Jessie drops a large black handbag on to the seat next to her. ‘I just ran into Faith and Reubyn outside.’ She stares at him wide-eyed.
‘Oh, cool. Did you see the bus?’
‘Yeah, uh-huh, I saw the bus.’
‘Good. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.’
‘I guessed that.’ She folds her arms. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving tomorrow?’
Miles takes a deep breath. ‘It’s complicated. The thing is, I didn’t really know myself.’
Jessie is silent, staring at him with a bewildered look in her eyes. It seems they might be about to have their first tiff, the kind of disagreement an established couple might have, which is ridiculous – they’ve only known each other for a couple of days. This level of relationship fast-tracking is only possible with a holiday romance.
Miles stands. ‘Let me get you a drink. Then I’ll explain.’
Jessie picks up the cocktail menu and glances at it for a few seconds at most. ‘I’ll have a margarita.’
Miles heads to the bar and orders Jessie’s drink. As the waistcoated bartender begins adding tequila and lime juice to a shaker, Miles ponders how best to deal with this situation. It’s unfortunate that Jessie bumped into Reubyn, because it would have been better if Miles had told her about the motorhome himself. But the truth is it came as a complete shock to him, too. Albeit a good shock. It means they can leave behind his stalker and the gossipers and the reporters. And if any of those catch up with them, then they can just travel on a bit further up the road. This is what they needed, all along. Miles was never going to get free by flying to a new location and staying put in that one place. But Jessie doesn’t know about his predicament, so his haste to escape Queenstown will make no sense.
After a few minutes, Miles delivers the cocktail to Jessie, placing it on the table in front of her. She’s wearing a white, fine-wool sweater, and she rolls up the sleeves before picking up her drink.
‘So,’ she says, after taking a sip. ‘What was it you wanted to explain?’
Miles sits and takes a deep breath. ‘Why don’t you come with us?’
Jessie squints at him. ‘Are you serious?’
‘Yeah.’
‘But this is the first I’ve heard of it. Why didn’t you mention this yesterday? Or the day before?’
‘Because I didn’t know. Believe it or not, Reubyn only told me about the motorhome today.’
She rolls her eyes. ‘Where are you even going?’
‘We’re going north, starting with the West Coast. It’s supposed to be beautiful.’
‘It’s beautiful here, too. I like Queenstown. And I’ve got three more nights prepaid on my hotel.’
‘So?’
‘So, I can’t throw away that kind of money. I must make a lot less than you think.’
‘I’ll cover it.’
Jessie tilts her head, confused. ‘And why would you do that?’
‘Because I like you. And I want you to come with us.’
Her face softens, and she smiles for the first time since she walked into the bar. ‘You really want me to come?’
‘Of course.’
Jessie is silent for a moment, her lips bunched up as she stares into her drink. Then she gives him a coy smile. ‘I guess Icouldcome. I mean, Faith’s going, right?’
‘Exactly, everyone’s coming. It’ll be great.’
‘I’m kind of surprised Polly and George want to come. They don’t seem like camping types.’
