Page 73 of Just Like That

Having finally taken that all-important step across the threshold to becoming lovers, Nick and I seem to take things up a level emotionally as well. We enjoy a romantic meal together in the hotel restaurant, playing footsie under the table, while talking in earnest about things we’d like to do together in the future. We’re so lost in each other, it’s a wonder we manage to order and eat a meal. Being with him in that way, our bodies moving together as one, was way better than I ever imagined – a good portion of which was probably down to the fact that we’d waited so long and had developed a strong connection. It was so much more than sex, and at the same time it was the best sex I’ve ever had.

Nick manages to put the stresses of the park to the back of his mind for the evening – likely helped by the copious amounts of wine we drink with our meal and the fact that we return to my room straight after dinner for round two, three then four. It’s about four a.m. by the time we finally give in to exhaustion and fall asleep, wrapped in each other’s arms.

When I wake up several hours later, my head pounding, stomach rumbling, despite the huge meal we consumed, I wonder if we might have slept in and missed breakfast. Plucking my phone from the bedside table to check the time, I’m pleased to see that there’s still fifty minutes of breakfast service to go. Provided I can get Nick out of bed sharpish, my hangover will be well tended too with a full Scottish breakfast.

Deciding to give him another ten minutes, I lie back and check my notifications. There are a few WhatsApp messages, including one from Jackson telling me there’s no need to rush home, as well as some Facebook and Instagram alerts.

Remembering my Instagram post from the evening before, I open up the app and see that my post has had a bit of engagement.

‘Gosh, one hundred and twelve likes and twenty-two comments.’ I raise my eyebrows. ‘That’s a personal best by a long shot.’

‘Do you always talk to yourself?’ Nick murmurs from beside me.

‘Only when I have strange men in my bed.’

He gives a sleepy chuckle.

‘Morning, sexy man.’ I lay my phone back on the night stand and snuggle into him.

‘Morning. Have we missed breakfast?’

‘Not if we get up now.’

‘Excellent. I assume you’ll need to shower first?’

‘You’re obviously well trained.’ I untangle myself from him and head for the bathroom.

Once I’m showered and changed, and Nick is in the bathroom, I settle back down on the bed, keen to have a look at the comments on my Instagram post. Reading them one by one, I smile wistfully at the messages of support, tapping on the ‘like’ button as I go. Then, partway down, I see a message that’s different to the others, it says: ‘When did you last check your fundraising page? Looks like your situation might have changed.’ Puzzled by this, I navigate to the FundedCauses page and my jaw drops in astonishment.

‘Oh my word… NICK!’ I leap off the bed and hammer on the bathroom door, my heart pounding in my ribcage, adrenaline coursing through my body.

Chapter 34

Quickly packing up my stuff, we race to the wildlife park, and after abandoning Nick’s car in the middle of the car park, we all but fall through the door to Gwen’s office, sweating and out of breath.

‘What the—’ Her head jolts up from the paperwork she’s poring over. ‘What’s going on? Is everything all right?’

Panting heavily, I’m unable to form a proper sentence. ‘Sorry… yes… fine. Donation on… FundedCauses… page.Look.’ I thrust my phone in Gwen’s face, and she takes it out of my hand so she can actually read what’s on the screen.

‘“What an amazing event you put on yesterday,”’ she reads aloud, quoting the words on the screen. ‘“Your park and everything it stands for is too important to be left to shut down.” That’s nice. And they’re given us a three hundred and fifty pound donation. It’s generous, though was it worth half killing yourselves to show me this?’

‘Look again,’ Nick instructs her.

Gwen narrows her eyes at us curiously then squints at the phone.

‘Three hundred and fiftygrand?’ She rubs her forehead in complete bafflement. ‘Is this a joke? Did you amend this somehow?’

‘Of course we didn’t.’ Nick shakes his head at her.

‘Then… it’s real? We’ve had more than a quarter of a million-pound donation?’

‘Uh-huh.’ My face spreads into a wide grin. ‘The park is saved, Gwen. You don’t need to close. This is exactly what you had hoped for.’

Gwen seems utterly bewildered. She just sits there, staring at my phone screen, shaking her head in wonder, while Nick and I share a look.

‘Um… Gwen? Are you OK?’ I probe.

‘Who’s it from?’ Her dumbfounded gaze meets mine. ‘All it says is the donation came from “anonymous” and that it was made late last night. I mean, who gives away three hundred and fifty grand just like that?’

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