Page 20

‘Says the girl who deliberately missed her flight and took a taxi across one country into another to go in search of a guy she barely knew? Trust me, it’s going to take a lot of random presents to ever make up for that.’

Holly struggled to think of a reply to that one. Only that she didn’t need anything making up for. Being with Evan was enough. Before she could say as much, he was speaking again.

‘Holly, I want to spoil you. Trust me, all that money sitting in my account isn’t worth a thing if I can’t use it to make you smile.’

It was such a sweet comment. Sweeter perhaps than even the Vespa. Still, she paused before she replied.

‘How about this as an arrangement,’ she said. ‘Whenever I’m at yours, you have free rein. If you want to spoil me and take me out to fancy restaurants, then fine. We can do that. But when you’re here at mine, then no more massive gestures are allowed. No big cuddly toys for Hope. No extravagant gifts for me. How’s that for a deal?’

As she finished talking, she noticed Evan staring at her with an intensity she had never seen before.

‘Holly, when are you going to realise I’ll do whatever you want? No big gestures, all the big gestures. Whatever, I’ll do it. You’ve got me. Hook, line and sinker.’

With that, Holly leaned forward and planted a kiss on his lips. There were no cars passing, no people on the village green, and it could have been as if they were the only two people in the world. That was certainly how it felt. Like it was just her and Evan. And when they broke apart, he was continuing to look at her with that same intense gaze.

‘What?’ she asked, mildly perturbed. ‘Is there something on my face?’

‘No,’ Evan said, shaking his head. ‘I was just thinking about your cottage.’

‘The cottage?’

‘There is a room upstairs, right? Well, I’m dying to see it.’

18

Holly rolled over in the bed, only to find herself trapped on her side. Normally, she had an entire bed to spread out in whatever manner she fancied. Sometimes, she would lie diagonally corner to corner, other times adopt a starfish pose, stretching out to take up as much space as physically possible. But that wasn’t possible last night. Because last night, she hadn’t been alone in bed. Evan had been with her.

‘Morning.’ She didn’t know how he knew she was awake and looking at him. His eyes were still closed as he spoke, though his lips smiled, as if in a dream. ‘How did you sleep?’

‘Sleep? I’m not sure we managed that, did we?’ Holly said, a yawn forcing its way out as she spoke.

‘I’m so very sorry.’ Evan opened his eyes. ‘Had I known, I would’ve stopped kissing you sooner.’

‘I think it’s fine,’ she replied. ‘Remember – my house, my rules.’

She kissed him on the lips, closing her mouth to avoid any of the horrendous morning breath she knew was likely afflicting them both. Any worries that had crept in through the evening at her parents’ had disappeared the moment they’d starteddriving on the Vespa. The Vespa. The thought caused a hundred butterflies to erupt within her. She had a boyfriend who had bought her a Vespa. She breathed in deeply, refusing to let her thoughts get locked on to all the reasons that it was completely insane. After all, they were in Bourton now, which meant that for the rest of the time he was here, Evan had to stick to her rules.

The flutter of butterflies flickered into a new sense of excitement as she shifted herself up to sitting.

‘So, are you ready?’ she said, unable to stop the grin on her face. ‘You know what you agreed to today?’

The relaxed smile on Evan’s face shifted by a fraction. He followed her into a sitting position, only he wasn’t grinning. Instead, he looked at her with mild trepidation.

‘You know,’ he said. ‘I’m starting to think I’ve made a mistake agreeing to this.’

‘Quite possibly.’ Holly smirked back. ‘But it’s too late to back out now. Now come on, I want to get to the shop early and make sure we’ve got an apron that fits you.’

Given how Holly’s father worked as many hours at the shop as Holly did now, his absence while he was in Brussels would not go unnoticed. Although he wasn’t going until the evening, her mother had volunteered to look after Hope, meaning he needed to be the one to get everything packed ready to go. Previously, Holly had got support in the form of Drey. Drey, the former Saturday girl whom Holly had once accused of being a shoplifter, had been paramount in helping Holly set up the shop. But now, she was busy with her business administration course, spending more and more time in college, and doing work placements at other businesses, from art galleries and boutiques to factoriesand plant hire depots. Still, the sweet shop was in her heart, as much as it was in Holly’s, and whenever there was a great need, she would always come to the rescue.

Still, that morning, with Ben at work and Caroline having covered the late afternoon shift the day before, Holly had no choice but to head in, even with Evan staying.

‘You’re not seriously going to make me wear that, are you?’ Evan said, as Holly slipped the blue and white striped apron over his head. ‘You know this will do nothing for my street cred.’

‘I wasn’t aware you had any street cred,’ Holly responded, before tugging the apron down a little further and moving around the back to tie a bow. ‘And yes, I am completely genuine. You are wearing this.’

Never had Holly wished so much that she had a full-length mirror in the shop. However ridiculous Evan thought he looked, she could guarantee it was a hundred times worse. The fabric barely went around his chest and finished above his knees, like some confusing sixties-style mini dress. The ruffles round the hem and neckline looked infinitely more pronounced than they did on Holly or any of the other employees. But there was no chance she was letting him take it off; he had said he was happy to help work in the shop and that meant he was going to wear the uniform the same as the rest of them.

As it happened, the pinstriped apron wasn’t the only part of Just One Morethat Evan struggled with.