Page 95 of The Little Island Flower Stall
‘But you read my last message?’
‘The one that was full of excuses? Yes, I read it. Can’t say it changed my mind.’
He had the grace to look ashamed, and Bella’s resolve to stay angry crumbled.
‘Life seems to be going well for you here,’ he said.
‘It is.’
‘Bella…could we start again?’
‘In what way?’
‘Could we at least be friends? I’ll be here a lot more often, and I would hate to think we couldn’t be civil to each other.’
‘I can be civil to anyone.’
‘That’s not what I…’ He let out a sigh.
‘I suppose if I see you around, we could stop and chat. Life’s too short to hold grudges.’
‘I’d like that,’ he said. After a pause, he continued. ‘Is there any news on your divorce?’
‘It’s progressing. I would imagine it’s messier than yours was.’
‘Bella…you have no idea how sorry I am about everything. I should have been straight with you. I should have been honest with Lisa, but she was so fragile at that time. I wanted to tell her, but…I swear I hadn’t intended to lie to you both, but it would have broken her…and you…I knew how much Sean had hurt you. I was scared you’d think I was the same as him.’
‘You do realise that leading me on the way you did made me think exactly that.’
‘I didn’t mean to lead you on. I really did mean to tell you about Lisa. I panicked, and then Lisa turned up at the hotel and I knew I was in trouble. I handled it badly, and I’d do anything to put it right.’
‘Hmm…’ Bella held him in a frank gaze. ‘You said all that in your message, but thank you for saying it to my face.’
‘Is there a difference?’
‘Yes. Now I can see if you really mean it.’
‘I do. Could you forgive me? I’m not asking for a second chance for us as lovers or whatever, but I don’t want to lose you as my friend. I think that would be the worst thing that could happen to me.’
Bella finally caved in. Standing here, seeing how genuine his remorse was, looking into those eyes, she knew she was going to forgive him eventually. She was going to do it properly this time, though. They’d take it slowly; she’d know him fully before she gave him that second chance, but she wanted it as much as he did.
‘I don’t want to lose that either.’
‘So let me start to make things right. What can I do?’
‘Chips and cider,’ she said with a smile that she couldn’t keep from her face. ‘We’ll start with chips and cider, and we’ll go from there. You’re buying.’
‘That sounds amazing. When?’
‘I can’t do tonight – I’ve promised to cook for Dolly. Tomorrow?’
‘You’re cooking for Dolly? How is she?’
‘Sad a lot of the time. I think she misses Celestine.’
‘I suppose you must do too,’ he said softly.
‘Yes. But this is life, isn’t it? We have people; we lose people. It never ends until we join the lost ones.’
