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‘That’s so far away...’ Daisy said slowly.
His face creased. ‘I didn’t have a choice. My dad had got me a job working for a friend in the construction business. It was all set up.’
Emily’s fingers tightened around her husband’s hand. ‘I thought I hated him. But I’d got used to having him around, and every time I looked up I thought he’d be there—only he wasn’t.’ The older woman glanced across at Daisy, sadness clouding her eyes. ‘I must have cried for a week.’
James stared affectionately at his wife. ‘I didn’t cry. I did something far worse. I resigned after five weeks. I got another bus and went all the way back across the country and walked into that hotel and got down on one knee. I couldn’t speak, I was so choked up—’
‘But I knew what he was asking, and I was so happy I burst into tears.’
There were tears in Daisy’s eyes too. But, glancing over at Rollo, she felt her body stiffen. He alone was dry-eyed, and there was a strange expression on his face she couldn’t interpret.
Later, after lunch, the Dunmores retired, claiming tiredness and old age. But Daisy suspected it was their way of giving their young guests some space. Or maybe they still liked spending time alone, she thought wistfully as she and Rollo stretched out on the pristine white sand of the estate’s private beach.
‘It’s so beautiful, isn’t it?’ she said softly.
A light breeze was blowing in across the ocean, and behind them clumps of grass quivered on the dunes beneath the hot afternoon sun.
He shrugged. ‘It’s not as beautiful as you.’
Daisy punched him lightly on the arm. ‘We’re alone now. You don’t have to say that,’ she said teasingly.
‘I know,’ he said quietly. ‘But I mean it. You are beautiful.’
She looked up at him uncertainly. With the sun’s dazzle illuminating the bones beneath his smooth golden skin, he was the beautiful one. But it wasn’t his beauty that was occupying her thoughts. It was the slight distance in his manner. Remembering how he’d been before their lunch with James Dunmore, she nudged his arm again.
‘And you’re clever.’ She gave him a quick reassuring smile. ‘That’s why tomorrow you’re going to be the new owner of a prime piece of Manhattan real estate. And you’ll have kept your promise to your father.’
His gaze was fixed on the ocean and her eyes fluttered anxiously over his face.
‘You don’t seem very happy.’
He turned to look at her, his mouth twisting into a smile. ‘Of course I am. It’s everything I want.’
Daisy nodded, her lips curving automatically into an answering smile. But inside a splinter of misery seemed to split her in two.
It’s everything I want.
His words reverberated dully inside her head, blocking out the sound of the waves and the sudden swift beating of her heart.
It was just a throwaway remark. He probably hadn’t given it a thought. But did that make it less or more true? And what had she expected him to say? That he had everything he wanted but her?
As casually as she could, she glanced past him out to sea. Really though, she was furtively watching his face. Since he’d confided in her she’d been doing that a lot, her eyes involuntarily searching for some change to reflect what felt like an incredible turning point in their relationship.
But what had really changed between them?
Sighing, she sifted through her memories, trying to be objective. It was true he’d shared a painful and personal fragment of his life, and for a short while at least he had seemed to need her. Not as an actress. Not for sex. But for herself.
And it had felt incredible at the time—a tiny but significant step towards trust, as though a tiger had momentarily allowed itself to be stroked.
Picking up a smooth white pebble, she sighed and laid it gently on the sand.
Of course, that was only her perception of what had happened. As far as Rollo was concerned he’d probably filed it away under ‘momentary weaknesses, never to be repeated.’ Certainly he’d given her no reason to think it had changed his view of either her or their relationship. Nor had he made any reference to their conversation or attempted to confide in her further.
She picked up another pebble. Whatever she thought had happened had most likely only taken place inside her head.
She sighed again.
‘That’s it. You’re out!’
