Chapter 5 #3
Jill’s exasperated expression only deepened.
“Honestly, I have no idea what you’re talking about, Gaby.
You are a smart, sophisticated, successful woman who has travelled the world and who has, I have no doubt, had plenty of wonderful relationships and exciting love affairs over the years.
I doubt you have anything to fear from having a drink with a man you knew as a boy fifteen years ago, no matter how handsome he is now and no matter how you felt about him back then. You’re worrying over nothing.”
“Do you think so?”
“I know so. It’s a drink with an old romantic interest from your past. Go and enjoy it.”
Gaby frowned, knowing she should follow her aunt’s advice and not overthink this. It was just a drink and some friendly conversation with someone she knew a long time ago.
But a small voice inside her head warned that it wouldn’t be just a drink, and that it wouldn’t be just some friendly conversation either, and that she ought to tread very carefully. Maybe there were good reasons why she ought to tell Peter she couldn’t meet up with him after all.
“I don’t like the idea of ditching you again to go out socialising, Aunt Jill,” Gaby said, scratching around for some sort of excuse or justification. “I’m only here for a few weeks and I’ve already abandoned you to work a hotel shift this afternoon. Surely it’s not fair to ditch you yet again?”
“You won’t be ditching me, for goodness’ sake,” Jill said, giving a dismissive wave with the scissors she was using to clip the flowers. “And you certainly don’t need my permission to come and go while you’re staying here.”
“So you don’t mind if I go gallivanting off to the pub while you’re stuck here?” Gaby said, pointlessly because she already knew the answer.
“Not only will I not mind, I’ll be cheering as I wave you off at the door to meet this young man. If you want to go for a drink, then go. If you don’t want to go, then don’t go. But don’t use me as excuse to make the decision. And stop making a fuss about nothing, my dear!”
Gaby understood what her aunt was saying.
It probably did sound like she was making a big fuss about nothing.
She’d had many relationships over the years in the different places around the world where she’d lived and had enjoyed them all, even as she’d never looked for anything more than the necessarily short-term affair any of those relationships had turned out to be.
The invitation to have a drink with Peter should count as nothing more than a pleasant way to pass a few hours while she visited her aunt in Hamblehurst. A chance to catch up on the old days and remember a long-lost summer from her youth.
But the bolt of raw emotion that had surged through her when she saw Peter this morning was like nothing she’d felt in years.
Which was exactly why agreeing to have a drink with him felt so… dangerous.
“Well, these flowers look beautiful,” Jill said, finishing the arrangements. “Perhaps you could carry these vases through to the other room where we can enjoy them.”
“Consider it done.”
“And if you don’t mind, I’d like to lie down and nap for an hour. All that chatting and gossiping with my friends and neighbours this afternoon was fun but it has tired me out, too.”
“A nap’s a great idea, Aunt Jill. I’ll have dinner ready for when you wake up.”
“Lovely. By then, hopefully I will have digested the mountain of cake I ate while entertaining my guests and will be ready for a light meal. A nice slice of quiche will be perfect and more than enough.” Jill turned for the kitchen door on her crutches.
“Come and wake me in an hour if I’m still asleep. ”
“No problem.”
Gaby carried the vases to the living room and arranged one on the coffee table and the other on the fireplace mantlepiece.
She dipped the blinds and closed the curtains and tidied the sofa cushions that her aunt’s guests and used to make themselves comfortable and straightened the stack of magazines on the side table.
With no further tasks to deal with in the perfectly neat and tidy room, Gaby admitted defeat and pulled out her phone and found the number Peter had given her that morning.
Her fingers hovered over the screen as she remembered the way her stomach had filled with butterflies when she’d run into him outside the café.
It’s just a drink, she told herself. Just a friendly catch-up with someone I used to know. I’ll regret it if I don’t contact him.
She would regret it, she knew that much. She also knew that if she didn’t get in touch, it would probably hurt Peter’s feelings, and she couldn’t bear that.
Gaby tapped out a message on her phone.
Peter, it was great to run into you this morning! Would love to catch up over a drink, if you’re still interested. Does tomorrow evening work for you?
She hit send before she could change her mind.
A few moments after she sent the message, her phone pinged with a reply.
Tomorrow evening is perfect. I’ll come to your aunt’s house at seven and we can walk to the pub. Sound okay?
Gaby sent a quick reply. Sounds good. See you soon.
Now that it was arranged, those butterflies in her stomach were fluttering again and she realised she couldn’t wait to see him.
Tomorrow evening couldn’t come soon enough.