Page 30 of Only Ever Yours

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Hollis

“How do you feel?” Ella asked as I dropped down into the seat opposite her, having spent the best part of an hour at a table over the other side of the bar.

I had asked her to come with me to London, as I intended to meet Gil in a public place where there were witnesses , in case anything happened. And I knew I’d definitely need a shoulder to lean on once our discussion was over.

Reaching for the glass of water on the table, I greedily gulped it down, wishing it was wine instead. “He’s gone, and it’s over. He dropped all the charges, and Jase has been released.” I let out a thready sigh.

Ella reached across and covered my hand with hers. “Thank God.”

“There was a moment when I thought he wasn’t going to agree to it. When I told him I could go to the police and tell them all about his borderline stalking and coercive behaviour, he changed his mind.”

“Funny that.” Ella rolled her eyes. “And Jase is definitely in the clear—no repercussions? ”

I nodded, relief washing over me. Taking a mercy dash from Maplebrook to London had been an impulsive decision, but I knew I had to do it.

I couldn’t risk Jase’s future even though what he’d done to Gil had been horrible.

To an extent, my devious ex deserved everything he got.

The time I’d spent with Gil had been worth it to make sure the man I loved stayed free.

“Then we should celebrate. Let me go and grab a bottle of Prosecco.” Ella stood and made her way to the bar.

While she was gone, I pulled out my phone.

Until I’d actually spoken to Gil, I hadn’t been able to read or answer Jase’s texts as I didn’t want to cloud the situation with false promises.

Now I knew Jase was in the clear, I called him.

The phone rang and rang until it finally went to voicemail.

I hesitated for a moment, then said, “Jase, it’s me.

We need to talk. Call me as soon as you can. ”

“Turns out I can’t afford a bottle of fizz at these London prices, so we’ve got two glasses instead.” Ella put the two flutes on the table.

I laughed, the sound making me feel lighter again. “That’s fine. If we have a bottle, I’ll fall asleep on the train, and we’ll end up in God knows where.”

It had been a long day already. Once I’d made the decision to meet Gil, the train seemed like the best option, and we’d had an early start. The emotional tiredness of putting a stop to this whole situation had drained me, and I wasn’t really joking about falling asleep on the way home.

“Then let’s finish these and head home.” Ella lifted a glass, clinking it with mine.

We chatted about nothing for a little while until it was time to get to the station.

There was a part of me that wanted to try Jase again while on the train, but trying to talk to him while we were travelling might be almost impossible with the dodgy signal on the line out of London.

I’ll wait until I get home. My eyelids began to droop as soon we started to move, and I was little to no company for Ella on the journey back to Maplebrook.

“Do you want me to come home with you?” she asked once we had arrived back.

I shook my head. “No, it’s fine.” Impulsively, I hugged her. “Thanks for coming with me today. I know you had to take time off work, and I really do appreciate it.”

Ella tightened her grip on me. “I’m glad you got everything sorted. I bet you can’t wait to see Jase.”

A smile broke out on my face. Seeing Jase again had been about the only thing keeping me going over the past few hours. “You don’t know how much.”

We said our goodbyes, and I jumped into a taxi to get home as quickly as possible.

As I paid the taxi driver, I noticed the living room lights were on.

Jase was there. I honestly couldn’t wait to see him again, to apologise for what Gil had put him through.

What I had put him through because of my ex’s crazy behaviour .

Opening the front door, I headed inside.

Finn was in the living room, stretched out on the sofa in a pair of boxers and a T-shirt, watching a comedy show on television.

An open pizza box rested on his chest, and there were several bottles of beer on the floor.

At the sight of me, he bolted upright, causing the pizza box to upend over him.

“Shit! Hollis, you scared me.”

“Who did you think it was going to be?” My mind went back to the unwanted intruder who had arrived only a couple of nights ago.

“Glad it’s not Gil again.” Finn gave me a wry smile.

“Me, too. Where’s Jase? Is he upstairs?” Watching as Finn tried to clean the tomato sauce from his T-shirt, I hovered in the doorway, ready to bolt up the stairs as soon as Finn confirmed Jase was there.

He stopped what he was doing and glanced over at me. “He’s not here.”

A cold hand grasped at my heart. Had Gil gone back on everything he’d said? He’d promised to drop the charges and have Jase released. That was the only reason I’d agreed to meet with him.

Finn must have sensed the change in me. “He’s actually gone to see his mum. Said he needed a bit of space away from everything.”

“Even me?” I whispered.

“I doubt that very much, Hollis.” He shook his head. “But he didn’t talk much before he went.”

Overcome with the enormity of everything that had happened in the past couple of days, I sank down into the armchair, all the fight draining out of me.

It can’t end like this. We can’t end like this.

I reached into my bag and grabbed my phone, which was dead.

Grabbing the charger from beside the sofa, I plugged it in and turned it on.

Once it sprang into life, I dialled Jase’s number straightaway, disappointed to hear his voicemail again.

My shoulders sagged as I checked our message thread, only to see he hadn’t read the last one I’d sent, but there was a missed call from him.

“His mum still lives in Princelake, doesn’t she?” I asked Finn.

“Mmm-hmm,” Finn answered, seemingly without a second thought. Then his head snapped in my direction. “You’re not thinking of going there, are you?”

“It’s the only way I’ll know for sure what’s going on in his head.” Suddenly energised, I sprang to my feet and picked up my bag. “I’ll see you soon. ”

I half walked, half jogged to the train station.

There was a direct train to Princelake in about twenty minutes, and it would take me around an hour and a half to get there, meaning I’d be there shortly after eleven o’clock.

Hopefully, there would be a taxi to take me to the caravan park Cherry lived in, and then I just had to hope I could remember exactly which one was hers.

I bought myself a coffee and a pastry to stave off tiredness and hunger and sat on the platform to wait.

Ella

Have you spoken to Jase? How was he?

I don’t know, he wasn’t home. I’m going to find him at his mum’s.

Ella

What? Now?

Do you think I can wait?

Ella

Just take it easy. He’s been through as much of an ordeal as you have.

I stared at Ella’s last message, wondering if I was doing the right thing.

Jase certainly hadn’t been in trouble with the police before and had never been arrested.

But I needed to know everything was okay between us, and while it would probably be the better option to stay at home and wait, I couldn’t. I had to see him.

I will, I promise. Thank you for today, I couldn’t have done it without you.

Ella

Any time. Although preferably not soon! Keep me posted on what happens. I’ll be here when you get back xx

Of course xx

The train pulled up at the platform, and I tucked my phone back in my bag and got on.

At that time of night, there were only a few people on the train, and I chose to sit close to a couple of women who looked like they were on their way back from work.

Putting my earbuds in, I chose a playlist and let the music wash over me as we travelled.

The closer I got to Princelake, the more doubt started to creep in.

Maybe I had been hasty in rushing there to see Jase.

I should have given him time to recover from what had happened, but it was too late now. I was stuck.

Princelake train station was practically deserted.

A few lads milled about by the empty taxi rank, along with a couple of staff on the platform.

I kept my distance, hoping there would be a car along soon.

A little while later, a taxi pulled up, and a guy wearing a hoodie got out, head down, almost knocking me off my feet as he bumped into me.

He pushed the hood off his head and stared at me.

“Hollis? What the fuck are you doing here?”

I blinked, totally taken aback that Jase stood in front of me. “I, um, came to find you. What are you doing at the station at this time of night?”

“Going home to find you.” Without another word, he enveloped me in a hug, and I fell into his embrace, resting my head against his chest and listening to the sound of his heart thudding.

I ignored the wolf whistles and catcalls of the lads who were still waiting for a taxi.

Jase drew back. “We should probably go back to my mum’s.

I actually have no idea if there’s even a train to Maplebrook at this time of night.

I want to be with you now, not wait for hours until we can be together. ”

Relieved he seemed to feel the same way, we turned back to the taxi rank where a car had just arrived.

The boys who had cheered our reunion waved us in front of them.

Jase gave the driver directions and held my hand on the whole journey there.

When we reached the caravan park, Jase weaved his way along the roads, and I realised I had no idea where his mum’s place was.

If I had come here alone, I would have spent a long time wandering aimlessly around trying to see if I could remember where she lived.

Once we’d paid the taxi driver, Jase reached underneath a fake flowerpot and pulled out a key.

“Mum’s super security conscious as you can tell.” He laughed as he unlocked the door.

He ushered me inside, and I was grateful for the warmth. My spontaneous decision to travel hadn’t exactly come with many practicalities, and I only wore a cardigan over my thin top.

“Jase? Is that you? What are you doing back?” Cherry Dillon came into the hallway, yawning and rubbing her eyes. “Oh, hello, Hollis. How are you?”

“I’m better now that I’m here, thank you, Cherry.”

“Glad to hear it.” She looked between the two of us. “I’ll give you space. See you in the morning.”

Jase took my hand and led me into the living room. “Can I get you a drink? Something to eat? Mum has peppermint tea.”

Despite my tiredness, his comment made me smile although I shook my head. “No, I’m fine.”

We fell silent as we sat down on the sofa, slightly turned towards each other. After a beat, we both spoke the same words at the same time.

“I’m sorry.”

“You first.” Jase gripped my hand.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to compose my thoughts before I opened my mouth.

“I’m sorry you had to endure what you did.

I’m sorry I let Gil into our home. I’m sorry he’s such a total prick that he got you arrested.

I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when you were released.

I’m sorry.” The last two words were choked out as I tried to control the tears I’d been on the verge of for most of the day. My shoulders shook as the dam burst.

Increasing the pressure of his grasp, Jase replied.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one who got angry; I saw red and went for Gil.

I should have been able to control my anger better.

Fuck, I love you, Hollis, and I was going to protect you at all costs even if it meant I’d go to prison for it.

When I heard the police officers talking about doing time, I was so fucking scared you wouldn’t believe it.

I couldn’t stand to lose you, to be without you for so long.

Then Finn told me you’d gone to see Gil, and I didn’t know what to think. ”

“I had to be sure he would stick to his word about dropping the charges. The only way I could do it was face-to-face.” I paused.

“Sometimes, it’s the only thing he understands.

I threatened to report him for stalking, and funnily enough, he agreed what you’d done was accidental, self-defence almost. He had nothing on you. ”

Jase almost smirked, but I knew there was no malice in it.

“After everything we went through to get to where we are now, I couldn’t let anything ruin it.

” He shifted position and placed his palms on each of my cheeks.

“Nothing comes between us ever again. Not your brother, not Felicity Andrews, and definitely not Gil.” He leaned forward, close enough to meet my lips, then paused.

“In case I hadn’t made myself clear, I love you, Hollis Sutton, and no one will ever change that. ”

I surrendered to his kiss, glad we had taken the risk and ended up here because I felt exactly the same way.