Page 64 of Love or Your Money Back

CHAPTER

The team carry me from the stage with the European Publisher of the Year trophy lying in the folds of my skirt, like a very well-behaved lap dog. Once I hit the carpet, I wheel myself at speed to the back of the room.

‘Ahmet. Hi.’ My eyes lock on Ahmet’s knees, too awkward to look up. ‘You managed to get in without a ticket. Well done. I hear the security here is pretty tough –’

‘Shall we talk?’ Ahmet asks.

‘Yes.’ I swallow. ‘I think that’s a good idea. Let’s go outside.’

It’s cold and dark outside the Kaiserhaal, and I shiver in my velvet dress.

‘You’re cold.’ Ahmet removes his jacket and places it around my arms. ‘Here. Take this. I suppose congratulations are in order.’

‘Thank you.’

‘It was wonderful to see you up there with the team. Katerina, about you and Freddy –’

I take a deep breath. ‘Ahmet, you’re a wonderful man. But …’

‘I knew there was a but coming.’ Ahmet gives a short, nervous laugh. ‘How long has it been going on?’

‘Nothing has been going on.’ I take a deep, shuddering breath. ‘Ahmet, you’re wonderful, but being with you would be settling. Tonight has shown me that miracles can happen. I can have more than I ever dreamed possible.’

‘Katerina.’ Ahmet takes my hands. ‘I can do better. Please. Give me another chance. I admit, maybe I’ve come to this relationship a little too … practically. My family want me to get married and that has overshadowed what should be a more passionate meeting of minds –’

‘Ahmet, you haven’t done anything wrong,’ I say.

‘But I want love with a capital L. The kind my mother was thinking about when she helped make the Meeting Place Statue at St Pancras station. Two people who set each other’s worlds alight.

I don’t know if I’ll find it in my lifetime.

But I’m going to hold out for it, nonetheless. ’

I slide Ahmet’s engagement ring off my finger and pass it to him. ‘Thank you. For everything. You’ll make some lucky girl a wonderful husband.’

‘I understand.’ Ahmet gives me a tired smile. ‘I’ll take you back to the hotel. And then I’ll get packed and hop on the next flight back to London.’

‘Okay,’ I tell Ahmet. ‘I’d still like us to be friends.’

Ahmet manages the glimmer of a smile. ‘Yes. I’d like that too. You know, fairy tales are simple. It’s the believing that’s hard work.’