AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘I’m so sorry about that rescue thing just now.’ He broke the silence. ‘I thought I was being helpful.’
‘I get it. There’s no need to apologise. Really, there’s not.’
‘And sorry about walking off at the supermarket. I wasn’t planning on it. I wanted to talk to you, but when I finished my call, he was there with you and I got flustered. It was cowardly, I know.’
‘Yes, it was.’
Silence filled the air again, but Holly couldn’t think of a way to fill it, although as Giles had been the one who asked to talk to her, it only seemed right he should be the one to speak. Thankfully, he did.
‘So you and this Evan chap… He seems nice.’
‘He is, though I’ve only known him three days.’
‘Only three days? So it’s not exactly a relationship, is it? Certainly not a serious one.’
The comment irked her slightly. Of all the people who were in a position to give relationship advice, she didn’t think Giles was one of them.
‘I like him. And he likes me, but it’s difficult to know how serious any relationship is going to be within two days.’
‘Unless you know that person is the one for you.’
He locked his eyes on her, and Holly could feel her pulse ticking higher and higher. Her mouth had grown inexplicably dry, and she tried to swallow, hoping that Giles would say something to alleviate the tension, only to discover she couldn’t cope with the silence a second longer.
‘You seem happy out here on your boat. It’s a great boat.’ The words left her in a stream. ‘Not that I have much experience about boats, but I’d still be able to tell a good one. I have been on another boat this week, actually. We went waterskiing. And I was pretty good. Better than I expected, that’s for sure.’
Giles’s smile widened. ‘I’ve missed you doing that.’
‘Doing what?’
‘Talking nonsense when you’re nervous. You talking full stop, actually. I’ve missed you.’
Holly clamped her mouth closed, determined not to give him any more reason to compliment her, no matter how good it felt.
‘I’d like to see you again,’ Giles said. ‘I know it’s wrong, but I sometimes feel like I came out worst from the whole situation. You know, I lost the girl and my best friend. I’ve missed having you to talk to.’
Holly’s heart ached. She had felt it, too. That loss of friendship without Giles in her life. And it hadn’t mattered that there were so many other people to fill that void. It was a Giles-shaped gap, and nothing else could replace it. In the burgeoning silence, her mind drifted back in time eight months. To when she had been sitting in Giles’s car and his hand brushed her cheek, and she had wanted nothing more than to kiss him.
‘Holly? Where are you? Evan’s just got the good bubbly out.’
Giles grimaced as Jamie’s voice rang out. ‘She’s never gonna give me a break, is she?’
‘Probably not,’ Holly agreed. ‘Although the hamper you sent for Hope earned you a few brownie points. And the stuff with my dad, of course.’
‘Enough brownie points for her to let me in her house again so I can see you?’
‘Actually, I don’t live with her. I moved out. I’m renting.’
‘That’s fantastic. Still in Bourton, I assume?’
‘Yeah, it’s perfect for me. Us. Even closer to the sweet shop. Just big enough for Hope and me. I have no idea how Mum found it.’
‘That’s amazing. Cottages in Bourton are hard to come by. Perhaps I could come and see the place when I’m back in the UK? I’m pretty booked up with this over the summer, but maybe come autumn, I could drop in and see Hope and see how you’re getting on? If that’s okay? Unless you’re free before then? If you have some time when you’re here, I’d love to see you properly?’
‘Holly, will you hurry up?’ Jamie yelled again.
‘I should go,’ Holly said, apologetically. ‘And I need to stay with the others today. It’s our last night and everything.’
‘I get it. I do. It’s fine. And don’t worry, I’m not out of your life yet, Holly. I can feel it.’
