And just like that, Amalie found herself nodding, powerless to say no to the boy she’d fallen head over heels in love with,and knowing that if he asked her to, she’d walk to the end of the earth, give up everything, just to be with him.
Amalie didn’t remember falling asleep, but when they woke in the morning the amber light of the sun was still casting a pretty, soft glow around them. She tugged the blanket up around her, shivering from the early morning air even though she was nestled against Oskar.
‘I’ve dreamed of waking up beside you,’ he said, leaning over and kissing her on the mouth.
Amalie tucked in closer to him, his arm around her shoulders as they watched the beauty of the morning unfold around them. The lush forest covered the land to each side, the water a dark blanket stretching out in front of them, and Amalie knew that she’d never witness anything so beautiful in her life as what she was looking at right now.
But despite it all, despite the happiness blossoming inside of her, she still had a little worry that wouldn’t go away, that had begun to play on her mind the night before even though she’d done her best to banish it.
‘Oskar, may I ask you something, and will you promise to answer honestly?’ she asked.
He gave her shoulders a squeeze and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. ‘Anything. I have nothing to hide from you.’
Amalie cleared her throat. She hadn’t wanted to say anything, but everything seemed so perfect, and she didn’t want to be lulled into a false sense of what they were, of who she was to Oskar. He’d told her that he loved her, but her older sister had always warned her how easily men could say words to get what they wanted from a woman. She might be in love, but she didn’t want to be a fool in love.
‘I overheard some of the maids talking about us yesterday. They were whispering about how I was your fun for the summer, and that I’d be left broken-hearted once you left. That you’d done this last time you were here.’ Amalie took a deep breath and it shuddered from her lungs as she looked up at him, wanting to see the expression on his face. ‘Will I ever see you again, after this? Or is this just a summer fling for you, something you do with a pretty maid you find every year?’
She hoped she could keep the look on his face in her memory for the rest of her life, because the way his eyes softened, the way he stared back at her, told her everything she needed to know. Amalie could tell that she’d hurt him just by asking.
‘This is real, Amalie,’ he said, holding her hand. ‘I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, and I’m not leaving here at the end of summer without you. Whatever they’ve said is because they’re jealous of what we have, nothing more.’
She smiled, even though her eyes had filled with tears. ‘We come from different worlds, Oskar. Even if we wanted to stay together, even if?—’
‘Shhh,’ he murmured, wrapping his arms even tighter around her. ‘We will find a way. I promise you, Amalie, we will find a way to be together.’
She closed her eyes, even though they were supposed to be taking in the view, feeling him against her, wanting to remember forever what it felt like to be in his arms. Only she wasn’t sure what was worse—knowing this was only for the summer, or that they both wanted to be together and couldn’t.
Within minutes, she’d have to rush back to her quarters and get ready for work, but for now, she wanted to soak up every second of being in Oskar’s embrace, of feeling his breath against her cheek; the soft thud of his heart as she turned her head against his chest.
It was the strangest feeling, but it was as if her heart was expanding and growing like a flower under Oskar’s tender love and care, at the same time as it was slowly starting to break in anticipation of what was to come.
‘Tonight,’ he said. ‘We’ll be together again tonight, and every night after that if I can help it.’
12
PRESENT DAY
Charlotte hadn’t been so nervous about her menu in a long time. Not when she’d first been put forward for the role at her previous restaurant, Velluto, for the year-long contract as executive chef, or her very first head chef job at a top London eatery. Creating food for Harrison felt like a much more intimate affair, despite the fact that he was essentially a stranger.
But he’s a very handsome stranger who has Daniel’s ear, and one who could put an end to this opportunity with one phone call.
And the strange thing was, she suddenlywantedthis job. From the moment she’d set foot in the hotel, she’d felt that it was the right place for her, as if it were her chance to come full circle. She’d last been in Oslo as a young woman with a dream and little else, and now she was an accomplished chef with something to prove. The timing couldn’t have been better.
Charlotte finished plating up, smiling when she heard a tap on the door to the kitchen. She looked up and found Harrison standing there, a bottle of wine in hand and a hard-to-read expression on his face.
‘Is it strange that I brought wine?’ he asked. ‘I didn’t want to turn up empty-handed, but I’m also well aware it’s not a dinner party.’
‘Wine is perfect, and just what I need after three hours in the kitchen,’ she said. ‘If you want to find two glasses, I’ll have a quick tidy up.’
‘It’s oddly peaceful in here,’ he said, as she continued to work and he wandered around opening cupboard doors. ‘I think I could get used to having an entire restaurant to myself.’
‘I could say the same about the kitchen,’ she said. ‘Daniel was worried about me being here alone, but he has a security guard patrolling and honestly, I kind of like how peaceful it is. Kitchens are usually high-stress, chaotic places at this time of night, but for creating something new? The quiet has been nice.’
‘Why do I think you usually love the fast pace?’ he asked, grinning as he held up two glasses triumphantly and walked them over to her.
Charlotte was the one grinning now. ‘Guilty as charged, I’ve always loved it. But I also love being alone when I’m creating new menus like this. The solitude lets me just focus on what I’m doing, but the busy team atmosphere is like nothing else at a good restaurant.’
‘These are all new dishes you’ve created?’ he asked. ‘They smell amazing.’
