“Yes, ma’am,” he answered as he pushed back his seat. “Lead the way.”
The drive barely took ten minutes, and the parking lot was empty except for one solitary car. Apparently most people had more sense than we did, although, I decided, not nearly as much fun. We clipped our water bottles to our belts, and set off along the trails, walking at a steady pace that still allowed us to talk.
“How’s work?” Liam said.
“Great, it’s been a fun week.”
“And your friend Camilla?”
“Oh, she’s fine. They got the divorce papers, and Josh moved out.”
“And she’s still sure about it all?”
“Yeah. She says she’s more certain about the divorce than she was about getting married.”
Liam said nothing and picked up the pace a little.
“How was your week?” I said, but he didn’t answer. “What’s wrong?” I tried to keep up with his increasingly long strides, almost having to break into a light jog.
“Nothing,” he said, then added, “Let’s run.”
“Liam...”
“It’s nothing. Nothing.”
I stood still. “Hey. Tell me what’s bugging you.”
“You won’t like it.”
“Try me.”
He turned and looked at me. “I’ve decided to ask Nancy for a divorce.”
“What? Why?”
“What do you mean, why? Because I’m in love with y—”
“Liam, don’t. We said we’d get to know each other before—”
“I know. But I know what I want. And it’s not her.” He started walking again so I followed and reached out to touch his arm.
“When are you going to tell her?”
“I’m waiting for the right moment.” A small laugh escaped his lips, and he threw his hands in the air. “God that sounds pathetic. Why am I such a coward?”
“You’re many things, Liam.” I squeezed his arm. “But a coward isn’t one of them.”
Liam stared at me for a second, then shook his head and looked away.
I stopped walking again, and he turned toward me. “You’re not a coward,” I repeated. “You’re a wonderful man. You’re—” I kissed him, meaning for my lips to graze his cheek, but he turned and our embrace became so intense, so fast, I forgot we were on a path in the middle of the forest.
I should have pulled away, taken a step back and told him we had to head back to the car, that we were breaking our self-imposed rules. But I couldn’t. The images of Nate that were protesting in my head never stood a chance as they were pulled, kicking and screaming, to the back of my mind. My hand slid down Liam’s arms, then under his shirt and across his broad, smooth back.
“Abby,” he whispered as he pulled away, “Abby.”
“Shhhh.” I put a finger to his lips. “Don’t say anything. Please.”
He looked at me, then took my hand and led me off the path and into the forest, where he softly pressed me against a tree and kissed me again. I pulled him toward me, tugging at his clothes with the unmistakable message of urgency. But Liam had other plans. He kissed my neck slowly, gently, every touch reigniting what we’d once had, and I closed my eyes, sinking into him. His hands wandered, slipping off my shirt and under my sports bra, stroking me with his fingers. I moaned and he silenced me with another kiss, another whisper of “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I whispered, kissing him back, feeling he wanted me as much as I him. “I love you, too.”
His mouth traveled downward, stopping at my breasts, then carried on until he was on his knees, getting rid of my belt and sliding my shorts over my thighs. We laughed as my underwear got caught on my new shoes—sports gear wasn’t proving to be synonymous with sexy—but as soon as his tongue nestled between my legs, my giggles turned to sighs. And as he had done so many years before, he took me to the edge and back, but didn’t let me fall.
“I want you inside me,” I gasped, unable to wait any longer. “Please.”
Liam stood up slowly, and I slipped my hand into his shorts, curling my fingers around him. He closed his eyes and gasped as I pulled him inside me, wrapping my leg over him. His fingers lingered, playing and touching, and we found our rhythm. As we both went over the brink, eyes wide-open, I felt as if I’d been magically woken from years of slumber. And as we held each other, our hearts pounding, I wondered how I could even begin to imagine spending another day without him, how I could possibly take another breath without Liam by my side.
He kissed me again. Gently, slowly. Then whispered, “I’ve waited seventeen years to do that again. Seventeen long years.”
I clung to him, the memories of the last time we’d been together flooding my mind, rushing forward from the depths of my brain. And this time, I set them free.
THEN
ABBY
“HAVE A GREAT TIME, LOVE. See you Friday.” Nate kissed me gently before sliding my sports bag in the back of my colleague’s souped-up Corolla.
I kissed him back and got into Olivia’s car. “Bye.”
“Nate’s such a sweetheart,” she said, and I watched as she checked the rearview mirror a third time, getting another glimpse of my husband. I’d always thought she fancied Nate a little, ever since he’d picked me up at Hoskins for lunch a few weeks after I joined years ago.
“Yeah,” I answered, plucking a bit of fluff from my trousers. “And thanks for picking me up, Liv. I appreciate it.”
“No problem.” Olivia reached over to pat my knee and smiled with her immaculately painted lips. Her grooming habits reminded me a little of my mother’s. Although that’s where the similarities ended. Mum had always turned her nose up at tattoos, fast cars and motorbikes. “You know me,” Olivia said, “any excuse to drive. Hey, did you get the skinny on what we’re doing?”
I fished a bottle of water out of my bag and cracked the seal. “Team building in the Cotswolds is all I know. I bet we’re paintballing or something.”
“Oh, I hope so.” Olivia laughed. “We can gang up and shoot Ben in the ass. Make it all purple with bruises. I can’t believe how button-lipped he’s been. You’d think we work for MI6, not Hoskins bloody Insurance. Mind you, I won’t be complaining if Pierce Brosnan shows up.” She giggled. “I’m gagging for a shag.” She laughed even harder as I choked on my water.
“You told me you slept with the stationery supplier two days ago.”
“Yeah.” She grinned. “Exactly.”
“I’m kind of looking forward to the next few days,” I said, thinking I was actually mostly looking forward to being away from Nate. Not that he’d done anything wrong. He was still too busy trying to make everything perfect.
As if she’d read my mind, Olivia said, “So...how are things with Nate?”
“Fine.” When I caught her sideways glance, I turned up my It’s A Wonderful Life expression. “Everything’s absolutely fine.”
Olivia wagged a finger. “Absolutely bullshit, more like—”
“No, I—”
“Uh-huh. I can tell by the way your voice went all pitchy.”
I took a deep breath. “Nothing’s wrong.”
“That’s not what you said last week. Have you made a decision about moving?”
“No. I mean I know the new job’s a fantastic career move for him, but like I told you, I’ve been in Wembley for five years now. I feel settled.” I paused. “To be honest I was surprised when he suggested moving. I mean, we only bought our house a year ago. But you know his dad died, so I wonder if that’s got something to do with it.”
“Like he’s running away, you mean?”
“Yeah, maybe. But I like my job and the people—”
“Awww...thanks, darling...”
“—and I’ve worked hard to feel...like I’m at home somewhere. Like I belong. Does that sound stu
pid?”
“Nope. Not at all.” Olivia looked over her shoulder before she eased onto the highway. “But what does Nate say he wants?”
I waved a hand. “Well, the job, obviously. He says this Kevin guy has a great reputation in the recruitment industry and he’s flattered he specifically headhunted him. But he insists I have to decide. He says all that really matters in the end is that I’m happy.”
“Well, that’s nice, isn’t it? More blokes should think like him.”
“Yeah, ’course.” I paused, unable to explain how Nate’s thoughtfulness could sometimes feel as if he were holding a pillow over my face. It didn’t sound fair when I said it in my head, let alone out loud. “It’s lovely.” I could feel Olivia’s gaze burning a hole in the side of my face but refused to move my head until she concentrated on the road again.
“When you made that comment the other day, the one about not being happy,” she said, “did you mean because of the move or with Nate?”
“The move, of course.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. Absolutely. A hundred percent.” I looked out of the passenger window, staring at the horizon.
She clicked her tongue. “So what are you doing to—”
“Actually, do you mind if we don’t talk for a bit? I’m knackered.” I stole a sideways glance and saw Olivia suck in her cheeks, but she said nothing. I closed my eyes, grateful for the opportunity to sit back and rest. I hadn’t appreciated how much energy finishing my finance degree would sap out of me, but soon I’d be fully qualified. Finally. No more staying up until stupid o’clock to study for a test. I’d be able to read all the books I’d stashed away in the drawer of my bedside table, starting with the new Harry Potter when it came out.
I sank into my seat. Sun rays flowed through the window, collecting at the top of my chest. When Olivia turned the radio on, my foot tapped to Oasis’s “All Around The World,” but soon stopped as I drifted off to sleep.
When a bump in the road jolted me awake it felt like I’d only just shut my eyes, and for a split second I couldn’t remember where I was. I stretched out as far as the confines of the car would allow and yawned loudly.
“You’ve been asleep for ages.” Olivia smiled as she looked over. “Almost two hours.”
“Oh, sorry, Liv. I’m crap company.”
“Don’t worry about it, we’ll be there soon.”
I looked out of the window, perusing the scenery, which had turned from cityscape to green fields, trees and bushes. “Where are we?”
Olivia held up a map. “Somewhere between Newbury and Swindon. I think the exit’s coming up soon. I’ll need your help then. Ben said the place is in the middle of nowhere, and I’m expecting to be chased down the road by a bull or something.”
“Spoken like a true city girl.” I stretched and yawned again. “Anyway, he said being in the middle of nowhere is the whole point for these team building things.”
“Why?”
“You know, be out of your comfort zone, get away from everything and minimize distractions. Blah, blah, blah.”
Olivia grunted. “I’m hoping Martin will distract me.”
“Down, Liv.” I laughed. “He’s married.”
“Yeah, I know.” She grinned. “But that doesn’t stop me from looking at his bum.”
A little while later we made it to the Bella Vista Conference Centre on the outskirts of Cirencester, but not before a few wrong turns caused by my adamant protests of, “It can’t possibly be this far. The directions must be wrong.”
The promise of views didn’t disappoint, though. The blue skies and green fields stretched for miles, and were even enough to win over Olivia, who oohed and aahed every few seconds, sounding like an old grandma on her annual trip to the seaside.
The stone conference center at the end of a long driveway looked as if it belonged in a period drama, with its immaculate brickwork, intricate leadlight windows and peaked roofs.
Olivia peered up at the building. “Bloody hell. I should have packed a corset.”
The woman at the reception, whose name tag said Shirley, beamed at us, her red fingernails clicking across the keyboard beneath her ample chest. “Welcome to Bella Vista,” she said. “May I check you ladies in?” Shirley took our information, then handed us heavy, metal keys the length of our palms. “Miss Brewer,” she said to Olivia, “you’re in room 306. And, Mrs. Morris, you’re in room 209.”
“At least that way I won’t hear you seducing Brosnan,” I whispered to Olivia, who bit her lip and had to turn away for a second.
“Your group is set to have dinner at six thirty,” Shirley said with another smile. “The restaurant is down the hallway, first on the left.”
“Thanks.” Olivia turned to me. “It’s only twenty to five. I’m going to have a nap. Meet you here in an hour, and we can have a wander around or something?”
“Sure.” I smiled at the prospect of spending some time alone. “See you later.”
I walked to my room, down a long red carpet-covered, wood-paneled hallway, hoping for a large, comfy mattress and a TV I could sneak up and watch after dinner. I pushed open the door and instantly wondered if they’d checked me into the broom cupboard.
The room didn’t have a TV. Or a radio. Instead, it had a single bed, a desk the size of a tea tray, a tiny chair and a wardrobe with three hangers. I remembered what Ben had said the week before.
“The rooms are pretty basic. The whole point is to force people to spend time together.”
No kidding, but unlike Olivia, I wasn’t about to pounce on an unsuspecting guest to pass the time. I brushed my teeth and freshened up, then dug around in my bag for my newspaper before remembering it was still sitting on the sideboard at home. Cursing my usually impeccable memory, I shoved my bag under the bed and left the room. A stroll outside would do fine, and I walked back to the lobby and out the front entrance. The slightly cooler air had the inviting smell of lilacs, but a jacket would probably be a good idea. Without looking I spun around and collided straight with someone’s broad chest.
“Oh, shit. I mean, sorry, I—”
“Abby?”
I looked up. Straight into those eyes.
“Liam?” The word came out as a strangled whisper.
He smiled broadly, grabbed hold of me and hugged me, then let go only to hug me a second time. “Christ. What the hell are you doing here?”
I swallowed, trying not to breathe in the familiar scent of his aftershave, but feeling dizzy all the same. “Work.” It sounded more like a squeak than an actual word. “Uh, I’m here for work.”
“Me, too,” he said. “Wow, Abby. How are you? I always wondered what happened to you. You seemed to...well, disappear.”
I looked at him, studied his face, his square jaw, his gray eyes. It was him, it really was. Feelings I had pushed down to the very bottom of my heart and wrapped in the biggest chains possible were rattling, struggling to be freed. I could feel them making a break for the surface, traveling throughout my entire body, and I had to get them back under control.
“How long are you here for?” he said, still looking at me.
I cleared my throat. “Until Friday.”
“Me, too.”
“It’s a bit far from Preston, isn’t it? Did you move away?”
“No. I was in Birmingham for the week. HBT has its headquarters there.”
“HBT?”
“The bank I work for.”
I couldn’t stop looking at him. It felt strange, knowing Liam would be in the same building, walking down the same corridors, sitting in the same restaurant. I imagined him lying alone, underneath the cool sheets of the hotel bed and... “So,” I said, before the dirty pictures took over.
“So...” Liam smiled, stopped and stared at me. “God, it’s good to see you. I really can’t believe it’s you a
nd—”
“Liam!” A guy the size of an industrial fridge walked up, the gravel scrunching loudly underneath his feet. He gave Liam a thunderous clap on the shoulder. “We made it.”
“Francis.” Liam shook his hand. “Good to see you again.” Francis looked at us both, so Liam added, “Uh, Abby, this is my colleague, Francis Wilkinson. He’s from our Birmingham office. Francis, this is Abby.”
“Good to meet you,” he said, grabbing my hand with a massive paw bigger than the hubcaps on Olivia’s Corolla. “I don’t think we’ve met before. Are you new?”
“Oh, no,” I said. “Liam and I, we, er...”
“We go way back,” Liam jumped in. “School.”
“Say no more,” Francis said. “Liam, before I forget, can we talk about the brief we got yesterday? I’ve had some ideas I’d like to run by you.”
Liam’s eyes went from mine to Francis’s. “Okay. Meet you at the bar in a few minutes?”
“Absolutely. Pleasure to meet you, Abby,” Francis said and bowed slightly before he left.
“I should go, too,” I said. “Got plans and, uh...”
“Abby.” Liam stuffed his hands in his pocket. “I want to say so many things. Ask you all about where you’ve been, what you’re doing.”
No. No. No. “I don’t think there’s much to say.”
He looked at my left hand. “Well, I do. Meet me for a drink after dinner?”
“I don’t drink anymore. Haven’t since—”
“Of course, of course. Coffee then, we—”
“It’s not a good idea, Liam.”
“Abby, look, I haven’t seen you in almost six years. We can’t ignore—”
“Yes, we can.” I looked at him, willing determination into my voice. “Sometimes it’s best to leave things alone.”
He crossed his arms, smiled at me. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
I might tell you I still love you, I thought, then pounded the feeling as if it were a game of Whack-a-Mole. “I have to go. I’ll be late.”
The Neighbors Page 22