Page 114 of The Island Villa

“Oliver?” Cassie stood for a moment, bemused, and then rushed to greet him, her long floaty skirt flying around her legs as she ran.

Catherine watched as she flung herself at him and saw him lift Cassie and swing her round.

“I was about to phone you to ask for specific directions because you know how lousy I am at finding places.” He hugged her tightly and Catherine thought that if her daughter stopped hugging him back and looked at him for a moment she’d see the expression on his face. Or maybe she was imagining it. What did she know about love anyway?

She glanced at Adeline and saw that her other daughter was smiling. So maybe she hadn’t imagined it, after all.

Cassie finally let go of Oliver and stepped back. “But what are you doing here?”

“You sounded strange on the phone.”

“You flew here because I sounded strange on the phone?”

“Yes. You didn’t tell me what was wrong and you always tell me when something is wrong.”

Cassie was laughing. “But you could have called.”

“And then you would have been evasive again. I wanted to see you in person. I can stay in a hotel. Or get a flight home tomorrow or something.”

“Did you bring Suzy?”

Who, Catherine wondered, was Suzy?

“No, of course I didn’t bring Suzy.” Oliver was frowning. “Why would I bring Suzy?”

“Because you’re back together again.”

“We’re not. Why would you think that?”

“She was there when I called you last night.”

“Because I was feeling down, and she came over to listen to me and give moral support. Not because we’re back together.” He stopped. “Wait—is that why you were funny with me? Because you thought we were together?”

“Why were you feeling down? And why didn’t you tell me you were feeling down instead of letting me go on and on about my problems.”

This is like a bad rom-com, Catherine thought, where you just want to shake some sense into both characters.

They were gazing at each other, oblivious to the rest of Cassie’s family, the tourists, the sparkling ocean and the cloudless sky.

“If I was writing this,” Catherine said to no one in particular, “this would be the moment when he kisses her.”

And just as she thought that, Cassie wrapped her arms around Oliver’s neck and pulled his head down to hers, kissing him passionately. His arms came round her and he kissed her back, his mouth hungry on hers. There was a desperation in the way they clung to each other.

Adeline cleared her throat and glanced at her mother. “Well, there you go,” she said. “Seems as if you haven’t entirely lost your touch when it comes to romance. Although technically she kissed him first.”

They stood together, side by side, watching shamelessly as Oliver and Cassie murmured things that no one else could hear.

“Speak up.” Adeline was grinning as she raised her voice. “We want to hear the dialogue.”

Cassie turned, her cheeks pink and her eyes shining. “He loves me.” She glanced back at Oliver, suddenly doubtful. “You’re sure you love me? You’re absolutely sure? Even the really annoying things about me?”

“Cass, I’ve loved you for years.”

“But why didn’t you say something?”

“Because you kept saying that when you fell in love, you’d know it right away. Which I assumed was your way of saying you weren’t in love with me.”

“Oh, what a tangled mess,” Catherine said. “It could be Shakespeare.”

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