Page 58

‘Is that a roll-top and a Jacuzzi bath? In one?’

‘It does appear to be,’ Giles said as he sidled up beside her. ‘If I’d known they did something like that, I’d have put one in the cottage for you.’

‘I don’t think we could’ve fitted one of those in the cottage,’ Holly replied, although as she spoke, another thought struck her. ‘I know I never really thanked you enough for that,’ she said. ‘For the cottage.’

‘No, that’s because you were too busy being mad at me for going behind your back,’ Giles muttered.

‘You’re right, I was. I still am. I don’t like you going behind my back, but that time in my life was so much easier because of what you did for me. Actually, several times in my life have been so much easier because of the things you’ve done for me. I appreciate that. I just want you to know that I do.’

‘I do,’ he said.

‘And I’m sorry about the email.’

‘Holly, I?—’

‘I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking straight. I shouldn’t have sent it. I didn’t send it, actually. I mean I did but…’

She was moving towards him again. She wanted to be able to see into his eyes and for him to see into hers. She wanted him to know that she was telling the truth.

‘I’d never do anything to mess up our friendship, Giles. You are the most important?—’

‘Don’t. Don’t do it.’ Giles lifted his hand into the air. He shook his head. ‘Why don’t you run yourself a bath,’ he said. ‘I’ve got some emails I need to send anyway.’

Holly opened her mouth, only to close it again. There was nothing else to say right now. ‘Okay, yes, okay.’

Given how phenomenal the bath was, it should have been the most relaxing of Holly’s life. The Jacuzzi jets were strategically placed for a perfect massage, and an array of luxury lotions and potions filled ceramic jars all within perfect reach of where she lay in the perfectly hot water. And yet, she couldn’t relax. Not with Giles just there on the other side of the door, refusing to hear her out. Refusing to even listen to her or let her explain. She had made a mistake, and she wanted to apologise and explain. Was that really the worst thing in the world? If he was a friend, shouldn’t he let her explain?

He was being selfish. He was putting this all on her, and it wasn’t all on her. She might not have remembered the exact moment of the kiss, but she actually felt like maybe none of it had been on her at all. Who was to say he wasn’t the one who had kissed her first? She was absolutely the person who broke away. If she hadn’t stopped kissing him, who knows what might have happened? And yet he was there, making her feel guilty. She wasn’t going to have it any more. She wasn’t.

She jumped out of the bath, splashing water on the floor as she reached out and grabbed one of the towelling robes. It really was a phenomenally soft robe, and under normal circumstances, she’d probably look to see where it had come from, but her mind was too focused right now. She and Giles were having this out. Perhaps this situation, them being stuck in the hotel together, was some perverse way of fate trying to make them have the conversation. She might not know that for sure, but what she did know was that they weren’t going to get a chance like this again, and she wasn’t going to let it slip by.

Still tying a knot in her robe, and with the end of her hair dripping around her shoulders, she marched into the living room, where Giles was still typing on his phone.

‘I’m not all to blame for this,’ she said.

‘Sorry?’

‘Don’t “sorry” me, you know what I’m talking about. This. What happened between us.’

‘Holly, please don’t do this.’ He stood up and walked towards her.

‘Can you not at least respond? I told you I loved you. I put my heart on the line, and you’re just going to be angry with me? Or worse still, ignore me?’

Finally, Giles put his phone down and looked at her. ‘You really want to do this?’ he said. ‘Fine, let’s do this.’

63

Holly couldn’t remember a time when her heart had ever beaten so fast. The blood was roaring behind her ears, and she was struggling to steady her breath, but she refused to let Giles see that. Instead, she looked at him square on.

‘You know, right? You know that Sienna’s a liar? That she’s a manipulator?’

‘So she’s not perfect. None of us are, Holly. None of us can possibly live up to your perfect expectations.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Exactly what I said. You think everyone needs to be flawless. That everyone needs to be like you, or Fin, or goddam Evan.’

‘Don’t youdarebring Evan into this.’ Holly’s hands trembled. ‘Don’t you dare.’