Ashleigh nodded and glanced over his shoulder at the pretty, dreamy scape of Brighton. That day when Olivier had coaxed her into the freezing water and they’d laughed and both shown each other the things they found beautiful. He made her light up. The light was hers – that was something she’d realised this Christmas too – but he helped her to locate the switch. ‘I think I’ve missed my chance though.’ She leaned her head against Romesh’s shoulder.
‘You don’t know that. You’ve never really taken him by the lapels and demanded answers have you? You keep waiting for him to declare himself and I’ve got to tell you, wonderful as Olivier is, he’s not the most assertive of characters is he? I mean if you want some alpha-hole who is going to beat his chest and stalk you and order your meals for you when you go out to restaurants, well that’s fine, but that’s not our Oli, is it? And he’s who you want so, maybe you should go gethim. Don’t keep waiting for him to come to you.’
‘You sound like Nan.’
‘I’ll take it. Christine is wise and wonderful.’
‘What am I supposed to do though? Go to Paris? Surprise him at his restaurant like that scene inLove Actually?’
‘I mean, I was just going to say call him, but you know what? Why not? Do it!’
Ashleigh’s heart started beating fast in her chest. She imagined just turning up and finding him in the kitchen, all flushed from the heat and his beautiful eyes full of surprise as she told him she wanted to give things a try. It wasn’t hard to imagine that he’d smile. Ninety per cent of the time he smiled. And if he didn’t want to because she’d been so cold and hadn’t even said a proper goodbye to him well…he was too nice a person to publicly humiliate her. She nodded. ‘Okay.’
‘Okay?’ Romesh’s voice rose in surprise.
‘Yes. I’m going to do it. It’s a two-way street isn’t it? I’ll go visit him. After Christmas. I’ll risk making a massive tit of myself and if he says no, well, I’ll be in Paris. I can go look at all the fashion boutiques and stuff.’
‘That’s my girl.’ He sighed. ‘Will you be my girl now though? If this works out like it does in the movies, you’ll end uphisgirl.’
‘Romesh, I’ll always be your girl.’ She kissed his cheek and he hugged her tighter.
