Page 86 of For Love or Money
‘Yeah. I’ll just have lots of cold showers, I guess.’
Romy laughed. ‘I meant you could do DIY when you’re alone in the bathroom.’
‘Oh, yeah.’ Lesley heaved a heartfelt sigh. ‘Well, it’s not my favourite, but I suppose I’ll just have to make do.’
28
‘Are you ready?’ Stella asked Peter as she came out onto the terrace the following morning. ‘We’re leaving in a few minutes.’
Peter snapped his book shut and looked up at her. She was wearing a red and white polka-dot dress, a matching scarf tied in her hair. Her slanting green eyes sparkled, and her skin was dewy and radiant. Everything about her seemed to vibrate with youth and vitality. He felt weary just looking at her.
‘I think I’m going to stay here,’ he said. ‘Laze by the pool and finish this.’ He indicated the fat tome he was reading.
‘Oh.’ He saw the flash of disappointment in her face, but it was gone in a second, replaced by a placid smile. ‘I’ll stay too, then. Keep you company.’
Peter sighed, dropping his head back against the padded cushion of his chair. ‘No, you should go – enjoy yourself. You’ll love Villefranche.’
‘But why don’t you want to come? Are you feeling okay?’ She frowned in concern.
He tried to swallow his annoyance. She was just being thoughtful. ‘I’m fine,’ he said. ‘Just not in the mood. I’ve been to Villefranche. Bought the T-shirt, as they say. Don’t worry about me, I’m just being an old fart.’
‘Well, we could go together another time.’ She sank onto the seat beside him. ‘I’d rather see it with you anyway.’
Irritation bubbled up inside him. ‘Oh, for God’s sake, go, and stop fussing over me!’
Stella reared back, hurt etched on her face, and Peter felt a stab of remorse.
‘Sorry,’ he said gently, taking her hand. ‘I didn’t mean to snap. But I don’t need a nursemaid. I’m not an invalid.’
She opened her mouth to say something, but shut it again.
‘That’s exactly what you are, Peter,’ Joy said, coming out through the patio doors and surprising them both.
‘Touché,’ Peter said softly, smiling at her.
Joy looked from one to the other. ‘You two had better get a wiggle on,’ she said.
‘I—I’m not sure if I’m going to go,’ Stella said, twisting her hands and looking warily at Peter.
‘I’m sorry, darling,’ he said. ‘I shouldn’t have bitten your head off like that. But you go, have fun. I’m quite happy here on my own, honestly.’
‘You won’t be alone anyway,’ Joy said. ‘Michael and I are staying here too – he’s not feeling well, poor love. And Jane wants to get some work done on her edits.’
‘There,’ Peter said to Stella. ‘No need to worry about me. I’ll have plenty of company.’
‘Are you ready?’ Rafe asked them, coming through the patio doors, and rattling car keys impatiently.
‘I’m not coming,’ Peter said to him. ‘But this gorgeous girl is.’ He stood and pulled Stella up from her seat. ‘You’ll look after her for me, won’t you?’
‘Of course.’
As he watched Stella and Rafe walk away together, he thought once again what a beautiful couple they would make – and realised that the thought didn’t bother him in the slightest.
* * *
‘I did offerto stay with Peter,’ Stella said to Rafe as she slid into the passenger seat. He already disapproved of her enough. She didn’t want to appear flighty and cruel, abandoning her aged fiancé so she could go off and have a good time. ‘But he insisted I go with you.’
‘He’s right. It’s your first time here. It’d be a shame to spend all your time sitting by the pool.’ She couldn’t see his eyes, just her reflection in his mirrored sunglasses, so she couldn’t tell if he was sincere. ‘Besides, it’ll be nice for that lot to have some time alone together.’
