But what else had he expected? Opening his heart the way he had could only ever result in exactly this outcome. Gaby had never hidden the fact that she was only passing through. He’d come here wanting to smooth things over and instead he’d told her he loved her.
Told her to get in touch if she decided she’d quite like to love him too.
Had he really said that? Yes, he had, every single word of it.
He should’ve felt completely humiliated, but he didn’t. Instead, he felt relieved—relieved that he’d told her the truth. At least now once she was gone, he’d know he’d left nothing unsaid.
And so he hugged her back because he’d meant it when he said he didn’t want things feeling awkward between them. He’d thrown a hand grenade into the middle of his plan in cominghere in the first place, and he knew in his heart that after what he’d just said he’d almost certainly never see Gaby again.
Which meant a hug and a smile was needed before he left.
The hug almost killed him. The smile nearly cracked his face in two. But he managed both and then turned for the door.
He said goodbye and walked out of the house and waved as he stepped through the gate.
Gaby waved back.
He walked to his car. Got inside. Started the engine. Waved again as he pulled out into the road and drove away.
He glanced in his mirror to see her vanishing from sight behind him as he turned off Foxglove Street.
And then he just kept driving because that was the only way to stop himself from falling apart.
26
Gaby closed the door,her hands shaking so badly and her heart racing so madly she thought she might pass out.
What. Had. Just. Happened?
Peter had told her he loved her, that’s what had just happened.
And she’d replied by thanking him—thanking him!—and then shoving him out the door.
She closed her eyes and rested her head against the door, wishing she could’ve responded differently, done something that hadn’t made her look… like a complete and utter moron.
“I take it Peter has gone?”
Gaby turned and saw her Aunt Jill coming out of her temporary downstairs bedroom. “Yes, he just left.”
“Hmm. And judging from the look on your face, things didn’t go particularly well?”
“He… told me he loved me.”
Gaby had no idea why she was telling her aunt this, when she’d scarcely processed it herself yet.
Jill’s eyebrows lifted. “I see. Well, it sounds like you need a drink. I’ll fetch the wine.”
Like a zombie, Gaby followed her aunt into the kitchen. Jill lifted glasses from the cupboard and removed a bottle of white wine from the fridge. Glasses filled, she gestured for Gaby to carry them through.
Still in zombie mode, she did just that, sinking into the sofa in the living room and helping herself to a long, greedy gulp of wine.
“So,” Jill said when she got comfortable in her armchair. “Why don’t you tell your Auntie Jill all about it?”
The funny remark punched through Gaby’s still stunned reaction to Peter’s parting words, and she coughed out a laugh as wine caught in her throat.
“I don’t even know where to begin,” Gaby said. “I’m too shocked to process it.”
“That can’t possibly be true. Surely you already knew the boy was crazy about you? Why else would he ask to spend all this time with you?”
