Page 127 of From Notting Hill with Love…Actually
“Yes, you’re probably right. But I’ve changed.”
“No, you haven’t. You’ve had a few experiences that have made you see life a bit differently—and that might not be a badthing. But the romantic, idealistic Scarlett still lurks in there somewhere—I know it. It’s who you are, Scarlett, it’s what makes you tick.”
Oh why did Sean have this ability to read me so well? It was so annoying. I’d just made all these decisions about how my life was going to be in the future—and now here he was turning them all upside down again.
“How would you know what makes me tick?” I said haughtily. “You don’t have a romantic bone in your body, Sean Bond—let alone an idealistic one. You don’t even like Robbie Williams or Ronan Keating, for heaven’s sake! Everything’s got to be black and white with you—there’s no room for daydreaming.”
Sean was strangely silent.
I thought I’d hurt him with my words—which wouldn’t be the first time—and I was just about to apologize when he leaned toward me and spoke.
“You could be right there, Scarlett,” he said, looking deep into my eyes. “On the other hand, you might be wrong. You’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you? Maybe you’re not the only one changing your view of life right now.”
Now what did he mean? But before I had time to question him further, the phone rang in the hall. I rushed through to answer it so it didn’t disturb David or Dad.
Sean followed me.
“Mum!” I said as I recognized the voice at the other end of the line. “Just hold on a moment, will you?”
I put my hand over the receiver.
“It’s about time I got some sleep too,” Sean said, heading toward the door. “So I’ll leave you with your phone call. I’mflying over to Dublin tomorrow on business, so I won’t see you for a few days. Will you still be here when I return?”
I was surprised he was off again so soon. But then it wasbusinessso perhaps I shouldn’t have been…“Yes, I think so. I have to house-sit until Belinda and Harry get back from Dubai at the end of next week, so I should still be around.”
“Because I wouldn’t want to miss you to say good-bye,” Sean said, pausing at the open door.
“No…that wouldn’t be good.” I couldn’t imagine ever saying good-bye to Sean. But I guess it was going to have to happen sooner or later.
Sean gave me one last smile and then closed the front door behind him.
“Mum,” I said as I carried the phone into the lounge and shut the door, “I’m so glad you rang. I’m so sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean for it to happen like that, honestly, I had no idea that Dad was going to turn up here today or I would never have invited you to the dinner party and—”
“Scarlett, Scarlett, just slow down, please,” Mum’s calm voice came floating back down the line. “I haven’t rung for explanations at this time of night, simply to check if you’d got back safely. When Oscar and Ursula told me you’d run off I was worried about you. And I know all the circumstances surrounding what happened this evening, because Sean explained them to me earlier, so please don’t fret.”
“I know, but I’m really sorry, Mum.”
“And like I told you, Scarlett, we can talk about it properly when I see you again. But now I know you’re home safe and sound I can relax, and we can both go and get some sleep; it’s late.”
I hesitated for a moment. “Can I just ask you something before you go, Mum?”
“Yes, of course.”
“You met Sean tonight.”
“Yes. I met Sean.”
“And…what did you think of him?”
It was Mum’s turn to hesitate now.
“Why?”
“I just wondered, that’s all. Since it was the first time the two of you had met properly.”
“We promised to be honest with each other, didn’t we, Scarlett?”
“Uh-huh.”
