‘I’d love to, Hols, but it’ll just be me.’
‘Why?’
‘Jess and I broke up.’ Matteo averted his eyes from Hollie’s enquiry and instead caught Olivia’s before swiftly looking towards the bar, his cheeks reddening as he grabbed his wine glass and drew in a mouthful of the effervescent bubbles before muttering, ‘She was getting a bit too possessive. Not really my bag.’
‘Oh, for God’s sake, Matteo, what on earth is wrong with you?’ cried Hollie, rolling her eyes at him, but her smile was wide and friendly. ‘Once the chase is over you give up. She’s the sixth girl you’ve dated this year. You’ve got to start to think about settling down at some point.’
Olivia’s senses were on high alert. She scrutinised Matteo’s body language and realised, for the first time, that he wasn’t laughing at Hollie’s banter or joining in with the criticism of his dating practices like he usually did. The splash of joy had swiftly changed to a haunting sadness lodged deep in his mahogany eyes and his feelings were blatantly obvious to her, so why weren’t they obvious to Hollie?
She eased back from the conversation, sipping at the prosecco Matteo had recommended, and watched the two best friends spar, the corners of her lips curled upwards knowingly. Matteo laughed at something Hollie said, and swung his raised eyebrows to Olivia for her contribution, and in that instant he realised she knew. He flashed her a warning sign via a microscopic headshake, but Olivia resolved to speak to him before he went down to Cornwall for the Christmas holidays.
It was time for Matteo to let Hollie know how he felt about her.
She drained her glass, welcoming the warm glow that the sweet nectar delivered as it trickled down her throat and into her chest. However, the blush of pleasure she could feel suffusing her cheeks could not be attributed to her third glass of fizz, which in her new regime of abstinence had caused her head to swim a little, but at the thought of her two friends getting together to celebrate the festivities. She allowed Matteo to replenish her glass without objection, smiling her thanks before returning to the folds of the plump sofa to continue her contemplation.
Applying Olivia Hamilton’s Lessons in Love, she concluded that:
One: Hollie and Matteo had known each other, and their respective families, since childhood. Both families had a great deal in common – a love of Cornwall and of the great outdoors – and both of them had backgrounds in the restaurant trade. That ticked the ‘shared history’ box.
Two: Both had graduated from university and had gone on to establish satisfying and financially stable careers. That ticked the ‘college-educated’ box.
Three: Neither of them had been married before. Another tick.
Four: Both were well past their teenage years. They had experience of the world and were mature enough to know themselves and each other.
The list of positives was stacking up nicely. But the coup de grâce was that communication and friendship had never been an issue. They were best friends!
However, there was one question she had to ask which might just spoil the whole scenario. Did Hollie possess the same workaholic gene she herself possessed? Would she allow her addiction to helping others through the most traumatic times of their lives, impact negatively on the most important relationship in her life?
Whilst on her global pursuit of love, regular calls, texts and emails had nurtured her friendship with Hollie who had continued with her gruelling schedule of police station call-outs for the whole nine months Olivia had been away from her own office. On top of that, she had rehearsed every Wednesday evening for the Christmas concert her orchestra were putting on in aid of the local hospice, and then every weekend she shot down to the golf club for lessons from Nathan’s brother and an afternoon round of golf.
So, if they did get together, would Hollie and Matteo be destined to emulate her and Nathan? And if that was right, was it worth destroying their current relationship? They had a fabulous friendship – a closeness, a deep knowledge of each other’s hearts and souls. They had shared the ups and downs of life for almost three decades. Hollie had been particularly supportive when Matteo’s mother had passed away, taking a month’s unpaid leave to return to Cornwall and share in the family’s grief, and help to man the restaurant tables until Matteo and Antonio decided what to do with the pizzeria. The pair also shared a sense of fun, and Hollie had never stood Matteo up when he arranged tickets to clarinet recitals or the open-mike comedy shows he loved, unlike Olivia had done with Nathan. Maybe it would work.
‘Olivia? Earth to Olivia?’
‘Sorry, just thinking about …’
Olivia placed her empty wine glass on the table and smiled at her two closest friends. It would be amazing if they got together, and she was oblivious to the fact that her overindulgence of wine had plastered a rictus grin on her face.
Hollie traded an eye-roll with Matteo. ‘I was asking about Kat. How’s the baby?’
‘Gorgeous, just gorgeous. Matteo, do you think I can get a Perrier, plenty ice and lemon? My head is starting to spin and there’s something serious I need to get your advice on.’
‘Sure.’
Matteo cast a worried look at Olivia before trotting obediently to the bar.
‘What’ve they called her?’ asked Hollie, who, despite being on her second bottle of wine, displayed no adverse effects because unlike Olivia, her tolerance levels were still being well fuelled.
‘Charlotte Eliza Windwood. But she’s called Lottie. Oh, thanks, Matteo.’
Olivia swallowed half the ice-filled glass of sparkling water before ploughing into the story Katrina had shared with her on Saturday night, and then added to three days later whilst Olivia had cuddled the sleeping Lottie in the Windwood’s cosy conservatory.
‘The day before Lottie arrived, Kat went into the office to tie up a few loose ends on a couple of cases she was dealing with. Guess what she found?’
Hollie and Matteo listened in gobsmacked silence as she recounted the details of Miles’s incompetence and extensive negligence. Neither of them commented when she told them of the involvement of the OSS, and that Miles had been summoned to attend a disciplinary hearing, a fact he had sought to conceal from Henry, Lewis and James.
What she didn’t share with them was the tears she had shed when Henry had eventually called her after hearing the full story from Katrina, and instead of welcoming her back into the fold with open arms, he had told her that he and Lewis were considering their options, with closing down the matrimonial department altogether one of them. Her whole body had heaved with emotion, with agony and regret, but also mingled in with the melee of misery was a generous dose of loneliness and futility.
If she didn’t have a career to go back to, what was she going to do? What had all those hours she’d spent slaving away at her desk, late at night, early in the mornings, weekends when she should have been out socialising with Nathan and her friends, been for? Had losing the person she loved most in the world all been for nothing? Or could she salvage at least something from the lessons she’d learned over the last few months?
‘I’m proud of you, Liv.’
‘You are? Why?’
‘If I’d been in your shoes, I’d have stormed into Edwards & Co and had it out with Miles in front of the whole office. That man is a traitorous slimeball. God, we slag off Ralph Carlton but at least he’s upfront about his rottweiler tactics, and he really knows his stuff. Miles, on the other hand, is a bungling, blithering idiot not fit to lick Ralph’s shoes. I’m surprised about Henry and Lewis’s reaction though.’
‘I suppose …’
And then it hit her like a sledgehammer. It was clear that if Hollie was hearing the story for the first time, then the rest of the legal profession would also have no knowledge of Miles’s treachery, and the reason for that had to be that they were intending to brush his actions under the carpet. ‘Damage limitation’ they would call it, and if they were prepared to put cash-flow before integrity and truth, then irrespective of wheth
er they decided to close the department or not, there was no way she could continue to work alongside them as her trusted professional partners.
Matteo got it before Hollie.
‘What’s the point of storming into the office when what he’s done has been sanctioned by the senior partners? In fact, any unpleasant scene would play right into Miles’s court as evidence that Olivia is mentally deranged.’
‘Ah, yes, okay, I get it,’ murmured Hollie, eying Olivia closely before making a determined effort to change the subject to safer ground. ‘So, Paris on Friday? The capital city of love and romance? Are you excited?’
‘I might have been if I wasn’t travelling alone – and don’t forget, it’s where Nathan and I spent our honeymoon. Oh, Hols, after everything that’s happened, I really don’t want to go, but equally I don’t want to let Rachel down. I actually don’t think Paris is one of the essential trips in her project, and I’ve already written up all my notes and drafted my findings for her research paper, but she keeps on reminding me that I did promise her that I would go. Actually, she was rather shirty with me when I tried to wriggle out of it last night.’
‘Really, that’s not like Rachel. I hope she’s okay.’
‘I think it’s the stress of the NABD qualifiers in two weeks’ time. She and Denise are rehearsing four times a week at the moment, and she’s lecturing an additional subject this semester, and if she doesn’t finalise her research paper on time the grant monies have to be returned. So I did get her point when she snapped that she would love to slip into my stilettos and grab a flight to Paris for the weekend.’
Olivia decided not to mention to Hollie that it had been the first time in over twenty years of friendship that Rachel had spoken harshly to her and she had quickly apologised for her insensitivity.
‘So, I’ve pulled on my big girl pants and agreed to fly over to Paris with no more complaints. Okay, so my life is a complete explosion of rotten manure, but it could be a lot worse, and I’m not the only one struggling with what life throws at the unsuspecting traveller by any means. However, I intend to steer clear of all those romantic little cafés and bistros Nathan and I frequented on our last trip.’
‘Has Rachel set up any meetings for you like she did at your other ports of call?’
‘Only a quick drink with one of her old college friends on the Saturday night, which she’s refused to cancel, but it shouldn’t be a problem. I intend to spend the rest of the weekend getting lost in the labyrinths of the Louvre and studiously avoiding the treasures of Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame and Les Invalides.’
But most of all she intended to avoid the Pont des Arts where she and Nathan had attached an engraved padlock to the railings before throwing the key into the River Seine. She had been saddened to read that the Parisian authorities had removed some of the ironwork laden with the symbols of everlasting love because the bridge was crumbling under their weight.
What a metaphor for the veracity of everlasting love! Maybe true enduring love wasn’t all it was cracked up to be – simply a lottery that only the lucky few got to win. Clearly those who had commissioned Rachel’s research had been astute in their initial instructions when they had asked her to look into the causes of divorce and not the positive aspects of maintaining a loving union. No one would secure a grant to undertake the ridiculous wild goose she had spent the last nine months hunting down.
Almost a whole year of chasing love – what a waste.
But was it?
She had to accept that some positives had come from her sojourn with the residents of the real world. She now ate more healthily, had conquered her battle with insomnia, and had all but eradicated her reliance on excessive alcohol intake to soothe away the day’s stresses. On an emotional level, since that fateful day in January, she had gained a great deal of insight into the way she had been living her life and now understood it was time to make a few changes, the main one being to devote more time to the people she loved.
For a start, she was going to spend the holidays with her parents in Yorkshire this year. She had allowed too many Christmases to slide by without a nod to the magic and joy the annual celebration brings, and this time she would not sit at the dinner table, counting down the hours until she could get back to the office so she could have the place to herself and catch up on her backlog of paperwork. She intended to embrace the festivities and had even splurged on a hamper from Fortnum & Mason as a treat for her mother.
And she wanted to make much more of an effort to support her oldest friend. She hadn’t told Rachel yet, but she had secured a highly sought-after ticket to be in the audience of the Amateur Ballroom Dance Finals on Christmas Eve – a first for her, despite the fact Rachel and Denise had been dancing for over ten years.
And she still had the invitation from Niko to visit his family in the New Year to celebrate the twelfth night feast on the sixth of January. He was the only guy she had met that year who she had really felt a connection with and she was giving his invitation some thought. She thought of Alani and the chatty email updates she still sent gushing about her blossoming romance with Brett, conveniently forgetting her vehement assertions that she intended to play the field for as long as possible.
And last but not least, her time in the legal wilderness had given her the space to come to terms with the breakdown of her marriage and accept that she and Nathan were no longer a couple. She still loved him, she knew she always would, but it was time to move on, and admitting that gave her some solace. She had to focus on the future now.
Hollie’s laughter pierced her introspection and she smiled. It was obvious to her now, and any casual observer, that her two friends didn’t just enjoy each other’s company, but they were in love with each other. She knew they didn’t need her there. Had they even missed her when she was away on her global jaunt? In fact, had any of the other home-fearing professionals gathered in Harvey’s wondered where Olivia Hamilton had disappeared to? She was tired, but it wasn’t the bone-crunching exhaustion of before. She was a healthier weight, her complexion was less ashen and more rose-tinted, and, tonight excepted, she could say no to another white wine spritzer.
Yes, her sabbatical had taught her a lot and she now possessed a deeper knowledge of herself and the impact her chosen lifestyle had on her relationships. The lessons learned, although hard, would ensure she never again put her career before her family and friends, and she had a new bulletin to add to her list.
Olivia Hamilton’s Lessons in Love: No 18. “All relationships, no matter what form they take, are equally valid and their stability brings happiness.”
Glancing again at Matteo and Hollie who were still arguing about something, she added:
Olivia Hamilton’s Lessons in Love: No 19. “Communication is everything. The ability to listen carefully, and to respond appropriately, is of crucial importance for nourishing an enduring relationship.”
‘Don’t suppose there’s a space in your holdall for me?’ said Hollie, attempting to drag Olivia back into the conversation when Matteo returned to the bar. ‘City of Romance, when do people have time for that?’
Olivia smiled at her friend as she accepted an empty champagne flute from Matteo. She watched him hand two more to Hollie and twist the cork on the bottle before pouring three glasses and then raising his to the girls before taking a mouthful.
‘Hey, I know it’s not Paris, Hols, but what about a trip to Rome?’ Matteo set down the wine cooler with the bottle protruding from its rim. ‘I’m flying out to meet a wine producer my Uncle Gino has recommended at the weekend. Why don’t you tag along?’
Matteo, aware of Olivia’s scrutiny, studiously avoided looking in her direction, sipping his wine to conceal the fervent hope in his eyes. She wasn’t fooled, but it seemed Hollie was oblivious. Olivia held her breath and, with every molecule in her body, she willed Hollie to agree, whilst fearing her rejection and the effect of its impact on Matteo.
‘You know, why not? Stuart’s on call this weekend. I
’ve done the last five so I reckon I deserve a break. And the orchestra have been granted a rare hiatus from rehearsals as we’ll be playing back-to-back concerts from now until Christmas and everyone needs to get their Christmas shopping done.’
‘Great!’
Hollie shuffled her buttocks to the edge of the sofa, tossed her hair behind her ears and met Matteo’s gaze.
‘Can we do all the cheesy tourist stuff, though, Matt? The Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps?’
‘Sure we can.’
Matteo’s handsome features remained calm, but Olivia didn’t miss the flash of exhilaration written in his chocolate-brown eyes. She smiled and resolved to call Matteo the next day to urge him to come clean about his feelings whilst they were together in Rome. What better venue was there to declare his love for his best friend’s sister than overlooking the Trevi Fountain?
‘Sounds like a fabulous trip!’
‘Well, why don’t you come to Rome with us instead of Paris?’ declared Hollie.
‘Oh God, no! Rachel would kill me if I don’t finalise her mission of madness.’
Not to mention Matteo, she thought as she quelled the urge to giggle at the relief that was scrawled across his expression.
Chapter 27
It still surprised Olivia how long it took to get from landing on the tarmac at Charles de Gaulle airport to stepping into the oak-panelled lobby of her Parisian hotel. Longer than the whole flight from Heathrow to Paris.
The hotel that Rachel had booked for her was located down a narrow avenue a short distance from the Champs-Élysées – far enough away from the Ritz in the Place Vendôme to prevent her from taking a detour for old times’ sake. She loved the quirkiness of this old, typically Parisian hotel with its tall, shuttered windows and Juliet balconies fashioned from lacy ironwork, and its revolving front entrance and honey-veined marble foyer that glistening under a parade of huge, teardrop chandeliers.
A Year of Chasing Love Page 22