Chapter Forty-seven
As she was searching for strength, and letching ever so slightly in between times, Alex came and sat beside her on the rug.
‘It seems Marion has strong-armed her way again and left us alone for the evening. Which kind of works for me because there was something I wanted to talk to you about.’
‘And me. I wanted to talk to you too.’
‘Did you? You can go first, but I kinda really want to too.’
‘I tell you what, I’m a bit nervous…’ Sylvie decided she might as well be honest and the truth was she was so anxious about messing this up that her tummy was flip-flopping all over the place and she thought she might be sick.
‘Nervous? With me? That shouldn’t be the case. I’m so sorry.’
‘No, no, no, you misunderstand me. I adore you. I’m just nervous about what I have to say so please, you go first.’
Alex grinned. ‘You adore me? I like it when you say that. Could you get it tattooed on your hand, do you think, so you’re reminded all the time?’
‘No, I couldn’t. Are you going to speak or shall I?’
‘OK, OK, I just wanted to say that I really like having you in my life and I know Ells adores you, like you adore me…’
‘I really hope not,’ Sylvie muttered.
‘Sorry, I didn’t catch that.’
‘You weren’t meant to. Carry on, what are you saying?’
‘OK, we know you’ve had such a rocky time so I, we, wanted to do something to make it special and the kids thought your special Berber-themed party was it, but there is another element to the surprise that they don’t know about.’
Oh, goody, was he about to whisk his trousers down and save her from having to make the first move?
‘But before I tell you what it is…’ Oh, hurry up! ‘…I want you to know I have heard everything you have said to me so this is purely a platonic gesture, no pressure – this isn’t a gift with a hidden agenda, OK? Promise.’
Sylvie looked at him, her face falling slightly. She wasn’t keen on platonic any more. She was, however, quite keen on exactly the opposite. Should she speak up now?
Right, she was going to give it a shot.
‘Promise, really?’ she asked. This was his chance. Please say, no, of course not, and then they would both laugh and she could fall onto his face and slide her hands under his T-shirt and all would be perfect.
‘Promise. You know how I feel about you, but I made my peace with our relationship some time ago. This isn’t me trying to jump your bones, this is me showing you how much I value you. It makes me happy to make you happy, and I’m no saint but for now I’ll take that.’
Bugger. She was going to have to tell him she had very definitely changed her mind.
‘What I’m trying to say is that I know you said you really wanted to go to Morocco and learn more about the Berbers on the ground there, follow up your passions. Now, I obviously can’t wave a magic wand and make all your dreams come true…’
‘You’re doing pretty well so far,’ Sylvie mumbled.
‘I swear, for some reason you have the worst diction ever this evening. Are you OK?’
‘Yep, yep. Go on.’ She had decided to hear him out before forcing herself on him.
‘But – and I know you have very firm views on him but I’m hoping this might change your mind – Hector has a house in Morocco.
Actually, he has two, one in Marrakesh and another in Tangier.
So in an attempt to make up for his rudeness on Bonfire Night and because I asked him and because he really isn’t as big a knob as he appears, he has gifted us the keys to both to use at your convenience. And I have…’
Sylvie couldn’t believe it! Alex had now managed to find her a place to stay in Morocco.
Whether she liked Hector or not was irrelevant, she could take Sam and they could go and explore and do all the things she had always wanted.
She launched herself at Alex, peppering his face in kisses, furiously, like a three-year-old with a new guinea pig.
‘Oh gosh, sorry.’ She pulled herself back again.
She wanted to go for sophisticated and sexy when she made her move, not this, not this at all.
But it was all just so exciting. This man was absolute perfection.
She didn’t know how the hell she was going to afford the flights, but they would walk and swim if they had to. It’s just it would be even better if…
‘How big are his houses?’
‘Oh, bloody huge.’
‘Would you and Ellie come with us?’
‘Are you serious? We would love to. That would be awesome.’
‘I can’t believe you’ve done this, I don’t… don’t really know what to say.’
‘You don’t need to say anything. And the fact that your first comment was to ask if Ellie and I could come is more than enough. That in itself is pretty awesome. But you know, we don’t have to – don’t feel you have to take us.’
‘Are you insane? It would be so much more fun with you two. We’re like a proper little family.’
‘We are. I like it.’
‘So do I.’
There was a silence while they just stared at each other and the hairs rose up on Sylvie’s arms as she considered that this could be her moment, this should be her moment.
She smiled sheepishly at him; she didn’t really know how to smile seductively and suspected she’d look a bit like she was having a fit if she tried, but sheepish she excelled at.
And then just as she planned to move in he started to speak again. Gah!!
‘And, sorry, but just this bit and then I’m done and you can say anything you like. Honest.’
‘Go on.’ If she couldn’t kiss him, she was quite happy listening to him. Not quite as good but a close second. And she was definitely going to try the kiss thing as soon as she could.
‘And, just so this is a happy thing, with no stresses, and I hope you’re not cross, but I set up an Avios account in your name – that’s the new name for air miles – I’ve accumulated so many, like so many, over the years that I thought if I could give you a chunk you could fly whenever suited you without having to worry about prices outside of term-time and all that stuff.
Now…’ he took a deep breath and leant against the banquette and Sylvie could feel his eyes warm every last bit of her, ‘…I’m sorry I monopolized all of that and I hope you forgive me, but I was a bit excited and I wanted to let you know what all this was about.
So that’s it. I’m done. It seems we’re all going to Morocco.
Now, your turn, and I promise not to interrupt. What was it you wanted to say to me?’
Sylvie looked at him and knew exactly what she wanted to do – it was just she had no idea how to translate it into words.
She wasn’t good at fancy statements; Alex was eloquent, she was just her.
Oh God, he was waiting so patiently, how on earth could she say it?
Should she say how much she respected him? No, that was dull.
Should she say that just glimpsing the tops of his arms poking out of his T-shirt sleeves was enough to make her want to rip his zip down? No, that was pervy.
Should she say she was an idiot and she should never have said he wasn’t her type when he was exactly that? In fact, she had discovered Alex was now her only type. Just him. Only him.
Oh God, what could she say?
She drew a deep breath, opened her eyes wide, leant in, the smell of him making her dizzy, and chose her words.
‘Alex.’
‘Yes.’
‘You are my best friend, and the best man I have ever known, and I’m afraid I may have mucked everything up but I have fallen so deeply in love with you I don’t know what to do.
Other than grab the moment. So I’m grabbing the moment and I’m telling you how I feel.
So please, kiss me now before I explode, and never ever use the word platonic about us again.
Unless I’ve got this all wrong and I’ve just made a complete tit of myself in which case, pass me my coat and I’ll slide out and we’ll pretend I never said any of this.
But I would much prefer the kiss. I’m really hoping you would too.
’ The words were measured and slow, despite her embarrassment and determination just to get them out.
She felt like an idiot. That barely made sense. Except it seemed it did.
‘Really? You’re not just saying it because of this evening?’
‘Oh, dear God, man. Yes, I mean it. Just bloody kiss me.’
And Alex, with bright eyes and a racing heart, leant in and did exactly what he was told.
[The end]