Gemma nodded and pondered the information Teagan had revealed.
“I know what you mean. I'm spending all that time with Rory, admittedly in a gorgeous hotel suite and also with our family, who don't know we’re dating.” She rolled her eyes and waved a hand so Teagan wouldn't pull at that string, “but we've not really had more than two nights together. What if I get fed up with her, or she with me?”
“Oh please!” Teagan rolled her eyes dramatically. “First, you’ll be in a swanky hotel room and having so much sex it won’t matter.” Teagan waggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Second, Gemma! She adores you, it’s obvious to anyone within a fifty-mile radius. She won’t get fed up with you.”
“But what about my six-week thing?” Gemma worried a fingernail. “I have been thinking of all my exes, and there really is no one in the last few years that has lasted longer. What if that happens with Rory?”
Teagan took hold of her hands and looked deeply into her eyes. “Gemma, you have been crazy about this woman for the last ten years.”
Gemma nodded, and her friend continued, “What if those other relationships didn't last because they weren't her, hey?”
Gemma felt the words slam into her like a lorry. She sat, winded, as the truth of Teagan’s words ran through her. Could it really be that simple? Had she somehow been searching for another Rory for ten years to the point that any woman that wasn't her was found wanting? Was it that easy? Was Rory her person, so no one else got a look in?
“Also,” Teagan ploughed on seemingly oblivious to Gemma's internal realisations, “although you only started doing the horizontal tango a few weeks ago, you have been dating for far longer than six weeks.”
Gemma stared open-mouthed at her friend. Had they? Was what she thought was friendship really more than that?
The conversation continued to bounce around her head as Rory drove them out of London towards Larchester. As Rory's car ate up the miles, Gemma guiltily worked out how easy it should be for them to visit home and that she really should make more of an effort with her parents.
“Are you okay?” Rory’s voice cut across the radio playing from the car stereo.
“Yeah, just thinking how close we actually live to home and how we need to visit more.”
“Hmm, yeah, I guess we should.” Rory took a breath. “Perhaps after Christmas we could tell them about us and plan more weekends at home?”
Gemma sighed. She’d love to walk into her parents’ house this weekend and declare that she and Rory were dating. She’d love her parents to be happy for them and for her father to clasp his hand to Rory’s shoulder and tell herto “look after his little girl”. But Gemma knew that wouldn't happen. Her mother would start talking about weddings and babies, and her dad would offer Rory a job in his law firm and pressure them into moving home. They would then live every moment of their lives under the microscope of their respective parents. Just thinking about it made Gemma feel claustrophobic. She opened a window to get some air, and Rory frowned.
“Do you want the air con turned up?”
“Huh?” Gemma looked across to Rory then shook her head as her brain caught up. “Oh, no. I just needed a bit of fresh air.” She sighed and then realised she didn't need to hide anything from Rory.
“I’m just anxious about seeing our parents again. I mean, last time they were all ‘you two should get together.’’’ She groaned. “I don't know how they will be when we tell them we are dating.”
Rory winced, and Gemma’s heart plummeted.
“Tell me.” Gemma’s heart thumped in her chest. She knew the look on Rory’s face, and it wasn’t good.
“Tell you what?” Rory's voice was neutral, but Gemma knew there was more to it.
“What are you not telling me?”
Rory reached a hand over the central console to take Gemma's. She kept her eyes on the road, but her gaze also flickered to Gemma as she spoke.
“Your dad offered me a job.”
“What?” Gemma felt the tightness return to her chest. Her head started to throb, and it felt like the control she had fought hard to get over her life was ebbing away.
“Last time, he saw me walk away from your hotel room. The morning after we had slept by the swimming pool. Hethought we had, you know, and over breakfast he offered me a job.”
“Oh God!” Gemma threw her head back against the headrest and squeezed her eyes shut. “I knew this would happen. Why didn't you tell me?” She snapped at Rory and instantly regretted it. She wasn’t annoyed with her, but with her own parents for interfering, as usual.
“Well, first, you walked in wearing those really short shorts.” Rory grinned. “Then you were in your bikini all day, and then we argued. My mind was otherwise occupied. To be honest, until that incident in the bathroom at Montague Holdings, I hadn't thought about it.”
“Why then?” Gemma asked, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.
Rory sighed. “I guess I wondered if making a life in London was worth it.”
“With what happened at Montague’s, or something else?”
