Page 55 of Coming Home to Wishington Bay
‘That’s better,’ he said, his mouth widening into that knockout smile that sent tingles right down to my toes.
‘Aah! There you are! Aww, look, you do look so sweet together. Wasn’t I saying that, George, earlier? About how sweet they look together?’
‘You were, love.’ He grinned and gave me a wink.
I slid my eyes to Gabe. Now what did we do? His parents had popped out of one of the tiny side streets that littered the village, each one filled with hidden gems of shops, Gabe still had a hold of my hand from when he’d just – effectively – been telling me off. In the nicest way possible, of course. Had we not happened upon them he would have dropped it and we’d have strolled on. But now, with his parents looking on, and apparently thinking we suited this lovey-dovey state of affairs, I wasn’t quite sure what to do.
I’d never been much of a hand holder, or anything like that, when it came to boyfriends. I knew that didn’t go down too well with a few I’d dated, but then most of my relationships, what few there had been, had been short-lived. Paul had sometimes taken my hand, but that too was occasional, and now when I thought back it was only when we’d gone for a walk out in the country somewhere. Somewhere, I realised now, where he was sure that he wouldn’t run into anyone he knew who might ask him the slightly awkward question as to who I was, bearing in mind I wasn’t his fiancée. Seriously, how could I have missed that? I suppose, not being overly affectionate myself in that way, it hadn’t really occurred to me. Until now.
Gabe’s parents turned and began walking on ahead of us as Gabe kept hold of my hand and bent, tilting his head close to mine and whispered in my ear, his breath warm and sending a shiver of unexpected pleasure throughout.
‘Whatever that conversation is that you’re having in your head right now, you can stop.’
‘What conversation?’
He shrugged, looking down at me. ‘I don’t know, but it looked in-depth and complicated and like you were tying yourself up in knots.’
I gave him in an innocent, wide-eyed look.
‘Yeah, just so you know, that doesn’t work on me.’
‘Fine,’ I whispered, struggling to keep the smile out of my voice. ‘I was just wondering how we proceed now with this?’ I raised our still-joined hands a little and nodded towards them.
Gabe turned his head, looked at them and then looked back at me.
‘Does it bother you?’ Concern wrinkled his brow.
‘No, of course not.’ Exactly how much it didn’t bother me was more my concern if I was being totally honest, but I was trying to ignore all that right now.
‘Then how about you just let me hold your hand, you stop trying to make your brain explode and we have a nice, gentle summer evening walk to a restaurant.’
That actually sounded kind of nice.
Chapter 11
‘Table for four. For Holly,’ I said, one hand resting on the lip of the little lectern Ned had installed at the front of the restaurant for his staff to greet customers at.
‘Oh, hi! I’m Sophia. It’s so nice to meet you. Ned and Carrie are always talking about you.’
‘Oh dear!’ I half laughed, hoping that one of their stories wasn’t my lack of love life or this could get very awkward, very fast.
‘No, it’s always lovely. Don’t worry.’ She smiled. ‘But I’d better stop chattering and let you get to you table.’ She made an oops face and began leading us through the restaurant to a table away from the door but with a fantastic view of the sea. ‘Is this one OK?’
‘It’s perfect! Thank you.’ I knew this was the best table in the house, and Ned had let it be set aside for his sister. I really ought to go and see him to say thank you. And of course, ask if he could extend his wonderful kindness to going along with our charade. ‘Is he in the kitchen? I’ll just pop in and say hello,’ I said, exchanging a quick look with Gabe who gave me an almost imperceptible nod of understanding and I began to rise from the seat again.
‘Oh, don’t worry. Ned asked me to let him know when you were here so he could come out and say hi.’
‘It’ll be quicker for me to just nip in,’ I said, trying not to panic. I could hardly give my brother the heads-up when he was stood at the table. ‘He’s obviously going to be busy and—’
‘Here he comes now.’ Sophia smiled. ‘I’ll leave you to chat and look at the menus and will pop back in a few minutes to take your drinks order.’ She left, passing Ned on the way who said a few words to her. I lowered myself back into my chair, the smile fixed on my face, my mind spinning on how I could transmit the knowledge my brother needed before he got to the table. Oh God, this was going to go wrong before it had a chance to go right, and then Gabe’s parents would find out it was all a big farce, which would upset them and in turn Gabe. I felt my stomach twist at the thought of any of these people being upset. I already liked them … some of them a little more than others.
I pushed my hair back as Ned approached the table and caught Gabe’s glance. His smile was soft, and his face relaxed. Completely the opposite to how I felt. As I lowered my hand back onto my lap, he reached across and took it, the touch gentle with the faintest of squeezes. How was he not panicking? He leant over and whispered in my ear.
‘Remember to breathe.’
I looked up, my face close to his now, my gaze meeting his. ‘Breathe,’ he said again, softly. I nodded, the world around me disappearing for a moment as all I saw, heard and felt was Gabe.
‘Hiya, Hols.’ Ned grinned, moving to my side of the table and bending to give me a hug – which is when he saw Gabe’s hand holding mine beneath the tablecloth.
