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‘I think I did,’ she said, finally voicing the words she hadn’t allowed herself to speak or even think. ‘I think I loved you.’
Giles’s lips parted, his eyes unblinking as he looked straight at her.
‘And now? Do you still feel the same way?’
Holly took a deep breath in. What was she doing? How did she manage to make a few relaxing days away into such an absolute mess? For a moment, she tried to steady her breath, though she hadn’t realised her hands were covering her face until Giles’s fingers gently prised them away, and wrapped them in his own. Even then, she kept her eyes closed. Only when she finally opened them did she see that his face was only inches from hers.
‘Holly, this is not pressure. I learned my lesson about putting pressure on you the hard way. But I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I let you get off this boat without knowing the truth. If there is any chance you still feel that same way, then I am here. I am here to try. We could have a future together, Holly. I think I knew that from the first time we sat at dinner together, and I didn’t want the evening to end. And now, years later, you are the only woman I can’t get out of my head. So if you think there is any chance, any chance at all, that you can see a future with us, then now’s the time to say.’
A loud squall of a sea bird rang through from outside, disguising the silence that formed between them. Holly’s throat had constricted so much, she could hardly take a breath. Why was it that men, like buses, always seemed to come into her life in pairs? There was Dan finally deciding he wanted to propose when she was trying to get things together with Ben, and then when she finally thought things were straight with Ben, Giles was there on the scene, making her doubt their relationship (which had undoubtedly been a good thing in the long term but had still been pretty terrifying at the time).
And now she was here, in the most fledgling relationship possible with a man who couldn’t be more perfect. A man who was so perfect, he had sent her to see her ex because it felt like the right thing to do. A man who had introduced her to his mother on video call, a man with whom she somehow felt utterly excited and yet totally relaxed at the same time.
‘Giles, thank you. Thank you,’ she said, standing up. The excitement pulsed through her as she placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed him on the top of his head. ‘Thank you so much.’
‘Does that mean… What does that mean?’
He was looking up at her, his eyes bulging with expectation. It reminded her of that moment, in the hospital, when Hope had arrived and her life had changed inexplicably.
‘Giles, I loved you. And I will always love you. But I don’t think I’m in love with you any longer. Maybe, maybe had we bumped into each other a couple of months ago, or maybe even a week ago, I wouldn’t be saying this. But…’
‘But there’s someone else?’ He pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose before forcing his lips into a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
Holly nodded, the guilt rolling through her.
‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, but I have to pray I haven’t messed this up. Thank you. That you for everything. But I need to go. I need to go now.’
It didn’t matter how much alcohol was still running through her veins. Suddenly, Holly was thinking with the most clarity she’d had in the last twenty-four hours. Possibly longer.
She stood up and pecked Giles on the cheek before running to the door, only to be struck by the same bout of nausea and dizziness that had been afflicting her since she’d woken. She rested her hand on the doorjamb, closed her eyes, and prayed for the moment to pass.
‘Do you want a lift?’ Giles said from behind her.
‘That would be great.’
48
Holly would have preferred it if Giles had dropped her by the road so she could walk down the driveway to the villa without him having to come with her, but there was the small added inconvenience of the Vespa in the back of his pickup truck, and Holly didn’t trust herself not to end up taking a tumble, even if she was just pushing it down a slope.
‘This was definitely an unexpected turn of events, but it was a fun one. I’m glad we got to talk,’ Giles said as he lifted the Vespa down from the truck bed.
‘Me too.’ Holly nodded.
‘I’ve got a couple of business things to see to when I’m back in the Cotswolds, but maybe we could catch up for a drink? Or dinner? I’d love to see Hope again. And see how this worked out.’ As he said the last comment, he nodded his head towards the house, leaving Holly in no doubt as to what he meant.
‘That sounds good,’ she said, then kissed him once on the cheek. ‘See you around, Caverty.’
Time wasn’t on her side, but all the same, Holly waited until Giles’s truck had disappeared up the driveway before she headed to the house.
She opened the front door to chaos.
Every member of the group was running back and forth in various states of dress, some holding their suitcases, others shouting out to one another. Tyler was rubbing his eyes, indicating he had been even later waking up than she had, while Fin was hurriedly collecting up any rubbish. For a split second, Holly thought she might be able to slip in unnoticed.
‘You’re back!’
Caroline pounced before Holly had even seen her. ‘What the hell? Giles Caverty? You spent the night with Giles Caverty?’
‘No, I didn’t.’ Holly tried to keep her voice low. ‘Well, technically, I spent the night on his boat, but I didn’tspend the night, spend the night with him. Listen, Caroline, I need to talk to Evan. Where is he?’
