Page 61 of Coming Home to Wishington Bay
‘No.’
‘Didn’t think so.’ He flashed me a grin and I felt the corners of my mouth tilt in response. There were other responses I didn’t seem to have too much control over either but I was way too hammered to even begin thinking about those.
‘Gabe?’
‘Yeah?’
‘What are we going to do?’
‘About what?’
‘The whole fake girlfriend thing.’ I let out a sigh. ‘I’m rubbish at lying. I expect Gigi told you that, as she seems to have told you quite a lot more.’ I’d been a little surprised at the depth of Gabe’s knowledge of me earlier, but I suppose as he had been pretending to be going out with me for last eighteen months, the man was bound to learn something. ‘I might have been able to fudge a couple of days, but months? I’m not sure I can do that. I’m bound to mess it up.’
He stopped walking and caught my hand so that I did too. We were practically home now and the porch lights threw a puddle of warm light out onto the sand but Gabe was stood a little outside it so I couldn’t make out his features.
‘I know this isn’t ideal, Holly, and I think you’re amazing for doing what you’ve already done. I really had no idea they would be staying for this long. They’ve never done it before. Typical that they would choose this time.’
‘It’s not that I don’t like them!’
His laugh was soft and low in the still of the night and I tried to ignore what it did to me, firmly telling my brain anything I felt was strictly due to the fizz and not Gabe McKinley.
‘I know that, sweetheart.’
‘I actually think they’re lovely. You’re so lucky having such wonderful parents, and they’re obviously so proud of you and your brother.’ My statement reminded me of something. ‘And I didn’t get a chance to say anything earlier but I’m so sorry about your sister. I never even knew you had one.’
He took my hand and began leading me towards the house. I could see his features now, and the sad smile that played on his mouth. ‘There was no reason for you to know. But thank you.’
‘Is that why you became a peedack … peedtrick … children’s doctor then?’ I asked as I sat down on a step that apparently moved as I did so, resulting in me landing with more of a bump than I intended. ‘Ow.’
‘You all right?’
‘Ummhmm,’ I said, trying to focus on my sandal strap. Honestly, focusing on anything was kind of an ask at this point now that tiredness had added to alcohol for a double whammy. ‘So is it?’
‘I guess so. What are you doing?’
‘We’re off the beach. I’m putting my sandals on.’
‘Your house is right there.’
I looked round. ‘So it is.’
Gabe pulled me up and saw me to the door, retrieving my key when it flew out of my hand. And it only took four goes to get it in the lock too. I called that a win.
‘Thank you for tonight,’ he said as I stepped inside and turned back to face him.
‘You’re very welcome. I really did have a lovely time. Fake or not.’
‘There’s nothing fake about you, Holly.’
I glanced down at my chest. ‘That is true. Yet another thing I’ve not got around to doing.’
He laughed. ‘And don’t. You’re perfect as you are.’
My eyebrows disappeared into my hairline. And bearing in mind, I’d grown my fringe out a couple of years ago, this was saying something. I’d liked my fringe, but just never got the time to go in for the trims it needed and after a bit of a disastrous attempt at a trim myself, which I’d then had to get Carrie to help me rectify the following weekend, I’d given up and just grown it out.
‘Did you just call me perfect? And you try to tell me I’m the drunk one.’
He laughed again, and I smiled at the sound. ‘I’m just not a huge fan of cosmetic surgery, I guess.’
