Sophie was the first to recover. ‘But you found him, right?’
Toni spoke carefully, hoping nothing would be revealed by her tone, even though saying his name felt like awakening a dragon. ‘You know Gabri, the florist? Well, he and some members of the hotel staff went out looking for him and Gabri worked out where he’d gone and brought him back.’
‘Gabri is a man?’ Kira asked.
Ginny luckily saved Toni from explaining. ‘Gabriele is a masculine name in Italy. But I thought he was a woman for at least a month when I first worked with him! When I called him on the phone and this person answered with this husky Italian accent, I was ready to tease “Gabri” about her sexy boyfriend, until I realised. I felt so silly.’
Sophie squeezed Toni’s arm. ‘It must have been terrifying, Cillian going off by himself. I’m so glad Gabri helped.’
Toni just nodded, hoping the conversation steered itself out of dangerous territory, because she was fighting the urge to keep talking about him, ask what they thought of him – although that information would do her zero good.
‘But why did you say the entire two weeks were a disaster?’ Kira asked with a frown. ‘You haven’t even shown me any photos. That time you and Cillian went to the Isles of Scilly, you basically sat me down for an entire home movie.’
‘Where did you stay again?’ Sophie asked. ‘We have arrangements with several hotels. Maybe I could have got you better rates if you’d asked?—’
‘And I could have given you beach tips,’ Ginny piped up. ‘There’s this hidden cove on the western end— Why didn’t you ask us?’
Toni froze. She was too tired for this – too emotionally tired.
‘I was staying with a friend,’ she answered, her voice devoid of all strength.
‘Oh, that’s okay then. I didn’t know you knew anyone on the island,’ Ginny said. ‘If they live there, they probably know all the best?—’
Sophie placed a hand on Ginny’s arm to stop her flow of speech. ‘What friend, Toni? What’s that look on your face?’
Toni groaned, letting her head fall to the scarred table. ‘It’s embarrassing to admit, but just like Ginny, I thought he was a woman. This whole time, I thought he was a woman. I thought I was going to stay with a woman!’
She allowed a moment for that to sink in.
‘But just to prove I’m not a complete idiot, he thought I was a man!’ Toni rushed on when the other three simply gawked at her.
Ginny’s mouth was open so far, Toni wouldn’t have been surprised to see a fly buzz in. Kira’s eyes were flying saucers.
Sophie was the only one with a reasonable reaction. ‘But Gabri is lovely. I can see it might have been awkward at first, but he would have looked after you, I’m sure.’
Toni bit her lip against the sting of memories. Yes, Gabrihadlooked after her, with good food and philosophy and hisinfectious appreciation for the smaller things in life – and then with kisses and touches, tender as well as arousing.
‘You don’t have to be embarrassed about that,’ Ginny insisted. ‘I just said I made the same mistake.’
A chuckle escaped Toni – a touch hysterically. ‘You did not make the same mistake, Ginny,’ she said drily. The words were rising in her throat like sparkling wine getting ready to pop the cork. ‘The mistaken identity, yes, but I’m guessing I’m the only one who salivated over his shirtless body in the morning and then jumped into bed with him on the third day!’
34
‘Oh, my…’
‘Wow.’
‘That’s…’
‘…amazing, Toni!’ Ginny was the first to get to the end of a sentence, although it wasn’t one she’d started herself. ‘Itwasamazing, right?’
Darn, they all seemed to be waiting for an answer. ‘Yes, it was amazing,’ she admitted.
Ginny leaned forward eagerly. ‘What was it like kissing a man with a moustache?’
‘Uh—’ Toni’s cheeks were hot. ‘Occasionally bristly.’
Kira gave her a teasing punch on the arm. ‘Good for you. Putting yourself out there.’
