She was sitting on the bed feeling thoroughly hacked off and deflated when there was a tentative knock. ‘Kate?’ Will called and knocked again.
‘Go away!’ she shouted.
‘Kate, please open the door.’
Sighing heavily, Kate got up, opened the door a chink and peered out at him warily.
‘Kate, I am so,sosorry,’ he said, seeming genuinely remorseful. ‘I don’t know what came over me.’ He held out a flower to her.
‘You had no cause to speak to me like that,’ she said.
‘I know, I know.’ He nodded helplessly. ‘There’s no excuse for it. I’m really sorry.’
‘But you called me?—’
‘Please don’t remind me.’ Will put up a hand to stop her. ‘I’m truly sorry.’ She took the flower.
‘Please don’t leave,’ he said, his eyes on the half-packed suitcase.
Kate followed his gaze to the mess on her bed. She was stalling for time, feeling she ought to make him work harder but knowing she was about to cave in. As she turned back to him, the world seemed to tilt on its axis and she felt as if the floor was rushing up to meet her. Staggering, she grabbed the door for support.
‘Kate! Are you okay?’ Will grasped her arms to steady her.
‘I just feel a bit… dizzy,’ she said faintly, clinging to him.
Without a word, Will sat her on the bed and pushed her head between her knees. ‘Better?’ he asked a moment later when shesat up. He was looking anxiously into her face. He’s really tired, she thought and nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
‘Did you take anything?’ he asked urgently.
‘No,’ Kate croaked. ‘I just had too much wine and hash cake.’ Tears were making her eyes smart and she bent her head again. She felt so ashamed that she couldn’t look him in the eye. He had been right to shout at her, she thought miserably. She was supposed to be helping, making his life easier, but she was just another blithering idiot he had to babysit.
‘I’ll get you a glass of water,’ he said, going into her bathroom.
When he was gone, Kate flopped back on the bed and closed her eyes. Suddenly realising how exhausted she was, she curled up, snuggling into the pillows. If she passed out, at least she wouldn’t have to face Will again.
When Will came back, he found Kate conked out on the bed, amid a jumble of clothes, her hair tumbling around her shoulders, her face flushed. He bent over her to listen to her breathing, which sounded reassuringly normal. He pulled a sheet over her and sank down into a chair beside the bed. He sat there for a long time listening to her breathe, watching the soft rise and fall of her chest, trying to come to terms with what he was feeling.
The minute he had seen Kate kissing Owen he had known that he wanted her for himself. He wanted her now. He wanted her with him always. He wanted to share everything with her. He wanted her in his home and he wanted her travelling with him. He wanted to make love to her and sleep with her and wake up with her in the morning. He didn’t think he’d ever wanted anything or anyone so much in his life. Somehow, somewhere, he had fallen in love with Kate. It was painful and bloody inconvenient – but he would get over it.
9
Kate woke the next morning with a bad case of drunkard’s remorse, cringing as flashbacks of last night’s drunken antics flooded back: her ridiculous striptease by the pool; her woeful thrashing of Owen’s guitar; worst of all, Will bursting in to catch her and Owen snogging. Except thatwasn’tthe worst part. She groaned aloud at the memory of almost passing out in Will’s arms. She remembered how tired he had looked, anxiously quizzing her about what she had taken – no doubt wondering if he’d have to round off his birthday by carting her off to hospital to have her stomach pumped. Dammit, why couldn’t she have been one of those people who just blacked out and remembered nothing the next day?
Eyeing her half-packed suitcase, the idea of a flit had never seemed more appealing. Still, it was too late now, she told herself. She couldn’t cower here for ever. She would just have to get up and brazen it out.
In the kitchen she found Maria humming softly to herself as she prepared lunch. Kate had forgotten about Maria and felt afresh stab of guilt as she remembered the state they’d left the place in last night.
‘Kate!’ Maria turned, smiling at her sympathetically. ‘You okay?’ She frowned. ‘Will say you no feel so good.’
‘Oh no, I’m fine, thanks.’ Kate blushed, feeling even worse as she looked around the gleaming kitchen. Poor Maria, it must have taken her hours to clear the place up. ‘I’m sorry, I slept it out. Let me do that.’
‘No, no,ees fine,’ Maria waved her away. ‘Will say you have day off. I cook. I make you breakfast – what you like?’ She smiled kindly.
‘Oh, just some toast.’ She didn’t want to be a bother, but she wished she could have the kitchen to herself to fry up the entire contents of the fridge – if there was any food left after last night.
Despite her protestations, Maria insisted that Kate sit down while she made her coffee and toast. As she watched the older woman bustle around, it occurred to her that maybe she had been replaced. Perhaps Will was waiting for her to surface so that he could give her her marching orders. She was eating her breakfast and wondering disconsolately if she should go upstairs and finish packing when the door swung open and he came in.
‘Oh, Kate, you’re up.’ His eyes were wary. ‘Feeling okay?’
