Page 76 of A Seaside Escape
‘Mallory, can you look me in the eye and tell mehonestlythat you don’t want to be more than friends?’ His gaze was filled with hope.
She sighed. ‘Greg, you lied about being married. It doesn’t matter how I feel. You broke the trust we had, even if it was a lie by omission. It’ll take a long time to get that back. I would always be wondering if there was more to come.’ Her heart rate increased yet again and she swallowed in a bid to dislodge the lump of emotion tightening her throat. Why couldn’t she keep her emotions in check around him?
His eyes became glassy again and his voice strained. ‘Mallory, you know I don’t love her. I still love you. It’s been you since the first day we met.’ He took her hand in his again. ‘Iknowyou feel something for me. I know you do. Why deny it?’
She tried hard to be annoyed, but it was so difficult when he looked at her that way. ‘Greg, stop. I’m not going there again. It doesn’t matter how I feel.’
‘Just let me kiss you. It’ll all melt away; all your doubt.’ He leaned towards her and slipped his hand into her hair.
A betraying tear escaped her eye. ‘I can’t,’ she whispered. She removed her hand from his grasp, pulled herself away and climbed out of the car, closing the door behind her.
*
Greg was friendly at the pub and as time went on, he seemed to become more resigned to how things were between them. Mallory’s heart broke a little each time she saw him, but felt that at least things would be more straightforward. Greg’s song choices became more generic and Mallory simply stopped looking for the hidden meanings and messages that he used to send in the hope that her heart would change. He even stopped making eye contact with her when he sang. A line had been drawn in the sand. It was over… for good.
Greg had started to play at a variety of other venues following being signed up to the entertainment agency Class Act Talent and, as a result, his bar work at the pub became less and less.
Mallory missed him. But when she did see him he regaled her with tales of the other venues. It sounded like he was having fun. She listened with enthusiasm and even suggested songs for his set list and he made notes, finally admitting that it would be easier if he had an iPod.
He was attracting a lot of attention from the opposite sex too. Women were slipping him their numbers on a regular basis. But why wouldn’t they? He was, after all, gorgeous.
‘Aye, they loved me over by Fort William. I got handed three phone numbers! Can you believe these women? It’s like I’m some celebrity. I still can’t believe it.’ He laughed, shaking his head as they washed glasses at the end of one shift.
‘Well, you must be doing something right.’ Mallory tried to sound happy despite the ache in her chest.
‘I just feel like a piece of meat,’ he joked dramatically. ‘They only want me for my body. Never mind my talent.’ He played the camp act well, making Mallory giggle.
She flicked him with a towel. ‘You should be so lucky.’
‘You’ll have to come along with me to one of the other places sometime.’
She forced a laugh. ‘What? To watch women fawn all over you? No thanks.’
Greg shrugged. ‘Your loss,’ he simply stated and walked out the back.
*
One night in late October came the inevitable and dreaded news that he had met a woman he liked. Mallory’s warring internal feelings rose again. Of course, she wanted him to be happy and she had resigned herself to the fact that it wouldn’t be with her, but now that it was happening she hated the way it knotted her insides.
The new woman was called Kate and Greg said they had flirted a little when he had played one of the venues through his new agent. He described her as a curvy brunette and said she was the daughter of one of the venue owners and that she was training to be a nurse. He hadn’t taken her out yet, but was considering asking. Mallory listened as he told her all about Kate and her heart sank. She kept reminding herself that after he had kept things from her she and Greg could have no future. But what irked her most was that he had told Kate straight off about his marriage. Apparently, he had learned from that mistake.
‘She’s really nice. I really like her and think you would too. I just don’t know whether I should take the plunge, you know?’
‘Well, maybe you should just go for it,’ she offered without enthusiasm or emotion.
Scratching his beard, he thought for a moment. ‘Aye, maybe I will…’
*
Sam’s birthday was looming and knowing how difficult she would find it, Mallory hopped on a train to visit Yorkshire. The drive was too stressful and the train afforded her time to sketch designs and read. Ruby stayed with Ron this time as he adored the little dog and Ruby apparently felt the same. And even though escaping to Yorkshire was easy she knew deep down it was the coward’s way out.
When October twenty-fifth finally arrived Josie and Brad made sure to keep Mallory occupied. They spent the day in York visiting the dungeon and taking an open-top bus ride in the freezing cold. Mallory appreciated so much that they had made the day fun and when they arrived home Brad ordered a takeaway and produced a bottle of champagne to accompany their Indian food.
‘We got you a little something to remember Sam by,’ Josie informed her once the meal was finished.
‘Yeah, it was Josie’s idea to get this so you can blame her.’ Brad nudged his girlfriend.
Brad disappeared into the kitchen and returned moments later with a huge tub that contained a tree.
