Page 43 of The Island of Hopes and Dreams

The night of what-could-have-been was well and truly over.

25

Lola and Mirabel had never lived together, but they’d been friends for nearly a decade and had crashed at each other’s flats on numerous occasions. It was like old times, sitting cross-legged together on the bed – except they were in Fabs’s luxurious bedroom, which resembled a suite in a five-star hotel.

Mirabel’s eyes were red and puffy, her earlier joyful drunkenness extinguished, much like the promise of Lola’s passionate night with Rhys, which she was trying her hardest not to think about.

Lola took hold of Mirabel’s hands. Her diamond ring glinted in the lamplight. ‘It’s all going to be okay.’

‘You don’t know that.’

‘No, but it wouldn’t help things if I said “it really has all gone to shit” now, would it?’

Mirabel smiled, except it looked more like a grimace.

‘Giada’s in the best place right now, so try not to worry about something you have no control over.’

The huge windows framed the velvety black sea that glinted silver in the moonlight. Lola could make out the wooden jetty where she and Rhys had first chatted. It was hard to believe that had only been a week ago.

Lola turned back to Mirabel. ‘How long are you planning on living here once you move to Sardinia?’

‘For as little time as possible,’ Mirabel said, but then shook her head. ‘Forget I said that. Considering what’s happened to Giada, I don’t mean it like that.’

‘I get what you mean. Even if you have space here, you and Fabs need a place of your own.’

‘We need to find a place that’s right for us, that feels homely rather than ostentatious. It’ll be easier once we’re here and can look at places properly rather than online.’

‘You and Fabs don’t agree on what you both want?’

‘It’s not that; he’s in no rush, while I’m desperate to have our own space.’ She waved her hand towards the bedroom door, which Lola took to mean space away from Fabs’s parents.

‘She’ll be okay,’ Lola said again, softly this time. ‘It sounds as if everyone acted fast and the paramedics got here quickly. She’s in the best place right now.’

‘I keep thinking I added to her stress by running away, then getting Fabs to join me, leaving everyone in the lurch.’ Mirabel fisted the silk sheet, her face once again scrunching with worry.

‘Youaren’t the cause of Giada’s heart attack – even if that was what it was. We don’t know anything yet, apart from she’s okay and they’re running some tests.’

‘No news is good news, I suppose.’

‘Exactly.’ Lola squeezed Mirabel’s hands. ‘It’s really late and you’re getting married in thirty-six hours, so why don’t we try to get some sleep.’

Mirabel bit her lip and glanced at her phone, which was on the bedside table.

‘He’ll call if anything happens.’ Lola scrambled up the bed and plumped up the pillows. ‘Not that you need any beauty sleep, but being tired as well as hungover in the morning isn’t going to make you feel better about things.’

Lola slid under the covers on Fabs’s side of the bed, although her thoughts turned to Rhys on a sofa bed in the study. With everything that had happened, she’d not had time to consider how far things would have gone between them. Kiss for kiss, stroke for stroke, their passion had matched each other’s. He’d captivated her completely, the abrupt stop leaving her desperate for more. But not tonight, she told herself. Not tonight.

Mirabel got into bed next to her with a sigh. ‘Thanks for staying.’ She gave her a sideways glance. ‘I know this isn’t how you wanted your night to be, but I do appreciate it. It’s not that I can’t cope being on my own, it’s just everything’s got too much and I need my friend.’

‘Always.’

‘I’m going to miss you.’

Lola nodded and tried to swallow the sudden lump in her throat. ‘I’m going to miss you more.’

* * *

While Mirabel fell asleep almost instantly, it took a while for Lola to nod off. Everything was changing; both her life back home and how she was feeling inside. After staring at the mirror-black sea glistening in the moonlight for what seemed an age, she was tempted to message Rhys, but didn’t know what to say or what she wanted from him. Eventually, she drifted off to the memory of Rhys gliding his hands up her body, warm and firm, and how surprisingly and wonderfully sexy he was.

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