He took her hand in his. ‘Having met your father and learnt something of your past, I can understand the way you feel about my situation much more. I probably shouldn’t have kissed you, but I want you to know how I feel about you. Our time together in Vietnam was special. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.’
‘And you don’t think it was just because of the magic of the surroundings?’
‘It helped, I suppose, but Vietnam was more mystical to me because I shared those experiences with you.’
She couldn’t help agreeing with his sentiment. ‘I know what you mean. I feel the same way about our time there.’
‘I wish you’d answered my emails. We still could have spoken on the phone, or I could have come to Devon and spent time with you.’ He looked so sincere. ‘Maybe met your mother.’
She shook her head. Not wishing to discuss her issueswith Aaron and unused to sharing her private life, she didn’t like to admit that it had never occurred to her to introduce him to her mother. ‘My mother had issues,’ she said. ‘She was intensely private and a little ashamed of her home.’ She cleared her throat. ‘It was quite rundown and she hated living there.’
‘Didn’t she invite anyone there at all?’ he asked, looking stunned at the prospect. ‘What about her friends, or your friends?’
Daisy sighed. ‘I didn’t have any, and neither did she.’
He stared at her for a moment and Daisy could have bitten her tongue for opening up so much to him. She wished she could take back what she’d just said. Now he was bound to see her in a different light. She’d done so well up until now at reinventing herself.
‘Don’t look so horrified,’ he said, giving her hand a squeeze. ‘None of our lives are exactly how we might wish them to be.’ He tilted his head. ‘Yes, I know I’m speaking as someone who has enjoyed a better life than most, but it can be quite hard when you’re fourteen and your mum has acted a pretty risqué part in a movie.’
Daisy winced. ‘I hadn’t thought of that sort of thing.’ She could see the hurt in his eyes.
‘I love my mum,’ he said, lowering his voice so only she could hear him speak. ‘But I had to learn to stand up for myself at a young age. Not everyone’s parents’ lives are lived through the magazines. Some of the stories were… difficult to read knowing I had to go to school on the Monday morning and deal with some fool who thinks he’s funny for sharing details with the rest of my class.’
Daisy couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. ‘We’ve had pretty opposite upbringings if you think about it,’ she said, as it dawned on her that something halfway between the two was probably what most people experienced. ‘I’m not sure which was the most enjoyable.’
His expression softened. ‘Probably neither,’ he said, smiling widely at her. ‘At least we have that in common.’
Daisy smiled. He was right and for once she didn’t feel so much of an outsider. To think that his childhood might have been as difficult as hers, albeit in a completely different way, was reassuring somehow. She was about so tell him how much better he’d made her feel when there was an upsurge in the volume in the room. Both of them turned their heads to see what all the commotion was about.
‘Your parents – they’re back!’ she said, delighted to see they had been able to get to Jersey in time for the party.
He and Daisy stood up together. ‘Come on, let’s go and say hi to them,’ he said, taking her by the hand.
It felt so natural that it was only when Francesca made a point of spotting their hand-holding and raised a perfectly threaded eyebrow in their direction that Daisy felt at all awkward and let go. She could feel Gabriel staring at her and hoped she hadn’t hurt his feelings.
‘Darling, so good to see you again,’ Francesca cheered, giving Gabriel a hug. ‘You look very handsome in all your finery.’
‘Thanks, Mum. You look amazing as usual.’ He smiled at his dad. ‘Great to see you back again. Will you two be here for a while or is this a flying visit?’
‘I’m flying out again first thing if this bloody fog lifts,’ his father said. ‘We had to get the ferry here. Still only three quarters of the way through my tour, so there’s no chance of a break for me yet.’
‘Yes, but you love it,’ Francesca said putting her arm around Rick’s waist. ‘I’m back for a bit now. Filming wrapped yesterday.’
‘That was quick,’ Gabriel said.
Daisy had no idea how long it took to shoot a film, so didn’t like to comment.
‘Not really; I was only in the final scenes of thefilming, so they didn’t need me at the beginning. It was only a small part.’ She smiled at various people in the room. ‘Bryn and Soraya seem to be having a ball; they look like they’ve been dancing for ages. I’d better go and have a chat with them.’ Before leaving she added, ‘This all looks fabulous, darling, well done.’
Daisy and Gabriel watched his parents walking away, chatting to people as they made their way across the crowded room.
‘Why is she so surprised that you’ve pulled this together so well?’ Daisy couldn’t help asking.
Gabriel smiled. ‘Because she knows how I’d much prefer to spend my days down on the beach, or diving somewhere. Staying indoors for too long makes me restless.’
‘Won’t you ever want to settle down somewhere?’ Daisy asked. ‘I mean, have your own home, rather than being away on projects all the time and living out of a rucksack?’
He shrugged. ‘Maybe, but right now I love what I do and can’t see myself giving it up any time soon.’
