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“Over my dead body.”
“I’m sure that can be arranged.”
I take her hand as Damon laughs. “Come on. See you later.”
He waves goodbye. We walk down the path that runs beside the terrace, then cut through the garden to where the cable car sits waiting by the platform. Missie climbs in and I sit opposite her, we press descend, and it slowly lowers down.
“Look at that,” she says, peering through the palms at the pool. “It’s huge!”
“That’s where the guys are hanging out tonight.” I gesture to a group of guys who are erecting a large screen by the poolside. “They’re showingExtraction 2.”
“We’re going to watchMamma Mia.”
“Oh, your favorite! Talk about stereotypical.”
“Yeah, it should be fun. And apparently there’ll be some entertainment afterward. God knows what that will be.”
“Male strippers?” I suggest.
“Ah, I hope not. I can’t imagine Belle wanting that. Or Mae organizing a show in her garden. But I guess it’s a possibility. I might sneak off if it is. It’s not my thing.”
“You don’t like to see men taking off their clothes?”
“I’d watch you,” she says. She leans back in her seat, and her eyelids drop to half-mast.
“Girl, I’m so hot for you that it’d be a very short show. I’m betting it’ll be six seconds tops before I’m naked.”
She laughs, her eyes lighting up. “Promises, promises.”
We smile at each other from across the car. She’s been delightful today, especially once she relaxed, saying hello to everyone I’ve introduced her to, chatting to all the old aunts and uncles, playing with the kids and dogs, holding babies and charming everyone with her bright smile and pleasant nature.
“I adore you,” I tell her.
She wrinkles her nose at me. “That’s a nice thing to say.”
“I’m going to show you how much when we get into the apartment.”
Her lips curve up.
I check my watch. “We’ve got about ninety minutes. Should be enough.”
“Won’t it sap your strength? Maybe we should wait until afterward.”
“Nothing saps my strength when you’re around, Mistletoe Macbeth.” I grab her hand and pull her up and onto my lap. She squeals, then puts her arms around my neck, and she crushes her lips to mine.
I feel surprisingly content after sharing my story with her, as if she’s cleansed me of all the darkness and shadows that have been hiding in my soul since that day ten years ago. Despite the terrible things that have happened to her, she’s like the ray of sunshine pouring in through the glass, and the smell of the roses outside the car. She’s summer to my winter, the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I want to show her how I feel about her, because actions speak louder than words.
The car comes to a stop with a slight bump, and she stands up, giggling as she sees a gardener clipping the hedge a little further down who obviously spotted us kissing, judging by his smile. “I feel like a naughty teenager,” she admits, opening the door and stepping onto the platform.
“I know what you mean.” I take her hand and nod to the gardener as if he hasn’t just caught us snogging like a couple of fourteen-year-olds.
Laughing, we head across the terrace past the first apartment to the one in the middle. “This is Kip’s,” I explain, producing a key from my pocket. I slide it into the lock, open the door, and step back for her to precede me.
She goes inside, and I follow, locking the door behind me, and leaving my shoes there. This place is as familiar to me as my home in Christchurch. These are one-bedroom apartments, although they all have a study, and Mae and Neal turned Damon’s into another bedroom for me when I moved in. Today, though, I take Missie’s hand and lead her through to the main bedroom. It’s large and sun-filled, the walls pale cream, the bedding brilliant white. A couple of Kip’s beloved science fiction movie posters hang on the side wall. It feels like a happy room, but then maybe that’s just because Missie’s in it.
The sliding doors facing onto a small private patio with pots containing bird-of-paradise plants that glow in the sunshine with their unusual orange and blue flowers that resemble the birds that gave them their nickname. I open the doors a little to let in the smell of summer.
Our bags are already here, waiting for us. There are mints on the pillows, and I know the kitchen will be stocked with food and champagne and the best whisky. Mae and Neal know how to make their guests feel welcome.
