‘So…’ he said, running his hands nervously over his thighs. ‘You look good.’ His eyes swam over her face.
‘Thank you.’ Mirren’s voice began to falter as she spoke. ‘It seems I was wrong about… quite a few things.’
‘You and me both. Will you hear me out if I explain my side of things?’
Mirren nodded, anxious to hear more.
‘All these years I thought Wagstaff was to blame for hurting Gran’s career. That old guy’s dogged me for so long.’ Adrian shook his head, wondering at himself. ‘I think my anger made me curious about him, made me keep researching him when I should have listened to you and stopped. I was consumed with wanting to know who else he’d hurt and I spent Christmas obsessed with it, chasing him through the archives. I wanted to find out the truth for Jonathan and his mum, but a big part of me wanted to uncover all the other awful, selfish things he’d done. I think I wanted to confront him with all the evidence, but I didn’t really find anything. Before I knew it, I’d been at it for hours, I don’t know how long I spent scrolling through the microfilms. Eventually I realised you’d returned my phone and you’d been looking for me and left me all those messages. I was horrified to hear you say that Jonathan had run off, and that you suspected I was looking for a scoop. I abandoned the search and went home, trying to call you, but you wouldn’t answer.’
‘I remember. I was helping Kelsey hang her pictures,’ said Mirren.
‘After we spoke that night I knew I could only get you to trust me by giving you that memory stick, but the next morning I couldn’t find it anywhere, and I searched for days, honestly I did, and by then I’d started to realise how much I’d hurt you when I promised you I wouldn’t, and I knew you’d be beating yourself up all over again about what happened on Christmas Eve on your boat.’
‘Only a little. I managed to make it up with Mum a bit, and I had some new perspective on what happened at work, thanks to you, and I managed to put my guilt about Preston to bed – well, a bit – but I wasn’t eaten up with guilt like I was before. I was standing on my own two feet and taking better care of myself. I missed you, though, even when I was angry with you.’
‘I missed you too.’
‘Have you been overworking to compensate?’
‘I’ve been trying not to. I’ve been going to the theatre a lot with Mum, spending time with my brothers. Missing you. Kicking myself for hurting you.’
Mirren smiled. ‘Somebody very clever and kind – and handsome – told me that punishing yourself for making mistakes is kind of pointless.’
‘Hedoessound smart.’ Adrian tried to smile back.
‘Well then, you need to take that handsome devil’s advice, I think, and let go of all that.’ She reached her fingertips to his wrist and the touch of her skin seemed to ignite a fire behind his dark eyes.
‘But Mirren, that memory stick of pictures and stories that I was so obsessed with compiling? It never did turn up, and I swear I’ve no idea where it could be now.’ He cast his eyes down guiltily.
Mirren nodded. ‘Well, it would have turned up by now if someone had found it. I think we can forget about it.’ Seeing the weight of the world still on his shoulders, Mirren shifted closer. ‘Come here.’ She reached her arms around him in a hug.
‘I’ve missed you,’ he breathed out, gently holding her, not wanting to assume too much. ‘I wanted to call you every day, and every day I made myselfnotcall. That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but you told me once before not to chase after you and I didn’t listen then, so I was determined to respect your wishes and I just kept hoping you’d come back to me somehow.’
Mirren pulled away again, smiling. ‘Do you remember that night when we were out walking and you said you’d wait for me?’
‘I do.’
‘I don’t want you to wait for me.’
Adrian’s eyes rounded with sadness but she kept talking.
‘I’m done with waiting. What’s the point in waiting when you’ve met someone you really,reallylike?’ Mirren leaned in again, this time to kiss his cheek, and Adrian closed his eyes, sighing with relief.
Over in the inglenook Kelsey watched them and nudged Jonathan with a grin. ‘Those two are sorting things out then.’
‘Looks that way. I still owe them both an apology for getting mad. I’ll head over there once Mirren puts Adrian down.’ Jonathan laughed heartily, holding Kelsey’s hand and rubbing his thumb over hers.
‘Are we good?’ he said quietly.
‘Of course we are,’ Kelsey replied and for a moment they were all alone in the bubble again.
‘I’m so proud of you launching the gallery, and how you did it all on your own.’
‘I had your encouragement, and Mirren’s help, and my family were always there cheering me on, and of course, Norma started this whole thing.’
As though she knew she was being talked about, Norma caught Kelsey’s eye across the room and sent her a smiling wink with the knowing air of a fairy godmother.
Kelsey was still smiling when the bar door swung open and someone stepped inside loudly proclaiming about the chilly weather.
