Читать книгу Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow - Jessica Redland - Страница 17

Present Day

I must have finally dozed off in my hotel room at Chloe’s wedding because a knock on the door woke me with a start. The digital clock by the bed informed me that it was 23:52. Who on earth? I unlocked the door and edged it open a few inches. My stomach did a backflip at the sight of James propped up against the opposite wall with a half-drunk pint in his hand.

‘Can I come in?’ he asked, his speech slurred.

‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’

‘Probably right.’ He wagged his finger at me. ‘You’re right about lots of things, aren’t you?’

I wasn’t sure whether that was a compliment or an insult so I shrugged. ‘Is Chloe okay?’

‘She’s amazing,’ he said. ‘So beautiful and funny and lovely and—’

‘I meant after the incident earlier. Presumably you know what happened.’

‘Ah. Of course. Yes. She’s fine ‘bout it.’

‘Good. So is there something you wanted?’ I cringed at the haughty tone in my voice, especially as I sounded just like Great-Aunt Agnes.

He nodded and tried to take a slurp on his pint but missed his mouth. ‘Oops.’ He wiped at his damp beard and neck.

‘So what did you want?’ I prompted.

‘Open the door. I can’t see you properly.’

I could do without this but hopefully he would say his piece and go. ‘Okay but you’re not coming in.’

‘S’fine. Just want to talk.’

Reluctantly pushing the door open, I half-stepped into the corridor. ‘I’m waiting. Talk.’

‘Oh yes. I wanted to say… It’s just…’ He took a deep breath and stood up straight. I could sense him telling himself to sober up. ‘I wanted to say I’m really sorry that I didn’t love you back and I’m sorry if I hurt you because of that.’

I gulped. ‘That’s very nice of you. Thank you.’

‘You’re amazing and beautiful and funny and lovely too, you know. Just not the one for—’

‘I know. I get it,’ I held up my hand to indicate that he needed to stop talking. ‘You’d better get back to the party before you’re missed.’

‘Will you be okay?’ He looked so sad and I knew him well enough to know that his concern was genuine.

‘I’ll be fine.’ My voice softened. This wasn’t his fault. It was my mess. My lies. ‘Thanks for coming to find me. It was kind of you.’

‘It was the least I could do. I didn’t know how you felt. You said… If I’d known, maybe I’d have…’

‘Maybe you’d have what?’ I asked gently when he tailed off. ‘You’d have stayed with me and made yourself love me in return? We both know that’s not how it works. You and Chloe were made for each other. I think you were meant to meet me so that you could meet her.’ I’d always believed in fate and destiny and this made sense to me. The universe had been cruel to me to be kind to two of the people I loved the most.

‘I’m sorry,’ James said.

‘Me too. But I’m sorrier for the way the truth came out. Seriously, how is Chloe?’

He necked the rest of his drink and swayed for a moment before steadying himself against the wall. ‘Pretty upset. Putting a brave face on it. I’m sure she’ll come round. Be better in the morning.’

‘I hope so. You will try to get her to see reason, won’t you?’

James nodded. ‘Have to. All my fault.’

‘It’s nobody’s fault. It’s just…’ I shrugged. I wasn’t sure what it was anymore. ‘Thanks for checking on me. It means a lot. Now get back to your wife and your guests and let me get some sleep.’

James smiled tenderly at me. ‘You’ll find someone else and he’ll be so much better for you than I ever was.’

My heart raced. Someone else? Better than James? He really had no idea, did he? I smiled weakly.

Then he winked. ‘Well, better than me might not be possible. Nobody else could have my charm, good looks or witty repartee.’ He pulled a comical face at me.

‘You always did know how to make me laugh,’ I said, smiling.

‘A hug to say how sorry I am?’ he suggested, looking at me with sad puppy dog eyes as he stretched out his arms. ‘Please?’

‘Go on, then.’ I stepped into his hug and lightly kissed him on the cheek. ‘Congratulations, James. You two are going to be so happy together.’

‘Oh my God! You just can’t help yourself.’

Dropping my arms to my side, I twisted round to face Chloe.

She tightened her fists into balls, clenched her jaw and glowered at me. ‘I missed you tonight. I decided I might have overreacted so I came to say sorry, but it seems I wasn’t overreacting at all.’ The coldness in her voice made me shudder.

I glanced at James, willing him to support me, but he was leaning against the opposite wall once more, head hanging. Begging him to tell the truth – that he’d come to find me – wasn’t going to do their marriage any favours.

‘It was just a congratulations hug.’ I held out my hands towards her, beseeching her to believe me.

She pressed her fingers to her temples and clenched her teeth before shouting at me, every single word drawn out for emphasis. ‘You were kissing. I saw you.’

‘It was on the cheek. It was a congratulations kiss. That’s all.’ I kept my voice low, hoping to calm her. It didn’t work.

‘And if I hadn’t appeared, it’d just have been a congratulations kiss on the mouth, and then a congratulations fumble…’

‘Chloe! I’m telling the truth.’ I took a step closer to her but she put her hand up to stop me.

‘I don’t think you know what the truth is anymore, Samantha.’

I winced at her full use of my full name for the second time that evening.

‘Thanks for ruining my wedding day.’ With a final withering look, she grabbed James’s arm and stormed down the corridor with him.