Page 22 of Hooked On The One That Got Away
Shedidcare about the river. Enough to want to help bring its polluters to justice. But would she ever do more than take pictures of dead fish? Willow couldn’t see herself throwing red paint over works of art or lying down in the middle of busy city street or crewing on an anti-whaling vessel on a choppy, cold sea. Or–
Oh shit. Or taking a job at a water company, so you were right there, on the inside, gathering all the vital evidence needed to expose them …
Willow knew it was the truth, just as surely as she knew the park bench would be free. Charlie was part of Harvey’s friend Pigger’s activist group. The secret, undercover network working to bring cheating, greedy, sewage-dumping bastards to justice. Or at least to bring their actions to the notice of the nation and hope the outrage would force politicians to act. It was such a relief, to finally know what was going on.
Hard on the heels of that relief, though, was another certainty. Charlie had put the needs of the cause above her own. Willow didnotlove the idea that she’d come second, but she could understand why Charlie might have made that decision. He’d always been impatient to do something meaningful beyond protest, to makerealchange in the world. Willow wondered if he’d planned it for a while, or whether he’d been caught up in the impulsive heat of the moment. The latter was more like Charlie. And hehadjust admitted that he hadn’t known exactly what he was in for. He’d had no idea how long it would take.
Now she knew the truth, could she forgive him? No one would judge her if she didn’t – Charlie had abandoned her for an ideal, and that would be hard for anyone to excuse. But here he was, apologetic, still very much in love with her and wanting her back. And promising that it would all be over soon …
‘Willow?’
She heard the plea in Charlie’s tone, and the slight tremor of worry. She could tell him that she knew his secret, get it finally out in the open. But if therewasa risk he and his friends would be compromised, she’d never forgive herself. Willow decided to err on the side of caution.
‘No more questions,’ she told him. ‘But I want you to promise me one more thing.’
‘What is it?’
Charlie sounded wary. Fair enough. She might be about to ask him for a trip to Paris, or a Labrador puppy.
Willow looked him in the eye. He held her gaze firmly, but she could see a muscle in his jaw working.
‘You willneverkeep secrets from me again,’ she said. ‘You told me I was the strongest person you know, soactlike you mean it! Okay?’
Willow noticed Charlie’s startled blink with gratification. She’d never been a demanding person, but she was leaving no doubt now about what she wanted. What shedeserved.
‘Er, I have to keep secrets from you for alittlewhile more,’ said Charlie, apologetically. ‘But after that? Yes, I promise.’
‘You promise what?’ Willow was finding her newfound power heady.
‘That I willneverkeep secrets from you again,’ repeated Charlie. ‘That I will tell youeverything.’
The corner of his mouth twitched. ‘Does that include my dreams?’ he added. ‘I have a lot of dreams about Premier League football, for some reason, but if you want the details …?’
Willow narrowed her eyes. ‘You know how you said no one was going to die?’
‘But youlikeMarcus Rashford –ow!’
Charlie clutched his leg, where Willow had just given him a horse bite. Then he raised his hands protectively. ‘Not the face, not the face!’
‘Idiot,’ said Willow, settling for a sharp poke in the arm.
‘Ow,’ said Charlie, softly, then he cupped her face and kissed her.
Willow kissed him back, and felt the heat spread through her, as Charlie’s tongue sought hers, and his hand started to slide over her breasts. Desire for him practically lifted Willow off the bench, but Charlie suddenly tensed all over, and muttered, ‘Uh oh.’
‘You didn’t?’ Willow laughed.
‘No!’ protested Charlie. ‘Well, if we’re being scrupulously honest – almost. No, er, I just realised I’ve been sitting on the brownie.’
He reached round under him and, sure enough, retrieved a ruined mash-up of soggy paper and chocolate goo.
‘I felt something oozing through my trousers,’ he said. ‘Which is going to look like I shat myself, isn’t it? And to think, only moments ago, I was worried about showing the world my stiffy.’
Willow untied her sweatshirt from round her waist and knotted it around his.
‘It’s pink,’ said Charlie.
‘Suck it up,’ Willow told him. ‘And you owe me half a brownie.’
