Emmerdale : Bleeding Love (Ross Barton/OFC fanfic)

That Time When... Chrissie Tried To Play Blind Date

It was just after nine-thirty that morning but Lawrence was already hard at work behind his desk, tapping away on his laptop, stopping every now and then to check his phone; when Ollie, dressed in her riding gear, hair in a high ponytail, entered the Home Farm office from the hallway.

"Lawrence, would you have a word with your daughter?" she asked him. She grabbed the keys to the stables from their hook beside the file cabinet.

It had been four days since the sisters last disagreement and Lawrence was pleased - although relieved would better describe how he felt - that things had remained relatively calm between them since. But it seemed that wasn't to be the case for much longer.

"What's she done now?" he asked in that knowing tone.

"She's trying to set me up with some random guy she knows for the wedding," Ollie replied. She sounded pained by the very thought and it made Lawrence chuckle.

"Why does that not surprise me? You know how fond she is of interfering, Olivia."

"I told her I don't need a plus one as I'm perfectly capable of attending a wedding alone."

"Yes, and I told you how very Bridget Jones that was." Chrissie came into the office with a few files in her hands. "My little sister is way too gorgeous to be pulling a Miss. Jones at my wedding."

Lawrence heard the frustration in his step-daughter's sigh and swiftly closed the lid on his laptop. "I think I'll leave you ladies to discuss this between yourselves," he said. "Try to keep the fighting to a bare minimum. Please." Then he picked up his phone and exited the office, disappearing across the hall to continue his work. In peace.

"Ollie, the wedding is in less than four days and you still don't have a date," stated Chrissie.

"Who says I even need one? It's the 21st century and I'm an independent woman," she replied. She showered her sister with a sassy smile and headed for the back door, ponytail swinging from side-to-side, indicating that the conversation was over.

But she should have known better.

"Please, Ollie. Just give him a chance," said Chrissie. She set the files down on her desk. It was scattered with paperwork, all of which was taking second place to her worries over the wedding and her sister. "I'm sure you'll like him. He's a Public Relations Consultant. Completely gorgeous. Tall, blond hair, blue eyes - "

"Sounds more your type than mine."

"You are funny." Chrissie gave her sister a faint smile. "Anyway, his name's Hugo and - "

"I can find my own date, and should I happen to bring one, rest assured he won't be called Hugo," Ollie said, pulling a face.

"He's perfect for you," Chrissie added.

"I don't care how perfect you think he is. I will not be attending your wedding with anyone called Hugo," she said, and finished with an affirming nod.

Chrissie rolled her eyes. "Fine," she sighed. "As long as you won't be attending with anyone called Ross."

"Why in the world would Ross want to celebrate your wedding after the way you treated him?"

Chrissie planted her hand on her hip. "Oh, please. Like he gives a damn. He'd probably jump at the chance to get one over on me," she said. Especially after she'd told him that Ollie had left at Christmas to be with Mark. Although her sister wasn't aware of that.

"Ross is a lot of things, and I have no doubt that he can be petty, but he's not that petty. Besides, and I really can't stress this enough, we are just friends."