Nobody was home. My papa had taken Marina with him on a business trip to Singapore, plus Sammy was away at school. I opened a bottle of wine, grabbed two glasses and took them into the garden where Nick was already making himself comfortable on the hammock.
‘I can’t believe you live in a house with a swimming pool,’ Nick said.
‘It’s hardly a swimming pool. More of a pond without fish.’
‘Beats the puddles in me garden at home. This is boss.’
‘Boss?’
‘Oh, I mean good, great, amazing. Liverpool slang.’
We chatted for a while, small talk and more bad jokes. We came up with a feast of insults that would suit that vile bastard George. I was amazed at how much I could laugh about somebody who was so awful to me just hours ago. As I was about to get a second bottle of wine, Nick attempted to get out of the hammock.
‘Can we go inside, sweetheart?’ he asked, failing to sit up with any hint of elegance.
‘Struggling with the heat?’ I smiled.
‘Amateur.’
He held out his hands for help and I was more than happy to assist. I’d kicked my high heels off and he was much taller beside me now as he came to standing. He lowered his head and cupped my face in his hands, then gave me a soft kiss on my sore cheek, below the Band-Aid.
I pulled away.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said.
But, what did Nick have to be sorry for? He’d been nothing short of wonderful since George had attacked me. Nobody could have made me feel more cared for. What’s more, he had cut his night out in Dubai short to take me home and make sure I was completely fine. Nick had treated me with respect, something I hadn’t experienced for the longest time.
I tilted my head away, exposing my left cheek, the one that was untouched, unscarred.
Nick bent over and kissed that side instead.
‘We should go inside,’ I said.
‘That would be more comfortable,’ he smiled, relieved.
Over plenty more wine, we sat in the kitchen and talked until the sun started to make an appearance. We both agreed that Reese Witherspoon was the sweetest person on the planet. We didn’t understand why people chose to have a dog, but totally got the need for a cat. Nick took great interest in the brightly coloured sketches pinned onto the fridge of various animals surfing, and chuckled, asking where they came from. He wanted to get some for himself.
‘They’re mine,’ I admitted. ‘Well, I drew them. For my little brother, Sammy.’
‘Impressive,’ Nick said. ‘Talented as well as beautiful.’
‘He likes to surf.’
Things became a bit silly and we danced on the white-tiled floor to a string of cheesy eighties songs blaring from my laptop. Nick grabbed a mop and displayed some bizarre moves that had me aching with laughter. We playfully touched each other’s fingers. I sat on his knee and cuddled into his chest. It didn’t occur to me that this time with Nick would ever come to an end.
‘I need to go,’ he said.
‘I don’t want you to go,’ I said, panic rising.
‘Me flight’s in a few hours, sweetheart.’
Nick had built a wall around me, one that was made of silk pillows, twinkling with blue lights. He had wrapped me up and protected me from the pain, and now he was leaving. That wall was already beginning to fall down.
‘If it makes you feel better, I don’t want to go either,’ he said.
‘Then stay!’
‘I can’t. I’ve got to get back.’
‘Why? You told me you mainly work from home. Work from here.’
I know I sounded desperate, but he was leaving, and without him, I was exposed. I had nothing to lose.
‘Fine. I’ll come to England,’ I said.
‘You’re welcome any time.’
‘I will. I’ll come … today! I can fly out today. Why the hell not?’
‘Yeah, why the hell not? But, sweetheart, you won’t see me in England.’
‘Why?’
‘Once I get back, I’ve got a lot of work to do and then I’m on a few more business trips. It’s a crazy time of year. Honestly, just relax. Let’s keep in touch.’
‘Yeah, I know what that means.’
‘We can Skype.’
‘Sure. Because that always ends well,’ I said, then bit my lip. ‘I’m being ridiculous.’
Nick laughed and tickled me under the chin.
‘I get it,’ he said. ‘You were attacked tonight; you’re not okay. But you will be.’
‘What if I won’t? What if I see him again? What if I meet another guy and he …’ I couldn’t fight the tears