‘No more fibs, okay?’
‘Absolutely not. I’m so embarrassed about my behaviour. I can assure you that it’ll never happen again.’
I move over to sit beside him on his sunbed and put my hand on his leg.
‘Friends again then?’
‘Friends.’
Elias looks at me with the biggest grin. ‘So, you know how we said we would tell each other the truth?’
‘Uh oh, what now?’
‘Well, the truth is, all I want to do is jump into that pool with you. How quickly can you get out of those clothes?’
We both start laughing as I remove the summer dress I’m wearing and dive into the pool with Elias right behind me.
We make a big splash together as pool water sprays everywhere. Elias kisses me insatiably and holds me so close to him that I can feel that repaired heart of his beat against mine again. We may still have a few hurdles to climb, but during this intimate moment, I believe that everything may just work out after all.
Chapter Thirty-Five
For the next four weeks, when I am not re-visiting my book to get it ready to share with publishers and agents, I lie by the pool with Elias, drink cocktails in nearby bars and dine on seafood at the seaside restaurants. There have been no more lies, and I have stopped snooping around as the trust between us finally grows.
I am excited as we stand at the airport waiting for Jasmine and Poppy to arrive for their holiday, as I imagine them experiencing the villa and all the lovely things around the village. They are going to love it here. I just hope they keep the villa tidy.
Elias has swapped the little Fiat hire car for a bigger estate so that we can pick them up, and when I see the amount of luggage they have, I realise it was the right move.
‘Mam,’ shouts Jasmine when she sees me.
‘You look amazing, Mam. Look at that tan you’ve got,’ says Poppy.
‘Aw, have I? It’s surprising how much of a tan you get by walking about. Aww, come here you two. I’ve missed you,’ I say, giving them both hugs.
‘Yeah, we’ve really missed you, Mam. Seeing you on video chats isn’t the same as popping around to the flat when I’m not well,’ says Poppy.
‘I know. That’s the problem with me being over here. Anyway, it’s only for a few more weeks and I’ll be back.’
The thought of spending the winter in the flat alone, as Elias heads back to Manchester and we try to keep our long-distance relationship alive, is something I have tried to forget. For now, though, we are standing in this entrance hall, with the sun shining outside and it feels as though my whole world is complete as I look at Elias greeting my two girls. I have the most important people in my life in a place I have fallen in love with, and I’m going to make the most of every moment.
‘I’m sure you’ve grown since I last saw you,’ I tease Poppy.
‘I think I’ve stopped growing, Mam. It’s these wedges I picked up and my feet are bloody killing me.’
‘Oi, language,’ I say.
With the luggage packed up, Elias drives towards the villa with the girls in the back and laughs at their non-stop chattering. Apparently, one of the cabin crew was hot and Jasmine was disappointed that they ran out of bacon rolls on the plane. There are lots of exclamations from the back seat and everything we pass is eitherlush,gorge, ortotesamazing.
When we reach the villa, all I hear isWow.
Their jaws are hanging open as they look up towards the balconies at the front of the villa.
‘Are you serious? This is where you’ve been staying?’ says Jasmine.
‘Yes. I didn’t send you photos on purpose. I wanted it to be a surprise.’
‘This is lush, and I meanlush,’ says Jasmine.
‘Imagine the Insta pics we can get here?’ says Poppy. She is already pulling her phone out.
