Page 33

‘What?’ Holly opened her mouth, ready to object to such a statement, only to realise it wasn’t possible. As much as she didn’t want to admit it to herself, Faye had hit the nail right on the head.

‘So, what do I do? Just go down there and say I’m sorry? Say I didn’t mean it?’

‘Well, are you? Did you mean it or not?’

‘Of course I’m sorry,’ Holly said. ‘It must have really hurt her to hear me say those things. I didn’t want to do that.’

‘Okay, but did you mean what you said? Because they’re two different things.’

Holly grimaced. It was definitely frustrating having friends who were as logical-thinking as Faye, particularly when they were aiming that logic directly at her.

‘I don’t know. Truthfully… I don’t know her. And the things she said about Giles and the kids, that was manipulative.’

‘You’re right, that was. But that’s between them.’

‘So you don’t think he should know what she said? You don’t think he has a right to know?’

‘What I think is that right now, that isn’t the issue. The issue you need to sort out first is you and Sienna. And yes, I do think that she can probably be a little manipulative, but not always in a bad way. She knows how to get what she wants. That’s what she has to do in a job like hers, and for a very good cause. And maybe she should have told us about the juices, but my bet is that she didn’t want us to be put off and she really wanted to spend some time with us. That’s why she didn’t say anything.’

Holly wouldn’t have thought it was possible to feel any worse, and yet she did. Every word Faye had just spoke was true.

‘You’re right,’ she said with a long sigh. ‘I’ll go find her now. Give me fifteen minutes before you come down to the pool. If I haven’t come up by that time, I guess it means I’m not packing my stuff… but who knows?’

‘Just be honest with her,’ Faye said. ‘I might not know her well, but most people value that.’

Holly nodded. ‘Honesty, because that always works so well, doesn’t it?’

37

Holly found Sienna by the pool. Just as she had said, it really was Olympic-sized, but it was no surprise Holly hadn’t seen it before when she walked downstairs. It was on the other side of the building, with the saunas and steam rooms, the rest of the spa. Sienna had taken a lounger at the far end of the pool and was holding a book up to her face as if she was reading, though, in all the time it took Holly to walk across to her, not once did she seem to turn the page. She did, however, lift her hand to her eyes several times, as if she was wiping away tears. It was horrific; with every step closer Holly took, her guilt intensified. But there was nothing she could do about it.

It wasn’t just guilt, though; it was nerves. Nerves about the impending apology she knew she had to make.

By the time she reached Sienna’s sunlounger, her heart was hammering in its ribcage.

‘Sienna. Can I have a word?’

Sienna sniffed before tilting her chin ever so slightly in Holly’s direction. ‘Have you come to tell me they’ve booked a taxi for you?’

‘No,’ Holly said. ‘I haven’t asked. I just… I was hoping we could have a conversation first.’

‘Are you sure?’ Sienna said. ‘Why would you want to do that? I wouldn’t want to have a conversation with anyone I thought was a narcissistic, manipulative bitch.’

Holly let out an internal groan. Sienna wasn’t going to make this easy on her, but then what did she expect? She didn’t deserve it to be made easy. Still, she wasn’t going to give in. Giles would never forgive her. And so, steeling herself for the best result, she sat down on a sunlounger opposite Sienna.

‘I am sorry,’ she said. ‘I really am.’

‘Sorry because of what you said, or sorry because I heard you say it?’ Sienna asked.

‘Both,’ Holly admitted. ‘Look, the truth is, I don’t know you. I don’t. And it’s all very well that you’ve gone to this extravagant effort for us, but I will admit, the idea of a juicing weekend for me is hell,’ she continued. ‘I’ll be honest with you, I don’t know anybody who would possibly think a weekend of juicing would be a fun holiday or bonding experience, but it’s not just about that. Weekends are precious for me. I get to spend two a month with Hope. The other two, I’m normally working. Taking one entirely for myself is a rarity and so on the scarce occasion that I get a bit of time like this, I want to be spending it doing something I enjoy. Surely that makes sense to you?’

Sienna hummed. It wasn’t much of a response, but it was something. Holly paused, took a breath in and carried on.

‘But…’ she said. ‘That doesn’t mean I was right in any way with what I said. I realise now that you like doing things like this, and that’s why you thought we would enjoy it. I get that. But hopefully, you can see why I wasn’t in the best possible mood when I saw the plunge pool?’ Holly thought about the moments immediately preceding the plunge pool, where she spoke to Giles. Faye may have said she needed to tell the truth, but telling Sienna about that didn’t feel like the right thing to do.

While Holly waited for a reply, Sienna sniffed again.

‘I asked Giles if he wanted to come with me, and he said no,’ she said. ‘And some other friends too. So maybe you’re a bit right, and there’s a bit of truth to what you say. Perhaps I did delay telling you what kind of spa it was, but that’s only because I thought you’d come in with a negative attitude, and then when you got here, you’d absolutely love it. I’m sure you will. I mean, how can you not love it? Look at it.’