A Jersey Affair

by Georgina Troy

  She glanced at the old man and smiled. ‘Probably.’

  ‘It’s been fun though.’

  ‘It has, but I’m going to have to take a break from drinking wine when I get back,’ she said. ‘I’ve had much more than I’m used to on this trip.’

  They stared at each other silently for a moment. ‘I was wondering what your plans were for today?’ he asked, pushing aside any thoughts of how few hours they had left together. He was going to miss her and wanted to make the most of being with her while he still could.

  She took off her light jacket and placed it over the arm of the chair. ‘I’m not sure yet. You’re leaving later on, aren’t you?’ He nodded. ‘Where will you be flying to?’

  ‘Rome first, and then Gatwick,’ he replied, not relishing the thought of leaving her. ‘I’m going to my home in London for a few days to sort some things out. You?’

  ‘The same, then on to Jersey. That’s the only problem living on an island; I have to take an extra flight whenever I go anywhere.’

  ‘That’s what my godfather always says.’ He smiled at her and, realising that they would soon be able to see each other again, added, ‘I’ll be there in about three weeks.’

  She raised her eyebrows. ‘Really? Will you be coming to Jersey for work?’

  Her enthusiasm at this news, however subtle, made leaving her a little easier. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I have the unenviable task of working on a takeover.’

  ‘It must be difficult having to break the news to the people that you’ll no longer need.’

  He sighed. ‘Yes, I’m afraid it will.’ He wasn’t looking forward to his next project at all. He waved the waiter over to order coffees. As he watched the teenager ask Paige if she wanted something to eat and then walk away when she declined, his euphoria on seeing her again gradually began to be replaced by a sense of foreboding. He had spent all his time relishing getting to know her, but it dawned on him that Jersey was a small island and the shopping area in town only held one or two larger stores. His gut tightened in dread.

  ‘It sounds grim,’ she grimaced.

  He struggled to hide his growing concern. ‘It isn’t any fun, that’s true, but someone has to do it.’

  ‘You hear about so many companies closing down and people being made redundant at the moment. I always feel sad whenever I read about it happening in the local gazette.’

  ‘I know what you mean, but it’s also not easy being the one to make the decision to shut a place down.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Where did you say your business was based?’

  ‘It’s a small concession in De Greys, King Street. Do you know it?’

  He closed his eyes briefly as it dawned on him why her name seemed familiar. Why did she have to be Paige Bingham, one of the names on the list of tenants he’d fleetingly glanced through with the endless files of due diligence.’

  ‘Are you OK?’ she asked, frowning.

  He shook his head and forced a smile. ‘I’m fine. Nothing a good breakfast won’t fix,’ he lied. ‘I know you’re probably not that hungry, but why don’t we make the most of being here in this charismatic little port and eat something with our coffees?’

  Paige’s mouth pulled back into a wide smile. ‘OK, I’ll have scrambled egg on toast.’

  ‘I’ll just go and give in our order,’ he said needing a moment to gather his thoughts. He stood up and made for the kiosk. Why did her shop have to be one in De Greys, he wondered, resting his hands on the serving hatch.

  He gave the boy his order and walked back slowly to join her. He needed to tell her the truth, especially now that she was going to be caught up in his next project. If only she hadn’t been so hurt by her fiancé’s cruelty when they’d first met, then he probably wouldn’t have been so careful with their topics of conversation. This might have come up before now and he could have told her then. He hadn’t even attempted to kiss her yet; he’d certainly wanted to. This changed everything though, he thought miserably. He might not have known her long, but he doubted she’d be happy to discover his intentions for De Greys. She’d been let down too recently for him to chance ruining this holiday by telling her. Now was definitely not the right time, although he wasn’t sure when it would be.

  He forced a smile and returning to join her, sat back down. ‘What would you like us to do today?’ He took her hand in his. ‘It’s your last day here and I want to make sure you enjoy every moment.’

  ‘I don’t want to think about it,’ she said miserably. ‘It’s gone far too quickly.’

  ‘I know.’ He stroked the back of her wrist with his thumb. ‘We haven’t discussed what happens next either, have we?’ He wanted her to feel about him the way he unexpectedly did about her. Maybe, if he gave her time to get to know him a bit better before admitting his true business in Jersey, she might give him the benefit of the doubt. It wasn’t much, he decided, but it was all he could hope for now he’d realized who she was.

  Her eyes widened, but he could see she was anticipating him elaborating on his comment. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I want to see you again,’ he admitted. When she didn’t react, he added, ‘I thought if you wanted to, we could visit somewhere extra special, like Positano. Maybe have a long, lazy lunch together.’

  ‘Sounds perfect,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘It’s going to be strange going home to the same routine, but without having been married. It’s not what I’d imagined at all.’

  ‘Life does tend to throw the odd curveball at us when we least expect it to, doesn’t it?’ he said, thinking about his own wedding bombshell when Lucinda, his then-fiancée, had left him without warning.

  She narrowed her eyes. ‘You seem a little pre-occupied.’

  He shrugged. ‘I think that, like you, coming here has been a welcome change from the usual whirlwind of work and flying from place to place. I came here for a few meetings and planned to leave after seeing Carlo, but I’ve switched off, for once. I hadn’t expected to have a proper holiday.’

  Paige smiled, and for the first time he noticed she had a dimple in her right cheek, it added to her fresh-faced prettiness and he couldn’t help smiling back at her. ‘You’ve made all the difference to this trip for me, Seb, and I’m grateful.’ She studied her fingers for a moment before addressing him again. ‘Do you believe that certain people come into your life at exactly the time you need them?’

  He hadn’t thought about it before, but she looked so intense waiting for him to answer that he chose his words carefully. ‘I know I’ve met you when I needed a reminder to take time to enjoy my surroundings rather than have my head in reports all day.’

  She contemplated his words, and nodded. ‘Good. I’m glad I’ve given something back to you.’

  It wasn’t how he’d hope she’d remember him, but he liked her too much to chance offending her. If she saw him as a friend, then he would have to keep his attraction to her under wraps for the time-being. ‘I hope you won’t mind me calling on you when I come to Jersey?’ he asked. Maybe, he thought hopefully, he might have thought of a way to approach the problem of what to do about her concession in De Greys by then.

  ‘Why not?’ she said, smiling at him.

  Chapter Five

  Why not indeed, she thought as she helped her mother manoeuvre into her father’s Jaguar a few weeks later. Paige stepped into the back of the car. Her mother would be shocked if she knew how that lunch together and a romantic evening overlooking the moonlit bay had led to Paige daring to admit, if only to herself, that she was actually relieved her wedding had been called off.

  Sebastian might not have even kissed her yet, but they’d spent an incredible couple of weeks in each other’s company and she couldn’t help missing him. An unforgettable holiday spent with a handsome stranger. Her very own Brief Encounter, almost. The thought made her feel deliciously mischievous.

  She took a peek at his last text on her phone. ‘Looking forward to seeing you soon.’ Paige stroked the inexpensive coral pendant Sebastian h
ad insisted on buying her as a souvenir on the last day of their trip. She couldn’t wait to meet up with him. Sending the occasional text or email was one thing, but actually seeing him in the flesh after a few weeks apart was making her a little anxious. What if he didn’t feel the same way about her as she suspected she did about him?

  ‘I hope you’re not on your Blackberry,’ her mother moaned. ‘You’re always fiddling about with that thing.’

  ‘I was only checking if I had any messages, Mum,’ said Paige, quickly dropping it into her bag.

  ‘Do slow down, George,’ Marion shouted, her shrill voice slamming through Paige’s thoughts as her father swung his Jag round the narrow roads down to the restaurant at The Encore Hotel. ‘This is a twenty mile per hour speed limit along here.’

  ‘Not until the next bend it isn’t. Tell you what Marion, you worry about Paige’s phone and let me get us to our meal before they begin serving the next sitting.’ He squinted at Paige through the rear view mirror. ‘What’s all that pinging noise? I hope you’re not sending messages to that chap your mother said you were carousing about with in Italy?’

  ‘I wasn’t carousing about with anyone, whatever that means,’ laughed Paige.

  ‘George, just concentrate on your driving and stop nagging. She’s a big girl, and more than capable of looking after herself. We’re going to be late if we’re not careful, and I’d like to try and get to the restaurant in one piece.’

  ‘You two are the reason we’re bloody late. What the hell do you women find to do anyhow?’

  Paige wished she’d been able to meet up with Sebastian before she had to take her parents to the anniversary lunch she’d booked for them, but supposed he couldn’t help being stuck in meetings. That was what he was visiting Jersey for, after all.

  ‘I had, but Paige was dithering as usual.’ Her mother checked her lipstick in the mirror on the back of the sun visor.

  ‘Thanks, Mum.’ Paige leant forward between the two front seats. ‘Let’s not worry about being too late; it’s only the three of us anyway. Clem would have loved to join us, but it’s very expensive flying back from Brighton just for one lunch.’

  ‘Of course, it is,’ her father said, probably relieved he hadn’t been asked to pay for his younger daughter’s flights once again. ‘We’ll have a splendid lunch.’

  ‘Yes.’ Her mother reached her arm back between the front seats, patting Paige awkwardly on her knee. ‘It was very generous of you to arrange this surprise for us, darling.’

  ‘I’m happy to do it,’ Paige said.

  ‘After all,’ continued her mother. ‘It can’t be easy for you.’

  ‘Marion,’ the warning in her father’s tone was unmistakable.

  Paige sighed. ‘It’s OK, I haven’t forgotten it’s Jeremy and Gretchen’s wedding today. I’m fine though, honestly, Mum. You mustn’t worry about me.’

  ‘They arranged everything bloody quickly, if you ask me.’

  ‘We didn’t, George.’

  He ignored her. ‘Just think, it could be worse,’ her father added, pulling into a parking space and turning off the ignition.

  ‘I can’t see how,’ her mother groaned.

  He got out of the car and walked round to open the front passenger door, stopping as Paige stepped out from the back seat. He took her by the shoulders. ‘It could have been you marrying that idiot.’

  Paige gave an involuntary shiver at the reminder. She leant forward and kissed her father on his ruddy cheek. ‘Thanks.’

  He hugged her. ‘Frankly, my darling, as far as I’m concerned, you’ve had a lucky escape.’

  ‘I can’t help agreeing with you,’ she admitted.

  Sebastian still couldn’t believe that she had a shop in De Greys. Then again, he remembered, St Helier was a small town and didn’t have large shopping malls like the towns he was used to in England. The odds of this happening on an island where De Greys was one of only two larger stores housing small franchises were stacked against him. He should have been honest with her, but after the time they’d spent together in Sorrento, he wanted to figure out a way to make things right before she discovered exactly who he was. He couldn’t help worrying that the longer he took to tell her, the worse her reaction might be.

  He turned the pages of the board information pack in front of him, unable to concentrate on what his accountant was saying. He was not going to lose this woman. He’d already fallen in love with her, and if she discovered he’d known about her predicament and not mentioned anything, he was almost certain she would never forgive him. He needed to think. And fast.

  He realized the other board members were waiting for him to speak. He focused for a second, and pointed out an anomaly he’d picked up the previous evening when giving the report a final once over. Distracted by this new information, the other attendees of the meeting began talking at once, giving him the chance to think about Paige. Knowing she was nearby had been a continuous distraction, and he couldn’t wait for an opportunity to see her and discover whether or not he’d imagined their deep connection in Sorrento.

  His phone vibrated. He picked it up from the table in front of him, hurriedly checking it. Paige. ‘Just arrived at The Encore.’

  She was here. He waited for his financial director to finish speaking and pointedly checked his watch. ‘It’s 1 p.m. and the hotel staff are probably waiting to bring in the sandwiches, I suggest we take a short break for lunch.’

  The others in the room nodded their agreement. ‘I’ll see you all back here in a few minutes. Linda, please give the hotel manager a call.’

  ‘Xav Wilson?’ she asked, picking up the phone.

  ‘Yes, that’s him. Let him know we’re ready for refreshments.’

  He’d just left the room intending to speak to Paige in the bar, when he spotted her walking across the reception area towards the ladies room. Quickening his step, he soon reached her and tapped her on the shoulder. She swung round, looking as pleased to see him as he was to be with her again. ‘Seb.’

  He relished the look of joy on her face it confirmed his hopes that she did have feelings for him. ‘Hello. Did your parents like their surprise anniversary lunch?’

  She nodded. ‘Mum loves it here. She panicked about what she was going to wear, of course, but was thrilled that I’d booked for us to eat here today. How was your morning?’

  ‘This place is out of town, so it’s perfect for private meetings. Sir Edmund was easily persuaded to come here. You look stunning, by the way.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  She seemed a little shy. Paige went to say something else, but he’d waited far too long already to kiss her. Pulling her closer to him, he tilted his head down, but before their lips touched someone coughed behind him. ‘Yes. What is it?’ he asked trying to mask his frustration. ‘Ah, Xav,’ he said, when he spotted who had spoken. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap.’

  ‘No, I’m sorry, Mr. Fielding,’ Xav said, looking awkward at interrupting their intimacy. ‘Luncheon has been served, and I’ve been asked to let you know that they’re waiting for your return.’

  ‘Thank you. Please tell them I’m on my way.’ When Xav had left and they were alone once again, he pulled an apologetic face. ‘I’m going to have to go.’

  ‘It can’t be helped,’ she said smiling up at him.

  He stared at her making a mental note of every glorious detail. After the last few weeks, it was hard to believe she was finally in the same room as him. ‘I’m sorry I haven’t finished with these meetings yet, everything was delayed after a few hiccups this morning. I doubt I’ll be able to catch up with you before you leave here today now.’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ she said, her voice quiet. ‘I won’t get much of a chance to leave the table once my mum starts talking anyway.’

  He couldn’t help smiling at her. Despite wanting more than anything to stay, he couldn’t delay the meeting any further. ‘I’ll give you a call later, if that’s OK? We can arrange something then.’


  Was that disappointment on her face, or could it be his guilt making him question her feelings? He cursed his busy itinerary.

  Having reapplied her lipstick, Paige hurried back to her table. At the end of the meal, she swallowed the last spoonful of crème brulée and leant back in her chair. ‘That was delicious.’

  ‘It was, darling. Thank you for treating us today, it was a generous gift and much appreciated.’ Her mother took a large sip of her Pinot Grigio. ‘George, stop mumbling to yourself.’

  ‘What?’

  Her mother narrowed her eyes, giving Paige a pointed look. ‘Don’t you have something to say to your daughter?’

  ‘Yes, I do, as a matter of fact.’ He frowned. Paige wasn’t sure she wanted to hear what he was about to say. ‘How do you know Sebastian Fielding?’ he asked, taking her by surprise. He wasn’t smiling, she noted.

  ‘How do you know I was talking to him?’ She tried to recollect what she and Sebastian had said to each other.

  ‘I passed the ladies a few moments ago and couldn’t believe it when I saw you both by the entrance. How long have you known him? In fact, why didn’t you tell me you knew him when I told you about the suspected takeover of De Greys?’

  ‘Sorry?’ Paige struggled to work out what he meant.

  ‘You appear to know him rather well.’

  Paige had no idea what her father was talking about, but could see he expected an answer. ‘It’s fine, you’ve no need to be concerned. We met briefly in Sorrento.’ She thought for a moment. ‘I didn’t know you knew his name.’

  ‘He’s well known; Sir Edmund Blake’s right-hand man.’ He glanced around, as if to check no one was listening to what he was about to say. Then, leaning forward, he lowered his voice and added, ‘I’ve been chatting with a chum from my Chamber of Commerce days, and he’s certain they’re going to make a bid for your shop.’

  ‘My shop?’ Paige asked, incredulous that her father should think anyone would want such a tiny enterprise.

  ‘For pity’s sake, I don’t mean Heaven in Heels,’ he sighed. ‘He reckons they’re about to make a move to buy the company that owns De Greys.’