‘My boy?’
‘Yes, Abbey,’ she said, frustration creeping into her voice. ‘Nicholas. You know, English, rich, lovely bum.’
‘Nick was here?’
‘He brought me lunch and then spent the day here. I think he was anxious today and I think he is lonely, poor man. Doing it all by himself. He doesn’t have any older people in his family, your boy.’
‘He’s not my boy, Gran.’ I tried, unsuccessfully, not to let the heartbreak come through in my voice. ‘He doesn’t want me like that.’
Iris looked at me, shaking her head. ‘Abigail, if you genuinely believe that you are a fool. The problem with men is that they don’t cope with their emotions as effectively as we women do. He is simmering along, though. He’ll get there, eventually. You trying to force the issue will not help, dear. I would recommend patience.’
‘I just can’t be with him if he is not all in, Gran. It’s too much. My feelings for him. They’re not like anything I’ve ever felt before. I feel like I’ll implode. I can’t do casual with him. I’m way too in love.’
‘Abigail. I might have had seven husbands, but some of them meant significantly more to me than others. What you are experiencing is rare, darling, but it is real. Cavendish women aren’t fee …’ She paused and then it seemed like she changed tack. ‘Don’t be afraid to feel it.’
‘I don’t want to feelitif he isn’t. I don’t want that. It exposes me far too much. What if I don’t recover from him?’
‘Dearest, that’sexactlythe same argument he is using to not be with you. Isn’t it?’
My grandmother is a sorceress.
‘Abigail, your face reads like an open book. I can assure you, child, I am no master of the dark arts. I’ve just lived. Please make certain you do as well.’
‘I love you, Gran. So much.’
‘I love you too, child. Now it’s late and I have a saucy book to listen to. Off you go, Abbey. Everything will work out, darling girl.’
I kissed her cheek softly, scared of harming the horrid bruise or her bird-like frailness. ‘Gran, are you sure you should be listening to steamy books with your heart playing up?’
‘Dearest, if I die listening to a sex scene, it would almost be my perfect death. So, what’s not to be happy about?’
I chuckled at that. ‘Bye, Gran. Love you.’
‘Love you too, my girl. I’ll leave them all to you, darling. My saucy books. You might need them until your Englishman is ready.’
Nick
My alarm had gone off at four. I looked at the time. I had to get to the airport.
One day. One miserable, bloody day. I was supposed to stay two more weeks, to make sure Ollie was all right. To make sure Abbey was all right. Simply, I could not be in the same city as her and not see her. So I was running from her, running from us.
I had realised, at about ten on that first Monday without her, that I was a miserable old bastard. It was as empty as I’d felt since before the holiday. No, since I met Abbey on the holiday.
I’d been an anxious fucker on the phone with Monica, checking in on Abbey. Make sure she eats. Don’t let any of those execs disrespect her in that first meeting. Make sure she remembered to implement the things we’d discussed with that arrogant fucker, Jack Fife, from Friday. Don’t leave her alone in a room with him. Ever. Monica had called me at eleven and told me to back the fuck off.
So I’d headed to Iris. I debated whether hanging out with her grandmother was an indirect violation of Abbey’s rules. But I, the great fucking Nick Northby – master of control – had no willpower. I would be as close to her as I could get. I picked up sandwiches from Iris’s favourite café and brought them to her, sitting next to her bed.
‘Nicholas Northby.’
‘I brought you a gift.’
‘And here I thought your brother was the flirty one. Well, let’s see it. I’m genuinely hoping for diamonds.’
‘Sadly, it’s only a sandwich.’
She opened up the cloche on her tray and looked at it with distaste. ‘Sold,’ she said, holding out her hand.
I moved the foul-smelling tray outside and then opened up the salad, avocado and cheese sandwich, laying a napkin across her lap. It was actually enormous, I realised. I was confident I would finish mine easily and Abbey could one-hundred-per-cent finish it, but Iris currently weighed as much as my left boot, so I cut it into quarters for her.
