I clutch my towel, staring at the lapping water, shaking my head. There’s a ringing in my ears that I can’t shake.
Ollie steps closer, close enough for me to smell his new cologne. I think about how Alec must be used to it, but to me it’s like a new flavour. ‘I know you might have your doubts. I know it’s an impossible situation to be in. But you said you wanted to be friends… and right now I need a friend.’
I finally look at him, his downtrodden expression. Up close, I can see the tiredness in his eyes, the morning shadow on his face. ‘You can’t find anyone else?’
Ollie hovers, and I can almost see him trying to think up an excuse as to why I’m not his last resort. ‘You’re my last shot.’
My phone buzzes. I close my eyes.
Maybe it’s Clive. Maybe he has a secret Instagram, and he’s seen my photos.
‘I’ll let you think about it, okay?’ Ollie asks. ‘If you can’t do it, I’ll work something out.’
‘What if I can’t do it?’
‘I’ll work something out.’
‘But what if you don’t?’
Ollie picks at his fingers, a habit I remember he had when he was turning in his final project. ‘We’d have to cancel.’
Cancel. Cancel the whole thing. It’s what I wanted, right? To see them call off the wedding? If I say no, it will happen. It will be over.
My phone buzzes again.
Looking at the screen, I see a text from Sam.
‘Let me think about it,’ I finally say.
Ollie sighs. ‘Whenever you’re ready.’
He trod away, his back hunched, and I sink back onto the lounger. I pick up my phone, the text message revealing itself.
Mum needs a model for her art class. I’m too nervous. Maybe you can do it?
The wine, or maybe the need for a distraction, typed for me.
I’m in!
And I sent a love heart and a kissing face, because why the hell not?
Chapter Thirty-Eight
WILL
Day Ten
The next afternoon, I stand in the lobby of my hotel, waiting for Sam and Jill to come and collect me for their art class. Stifling a yawn, I pace back and forth, butterflies in my stomach.
‘Everything good?’ Lydia approaches, adjusting the collar of her uniform.
No, Lydia, it’s not. I still haven’t got back to Ollie and I’ve ignored his calls and his texts and I’m nowhere near being close to giving him a proper answer.
‘Yes, why wouldn’t it be?’
‘I walked past your room earlier and heard sobs,’ Lydia says. ‘I was going to knock, but I didn’t care enough.’
Despite everything, I laugh.
