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She glanced over at where Simon was absorbed in a video game. ‘Are you sure you’re okay having Simon stay over tonight?’ She’d taken a double shift to make up for Monday night and she didn’t like Simon being alone for so long.
‘Of course. He’s an enormous help to me, Poppy.’
Poppy smiled at her beautiful brother. ‘He’s the best,’ she agreed.
She heaved a heavy sigh. ‘How do you do it?’ she asked Maryann. ‘How do you forge on when it all seems so hopeless?’
‘I try and remember that there’s always something to be grateful for, no matter how small.’
‘God, you’re wise,’ Poppy choked out. ‘I’m so lucky to have found you.’
She wrapped her arms around the woman who had literally saved her life.
‘I think I’m the lucky one, Poppy. You brightened my life the day you came into it.’
Poppy scrubbed at her eyes. ‘I was a mess.’
‘You were.’
They laughed and held each other.
Later, on the Tube, Poppy looked around at the various commuters, most with their heads bent over their mobile phones. As heavy as she felt right now, she did have a lot to be grateful for. Simon. Maryann. The lovely cleaning crew she would be working with tonight. The fact that she would always have the memory of Italy and how she had once spilled coffee over one of the most powerful businessmen on the globe. How she had once slept in his arms for one glorious weekend. How she had loved him. H
ow she would always love him...
Her breath caught and she stumbled to her feet as her train pulled into her stop. She kept her head down as she followed the mass of commuters to the nearest exit and didn’t even feel the rain as it fell over her bent head.
Dodging the late-night traffic, she headed into the first building they would be cleaning tonight, a large one off Charing Cross.
She had found comfort in working this week, getting herself into a rhythm that exhausted her to the point she couldn’t think too much.
Two hours in, she dropped her rag into a bucket and stretched her back.
‘Hey, popsicle. Want a coffee? Bernie’s heading out to the shop across the street.’
Convenience store coffee? Brilliant! ‘Love one,’ she said. ‘Thanks, Tom.’ She had been spoiled by authentic Italian coffee but she was going to have to get over that. The quicker, the better.
Finishing up another office, Poppy was just doing an inventory to make sure she hadn’t missed anything when she heard Bernie return. ‘Just put it on the desk, Bernie. Thanks.’
‘It’s not Bernie.’
Startled by the sound of Sebastiano’s deep voice, Poppy swung around, the long feather duster tucked under her arm sweeping out and catching him on the elbow. He made to dodge it, the to-go cup of coffee he was holding flying upwards, a spray of milky liquid fountaining out and landing all over his clean shirt.
A string of Italian curse words left his mouth. ‘Are you kidding me?’
Poppy stared at him open-mouthed. ‘Oh God, I’m so sorry.’ Then her brain came online. ‘Sebastiano! What are you doing here?’
‘Looking for you.’ He shook his head and pulled at his shirt. ‘And getting covered in coffee. Again.’
Galvanised by his words Poppy grabbed a wad of tissues and thrust them at him. He took them and stared at her.
Please don’t look at me like that, she thought, wrapping her arms around her waist. ‘Why are you looking for me?’
He sat the half-empty cup on the desk and took a deep breath. ‘I was looking for you because about five hours ago I realised I’ve been a monumental idiot and I wanted to tell you that I love you and ask you to marry me. I thought it would be better to do it face-to-face than over the phone.’
Poppy’s jaw hit the floor. ‘I’m sorry?’
‘So am I, bella. I’m sorry I panicked and made you feel less than you are the other night. I’m sorry it’s taken me a week to figure everything out and I’m sorry I associated love with pain for so long I actually believed I was better off without it.’ He swallowed heavily. ‘But I’m not. Better off, that is. You’ve shown me that.’
