‘Not really. But what I could do, seeing as I have so much free time now that Rosalyn doesn’t seem to need me, is check out her socials to see if anyone is sticking up for Dad.’
‘I tried doing that, but I’ve been so busy with creating a new website and helping Nina at the gallery, I didn’t have the time to scroll through all the comments. There are thousands of them.’
Emily tossed aside the last remaining piece of the napkin as though she’d lost interest in it. ‘Well, like I say,’ she said with a shrug, ‘I do have time on my hands now. Which leads me on to something I wanted to tell you. And whatever you do, please don’t say,“I told you so”or that you knew all along I’d regret chucking it in, but I think I’d like to go back to uni next year, to finish off my degree. Meanwhile I’ll get a job to help fund myself, but can I stay on with you and Ben until, you know, I’m properly sorted?’
Nothing could have pleased Cassie more. But knowing it was always better to play it cool, especially in public, she resisted throwing her arms around her daughter and said, ‘Of course, Ems. And you know what,’ she added with the happiest of smiles, ‘you can help me plan the wedding.’
‘Oh, great, it’ll be 24/7 brain-numbing wedding talk, will it?’
And just like that, Cassie knew she had her daughter back. Her wonderfully sharp-tongued, sassy Emily, with all her mocking sarcasm and eye-rolling condescension.Welcome back, Ems!
Chapter Fifty-Three
With growing excitement Nina headed towards the arrivals hall.
Her plan to surprise Jakob at Stansted Airport had almost gone awry when the delivery of the paintings for the upcoming exhibition she was holding turned up several days earlier than planned at the gallery. Cassie had taken the day off to spend time with Emily and so Nina had helped the delivery man offload the carefully wrapped canvases and placed them with equal care on the floor where space permitted in the gallery before setting the alarm, locking up, and dashing to her car and then driving as fast as she dared to the airport.
Now here she was, anxiously awaiting Jakob’s arrival. The screen directly in front of her showed that his plane from Oslo had landed five minutes ago. She was absurdly excited about surprising him this way. She just hoped that in the mêlée of the busy arrivals hall she wouldn’t miss him. There seemed to be a lot of flights which were showing either as just landed, as the one from Oslo had, or were about to.
They’d spoken last night when he’d confirmed that he was definitely on his way back to Cambridge after extending his stay to check out some artwork he hoped she would find suitable for Lavelle’s, but she hadn’t said anything about meeting him at the airport. At that point she hadn’t planned to. But then first thingthat morning when she’d been in the shower, she’d decided to surprise him.
It had been quite a pivotal moment, climactic, you could say. There’d she’d been, going about the business of showering and thinking of work when, and from nowhere, a powerful pulse of desire had shot through her as the jets of hot water had played over her skin. For a delicious moment, her eyes closed, and her breath held, she’d imagined Jakob in the shower with her and how it might feel to have his naked body pressed against hers, their hands and mouths exploring each other.
The potency of the sensation had stayed with her while she’d dressed and then driven to work. It had been like a warm glow deep within her, and the feeling was with her still, except it was so strong now she felt almost feverish with desire for Jakob.
Her widowed self wanted to be shocked at the betrayal she was committing, that she could feel this way for a man other than Hugh. Yet her new self, the woman who wanted to love again and be loved in return, was now truly awakened with the need for the ache of desire she was experiencing to be satiated.
When she’d arrived at the gallery that morning, she’d texted Jakob to say that instead of going out for dinner as he’d suggested, she would cook for them at her place.
Are you sure?he’d replied immediately, as if he’d been waiting for her to message him.
Very sure,she’d responded.
She’d watched the three dots dancing on the screen of her mobile as he’d typed.What time and can I bring anything?
7.00. Just yourself.
A smiling emoji had then appeared.
It was later that she wondered about his responseAre you sure?And her replyVery sure. Not for a minute did she think either of them had been referring to her cooking dinner.
The appearance of a flurry of travellers heightened her anticipation at seeing Jakob. She was looking forward to seeing the surprise on his face when he caught sight of her.
Most of those now dispersing into the arrivals hall and carrying only hand luggage had the look of purposeful business travellers and convinced her that they’d been on the Oslo flight and not the one from Tenerife that had landed a few minutes afterwards.
The conviction set off an explosion of what felt like turbo-charged butterflies in her stomach, followed by a strange buzzing sensation. It took her a few seconds to realise that it was her mobile vibrating. She fished the device out of her bag and saw that it was Saul Bernice. No way did she want to speak to him and risk missing Jakob’s arrival, but she hated to be unprofessional. Saul probably just wanted to know that his pictures for the exhibition had been safely delivered. He was always very taciturn to the point of rudeness, so she risked taking the call in the hope he wouldn’t keep her too long.
‘Hello, Saul,’ she said.
‘I wanted to check that the delivery was made without any problems,’ he said curtly and without preamble.
‘Yes, I personally helped the delivery man, everything’s now in the gallery.’
‘And there’s no damage to any of the paintings?’
‘I can’t vouch for that as I had to rush out,’ she explained, ‘but I’ll let you know as soon as I’ve had a chance to … ’
Her words trailed off as she spotted Jakob in his familiar black puffa jacket, and she was just about to raise her hand to him when she noticed the beautiful, and very young, blonde girl at his side. Their faces bright and cheerful, they were chatting and laughing while together they pushed a trolley loaded with a set of smart Louis Vuitton luggage, as well as a medium-sized charcoal-coloured suitcase, presumably Jakob’s, which just at that moment slid off the trolley.
