Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye - Jacquelyn Middleton Page 0,91
Sarah let go of Leia’s hand. “He’ll bounce back quicker than you can say Banksy. I bet he’ll be out tomorrow night, flashing that smile and fighting the ladies off!”
A twinge unsettled Leia’s stomach. Was it the wavy caramel chocolates? Or the thought of another woman owning Tarquin’s lips, arching her back, meeting his hips? He’ll lose himself in someone who shares her secrets, her present—her future—someone who isn’t me. She swallowed hard. I feel sick. Better lay off the chocolate.
Sarah opened her phone contacts. “Those high-flying, wealthy types don’t wallow for long. There’s nothing his platinum credit card and some leggy model won’t fix, trust me.”
I hate that leggy model already—bitch! Leia bit her lip, stifling her scowl.
“So…lunch. Want one last pizza? I’ll even hold my nose and scatter grapes on it. See, I must love you.” Sarah laughed, tapping the speaker button on her phone.
Leia perked up. “Glad someone does! Thanks, Saz.”
Sarah wheeled down the hall, her voice relaying their order to the pizza place.
Right. I should do yesterday’s gratitude entry before lunch arrives. Leia unearthed her journal from a well-packed corner of her suitcase. This should be easy. She unzipped the notebook and picked up her pen resting inside.
January 16, I was grateful for:
1. the beautiful sunrise over Tower Br
Her pen stopped abruptly. This journal thing only works if I’m honest. She put a line through it and started over.
January 16, I was grateful for:
1. the beautiful sunrise over Tower Br morning kisses warm on my neck, fingertips lost between my thighs. Tarquin’s kind heart… listening, encouraging, being present despite my messy past.
2. another great lunch at Simon’s thanks to the F&M hamper.
3. a delicious dinner and easy conversation with Tarquin. Laughing so hard I got hiccups. Ferris and jugs, kisses and secret public sex—a night I’ll never forget.
4. finding out Violetta does appreciate me. I wanted that job so much it hurt.
5. but my heart hurts, too, saying goodbye. Thanks, Tarquin for making me believe caring men DO exist. For helping me remember the girl I used to be. If we’d met at another time, in another life, maybe we could’ve had a different ending. Maybe even a happy one.
Sealing away her secrets and her heavy heart with a quick zip, Leia traded her journal for her phone. After five aborted attempts, she finished her goodbye email to Tarquin, took a deep breath, and hit send.
Eighteen
TARQUIN
One week later
Tarquin slumped in a leather club chair in the dimly lit waiting room, his coat draped across his lap and Leia’s email from seven days earlier under his thumb. Beneath his crumpled sweater, his stomach let out a long, snarly growl, furious it had only been fed a diet of champagne and roast beef-flavored Monster Munch potato snacks for the previous seventy-two hours. He scratched his week-old whiskers, now growing wild into a scruffy moustache and beard, and rested his throbbing head in his hands.
I can’t have a repeat of last year. I need to get a handle on this! Passing out and missing the meeting with the conversion officer yesterday was so sloppy and unprofessional. Keep this up and I’ll damage my reputation—and prove Dad right. He exhaled heavily. I’d rather run naked down Oxford Street during Boxing Day sales than ask for help, but clearly, I can’t do this on my own. Thank fuck this bloke fit me in again on a moment’s notice. It’s a struggle, spilling my guts. And it’s costing me a bomb, but mental wellness is priceless, right? I’ll just have to make sure my assistant doesn’t spot the receipts. For all she knows, I’m at the gym.
He nudged his black-framed glasses up his nose and blinked wearily at the aquarium taking up most of the wall he was facing. Striped angelfish gracefully zigzagged through an underwater forest of broad-leafed plants and spikey ferns while the filtration system gurgled and blew an endless supply of bubbles into the tank. Two of the pretty fish hung back in the lower corner, locking lips.
Snogging fish? For fuck’s sake. Tarquin glared up the ceiling, the dark circles beneath his eyes defying his usual fun-loving demeanor. Am I the only living thing on this planet who hasn’t paired off? This is just another full-on ‘Fuck you, Balfour.’ You’ll NEVER get the girl.
His gaze fell to Leia’s week-old email. He opened it again, poring over the words he could practically recite from memory.