they’d nearly lost their house. That’s what they’d said at the time.
Kate managed to get a few words out. “Mum, that’s not how I remember it.”
“Because it took several years for it to get sorted and for the money to filter through. By that time, you’d finished university, moved out and you were living your own life. It might even have been sorted when you took that first backpacking trip.”
Kate tried to think but her head was muddled and her stomach felt worse. “It doesn’t matter any more. I’m not seeing Daniel. I just wanted you to know.”
“Darling, you’ll find the right man one day,” her mother said. “You’re a beautiful person. You’ve just got to trust your heart.”
Kate straightened. “What did you say?”
“You’ve got to trust your heart. You’ll know when it’s the right time and the right man. You’ll feel it inside.”
That was the whole problem. She did feel it on the inside. She felt like her insides had been ripped out, her life torn apart.
Her heart had led her astray so many times in the past that she didn’t know what to think or do any more. She’d chosen Mark because he was solid and reliable. Because of her past, she hadn’t wanted to take any more risks so she’d decided to use her head.
It wasn’t her head with which she’d chosen Daniel, however.
But, then, she hadn’t really chosen at all.
She’d fallen.
Head over heels.
Her love for him wasn’t doing her any good. Not when he didn’t have the same feelings. She could apologise and explain her mistakes to him, but she couldn’t make him love her.
God, she was going round and round in circles in her head and whichever way she looked at it, the relationship was never going to work.
“I’ve got some news.” It was her mother’s voice.
Kate had to get a grip. “And what’s that?”
“I was thrilled when you called me from the ski fields. I can’t tell you how much. I told Dad all about it and I think that’s what finally did it for him. He’s finally agreed to take that trip to Italy that we’ve talking about all these years. I’ve finally convinced him that going during the school holidays for the European winter is the right time. I think the snow was the clincher.”
Kate knew how much her mother had longed for this holiday. “Mum, that’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you. So there’s no talk of retirement yet.”
“Darling, I don’t know why you keep going on about that. We don’t want to retire.”
“But you were both going to take early retirements ten years ago and then you lost all you money and then you couldn’t.”
“That’s true but now we’re both glad we didn’t retire back then. For a while, we both begrudged losing so much money and the change in plans but in the end, it’s all worked out. We’d have been bored retiring so early with all those years still ahead of us.”
“So you both want to keep working?”
“For now, yes. I’m going part-time next year and I think that’ll make a big difference. It will suit us both better.”
“Mum, I’ve had it all wrong. I thought you only kept working because of Irwin Webb and all the money you lost.”
“You were partly right. It started off that way. We did lose a lot of money and that was a horrible time for us. But, as I said, it all worked out for the best. We’re never going to be rich and that doesn’t matter. Your father and you girls make me happier than anything in the world.”
“I’m glad you and Dad are happy. Really, I am. And I’m glad you’re finally taking that big trip.” It took all her strength to say it. “Europe in the winter will be lovely.”
She’d made such a mess of everything. She’d misunderstood her parents, though at least with them she could make amends.
Whereas with Daniel, it was finished.
Well and truly.
* * *
“And to what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?” Roger Webb asked.
Daniel couldn’t believe it. He was calling his own father. It wasn’t as though he needed a reason.
Granted, his father usually insisted on email. So much more efficient. He didn’t believe the phone was for chatting. It was making arrangements.
“I don’t need a reason to call you.” Daniel rested his elbow on his office desk, the phone in one hand. “But, as it happens, I do have something to tell you.”
“Another one of your business coups?”
Daniel wanted