Florrie raised an eyebrow.
‘Ihaven’t come back intoyourlife? It’s you who is turning up everywhere in mine!’
‘How is that so? You’re the one who damaged my car, you’re the one with a flat tyre on the side of the road. And there’s been not even a hint of an apology for the way you’ve treated me since I’ve arrived. I should have known you hadn’t changed. In fact, I should have been done with you all those years ago.’
You could cut the tension with a knife.
But Florrie was also perplexed. He didn’t have a right to be angry with her. Why would he be? And what did he mean by he ‘should have been done with’ her?
‘Done with me? Done withme? We spent two whole weeks together at that private beach house.’ She pointed in the direction of the sea. ‘I had the best time of my life. You made me feel alive, happy and loved. I thought we had something special. Why would you do that, why would you give me false hope for the future?’
‘I didn’t. Everything I did and said was truly how I was feeling. I was hoping it was the start of something new.’
Florrie gave a strangled laugh. ‘The start of something new. How could you start something new? You left me in the car park with an iPod full of songs to remind me of the wonderful time we shared—’
‘For the record, it was more than wonderful,’ Tom interrupted.
‘And what happened right after that, Tom?’ Florrie continued, undeterred. She blinked back frustrated tears.
‘What happened was you disappeared out of my life and I’ve no idea why. How did you think I felt, sharing those two weeks with you then being cut dead? There was no way of contacting you,’ Tom said, sharply.
‘If it was that important to explain yourself you could have tracked me down. I mean, you’re in Heartcross now, even if it is eight years too late.’
‘Why would I track you down? You made it pretty damn clear you didn’t want anything to do with me. You blocked my phone calls, cut ties with me on social media. Is that what you do, use people and then discard them once you’ve had your fun?’
‘Use you? Are you kidding me?’ Florrie was aghast. Was he actually trying to paintheras the bad guy in this whole situation?
Tom exhaled. ‘Look, Florrie, I’ll share this with you.’ He took a breath. ‘I liked you … a lot. In fact, spending those two weeks together … I’ve never felt more comfortable or more like myself in my life. You got me. We had fun and everything was so easy. Those two weeks were the best two weeks I’ve ever had. I was falling in love with you.’
The words took Florrie completely by surprise.
‘Then you cut me off completely.’
‘And you really have no idea why?’ she asked.
‘I’m afraid I don’t,’ he said, looking bewildered.
‘Unbelievable. I’ve got two words for you: Sophia Henley. You left me and went directly to frolicking on your father’s yacht in St Tropez with your childhood sweetheart. How do you think I felt seeing pictures of you together and reading that marriage was on the cards in the near future for you two? She obviously had a lucky escape and married someone else. Is that why you’re still single? Did she break your heart the same way you broke mine?’
Tom raised an eyebrow. ‘You seem to know a lot about Sophia.’
‘Is that all you’ve got to say?’ she asked, annoyed.
Tom looked like he was about to say something but changed his mind.
‘You can’t even tell me I’m wrong, can you?’ Florrie persisted.
Tom’s eyes flickered as he ran his hand through his hair.
‘Have you got anything to say?’ she demanded.
‘Sometimes things aren’t the way they seem.’
‘That’s it?’ Florrie could feel her eyes burning as she stared at him.
They were at a stalemate.
Tom sighed. ‘I’ll change your tyre. I can’t leave you stranded here.’
