Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
R ebecca slowed down and stopped in the garden in a small nook, taking a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart.
How dare Felipe do this to her, just minutes before her date?
How dare he tell her that Will didn’t love her?
How could he spoil the night Rebecca had been waiting so long for?
It was cruel and unkind and what right did he have?
It wasn’t even as if he was jealous because he’d made it abundantly clear that was impossible.
He didn’t do relationships. And he was scared.
Until she’d said it, she hadn’t realised it.
Felipe would never let anyone in because he was too scared of losing what he had left.
He was using his family and his work as an excuse to keep the rest of the world at bay.
She sucked in another deep breath. Her hands trembled, shaking stupidly.
It was rare for her to blow up at someone.
Normally she kept a tight rein on her emotions.
Too many years of being accused of it being that time of the month had toughened her up.
The tremors were probably from the sheer willpower it had taken not to shake Felipe.
Nothing to do with the fact that he’d made it plain he wasn’t interested in her.
No, he was being a dick when this was her big night and he’d ruined it.
Reminding her that she wasn’t the sort of woman men fell in love with.
Tears pricked at her eyes and threatened to spill over.
She sniffed hard. No, she was not going to feel sorry for herself.
As usual, she would just get on with it.
She certainly wasn’t going to let Felipe ruin her make-up, not when his cousins had taken such care in making sure she looked amazing.
Thanks to the sisterhood, she’d left her room feeling like a princess.
All the bright golden anticipation soured in her stomach and nausea rolled in its place.
She lifted her chin. No, she was not going to let Felipe ruin tonight. This was about her and going after what she wanted. Will had set the stage yesterday, making it clear he was ready to take things forward. This was what she’d always wanted.
With her spine as straight as a sergeant-major’s, she walked along the little path weaving through the lavender hedge, the night air fragrant and full of the sound of cicadas.
Inhaling the scent, she counted to ten, letting the aroma calm her, and took steady, careful steps to the top of the stairs where Will had said he’d meet her.
As he wasn’t there, she took out her phone and immediately saw she’d had a text from him.
Sorry, running late. Long call with my editor. Easier to eat here tonight. Will make it up to you. See you as soon as I can. Xxx
Antonio greeted her with a bow. ‘ Você é linda . You look very nice.’
‘Thank you,’ she said, immediately remembering the look in Felipe’s eyes when he’d said the same thing. It reminded her of the little leap of awareness between them.
‘Can I get you a table?’
‘Ah,’ she faltered, a little thrown. ‘I’m having dinner with Mr Evans. I think he may have booked a table.’ Surely he’d done that much?
‘Ah, yes.’ Antonio led her to a table for two in the corner.
‘Thank you.’
‘Can I get you a drink, while you’re waiting?’
Rebecca surreptitiously checked her watch.
‘I’ll wait, thank you. I’ll just have some water.’
While she sat and waited, Antonio brought her a bottle of water and she concentrated on taking in the lovely view.
The blue of the sea had deepened to a dark indigo below the pale evening sky, the sun hovering low on the horizon.
In the nearby field, bells clanged and from their loud bleats she knew that the goats, with the cute kids that bounced up and down all day, were being rounded up for the evening.
Discreetly she studied the other diners, spotting a couple of guests, one of whom had done her Pilates class that morning.
The woman gave her a quick smile of recognition.
Rebecca took her phone out of her pocket to check Will hadn’t texted or messaged again.
She’d been having so much fun with Ana, Cristina and Katerina, that she’d missed his original message.
She wouldn’t put it past the younger two to find some excuse to wander past or through the restaurant at some point of the evening, once they found out she and Will were eating at the hotel.
A smile pulled at her lips as she thought of their teasing, mischief and support.
The three sisters gave her a lovely warm feeling like she was being enveloped in a warm blanket.
For something to do, she scrolled through her recent photos and stopped at one of Felipe that she’d taken on the beach the other evening.
She studied his oh-so-handsome idiotic face and her stupid pulse flickered as she remembered the way he’d kissed her.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. At least he’d been honest with her.
There would never be anything between them apart from off-the-charts-fun chemistry.
Now she knew the burden he carried, she refused to add to it.
She loved Will. She’d loved him for so long.
Okay, they might not have fireworks, but what they had was solid and steady, and she wanted to belong to someone in a way that she’d never felt with her own family.
She’d not heard from her brothers or father since she’d been in Portugal, and only received a cursory few texts from her mother.
‘Hey,’ said a soft voice, making her start in surprise.
‘Hey,’ she said, looking up to see Will standing at the table in a rumpled white shirt and baggy cargo shorts, his hair mussed with bits standing on end. She smiled at him. He hadn’t changed in all the years she’d known him.
‘Busy day?’ she asked.
He wrinkled his nose. ‘Yeah, sorry. I’m useless.
I completely forgot to book the other place and then I was on a roll with the writing.
I thought of something I wanted to add, so I’ve managed to extend my deadline for a couple of days.
Managed over three thousand words and had a really good chat with my editor.
Time just ran away with me. Will you forgive me? ’
‘That’s brilliant, well done,’ she said.
‘I’m ready for you to read my first draft.’ Bright enthusiasm radiated from his face.
‘Really?’
‘Yes, if you don’t mind.’ His earnest sincerity made her smile. ‘You know how much I value your feedback. I’m not sure I could write without you, you know.’
She smiled, a glow of satisfaction and pride burning inside her.
It made her feel valued whereas Felipe had hidden how hard he worked and only accepted her help as an absolute last resort.
Will entrusted her with his early drafts and enjoyed the time they spent together when they discussed his work at length, often in his kitchen over dinner she’d cooked.
It was a bond between them she’d always cherished and one that had kept her going in the hope that one day he would look up and see her.
‘You’re such a wonderful sounding board and you make me think more deeply about some of the points.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ said Rebecca modestly, although she was pleased he thought so highly of her opinion.
If she was honest, most of the time she only had a vague understanding of what he was talking about, as it was a bit beyond her, but she was genuinely interested, so she asked a lot of questions which he always took the time and trouble to answer.
‘You do. My editor always compliments me on how down-to-earth my observations are and how easily accessible the information is. You give me a new perspective. So if you could read at least the first few chapters in the next couple of days before I send them off to my editor, I’d really appreciate it. Have you ordered a drink?’ he asked.
‘No, I wasn’t sure what you’d like and whether we should get a bottle.’
‘I’m not drinking this evening. Not when I’m in the final throes of this manuscript. I need a clear head. You go on and order a glass of wine.’
He picked up his menu and perused the choices, making a quick decision and putting down the menu.
Rebecca was still trying to decide. Having eaten many of the dishes at Maria’s table, she now knew what she was doing and had an excellent understanding of Portuguese food. She laughed to herself, remembering her initial reluctance to try anything new.
‘What are you going to have?’ she asked.
‘The burger. I’m not in the mood for anything fancy tonight.’
‘Sounds nice,’ she said. ‘I’m having the bacalhau com natas .’
‘Pardon? Who are you and what have you done with Rebecca? You do know that’s a cod dish. Quite a meaty white fish.’
‘I do know, yes,’ she said with a smile. ‘I’ve learned a thing or two while I’ve been here.’
‘Sorry, was I being patronising?’ He flashed her his boyish ‘oops’ smile.
‘Just a bit.’
He looked a little taken aback at her agreeing with him.
‘I didn’t mean to be.’
‘Funnily enough, my taste buds have had a bit of an education since I’ve been here. You’d be amazed at what I’ve been eating… and liking.’ She thought of Maria coaxing her to try things. ‘There’s a difference when something is cooked with care. Maria’s been teaching me to cook.’
‘Interesting. Do you think you might cook it for me?’ he asked, his expression suddenly coy.
‘I could. I’ll need a bit more practice.’
He stared at her and she felt that she was supposed to be joining up some dots but she wasn’t quite there yet.
He frowned and shook his head. ‘Rebecca, I’m asking you to move in with me.’
‘What?’
He smiled, his face lighting up. ‘Have I messed this up? It was supposed to be a proper date. I was going to order champagne and ask you to spend the rest of your life with me, but I got caught up in the work.’
‘Oh,’ she said.
‘So what do you say?’
Her mouth opened but nothing came out. Move in with him? Of course, this was the obvious move, but now the offer was laid on the table, as it were, she wasn’t sure.
‘It’s not like you to be speechless. I know it’s what you wanted and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to see it.’ He smiled at her, warm and encouraging, his soft blue eyes focused on her face. ‘I guess you’d be within your rights to make me wait, like I’ve made you wait.’
‘But…’ For God’s sake, she told herself, why was she even hesitating?
He was offering her everything she’d always thought she wanted.
A life with Will, who was stable, calm, hard-working and everything her brothers weren’t.
Someone who wouldn’t let her down, wouldn’t put her down and wouldn’t dismiss her as someone who didn’t count.
‘Will, I?—’
‘Rebecca,’ his tone almost but not quite chiding, ‘you love me, and I love you. This is the next step. We know each other so well. We’ve been friends and now… it’s more. Much more.’
‘I guess. I just… I suppose I haven’t really thought past this summer.’
‘There’s no pressure. You can come home when you’re ready. I wouldn’t blame you for wanting a bit more sunshine, although I’d rather you came back with me as soon as you can. I’m not sure I’d want to live here all the time. They eat so late and there are always hordes of kids about.’
He smiled, full of confidence, so sure of himself and her.
She couldn’t get out a single word.
‘They can find another maid, can’t they?’ He gave her a teasing smile. ‘I mean, I know you’re brilliant. And they don’t have to run Pilates classes, do they? So they won’t miss you.’
They won’t miss you. She shivered, feeling unaccountably cold. Cristina, Ana, Katerina, Maria, Felipe– would they miss her? She’d miss them. Every one of them. She’d miss this place.
And what about Felipe’s suggestion that she organise the retreats? The most perfect job ever. To live here, teaching Pilates, working with cyclists. It ticked every box she’d ever dreamed of.
Will was still talking about changing curtains, redecorating the kitchen. She tuned in as he said earnestly, ‘So that it feels like your home.’
How did she tell him that Quinto do Mar felt like home?
She nodded, still thinking of the Rebelo family. Would she vanish from their memories by the next tourist season? Would she become just someone passing through that hadn’t meant much? The thought hurt because they all meant something to her, especially Felipe.
‘So, when do you think you might come back? Like I say, no pressure, but I need to fly home next week. It would be wonderful if you could come with me.’
‘I don’t know.’
Her brain seemed to have gone into reverse, then the gears shifted and common sense asserted itself.
‘No, Will.’ She smiled at him. ‘I have to give them notice here and I don’t have a job to go back to. My job at the brewery is covered until the end of October.’
‘That’s okay. I’ve been thinking. You could be my PA. I’dpay you, of course. But it makes perfect sense. You understand my work; you know my house. And you know how rubbish I am with admin, especially on the publishing and writing side. And you could run the house.’
‘Sorry… what?’ she asked, frowning. ‘You want me to be your housekeeper?’
Will laughed. ‘Don’t be silly. I’m offering you a proper job.
Look after me. Although you’ve always done that.
’ He reached over and took her hands in his.
‘I’ve never told you how much I appreciate you and everything you’ve done for me.
I’m not sure I would have got through the last few years without you.
’ He gave the winsome, sincere grin that lit up the whole of his boyish face.
The face she’d been in love with all this time.
‘It all sounds very serious,’ she said.
‘It is serious and a lot more than just a job. I mean, I’m entrusting you with quite a large part of my life.
I couldn’t do that with just anyone. I love you, Rebecca.
’ He lifted her hand and reverently kissed the back of it, his blue eyes tender.
The gesture was lovely and romantic, so why then did she have a flashback to dinner in Lisbon, the evening vibrant with colour and Felipe kissing each knuckle of her hand? Real life wasn’t like that.
And why was she even thinking of Felipe, when Will was offering everything she wanted? He was a good man who loved her, who was respectful and kind. Why was she even hesitating?
‘Will you move in with me?’
She was being silly. Will was a good man. She lifted her head and looked into his hopeful blue eyes. More than a good man.
‘Yes. I’ll move in with you.’
‘Really?’ he asked with shining eyes.
‘Really.’
He waved over at Antonio.
The next second Antonio appeared with a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket and two flutes.
Will reached across the table and took her hand. ‘We are going to be so happy.’