You Had Me at Halo (13 page)

“Ewh,” Gemma squealed from down the other end of the phone. “No offence, Vince.”

Please, just pretend I’m not here,
he assured her in a mild voice.

“Anyway
,
” Holly continued. “If her supervisor hadn’t come in then I can’t even bear to think about what would’ve happened.”

“Gross.” Gemma sounded like she was shuddering. “Now what about Todd? Have you managed to...well...you know...”

“Tell him that I’m back from the dead and living in Vince’s body?” Holly finished off before shaking her head. “No, it’s harder than I imagined. He’s still really cut up. You should’ve seen how strangely he was acting.”

Vince made a snorting noise and Holly rolled her eyes before saying, “That wasn’t me by the way.” Then she filled Gemma in on the less than satisfactory meeting they’d just had. When she thought about it, it seemed they’d had a very busy morning not achieving much at all.

“You know,” Gemma said after Holly had finished. “I think the only way to convince him is if you have a lot of proof with you. So that there’s no way he can dispute it.”

“Like what? A note from Dr. Hill explaining about my two-day pass from heaven?”

“No,” Gemma retorted. “I mean things that only you would know about. What if you showed him the pearls he gave you for your birthday, and maybe even a copy of that mixed CD he burned for you? I know you hated it, but he thinks you loved it. He’d know it was really you because no one else would have a mixed CD with such crap music on it.”

“That’s not a bad idea.” Holly nodded her head in agreement. “It wouldn’t take us long to swing via my old apartment and grab what we needed. Then at least I’ll know something’s gone right in this day from hell.”

“I hate to remind you, but while your roommates might be okay with Holly Evans, recently deceased, going back to her old apartment to pick up these things, I’m not so sure they would be as welcoming if I turned up on the doorstep,” Vince suddenly said out loud.

“You’re right.” She groaned. How could she keep forgetting? Then she brightened up. “But they wouldn’t think it was weird if my best friend turned up.”

Gemma coughed and sounded fidgety. “The thing is I’ve got this project my boss wants me to work on. It’s a bit difficult to get out off.”

Holly tried to hide her disappointment. “Well, I guess we can try and figure some reason for Vince needing to visit.”

“There’s something else.” Gemma’s voice sounded faint from down the other end of the phone.

“What?”

“I’m sorry, Holly. I hate to break this to you but your stepmother went around to your apartment on Thursday to collect your stuff. Which means the only way for you to get what you need is to go back to your old house and ask her for it.”

Holly clutched at the cell phone. Could today
possibly
get any worse? Surely Dr. Hill was having some sort of laugh here. Perhaps this was the heavenly version of
Candid Camera?
Because if forced to list her absolute worst scenario then this would be it. Okay, so that was a lie, since the idea of being stuck in a guy’s body back on earth, was probably worse. But this was definitely a close second.

“Are you sure you can’t do it?”
Holly double-checked, but her friend let out a miserable sigh.

“You know I would if I possibly could.”

“Perhaps we don’t need to go at all?” Vince suggested but Holly shook her head and tried not to sound glum.

“Gemma’s right. You saw what Todd was like. It’s going to be hard enough to convince him even when I do have proof. Without them I won’t stand a chance. Not that I blame him of course, since this whole situation is quite ridiculous. We just have to figure something out.”

“Oh,” Gemma squeaked. “Why don’t you clear your desk and take everything around with you?”

“Hey, that’s a good idea. Though incidentally why
is
all my stuff still there? When I snuck in last night my password had been changed, but my desk hadn’t been touched.”

“That’s my fault. I thought Todd was going to do it last week, but then he got caught up in some big quote he’s doing for the hospital...and of course your funeral and everything, so I told personnel I’d do it today.”

“Well, we can go and do it now,” Holly clutched at the phone. “And then take it around at lunchtime...if that’s okay with Vince...”

“I guess that would work,” Vince said grudgingly. “But we’d better get moving and clear your desk because Bob will be back from his management meeting in about fifteen minutes and if I’m not here making those phone calls, he’ll probably have my balls.”

Not something Holly was eager to experience so she said goodbye to Gemma and jumped to her feet. There was no time to lose.

xxx

So won’t people think it’s a bit strange that a technician is clearing up your desk?
Vince asked several minutes later as they started to pack away the small picture frames that had been sitting next to her computer.

Holly glanced around and realized he was right. No one seemed at all interested in what was happening.
Perhaps it was because he was on the technical side? But even still, it wasn’t like he was invisible, and he looked quite cute in the blue shirt she had convinced him to wear. The more obvious answer was that it wasn’t exactly the friendliest department she had worked in.

I guess
I’ve only been in this new job for a month. They probably only know me as the girl who killed herself.
Holly sighed as she picked up a flyer that was sitting on top of her keyboard. It was the same as the posters that were everywhere, but in a bite-sized version. She screwed it up and put it in the wastepaper basket. She wouldn’t be needing that where she was going.

They were probably just too busy reading all of these notes. What are these things?
Vince held up a pile of Holly’s neatly written training notes.

Oh, they’re nothing much. Just a few pointers to help jog my memory when I’m working on a key forecast.

Jog?
Vince glanced over at another pile of them.
I’m surprised they didn’t bury you.

Holly stared at them. She guessed there were quite a few. She’d never really noticed them before.
It’s just because I was new to the team, I wanted to try and learn everything as quickly as possible. There’s nothing wrong with working hard.

Vince held up his hands.
I never said there was.

Well, good.
She quickly put her
The Rich and the Restless
mouse pad into the box. Gemma never understood why Holly set her TiVo for it every afternoon, but some reason she found it relaxing. She had a stressful job. It was allowed, okay?

So why did you move?
Vince asked as he held up a coffee cup to see what she wanted to do it with it. Holly nodded and he added it to the box.

What?

Why did you take the promotion?

Because I got it.
She shrugged before realizing that sounded a bit lame.
And it was good for my career.

Vince didn’t answer and they finished clearing the desk in silence. Besides, Holly hardly needed Vince Murphy’s approval of her career path. She wasn’t embarrassed that she was ambitious and wanted to get ahead, and the fact she was dead by twenty-two was a complete co-incidence.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

I’ve changed my mind, I really don’t think this is a good idea,
Holly muttered an hour later as Vince made his way down the corridor in long even strides, clutching at the box of belongings.
Perhaps she won’t be at home? Or perhaps we should wait until Gemma can do it, or—

Or perhaps we can just get on with it?
Vince suggested in his mild voice.
You said the need these things to help convince Todd of who you are, so that’s what we need to do.

Technically she knew Vince was right, but while he had made numerous phone calls and answered a mountain of emails (had Amy Jenkins really sent him four? Honestly, the girl didn’t know when to take no for an answer, did she?), Holly had become less and less keen on the idea of going home. In fact since they had become so good at sneaking around she had even contemplated waiting until her stepmother was out and convincing Vince to help her break-in. Somehow she didn’t think he would go for that one. She was starting to get the feeling he was quite honest and upstanding—qualities that she normally admired, but right now they were proving to be a bit problematic.

Then she narrowed her eyes. Why was he playing devil’s advocate, anyway?
Since when do you care about my plans to talk to Todd?

Trust me it’s not something I’m looking forward to,
he assured her.
But from what you said about Level One, you were having a pretty tough time up there, what with not being able to see your parents or anything. That really sucks. So if doing this stuff helps make it easier for you, well then I’ve got your back.

Holly sniffed. She hadn’t meant to tell Vince what it had been like up in heaven, but somehow it had just slipped out. Of course if she had known he was going to use it against her, she might have taken greater care to not be suckered in by his laid-back I’m-so-understanding-and-easy-to-talk-to attitude.

Besides, the quicker we do it, the less painful it will be. Like pulling off a plaster,
Vince added.

I suppose so,
Holly reluctantly agreed as they walked up the stairs to the main reception area. It was almost lunchtime and the place was bustling with workers eager to get out into the warm July sunshine. Holly felt an unexplainable urge to join them. Which was stupid since when she was alive, she’d normally stayed at her desk to get through her work. Then she realized it was probably just because she was famished. Having to power six foot of maleness was certainly hungry work.

She wondered what Vince’s thoughts were on sushi. He didn’t really look like a sushi person, but she was starting to realize there was more to Vince Murphy than met the eye. Besides, this might be her last chance to eat it.

She was so caught up in trying to decide between Californian rolls or sashimi that she almost jumped in shock when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

“Hey, Vince. You were miles away.”

Holly groaned as they turned around to see the tall figure of Andrew standing in front of them. You know, all Holly wanted to do was find out how she died, speak to her almost fiancé and get back to heaven and try and bluff her way into Level Three to see her dad. But if the road to hell was paved with good intentions, then it seemed the one to heaven was positively covered with really annoying interruptions.

“Oh, hey.” Vince nodded his head. “What’s up?”

What are you doing?
Holly queried.
I thought we were going for the plaster approach?

We are. That’s why, if you stop interrupting me, I can tell him that we’re in a hurry.

Sorry,
she reluctantly apologized as Andrew grinned at them.

“I just wanted to say thanks for trying to talk some sense into the sales department before.”

“That’s okay,” Vince said. “Sorry I wasn’t much help. The worst thing is that we’ll probably spend the next six months fixing the damn things because they don’t work properly.”

“Yeah, it’s a bitch isn’t it?” Andrew agreed. “Anyway, I didn’t get a chance to tell you before, but it’s Graham’s birthday so we’re all going next door to Bar One for a drink after work. I though with the funeral yesterday, you might want to join us. Also, there was something else that I—”

“Love to,” Holly spoke before Vince got the chance. “I’ll see you there then. Anyway, I’d better go. Bye.”

What did you do that for?
Vince demanded once Andrew had given them a surprised look before making his way back toward the staircase.

Because I want to get this over and done with as quickly as possible and Andrew there seemed like he was settling in for the day. It seemed easier to say yes than to take the time to explain why we can’t do it
, Holly informed him.

I never give them a reason and I never say yes.
Vince shook his head.
I don’t socialize with anyone from work. That’s why he looked so surprised.

Oh.
Holly paused to consider this for a moment.
I didn’t know that
. Besides, that wasn’t entirely true. He had asked her out when she had first started at the company last year. Not that she’d said yes, since apart from having her eye on Todd at the time, she had no desire to become reacquainted with Vince. Of course now she knew he wasn’t so bad...nice even...but still, it just proved that he wasn’t diametrically opposed to going out with people from work. So really, she was doing him a favor by trying to improve his social life. Not that they would have time to go, but that was beside the point.