‘We can’t be. It’s just a holiday fling,’ Gabi said, shaking her head. ‘But I intend to enjoy it while it lasts.’
Isabella kissed her own fingers and nodded her agreement.
Gabi spotted Walker immediately as she opened the doors to the gym and felt her tummy flip. He noticed her and nodded; no hands free to wave back as he was halfway through a lift. She took the opportunity to admire his form and the breadth of his shoulders. She’d not seen him since the long drive south when he dropped her off at Amber’s front door. They’d waved kind of awkwardly at each other as he drove away. It felt strange after the intimacy they’d shared over the past few days. Now, she felt a rush of pleasure at seeing him again.
She let him get on with his session while she worked through her physio exercises. They navigated the gym around each other, until he stood, hot and pumped in front of her at the water fountain. She had the desire to run her fingers down his biceps and feel his hands on her hips.
‘How are you doing?’ he asked, and his accent took her back to the bedroom at his parents’ house where they’d whispered under the duvet for hours and he’d put his hand over her mouth to quiet her laughter.
‘I’m good!’ Gabi replied, acknowledging how happy she actually felt. ‘Is it nice to be home?’ she asked.
‘Truthfully, I feel like a new man,’ he said. ‘Walker 2.0.’ He filled his water bottle and they moved outside to the sitting area, choosing a couple of chairs on the patio in the warmth of the June sunshine. ‘I’ve slept through the night since Scotland without the hint of a nightmare. And I feel a new excitement for life, rather than an anxiety about it.’ She knocked her water bottle against his in congratulations. ‘How was your physio? How long until the boot comes off?’ he asked.
‘Just one more week,’ Gabi said, lifting her leg in the air between them. He caught it and rested her foot in his lap. It felt strangely intimate, even with all their clothes on. Gabi shifted in her seat, but found she didn’t feel the urge to pull away. Rather, she wanted him to run his fingers up her leg and hold her closer. She let her foot sink into him and asked, ‘What about you– and the promotion?’
Walker smiled and his hair fell onto his forehead. ‘I accepted today,’ he said. ‘I’ll take up the role in about two weeks.’
‘Same time I leave for America– if I get the gig,’ Gabi said, wondering why she felt weird as the words left her mouth. She’d been looking forward to getting out of this boot and out of this town for weeks, and now it was on the horizon, it was starting to go by too fast.
‘Not much time left,’ Walker said and she felt something pull at her insides. Where was this conversation going? Did he mean with her? Now that they were friends, would he actually miss her? He’d been such a big part of her time here in Honeybridge. ‘And then you’ll be gone.’ She pressed her lips closed, unsure of what to say. Because she suddenly realised how much she would miss him. And that she really liked Walker. Even if it was a holiday fling– it had meant something.
Walker tapped her boot and asked, ‘Do you think you’ll meet up with him before you leave?’
‘What?’ Gabi asked, wondering if she’d zoned out, thinking she’d missed something. ‘Who?’
‘Your dad,’ Walker said, half laughing.
She shook her head in confusion, and he continued. ‘You said you were doing something about the things I said in our argument. So, have you messaged him? I bet he was so pleased to hear from you.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Gabi said. ‘I didn’t say anything about Papà.’
Walker paused and she watched the confusion flick over his face.
‘In Scotland, you said that I was right,’ he said slowly. ‘And that you were “working on it”.’ Gabi realised his mistake and a bolt of anger shot through her. ‘I thought you meant your dad.’
‘Imeant I was trying to improve my relationship with you, by apologising,’ she said emphatically. She drew herself upright and removed her leg from his lap. ‘How and when I communicate with my dad is nobody’s business but mine.’
They stared at each other.
‘So, you ignored my comments about the fact that you can’t have a proper relationship with anyone until you sort your relationship with your dad first?’
The words still hurt the second time around. Gabi flinched and felt her face redden.
‘Looks like it,’ she said.
She saw the expression on his face change from confusion to disappointment. When he spoke, his voice was quiet, but it had the impact of a bomb detonating.
‘So, maybe I’ve faced my fear, Gabi, but you definitely haven’t.’
Gabi stood suddenly and grabbed her crutches before she blew a gasket.
‘That’s so easy for you to say– with your lovely twinkly mum and your intelligent dad and your friendly sister. You’ve even got a fucking golden retriever.’
He baulked at her tone.
‘You’re so perfect, aren’t you, Walker McBride?’
‘I didn’t mean it like that.’ Walker stood quickly, reaching a hand towards her, which she wanted to hit away. ‘I just meant that you should let people in. You don’t need to do everything on your own. People would like to be part of your life. Just try it some time. Letsomeonein. If it’s not your dad, start small and build up. But face your fears.’
