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‘I’d love to, but Holly has a friend in hospital,’ Mitch said.
Holly bit her lip.
Mitch turned to her. ‘Why don’t you phone to see how Val is?’
Holly nodded. ‘You have a shower.’
Holly waited on the doorstep not wanting to walk sand through the house, while Rita fetched her phone. Taking her mobile from Rita, she walked into the gardens surrounding the lodge, trembling with a flutter of excitement. Having had such a great day, a longing washed over her like a warm, smooth heat.You only live once,she thought. Sidney had said not to waste your life, Val had said just as much. She switched on her phone.
There were a couple of messages. The first was from Jaz, who wanted to visit Val in the hospital that evening, and asked if Holly was prepared to give up her slot. The other was from Len saying Val was doing well, but as the weekend was coming up there would be no consultant to sign off her discharge. She would be in there until at least Monday.
Holly called Len and said she was thinking of staying in Croyde.
‘Don’t rush back, love,’ he said. ‘Jaz is going in today and they says they don't want too many visitors and our boys are here of course and three of the grandkids and a couple of great grandkids. Even if you were here, I doubt they’d let you in until tomorrow, earliest.’
Holly still felt a pang of guilt but as it was unlikely she would be able to visit Val within the next twenty-four hours, it seemed silly to rush back. She called Jaz.
‘Where are you?’ came Jaz’s voice. ‘Len said you’d gone off for the day on business with Mitch. Hope you two aren’t fighting.’ Holly had already told Jaz about the funeral.
‘Er, no. He went to see a fishmonger.’ Trixy bounded over to her yapping.
‘And?’
‘And we are having a really nice time together. We’ve been chatting away about everything and anything.’
‘About Sid and Ivy?’
‘Well, no. Everything apart from feuds, death and divorce.’
‘You sound loved up, hun.’
‘Today, it’s been as if we’re a couple.’
‘At last, you two are going to get together.’
‘And he wants to stay over – in Croyde, for the night.’
Jaz screamed. ‘Go for it, you lucky mare.’
Holly laughed. ‘It’s so different, away from Eversley.’
‘Everything’s under control here, chick. You have a nice evening. You deserve it. Anyway, I’ve got a customer appointment in a sec, so I’d best go. I’ll give Val your love. Call you later.’
Holly walked towards the lodge and entered with Trixy in tow.
She stopped to admire the view over the bay, then jumped as she heard Mitch’s voice behind her. She turned to find him standing bare-chested with a white towel wrapped around his waist. Her face instantly coloured up.
He smiled. ‘How’s Val?’
‘She won’t be out until Monday soonest and she’s maxed out on visitors, as her sons are down and Jaz hasn’t seen her yet.’ Holly bit her lip.
‘You don’t need to rush back then?’
Holly looked around and blushed. ‘I er ...’
Mitch thumbed behind him. ‘There’s a separate bedroom. I can take the couch. It’s all decent and above board,’ he said grinning.
Holly did not get the impression he wanted them to be in separate beds and her body definitely was having other thoughts.
