Page 10 of The House Swap

She’s right. A break would probably do you good. And you’ll be able to get a late deal somewhere warm.

Absolutely, especially with it being the end of the season. At first, I’d thought just a week, but a fortnight would be good. I’ve not had a holiday in a while. It would help recharge my batteries.

When are you thinking about going?

I’d like to try to get away somewhere by next weekend.

She hesitated, before quickly adding:

Is it quiet where you are?

He replied without picking up on her not-so-subtle hints:

Very. But I like it with less tourists around. You can hear yourself think. Plus you get the beach to yourself. It’s peaceful.

His words stayed with her. Peaceful sounded appealing.

That evening, she went back to the flight search she had abandoned the day before. This time she typed in Crete as a destination. She had never been there, but Tom always made it sound so nice and it felt familiar, perhaps because of him, yet still far enough away to feel like a clean break. Somewhere quiet, where she could breathe again.

She clicked through a few options, comparing flight times, scanning hotel photos she barely registered. One listing caught her eye. It was for a charming-looking apartment with a shared pool in a place called Souda Bay on the northern coast. Perhaps because the dates were reasonable and end of season, the price was surprisingly affordable.

Should she book it?

It was spontaneous and she was anything but.

Besides, would it be weird if Tom found out she was coming to Crete but hadn’t said anything?

Maybe she should just ask about staying with him.

She closed the tab quickly, her heart giving an unexpected thud as she realised she was getting ahead of herself.

It would be cheeky to invite herself. Maybe she should stick to Spain.

But even as she tried to talk herself into it, as she brushed her teeth before undressing and climbing into bed that night, the thought of a Greek holiday lingered.

By the time she turned out the light, Poppy knew Spain wouldn’t do.

5

MONDAY 26 OCTOBER

By Monday morning, Poppy knew she needed to make a decision and book something.

She had spent the night tossing and turning, her mind replaying conversations and comments from the fallout with Simon, that she wished she could forget. When she had finally given up on sleep, padding into the kitchen to make coffee, her flat felt smaller than ever, the walls closing in and the silence too loud.

This place was supposed to be her sanctuary, but instead it felt like a prison.

She should have gone for a run to try to clear her head, but the thought of doing so felt like too much effort. Instead, she sat down at her laptop.

Checking her emails, she braced herself, apprehensive for what the new day would bring. But there were no new messages; no cancellations either. Just the usual trickle of newsletters and automated reminders. The absence of bad news should have felt like a relief, but instead it left her on the precipice of uncertainty.

She pulled up the manuscript she was working on and stared with tired eyes at the words on the screen. Sipping at her coffee, she willed herself to focus.

It was hard going, though, and the edit was taking twice as long as it normally would, due to her lack of concentration.

When her phone buzzed a couple of hours later, she snatched it up, grateful for the distraction, especially when she realised it was Tom.

Happy Monday, Pops. How are you?