Chapter Forty-Four
Gabe helped Letta over the electric fence and pointed as Ohana ran off and said hello to the cows.
‘Mary names them all, you know. I think that one is Genevieve.’
‘Any Nicolettas?’
‘Did you just call me a cow?’ Letta laughed and hit Gabe playfully on the arm. He recoiled and started to stammer an apology. He had been looking forward to seeing Letta all week and the first thing he did when they had some time on their own was insult her.
‘No, I just meant long pretty names.’
‘I know, silly. I was teasing you.’
The two walked on a bit, not sure what to say. Gabe liked this new Letta. Despite all that was facing her she seemed more relaxed.
‘Do you know, I wanted to thank you for letting me stay here. I think it’s been good for me.’ A breeze caught a lock of her hair and swept it in front of her face. He wanted to reach out and remove it but was uncertain how she would respond.
‘God, my hair is killing me.’
‘I like it.’
Letta paused and looked up at him before she carried on walking. Very smooth , thought Gabe and moved quickly to catch up with her again.
‘I’m glad we could help – you’ve been a godsend in getting the build back on track.’ He paused and wondered if he should continue. ‘You seem happier? I mean, not happier , maybe more relaxed.’
‘What? With a court case looming and the risk of a jail term, you think I look more relaxed?’ She laughed to take the sting out of her words, and he realised he could spend a lifetime listening to her laugh. He was about to try to explain himself, but she cut him off.
‘But you’re right. I do feel calmer. Mary is a bit of a wild card, but I’ve enjoyed her company and I think I’ve been helping her. It sounds dumb but helping people feels good. I mean genuinely good. Oh, I don’t know, I sound like a hippy, but I think you know what I mean.’
‘Stands to reason – the first thing you and your sisters did when you got all your money was set up a charity to help others. It’s obviously something that means a lot to you.’
‘It does. I love making money, too, there’s a real thrill in being proved right and jumping ahead of the market. But recently I was spending more time making the money without seeing how it was being used. Now I’m helping again, and I can see a direct response to my actions.’
She tucked her hair behind her ear. ‘I’m wittering but it’s also been fun to spend time with people who aren’t staff. I think I’d got stuck into a cul-de-sac.’
‘Was it tough with Mary?’
‘Beyond tough. She’s had such a rough life. You know, she didn’t abandon Da, he was taken from her and then she was told he had been adopted and gone to England. She followed immediately and spent the rest of her life searching for him.’
‘Christ. That’s appalling. ’
‘I know. I’m just so glad I went to Ireland.’
‘So am I.’
Gabe was used to calling Letta bold, now it was his turn.
‘In fact, going to Ireland has been the best thing that has ever happened to me.’
‘Gabe, I—’
‘No, hear me out. I’ve been kicking myself for not telling you how I feel about you. Every day felt wrong, there always seemed a good reason to put it off. Not least that I was – scratch that – I am afraid of making a fool of myself.’
Letta stopped and smiled up at him. ‘You feel foolish?’
‘It’s the side effect of being in love.’
‘In love?’
‘Foolish and unrequited?’
‘No, just foolish.’
Letta walked on and then looked over her shoulder at Gabe who was frozen to the spot staring after her.
‘Not unrequited?’ He could hardly hope that Letta felt the same as him. Maybe she was just being nice? How could she possibly feel how he did? Since he had come home from Ireland, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking of her.
Now she stopped walking and turned to look at him properly.
‘No, not unrequited.’
Gabe took a step forward. Emboldened, he tucked the hair that was blowing about in the breeze behind her ear.
‘Letta, I…’
Letta smiled at him wistfully but shook her head. ‘Gabe, it’s not unrequited in the slightest. But honestly— ’
She paused and stepped away from him – he hoped he sensed some reluctance in her movement.
‘I can’t focus on a new relationship right now; I need to clear my name. Until that’s done, I just can’t think about my personal life. Not until my professional one is fixed.’
Gabe took a deep breath. She was worth the wait, plus what he had discovered back in London may speed up her acquittal. He realised he was grinning like an idiot, but he couldn’t help himself.
‘Okay then, I can wait.’
‘You can?’
‘Letta, I can wait a thousand years. I don’t care how long this takes. When you are ready, I will be with you.’
He wanted to step forward and kiss her to seal his declaration, but she had taken a deep breath and spun away, walking back towards the house. He paused, uncertain what to do. Had he come on too strong? She stopped and looked over her shoulder at him and gave him a huge smile that made his heart explode.
‘Come on, slow coach. I’ve got to hurry up and clear my name. New goals and all that.’ Grinning, she turned back, and he punched the air laughing before he ran to catch up with her.
As they rejoined Rafe and Mary, the pair of them were smiling like children and were entertaining the party with tales of crashing waves and fallen trees. Mary produced a pack of cards, and under the fairy lights the night fell and the evening was punctuated with laughter and owl calls.