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“Things will be different with Emmy around,” Allie stated, helping him out.
“Yes.” He turned into the lane which led to the golf course. “This is all new, to be honest. It’s just been Emmy and me for so long … it was her who encouraged me to date, so I think she’ll be fine with it, but I also need to be sensitive. Especially as she’s having a difficult time with her mum at the moment.”
“Oh?” Allie’s questioning lilt reminded him he hadn’t told her about that.
“Her mum and her partner are having a baby,” he said, slowing on the long driveway. “Emmy just found out and it’s unsettled her. It’ll probably just take her some time to get her head around the idea and process it all.”
Allie nodded but seemed a little distant as he pulled into the car park. “Do you have ten minutes to come in before you leave for the airport?”
“Oh …” He thought she’d realised he was in a rush. Needlessly, he looked at his watch again. “Not really.”
“Five minutes?” she said. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Okay.” He tapped on the steering wheel. “Can you make it quick though? I hate the thought of not being there when Em arrives.”
“Yes.” She squeezed her eyes shut and gave a quick shake of the head. “Never mind. I’ll tell you next time I see you.”
“Sorry.” To be honest, he wasn’t that sorry, since he was sure she was still itching to hear about his mum or have some other deep, probing conversation which he’d happily put off.
“No worries,” she said, leaning across to him.
He met her halfway, and the soft touch of her lips against his made him wish he wasn’t in such a rush.
“It’s really good to have you back,” he said, then gave her another quick peck before she got out of the car. “I’ll see you soon,” he told her, hating that he didn’t know exactly when it would be.
With Emmy coming back, his relationship with Allie felt suddenly unstable.
CHAPTER 35
Seeing Emmy walk through the sliding doors into the arrivals hall brought an instant smile to Hugh’s lips. He stood on his toes when a tall man hindered his view, then stepped to the side so he was in Emmy’s line of sight. Her lips curled when she saw him, but it wasn’t her high-voltage smile. The sadness in her eyes was a jolt to his solar plexus, and he wove his way quickly through the crowd. By the time he reached her, her chin was twitching madly and she crashed straight into him, her arms circling his waist as she buried her face in his chest.
“It’s okay,” he murmured, embracing her tightly as her slight body shuddered with quiet sobs. His heart felt as though it was being squeezed while he stroked her hair and waited for her to calm down.
“What’s going on?” he asked when she finally pulled away from him.
She tugged her sleeve over her hand to wipe tears from her cheeks. “Nothing. I’m fine.” She sniffed, then leaned to hug him again when more tears came.
“What’s wrong?” he asked softly.
“Nothing.” She sniffed again. “Can we go home?”
After a quick nod, he led the way, and they walked in silence until they reached the car.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Hugh asked, hefting her suitcase into the boot. Clearly she wasn’t okay, but he didn’t want to push her into talking about it if she didn’t want to.
“I’m okay,” she said uncertainly. “I’m tired and—” She looked him up and down. “You look different.”
He dropped his gaze to his grey jeans and black T-shirt. Less than two weeks ago he’d been sure he wouldn’t get used to the fit of the jeans. They weren’t exactly tight, but definitely more snug than his previous style. He suspected his old ones would feel all wrong now.
“I went shopping,” he told Emmy.
“I can see that.”
He held his arms out to the sides. “What do you think?”
It would have been nice if she hadn’t taken so long to reach a verdict. Now he knew why women liked a knee-jerk “You look great” rather than an honest opinion.
“You look good,” she finally said.
