No Other Love
Page 15
The next morning, Sophie was awoken by a plate with a bacon sandwich on it. ‘Amber told me I have to start feeding you. She’s worried that you’re losing too much weight.’
That’s what happens when you have a broken heart.
‘When did she tell you that?’
‘This morning.’
‘Wait? You have each other’s numbers?’
‘Nah, we’re friends on Instagram.’
‘Oh right.’
‘Would it matter if we did?’
‘No, suppose not.’
‘Anyway who cares…’
‘Oooh, you sound a bit grumpy this morning. Bad night?’
‘Yeah, couldn’t sleep.’
In fact, over the last week, since she had talked to her partner about an idea she’d had, she had been excited beyond belief but had done her level best not to get carried away in case it went tits up.
‘Well, I’ve got fifteen minutes until I have to leave for work, so talk if you want to talk.’
Sophie took a bite of her sandwich and set it down. For the next few minutes, she outlined what she had talked about with her partner with increasing excitement, bewitched as she was by the possibilities.
When she stopped talking for a few moments and lapsed into silence, Lee saw his opportunity.
‘Well, from a purely selfish point of view, I think it’s a terrible idea because I won’t see so much of you. I know I’ve only been here a short while, but I’ve grown to love you, Sophie.’
‘You used my name,’ Sophie said.
Lee smiled. ‘I only use names when I’m being serious. But if I was in your shoes, I would go for it. It could be a fantastic opportunity and just what you need after everything you’ve been through lately.’
Sophie leant towards Lee and pulled him into a hug she didn’t really want to let go of.
His phone alarm went off in the kitchen.
‘Got to go, Soph,’ Lee said with a voice muffled by Sophie’s chest, ‘and you’re squashing my face in your tits and I’m not that kind of boy.’
Sophie laughed and let him go.
‘I’ll see you tonight. Let me know what you decide to do.’
Sophie smiled. ‘I think I already know.’
Chapter Twenty-Five
Amber sat gazing out of the window at the city skyline, bored out of her brains with the meeting she was in, despite it being what she considered to be one of the most important meetings she’d ever been part of since coming to the USA all those years ago.
As excitement went, sitting in the company of her bank manager probably didn’t rate high on the list of things she would like to be doing right then, but without his help, the plan to expand their company and take it to even greater heights, and more importantly, to hire more staff, would be fruitless. Their future depended on Mr Marks’ decision.
After what seemed interminable discussions with Mr Marks, he finally laid down his pen on top of his pad.
It was decision time.
Amber and Nadine fixed their eyes on the silver-haired man sat opposite.
A knot of tension formed in Amber’s gut.
‘Well, I’ve looked over the proposal and I’m impressed. I can still see one or two areas which need further explanation…’
Amber’s heart sank. She had so much resting on this, but she knew that without the bank’s support, she and Nadine just didn’t have the available funds right then to make the changes needed.
‘However,’ Mr Marks continued, ‘I can see the very great potential for growth here, and any issues I have at the moment are minor and probably of limited impact on the bottom line. So, Nadine, Amber, I’m happy to say that the bank will be willing to lend the amount you’ve asked for, on the terms to which you have already agreed, subject to the necessary clarification of the issues which I’ll put in writing and e-mail across to you this afternoon. If the clarification is forthcoming, which, given your resourcefulness, I’m sure it will be, then the money will be in your company’s account by the end of the day tomorrow.’
He smiled at the women, rose, and shook their hands. A clear sign their meeting was over. They didn’t need telling twice to leave. They were barely outside the bank’s door when they jumped into each other’s arms squealing.
‘We did just hear a “yes”, didn’t we?’ Amber asked.
‘Most definitely,’ Nadine replied, looking equally surprised.
‘So, we can do it?’
‘Looks like it.’ Nadine smiled at Amber. ‘Make it happen, okay?’
‘I will,’ Amber said, the frisson of excitement that she had been keeping a lid on exploding into a full-on tsunami.
***
Sophie looked at her phone when a WhatsApp message arrived.
Amber: Hey xx. Be ready for a surprise
Sophie: Aww. You too xx
Amber: Really? Tell me?
Sophie: Hah, no chance. You’ll have to wait.
Amber: OK. Gotta run. Things to do. Seeya.
Sophie: Seeya!
Sophie finished the last message with a blizzard of emojis.
***
The London evening air was crisp and clear as Amber climbed the steps and rang the bell. She fixed a broad smile on her face as she waited for the reaction she hoped she would receive. So much was riding on this. Her future. Everything. She was gut-wrenchingly nervous.
***
New York at Christmas, in its wintry snow-covered streets, was stunning. Sophie hopped out of a yellow cab, pushed through the revolving doors, found the floor she needed, then called the lift. A minute later, she buzzed the door and waited. It was a swanky building for sure, much more so than her own more modest office. Hopefully, she wouldn’t seem overawed or out of place. When she was buzzed in and shown to a waiting seat while the receptionist went in search of Amber, a bubble of excitement was boiling like a simmering pot inside her.
This is it!
‘Nadine, Amber’s partner will be with you in a moment, would you like something to drink?’ The receptionist asked.
‘No thanks, I’m good.’
Sophie sent the message with shaky hands.
Sophie: Hey xx Where are you?
She waited for a few moments impatiently before the reply came back.
Amber: At your flat! Lee passed out or fainted when he opened the door. This was my surprise. Where are you?
Sophie: In your office building.
Amber: Huh? WTF?
Amber: Why are you in New York?
Sophie: Why are you in the UK?
Sophie pressed send on her next message at the exact moment Amber’s message arrived
Sophie: We’re opening a branch in New York!
Amber: We’re opening a branch in London!
The woman she assumed was Nadine made a beeline for her and introduced herself.
‘It’s okay, I know where Amber is.’
Sophie showed the phone to Nadine, who laughed and shook her head.
‘You two, honestly,’ Nadine said, before leaving Sophie to her privacy.
Sophie: That was my surprise. I wanted to tell you in person.
Amber: Mine too and me too. Shit.
Sophie: We can be together, Amber?
Amber: No.
Sophie sucked in a breath, then the phone beeped again.
Amber: We will be together, Sophie :)
Sophie felt the prick of hot tears but fought them back.
Sophie: We will. Don’t move. I’ll be back there ASAP
Amber: I can’t move. Lee is in hysterics now, so I’ll stay here to look after him.
Sophie: I’ll message you my flight details.
Amber: I’ll be there xx :)
Sophie slipped her phone back into her pocket and sighed. Nadine re-joined her.
‘You two are a living bloody nightmare, you know? She’s been moping about for weeks pining for you.’
‘I’ve been doing the same,’ Sophie admitted sheepishly.
‘Come on, let m
e take you back to the airport.’
***
The airport was packed when Amber got there. She checked the arrivals board and ran when she saw Sophie’s flight had already arrived. By the time she reached the arrivals lounge, the first weary-looking passengers had emerged into the crowd of people waiting to greet them.
Slowly but surely the crowd thinned until there were only a handful of people left waiting.
Had she missed Sophie in the crush?
Then, in a moment of glorious happiness and with a rush of blood, she spotted her.
Their eyes locked the instant Sophie walked around the corner.
Amber walked forward.
Sophie broke into a run.
Amber stopped and waited, arms outstretched, and with a grin so wide on her face that she’d never had before.
Sophie crashed into Amber in a rush and Amber grabbed her and swung her around, both of them calling each other’s name. Then Amber looked down on Sophie, pressed a gentle, heartfelt, passion-filled kiss to her lips and said, ‘Sophie. I love you. Oh my God, I’ve missed you so much. Please don’t go to New York again without me.’
Sophie stared up at Amber’s beautiful face.
‘I love you too, and I promise I won’t.’
They kissed again, then Amber took Sophie’s bag and they set off arm in arm.
‘You want to know the one thing I’ve come to realise in the last few days?’ Amber asked.
‘Go on.’
Sophie expected a philosophical statement about the importance of keeping clear lines of communication open.
‘That there’s no other love than true love.’ Amber paused for a moment before laughing. ‘And that Lee’s a bloody nightmare,’
Sophie laughed out loud at that. ‘He certainly is,’ she said as they passed through the automatic doors and into the night, holding on so tight in fear of losing each other again. ‘But don’t worry, you’ll get used to him. Besides, he makes a mean bacon sandwich.’
‘Can’t wait.’
The End
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