The Holiday Swap

by Zara Stoneley

  ‘Oh Javier, I didn’t mean that. I’ve wanted you to kiss me for ages.’ She swallowed hard. ‘I’d decided I’d work it out, make sure I could come back soon, then when I saw you, the three of you, it just all seemed to make sense… I’ve never been jealous before.’ She hadn’t; nobody had meant that much to her before. ‘And I guess I,’ she looked at her feet, embarrassed, ‘overreacted a bit. It really hurt.’ Hurt was much too small a word, it had been a physical pain.

  ‘I went to chat to Gabi, try and get things straight in my head. I’d thought maybe I should keep my distance anyway, not start something I couldn’t finish. But staying away from you was easier said than done, which is why I came back today. Look Daisy, I don’t quite know why I came after you to the airport, maybe I shouldn’t have, I couldn’t help myself, I had to see you, it was just an…’

  ‘Impulse?’

  He grinned, the first real smile she’d seen from him, showing his gorgeous white teeth and that cleft in his chin that she wanted to touch. ‘More than an impulse, Daisy. I don’t know what to say now. I just didn’t want you to go back to what you had before. I want you to have your dreams.’

  ‘And that’s it?’ If that was it, if that was why he’d come to the airport, then she really should go home, because staying here, with him, wouldn’t do her any good at all.

  He was close enough to kiss, but she couldn’t, she shouldn’t. ‘I don’t know. I honestly don’t know. Maybe I’m not being fair, being selfish.’ His warm hand was on her arm, as though he couldn’t help himself. ‘When I said at the airport that I wanted us to part as good friends, I didn’t mean that,’ the grin had slipped, ‘I’d like us to be more than friends, Daisy. But I can’t follow you back to your home – you do know that? Maybe one day, but not right now. You deserve good things, Daisy, somebody who can be there for you, not a quick fling.’

  ‘Maybe you should let me be the judge of that.’ She reached out and touched his chin, she couldn’t help herself.

  ‘I don’t want you to feel hurt. That’s why I’ve tried not to let anything happen between us, it wouldn’t be fair.’

  ‘Life’s not always very fair. I want something to happen, Javier. Seeing you is more important than you can imagine, all this does mean something to me.’

  ‘It’s selfish,’ he traced a finger across her lips; he was so close, close enough to kiss, ‘but a few days more, before you leave, is better than nothing.’

  ‘Let’s just play it by ear, shall we? Make the most of what we do have, whether it’s a fling or not.’ Her body closed the gap between them, so that her forehead rested against his. ‘Can we start off by kissing and making up, you know after our fall out? I always think it’s a good idea.’

  He chuckled, and it was so unexpected she stared, and was lost in those deep-blue eyes that were better than any ocean view. ‘You do realise you shouldn’t have kissed me that first time, Daisy? Until you did that, I was coping.’ There was the slightest tremor in his voice. ‘I blame you for this.’

  And then he kissed her.

  It started off like it had the last time. The time when they’d been looking over the city. He’d tasted of coffee that time, the slightest hint was all she’d got, but this time he tasted of something that made her need more. His lips were soft against hers, undemanding, the lightest touch that set off a tremor in her stomach, made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle. His tongue traced a delicate, teasing line along her lip that was almost unbearable, that left her shivery and hot both at the same time.

  ‘Look at me, Daisy.’ She opened her eyes, and his gorgeous bright-blue eyes were looking straight at her and she knew she just wanted to savour this moment, even if she never had it again, even if, at the end of this holiday, they went their separate ways.

  ‘Javier.’ She breathed his name, and it was swallowed up as his lips met hers again, but this time they were demanding. This time he had the fingers of one hand tangled in her hair, the other holding their bodies pressed tightly together. She clutched at him greedily, drank in the smell of him, the taste of him, felt the stubble on his chin under the tips of her fingers, the silky softness of his hair. Panting, he pulled away.

  ‘We don’t have to take this any fur—’

  Daisy grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck. ‘Oh, I think we do.’

  Chapter 22 – Daisy. Sandcastles

  ‘I want you to meet somebody before you go home tomorrow morning.’

  Daisy half-turned so that she could look at Javier, who was standing at her side, his arm round her waist. ‘I do wish I could stay a bit longer.’

  ‘I wish you could as well.’ He smiled, his fingers tightening. ‘But we’ll make sure there are other times.’

  She gazed down from the balcony at the crowds walking below. The time might have whizzed by since she’d arrived, but she felt a different person to the timid but determined Daisy that had arrived here with Anna. It was almost as if a switch had flicked inside her and she realised she could do anything, be anybody, if she wanted to. Or she could just be Daisy, having fun and exploring but knowing she had a home she loved and would always return to.

  ‘In fact,’ he leant down and the lightest kiss skimmed her lip, sending a little shiver of need through her body, ‘I promise there will be other times. Come on before I forget what we’re supposed to be doing.’

  ‘Daisy! I’ve been dying to meet you properly. God knows why my big brother hasn’t introduced us before.’

  The petite and very pretty Gabi wrapped Daisy in a bear hug, kissed her on both cheeks then held her at arm’s length. She smiled, the same generous, open smile that Javier had, and Daisy felt like an idiot. Again. It was obvious they were related. They had the same gorgeous smile, the same dark hair, and the same amazing blue eyes. Why the hell hadn’t she realised when she’d spotted them together? And why hadn’t she thought about the fact that the toddler clutching Javier’s leg had blond curls?

  ‘I’ve heard a lot about you, but I gather you’ve not heard much about me?’

  ‘Well…’

  ‘I really can’t believe you did that, Javier. Of all the stupid things.’ Gabi looked from Javier to Daisy and shook her head. ‘He’s never been the type to exactly put his emotions on the line, but to not even explain why he couldn’t see you.’

  ‘Will you stop talking about me as though I’m not here? Come on, Jaime, us men should stick together.’ The little boy nodded, his shock of curls bobbing.

  ‘Sandcastle.’

  ‘Sandcastle time, you’re right. We will do man stuff.’ He winked at Daisy. ‘Then we will do some grown-up stuff before you have to go.’

  ‘Coffee?’ Gabi ordered the drinks and settled down for a chat. ‘It’s so nice to have a proper chat to somebody in English, I’m sure I’m forgetting how to talk properly. I speak Spanish, of course, but apart from with Javier, the only people I speak English to are foreigners.’

  ‘You’ve lived here a while then?’

  ‘I moved here before Jaime was born, then fell in love with the place.’ She grinned. ‘Must be in the genes, Mum was mad about Spain.’

  ‘I didn’t realise until the other day, but my parents came years ago and loved it. It is beautiful, I really don’t know why it took me so long to come.’ Daisy sighed and watched the waves breaking, the surf rippling in over the sand and then retreating. She didn’t want to retreat. She wanted to stay. She glanced back at Gabi, who was watching her, thoughtfully, like Javier did. ‘Thanks for letting us borrow Poppy, she’s gorgeous.’

  ‘You’re welcome. Javier said you were really missing your own dog. She’s not so gorgeous when she’s being bloody minded, you’ve no idea how naughty and stubborn teckels can be.’

  ‘Teckel?’

  ‘That’s what most people out here call them, you say dachshund, don’t you?’

  Daisy laughed. ‘Yes, oh I’ve got a good idea what they can be like. I groom dogs at home and I’ve come across one or two of them, but she’s still
adorable.’

  ‘She has that look to make you forgive her. Like my son does.’ She nodded at Jaime. ‘And my brother – he has that look when he wants to.’

  They both watched the pair playing on the sand.

  ‘I’m so glad you didn’t go back early.’

  Daisy was surprised at Gabi’s comment.

  ‘My silly dollop of a brother is very fond of you.’

  ‘He’s nice.’

  Gabi grinned. ‘He thinks you are too. Oh, come on, don’t look like that. He’s actually never stopped mentioning you since you first met, not that he realised at first. It was Daisy this, Daisy that.’

  ‘Oh I’m sorr—’

  ‘Don’t be sorry, it’s fab. He’s never wanted to share stuff with somebody like that. I mean, don’t think he’s a saint, he’s had lots of girlfriends.’

  That explained the earth-shattering kisses then.

  ‘But he’s never wanted to be with somebody all the time, to show them all the bits of Barcelona he loves.’ She laughed. ‘And he never stole my dog before! It’s been like living with a whirlwind; he’s dashed in to us, then dashed off again as though he was a man on a mission, but I suppose he was, wasn’t he? The clock was ticking away until time was up and you went. Then you went early.’

  Daisy wriggled in her seat, feeling embarrassed, hoping against hope that Gabi didn’t know the full story. ‘Well there was a bit of an emergency at home – at least I thought there was. But there wasn’t, and I, well, there was a bit,’ major understatement here, ‘of a misunderstanding. I saw the three of you and—’

  ‘I know.’ Gabi frowned. ‘Javier told me, he was so stupid not explaining properly.’

  ‘Oh really, no, it wasn’t his fault. I mean I shouldn’t have just assumed… I should have stopped, said hello.’ She felt so bad, Gabi must think she was pathetic, ‘I should have trusted him, I mean I did, do, but I didn’t stop to think. I just thought the worst, which is so…’ So not her. She still hadn’t quite got to grips with why she’d been so stupid, was that what they meant by the green-eyed monster? Something had certainly taken over her brain and left her devoid of her normal common-sense that day. But that was the point, she supposed. This wasn’t the old her, this wasn’t normal. The old, comfortable her had known what to expect, had never known what it felt like to be head over heels in love. Because she knew now, that’s what she was.

  The old Daisy accepted Jimmy’s flirting with other people because it didn’t matter that much to her, he didn’t matter. He was just a good friend, not the man who’d stole her heart. But she really shouldn’t have let insecurities take over.

  ‘Well I am so glad you did see us though, and you forced him into a corner.’ She leaned forward and put a hand over Daisy’s. ‘You will give him a chance, won’t you? You both look so happy.’

  ‘Well I don’t really… I mean he’s here and I’m going back to the UK.’ She was going to say it was complicated and stopped herself just in time. ‘And I think it’s more a case of whether he’ll give me another chance to be honest, I was such an idiot.’ Although it did look like he’d forgiven her, but they hadn’t discussed the future. Where they went from here.

  ‘Oh he will, he is so keen on you, Daisy. Really. He wanted to be with you, get to know you better. When he has been with us he’s not really been here, you know. He’s had other things on his mind.’ She grinned. ‘You! He’s a brill big brother, he’s made a lot of sacrifices for us, but all this isn’t good. I don’t want you to be one of those things he loses out on.’

  ‘I do like him, a lot, it’s just we hardly know each other.’ And she liked him even more since they’d got back from the airport and he’d literally swept her off her feet. She could feel the heat rushing to her face.

  ‘I know. I’m sorry. I’m going over the top, aren’t I? It’s just, I mean, if you wanted to it would be so nice to see you back here. I guess,’ she paused for breath, ‘what I’m trying to say is what I keep trying to make Javier see. You’ve got to grab what you can, Daisy. When Javier told me what had happened, and I saw the look on his face, it made me really think. I don’t want him to go through what I did. I know I didn’t realise what I had until it was too late. Just before Jaime was born, his dad died. One day he was there and the next…’ she shrugged, ‘life’s short, there were so many things that we were going to do together and then it was too late. It just all fell apart, drifted away like that sandcastle of Jaime’s.’

  Daisy stared at the sandcastle, at the look of consternation on little Jaime’s face, and the lump in her throat made it difficult to speak. Not that she really knew what to say. ‘Oh no, I’m so sorry, Gabi.’ It sounded so lame.

  ‘Oh, don’t be sorry, I’m doing okay now. It’s taken time, but we are getting there. I’m just trying to explain why Javier is so protective.’ A note of frustration had crept into her voice. ‘I love him to bits, and he’s been so good to us, but I’m just trying to say time is too precious to be using it up on the wrong things.’

  Daisy knew exactly what she meant. She’d spent most of her life thinking she had to do what was expected, taking the easy way out instead of chasing her dreams. Following her heart.

  ‘Javier thinks you are brave, he admires you, but he doesn’t realise that the same applies to him, that he has to put himself first sometimes. He’s always tried to look after people, that’s why he does the type of jobs he does I suppose, but he spends too much time with me. He won’t listen to me, and he’s not good at saying what he wants – but I know he wants some time with you. Trust me.’ She grinned. ‘He’s smitten.’

  ‘I’m going home soon though.’ It was a sobering thought, and right now she wasn’t sure she wanted to. She was torn between home and her obligations, and the man she’d fallen head over heels for. And she knew now she had, which was why she’d been so devastated when she’d thought he hadn’t felt the same way. That they hadn’t had a future. ‘I promised my parents I’d be home for Christmas’ and she had that one last conversation to have with Jimmy, as well, before she would feel that she really could move on.

  ‘I like your brother a lot, Gabi, and it would be fab if he could come home with me.’ She grinned. ‘But I know he can’t, really. I understand.’ She looked at the other girl, who was as kind and lovely as her brother. ‘This Christmas his place is here with you, and mine is back home sorting my mess out.’ Not going back wasn’t an option.

  ‘But you might come back next year?’

  ‘I’d love to, I will, but I do love my home, and I know this isn’t exactly going to be an easy thing to work out.’ But nor was leaving Javier and getting onto that plane. Leaving him was going to be like ripping part of herself out and leaving it behind.

  ‘I know, just leave a door open and you never know who will walk through, eh? Now I’m being too serious, it’s a nice day. Tell me about where you live and this massive dog of yours.’

  Chapter 23 – Flo. Fanning the flames

  ‘You’d better come to mine for some supper, and bring the bloody dog as well.’ Hugo had his arms crossed and his legs at hip-width, but there was a hint of light in his eye that meant he was closer to making fun of her than falling out with her.

  ‘Only if you’re going to behave.’

  ‘Behave?’ He raised an eyebrow, which made him look wicked. ‘And in what way do you mean behave?’ Oh God, that drawl set off a chain reaction in her body that could only lead to one place – bed.

  ‘As in listen to me for once and not go off on your high horse.’ She wasn’t sure how long she could keep up this being-cross business.

  ‘I can’t promise that, I quite like my high horse, and you don’t seem to have much option, given the state of your cooking facilities.’

  Flo stared at the cottage. How could she have done this? Why on earth did she seem so intent on screwing up her life, especially when it had actually seemed on the up at last? ‘I’m going to have to paint the kitchen before Daisy comes home. Oh hell, can you
buy new cookers this close to Christmas?’

  ‘You can buy anything, darling, but it will be fine, Agas are made to last. Unlike the pan you were using. I’m sure we can get another one though.’

  We can get he’d said. He was doing it again; acting the he-man and looking after her. Which was getting to be a bad habit. In fact, he’d been doing it since she’d arrived, dangerous territory. If he’d stop acting like a flaming knight in shining armour, rescuing her from her predicaments (which was so clichéd), then it would be easier to resist him. Although she had already fallen into bed with him once, which was probably one too many times, because she really didn’t need another bossy man in her life, even if he had shown a vulnerable side she’d never suspected existed. And he’d just called her darling. Although he called everyone that. So it didn’t mean a thing. And he supported her writing, and the person she wanted to be, which Oli had never done.

  ‘Oh shit, my writing.’

  ‘Writing?’

  ‘Don’t you remember? I was writing when you came round. I’d been inspired by—’ oh no, she couldn’t say Oli, ‘events.’ Move on quickly. ‘Then you disturbed me, and marched off, and I had to go after you, and that’s why I forgot…’

  ‘Your bacon? Wait here, I’ll go in and look.’

  ‘But, Hugo…’

  ‘I’m sure it’s all fine in there, it was something and nothing, the fire brigade said, only in the kitchen, but you stay here, better to be safe…’ He marched off before she could stop him, so she ran after him, slipping and sliding on the icy path.

  No way was she ‘staying there’ like some obedient dog. Even if the place was a bit stinky and the fire brigade had agreed that there had never been any danger. And Hugo had very effectively put the flames out. She supposed they must be bored; not very many fires to be heroic over.

  ‘Your handwriting is atrocious.’ He had her notepad in his hand, a surprisingly smoke-free notepad.