Meet Me in London

by Georgia Toffolo

  “Yeah, right. We believe you.” Lily laughed, her eyes dancing as she slid her arm into Victoria’s and they all made their way towards the slipway. “OK, who’s coming to the pub for one more drink before I get back to work?”

  “Me.” Victoria eyed the white building up ahead. “Just one and then I have to get back before Mum and Dad go to Auntie Mary’s for dinner and then Midnight Mass.”

  “You’re not going to join them? But it’s your family tradition.”

  “I’m mixing things up a bit this year.” Also known as avoiding her auntie’s questions. She just wanted to wallow watching Love, Actually and possibly do a bit more crying over Oliver and what she’d thrown away. Oh-oh. Maybe the alcohol was going to her head.

  “Hey. Dude alert.” Malie pointed to a lone figure standing at the top of the slipway, hands stuffed deep in his coat pockets. He was staring out at...at them. “Tasty. Do you think he might want surfing lessons?”

  Oh, God.

  Victoria closed her eyes. Opened them again. Her chest felt as if it was collapsing in on itself. “It’s him.”

  Zoe shielded the last rays of sun from her eyes and squinted. “Who?”

  “Oliver,” said Lily. Her voice sounded the way Victoria felt—cautious. Hopeful. Sad.

  Despite herself, despite her friends, despite everything, Victoria slipped her arm from Lily’s and strode towards him. She couldn’t stop herself. Didn’t know what the hell she was going to say to him.

  But she had to reach him, and fast.

  19

  HE WAS HERE. In sleepy Hawke’s Cove on Christmas Eve. Victoria tried hard not to read a million messages into this and failed. Did he want her back? Was he here...?

  “Victoria.” He nodded hello but didn’t kiss her...not even her cheek.

  Okaaaay. So, this wasn’t going to be the grand reunion where they ran across the beach on a snowy Christmas Eve into each other’s arms. Right. Too much Love, Actually made a girl believe in happy-ever-afters.

  Maybe he was here with bad news? Her throat caught as her heart jumped. “How’s your dad? Is he OK?”

  “He’s actually much better.”

  “I couldn’t believe the way the press were so intrusive about his illness.” She walked towards a bench that looked out to sea and he came and sat next to her. They stared out, she didn’t dare look at him and try to read his thoughts. But her heart jittered and she hoped. Hoped.

  Oliver’s hands were still in his pockets. He hadn’t reached for her. “Dad’s used to handling that kind of thing. He sent out a press release saying he’s had the doctors’ sign-off and just has to rest up. He’s getting stronger. But I’m not here about that.”

  Hope rose as she turned to him. “Oh?”

  He gave her a small smile. She was relieved to see that he looked about as tired as she felt. Had he been having sleepless nights too? “I have another deal for you, V.”

  She daren’t ask, but her body prickled with promise. “Yes?”

  “The thing is, ever since the catwalk show we’ve been inundated with orders and queries about your designs.”

  Ah. He was here about that. Her shoulders sagged as if her hope bubble had literally been popped. “I know. Your PA forwarded them. I’m working through them.”

  “Good. I’d like to offer you space in the bridal shop. For your collections. A permanent place. Then we can help with the orders too.”

  Whoa. Was he for real? She’d broken things off and he was still giving? “I can’t. It’s not right.”

  “What isn’t?”

  “You don’t get to wave a magic Russell wand and give me my dreams on a plate.”

  He frowned. “I thought you wanted your clothes in a shop like ours?”

  “I do. But I want to earn it, I want you to offer me the space because my designs are worthy and deserve to be there, not do it because you know me. I want to be good enough to be there.” It sounded churlish and ungrateful, but she didn’t want to be his pity project.

  He shrugged. “I don’t know anything about dress designs, I admit. But Marianne, the bridal store manager, can’t keep up with the interest, especially when we don’t have any of your stock. She insisted I talk to you about it. So, it’s not my doing. I’m just the conduit.”

  She bit her lip and thought. It wasn’t just Oliver then. Other people believed in her. Hell, she knew that already, but she didn’t...believe it. Could she do this? Could she grab this dream with both hands? “I don’t want any concessions. If they don’t sell, then we reconsider. I want a proper contract.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to be an issue. Russell & Co. want to be exclusive and we’d aim to stock them in our global stores. Although, obviously you’d need to lawyer up to make sure the contract is to your benefit.”

  “OK. Right.” Gone viral. Or global at least.

  “Do we have a provisional deal?” He sounded like the true professional he was. Steady. Calm. Certain.

  “Deal.” She didn’t think she would be able to love him more, but she did. So much. So much it made her throat sore and her eyes sting. She missed him. She loved him.

  She should have been elated. This was a chance in a million. A dream career in a beautiful space, but she would be at risk of seeing him every day. She would want him every day. And her heart would never heal. And yet she had to do it. “You came all this way to tell me that? You could have sent an email.”

  “I also wanted to tell you that I’ve taken a step back from the day-to-day running of the company and we’re on the lookout for a new CEO.”

  Oh, wow. “You told your father?”

  He nodded. “You said we needed to communicate and be up front. So, I told him I wasn’t happy and wanted to do something else. I’ll still be involved, but on a much smaller scale.”

  “Good for you. I know that will have taken guts.”

  “You know what he said? That he wished he’d done the same thing years ago. He also said you were a bad influence on the Russells if you were going to make us all abandon the company and just have fun all the time. But he winked too, because he knows there are good people out there who could run the place better than we can.” Ollie’s chest pumped. Proud of what they’d achieved. “And I also know he loves you to pieces.”

  “He’s a good man.” She breathed out. “I’m proud of you all, Ollie. And you decided to do what?”

  He drew his eyes from hers and looked out at the ocean. Snowflakes fell all around them, settling on their shoulders, in their hair. “I’m going to set up a trust to help less fortunate kids in the areas where our stores are. In inner cities the scope is huge. I’m constantly amazed at the disparity of wealth of people who live on the same street; at one end there’s millionaire’s row and at the other there’s overcrowding and poverty. The Russell Trust will offer opportunities to those who need them, either working in our stores or business mentoring.”

  Her heart soared at this news. He’d jumped. “That’s wonderful. I’m so proud of you.”

  “You opened my eyes to what’s possible You gave me the inspiration and courage to do it, V. You and those kids. I can’t tell you how good it felt to see them on that stage, to help them chase their dreams.” So, OK altruism was a teeny bit selfish too. “I’m going to need some help setting it up.”

  “Of course. There are plenty of NGOs who could advise you.”

  He swiveled to face her. “I was hoping you might chip in too.”

  “Me? I only know about my girls.”

  “You see details I don’t, V. You... Hell.” He ran his hand through his hair and shook his head. “I’m not doing this right. This is not how I planned it would go.”

  “Planned how?” What did he mean?

  He took her hand in his. “I want to do some good and I know the Trust will be a step towards that, but together we can be a tour de f
orce. I want these kids to have a chance, to fulfill a dream. More, to be allowed to dream. Because even though I have everything I could possibly need, I never had the chance to do that. And you made it happen. You made me see beyond my world and opened up another one. One with you in it, front and center. That’s where I want you to stay, Victoria. In the center of my life. To help me do this. To help me...well, live my best life.” He took her other hand in his, his eyes misted but...was there hope there too? “V, you are the love of my life. You are everything I’ve been looking for and didn’t even realize. I love y—”

  “No.” She put her fingertips to his mouth suddenly all too aware of where this was going. She couldn’t allow this to happen. He loved her. “Don’t. Please, don’t.”

  He wanted her in his life. He was offering her so much she couldn’t take from him. It was too cruel to hear this, to know he loved her and to let him go a second time. It was going to be so much harder to walk away.

  He shook his head. “Let me finish. I love you—”

  “Oh, Oliver.” The hot sting of tears burned her eyes. Her throat was rough and full. She had to tell him. She’d not trusted him enough to tell him her innermost secret, but he was a good man, he needed to know. She trusted he’d treat her gently at least. “I’m so sorry. I don’t want you to fall in love with lies, or things left unsaid. That’s what happened with Peter.”

  Oliver’s lip curled at the mention of her ex’s name, but she didn’t move her fingers from his mouth in case he said more beautiful things that made her heart hurt. “Please. Go back to London. I can’t give you what you want and deserve. Oh, Ollie, I can’t have babies. I can’t do the family thing no matter how much I’d love to.”

  And there was the sad reality; she wanted babies with Oliver. So much. Wanted her belly swelling with his child. Wanted a family with him. A future. It was so damned cruel she could barely breathe with the weight of it.

  He took her fingers away from his mouth. “I know.”

  “How? Oh.” She realized she didn’t need to ask. “Andrew.”

  Ollie nodded. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “It was only a pretend relationship, right? But then things got serious and well...when is a good time to declare your inadequacies? It all got too much and then it got too late.” She blinked the tears back. “I didn’t want you to have to make a choice between me and your family. I didn’t want to put you in that situation. It isn’t fair.”

  “You are not inadequate. Clearly Peter is.” He squeezed her fingers gently. “You win hands down, V. Every single time. I love you and that’s all I care about.”

  “But what about grandchildren? The family firm? It’s what they want. What you will want too, given time. And I can’t bear to see that disappointment in your eyes when it dawns on you that you wanted kids all along. I don’t want to watch you leave, or hear you’ve got someone else.”

  “Nothing is more important to me than you, Victoria Scott.”

  “But what about your family line, passing down the Russell legacy?”

  “What about my dreams, V? Of being with you? We can create a bigger legacy than just the Russell one. The Trust will give so many children a better future. What better legacy is there than that?”

  A rogue tear slipped down her cheek. Then another. “Don’t you want to hold your own baby in your arms?”

  “I want you, Victoria. I can’t see further than that. I don’t want more than that. If I have you in my life then I’ll be the happiest man alive. And there might be options: adoption, fostering, surrogacy. Or maybe we’ll just be us two together. A tour de force, right? This is just the beginning. You, me, that’s all that matters, anything more will be icing. I love you, Victoria, with everything I am, everything I have.”

  He kissed her then and she felt his words resonate through her body. He loved her.

  He loved her and she believed him.

  “I love you too, Oliver Russell.” She pressed her head against his and smiled. Snow was starting to fall and there was a definite feeling of magic in the air. All she needed now was to hear the tinkle of sleigh bells and she really would believe this was a dream. A perfect amazing dream. Come true.

  He brushed the flakes from her hair and smiled. This time it was a little wary. As if he was nervous about something. Which was very un-Oliver-like. “There is one more thing.”

  “Oh, yes?”

  “Third time lucky?”

  “What? Oh?” Her heart danced as he got down on one knee. Again. What was it about Oliver and benches and proposals? “You’re making a habit of this.”

  “And I’ll keep doing it until I get the right answer. Victoria. My Victoria, will you please do me the honor—”

  “Yes!” She didn’t even let him finish. “Yes. Third time lucky indeed. Yes. Please, Ollie. I love you. I love you. I love you. So much.”

  He stood and pulled her up from the bench and wrapped her into his arms. “I’m the lucky one.”

  He kissed her again and again and she let the wonderful feeling of hope and happiness swell through her. Maybe she was going to get the fairy tale after all. Or pretty damned close. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw the village Christmas tree lights shining, heard a group of carol singers somewhere near the beach.

  “Happy Christmas, darling.” She snuggled against his chest. “Our very first Christmas together.”

  “Here’s to fifty more.”

  She pulled back from him and pretended to frown, because fifty years would be a wonderful innings after all. “Only fifty?”

  “Fifty million.” He laughed. “A lifetime. Forever.”

  * * *

  Lost Hours. Lost Hours. Lost Hours. NOW!

  After a Christmas morning with Oliver meeting her parents and brother, and wooing them as well as he’d wooed her, she needed to tell her friends her news.

  Lily’s text came back first: Come to the restaurant, there’s no one here but me.

  Then Zoe’s: Thank God. I was starting to get desperate. I need to get out of here.

  Then Malie’s: Give me five minutes.

  Victoria bundled her gifts for them into a bag and ran down to The Sea Rose. After a round of Happy Christmases they sat around their favorite table by the window with a good view of the harbor.

  Zoe’s question came first as she opened a bottle of Baileys that Lily handed to her. “What the hell happened?”

  Malie held out glasses one at a time as Zoe poured. “Where is he?”

  Lily put her hand on Victoria’s arm and smiled softly, warily. “Are you OK?”

  “I’m fine. I’m more than fine actually.” Victoria sat up straight and took one of the glasses. “He’s back at the house.”

  “And...?” Zoe’s eyebrows rose.

  With as much drama as she could muster Victoria took off her woolly glove and waggled Nana Norma’s ring...back on the correct finger on her left hand. “And he asked me to marry him!”

  “Oh. My. God.” Eyes wide, Malie leaned over and held V’s fingers so she could inspect the diamond. “Wow. That’s beautiful. Stunning. Obviously, you said—?”

  “Did you tell him?” It was Lily. Always with the right questions, because she knew how important it was to Victoria that Oliver knew the truth.

  Victoria smiled at the memory of him going down on one knee in the snow. “I did. I told him I can’t have children. Actually, he already knew because his stupid cousin told him two days ago. But he said it didn’t matter. That I am the only thing that matters.”

  Malie’s hand went to her chest. “Awww. That’s...pretty epic.”

  “Best damned thing I’ve ever had in my Christmas stocking.” Victoria held up her glass to chink with the others. “Cheers!”

  Lily chinked and smiled. “That is so too much information.”

  “So...we’re aiming for an August wed
ding.” She thought about Stella’s conversation all those weeks ago over dinner. An August wedding. There’s a chapel in the village. That was a discussion they were going to have to handle with kid gloves. How to achieve what Victoria wanted and what the Russells expected? That was for another day.

  She focused back on her three dearest friends. “And I hope you’ll be my bridesmaids.”

  “Oh. My. God. It really is happening? Just like we planned all those years ago. Of course. Of course. Oh, yes!” Zoe reached over and wrapped her arms around Victoria and hugged her tight, then the others did the same until they were a jumble of limbs and smiles and laughter and tears.

  Victoria wiped hers away, giggling. “So, you have to promise to come back home for the hen do and then the wedding. I am not walking down that aisle without any of you. Understand?”

  Zoe saluted. “Yes, boss.”

  And Victoria’s heart gave a little leap because coming back to England was hard on Zoe and it was a big ask for her to do it again so soon.

  “Maybe we could go to Ibiza for the hen party?” Malie gave a cheeky smile.

  “Sounds like we have a lot of planning to do!” Lily grinned. “Although, maybe we should go somewhere else? Ibiza has its own very special memories and we don’t want to try to re-create them or we might be disappointed.”

  “I do.” Zoe laughed and tapped her nose. “But, obviously, I can’t tell you what my specific memories are.”

  And so the secret of Zoe’s lost hours remained a mystery.

  Then it was present time and they took it in turns to exchange Christmas gifts. The girls loved the dresses Victoria had made them from the fabric she’d returned to Betsy’s to buy. The sea-themed one for Malie, the lacy one for Zoe, a lovely breezy summer dress for Lily, and individually designed hair clips all round. It was so good to see their faces, a little wind chapped, noses red from the cold, eyes dancing. Smiling, laughing. Bolstering each other up, making Victoria’s life just so much better because they were in it. God, she loved these women.