Thanks for coming.' Also fine. 'We're delighted to be here this evening.' A lie, but only a white one. 'Even if I'm a little hungover and Laura has turned into a vampire.' Yep, there we go. Not three sentences in, and Jamie has screwed the pooch already.
There are a couple of uncertain titters from the crowd.
'It's lovely to be here, so we can thank you for coming to launch our book with us.' Okay, that's better again. Let's just hope the references to his drinking problems and my skin issues were just minor aberrations on the smooth path to a successful speech.
'They say you should always picture a crowd naked when you're talking to them,' he continues. 'If you're feeling nervous that is.' Jamie looks at me. 'To be honest with you though, Laura's about the only one here I'd like to see naked!'
Oh, fuck me.
Jamie has decided he's going to be funny. Disaster is imminent.
He points at the girl with the soft drinks. 'And maybe that girl over there, eh? Ha ha!'
Nobody is laughing, least of all the poor bitch Jamie has just singled out for his perverted attentions.
My husband realises that the crowd is not with him on this one, but instead of shutting up, he instead
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