The Road Trip_A feel-good romantic comedy that will make you laugh out loud!

by Susanne O’Leary

  ‘Will the delectable Lucilla come too?’

  ‘Yes, but that’s not a problem.’

  Maddy raised an eyebrow. ‘Really?’

  Leanne squirmed. ‘I have no idea what their relationship is, but I have a feeling it’s not something serious. Maybe friends with benefits or something, who knows?’

  ‘But maybe you should stay away from him if there’s something going on between them? I don’t think I’d dare come between an Italian woman and her man. Could end in a lot worse than tears.’

  Leanne shrugged. ‘Nah, I’m sure she’ll be fine. She was very happy to invite us on the trip. And Carlo said she likes us. I don’t want to stay here in any case. Dad and I had a row last night. He’s trying to push me into joining the firm.’

  ‘And you don’t want to?’ Maddy asked, wondering if Erik wasn’t a tad too pushy about what he wanted from them both.

  Leanne sighed. ‘Not now. Not yet. It’s too soon. We’ve only just reconnected, after all. Maybe sometime in the future, when I’m a bit older. I don’t know. It’s just all too much right now. He’s such a control freak. Always managing people’s lives. I’m sure that was why he and Mam split up. Partly anyway. Obviously Mam played a big part too.’ She looked pleadingly at Maddy. ‘Ah, come on. It’ll be great craic.’

  Maddy looked at Leanne’s glowing face. The Dalmatian islands? She had never been there. Never even contemplated sailing in the Adriatic. What a mad idea. But she suddenly felt a need to get away too. This could be the perfect way to break away from Erik and give herself the space she craved. It fitted perfectly with what she had been trying to resolve during the night. ‘Yes. That’d be fabulous,’ she heard herself say.

  Leanne grinned. ‘Really? Gosh, that was easy. I thought I’d have to beg. I even asked Lucilla and Carlo to come over so they could help me persuade you. Brilliant. We’ll set it up so. We’ll drive across Italy to the Marche region and take the ferry to Split, where we pick up the boat.’ Leanne picked up her phone and tapped in a number. ‘Lucilla? She said yes. We’re on!’

  Maddy could hear Lucilla laughing and chatting at the other end. It would probably be fine.

  Leanne hung up. ‘So that’s all sorted. Wow, how fabulous. I’m really excited now.’

  Maddy sobered up. ‘But what about the car? And Bridget? Can we take her on a boat?’

  Leanne put her phone on the table. ‘Why not? Loads of people take their dogs on a boat.’ She nudged Bridget with her foot. ‘You want to come on a boat trip with us?’ Leanne peeped under the table. ‘She’s wagging her tail. That means yes. And the car will be parked in a garage in Italy until we get back. Easy-peasy. And just imagine what it’ll do for the blog. Our fans will love this new adventure.’ She leant forward and stared at Maddy over the rim of her sunglasses. ‘What’s the problem? Cold feet already?’

  ‘No,’ Maddy said. ‘But I have to get used to this new idea. Everything seems to be happening so fast these days.’

  Leanne nodded. ‘I know. It’s the new era of the quick fix, the immediate and instant gratification. But you have to go with the flow, or you’ll be left behind.’

  ‘Scary,’ Maddy mumbled, looking out over the garden. Suddenly she heard footsteps on the tiles and felt Erik standing behind them.

  ‘Good morning,’ he said and pulled out a chair. ‘I heard you saying something about sailing?’

  Leanne nodded. ‘Yeah. Sailing in Croatia. Our next venue. We’re taking off later today to go to Italy and then across to the Adriatic and the ferry ports. Lucilla and Carlo have invited us to share a yacht with them.’

  ‘Oh,’ Erik said flatly and poured himself coffee from the jug on the hotplate. He drank slowly from the cup, glancing at Maddy. ‘So you’re off then.’

  She met his eyes. ‘Yes.’

  Leanne patted his arm, clearly defrosting a little from the tension last night. ‘But we’ll be back later in the summer. We might stay a bit longer then, before we head back to Ireland.’

  Erik nodded. ‘Good. I want to talk to you when you come back, Leanne. We need to discuss that matter further.’

  Leanne got up. ‘Okay, Dad. I’m going for a quick swim. Then we’ll pack and get going.’

  ‘I’ll finish breakfast,’ Maddy said.

  ‘Fine. See ya,’ Leanne shouted, running to the pool, Bridget behind her, ears flying.

  Erik looked at Maddy, concern in his eyes. ‘You sure about this?’

  She met his gaze. ‘Yes. I think it’s a good idea. Great for the blog and great for me, too. It’ll give me a little time to breathe and adjust.’

  ‘You’re right. Not sure I like it, though. Could I ask you to do something for me?’

  ‘Of course.’

  He put down his cup. ‘Could you talk to Leanne about me and the firm? About her running the company? We had an argument about it last night. She says she doesn’t want to go into it right now. Then she refused to talk about it any more. You were right, it’s too soon. But when she comes back, I’m hoping she’ll be ready to discuss it again.’

  ‘What can I do?’

  ‘You could prepare the ground for me, so to speak. Maybe make her open up about her feelings. Is that too much to ask?’

  ‘No, not at all. I can’t guarantee she’ll listen, though. It’s a huge undertaking. I’d leave her alone for a bit if I were you. You have to let people make their own decisions, Erik.’ She looked at him, hoping he’d get her drift.

  He looked contrite. ‘I know. I can be overbearing at times.’ He took her hand across the table. ‘Take off those sunglasses. I want to see your eyes.’

  Maddy took them off. ‘Why?’

  ‘I want to see if…’ He paused. ‘If yesterday was just a fling to you. Or—’

  She squeezed his hand. ‘No, it wasn’t. Not at all. I felt it was the beginning of something new and exciting. I’m sorry about my outburst. I overreacted. I love your dream. But I’m not sure I can share it with you yet.’ She paused. ‘Erik, I know you think I should stay and build this new life with you. And it sounds truly wonderful. But I’m not sure it’s really about me, you see, but just a woman you’re attracted to who happens to fit the bill.’

  ‘Of course it’s you,’ he protested.

  ‘I’m not sure.’

  ‘Don’t you trust me?’

  She looked at him and met his honest blue-green eyes. ‘I’m not sure I trust myself. I feel like you could be right for me and that we could be happy together. But think about it. Do you really believe you can decide the rest of your life based on a few days? I thought it was possible when I was very young, but now I know it’s not. Can’t you see that?’

  Erik looked at her thoughtfully for a while. ‘Yes. You’re right. It would be foolish.’

  Maddy let out a long sigh. ‘I knew you’d understand. You’re the most complete man I’ve ever met.’

  He touched her cheek. ‘Thank you. And now it’s time to part. For a while.’

  ‘That feels right to me.’

  ‘Me too, now that you’ve made me see clearly.’

  ‘I’m glad you feel that way.’ Relieved, Maddy stood up. ‘We’ll say goodbye later. I think we’ll be ready to leave in about an hour or so.’

  ‘I’ll be there.’

  * * *

  Maddy packed her bag with more than a pang of regret. Should she have stayed and spent a little more time with Erik? No. It would have been the easy option and one she knew would be wrong. It was harder to leave like this, so soon after their wonderful moments together, but she felt a need to be away from him, or she’d rush into something she couldn’t control.

  She took her bikini from the rail in the bathroom where it had been drying, put it on top of her clothes in the suitcase, glancing out of the window at the hills and the winding road that led to the little farm in the mountains. What an enchanting place. A haven away from everything that was hard and stressful. But could she really see herself there, cut away from the world, living like a hermit? She wasn’t sur
e. It would take a lot of soul-searching before she knew.

  There was a soft knock on the door. Maddy went to open it, knowing who it was.

  He stood there for a moment. ‘I know I should just have waited until you were ready to leave, but I want to give you something.’

  ‘Come in,’ she said and opened the door wide. ‘I’m all packed. What was it you wanted to give me?’

  ‘This.’ He stepped inside holding out a small package wrapped in light-blue tissue paper.

  Maddy unwrapped it and found a small green bottle with a stopper. ‘It’s a bottle of perfume.’ She looked at him with awe. ‘Did you make this for me?’

  He nodded. ‘Yes. I mixed the components together in my little lab here and emailed the formula to our main laboratory in Grasse last night. They just delivered it by courier.’

  ‘Oh. Amazing.’ Fascinated, Maddy pulled out the stopper and sniffed.

  Erik laughed and took the bottle from her. ‘Apply it to your skin, sweetheart. You won’t get all the notes by just sniffing at it.’ He dabbed a little of the perfume on his finger and touched it behind her ears and her temples. ‘Like this. On the pulse points.’ He lifted each of her hands and touched the inside of her wrists with his finger, briefly brushing her cleavage before he put the stopper back in the bottle.

  Maddy shivered at the feather-light touch of his finger. She lifted her wrist to her nose and breathed in the scent. ‘It’s gorgeous. I can’t really smell everything that’s in it, but I get a little hint of lavender, lemons and something deeper…’

  ‘Violets,’ he said. ‘Like your eyes. They’re blue with violet flecks. Unique and beautiful.’

  ‘Thank you.’ She smelled her wrists again. ‘It’s divine.’ She looked up at his handsome face and touched his cheek. ‘The perfect present. Are you going to market this?’

  ‘No. This one is only for you.’

  ‘That’s so sweet.’ Maddy put the stopper back in the bottle and wrapped it in the tissue paper. ‘I’ll only ever wear this perfume. And each time I wear it, I’ll think of you.’

  ‘That’s the idea.’ He took her hand and pressed it to his cheek. ‘Goodbyes are so hard.’

  Maddy smiled tenderly. ‘I know. This one is especially hard. But you know what? I’m more and more convinced that we have to be apart for a while. And please don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m looking forward to the trip. This has been such an adventure. It has set me free from so much. I’m not ready to settle down yet. I want to fly a bit more, test my wings and get strong again. Can you accept that?’

  He nodded and stepped back. ‘Yes. I can. I don’t want to hold you down. I want you to go and enjoy the rest of the trip, see more of the world and come back when you feel ready.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  He shrugged. ‘No need for thankyous. It’s the way I feel. And now I’ll let you get sorted. I’ll see you when you’re ready to go.’

  Maddy was going to step forward and kiss him, but he left before she had a chance to stop him. But it was better this way. No drawn-out farewells or kisses. Plenty of time for that when she came back.

  * * *

  Their bags in the boot, Bridget secured on the back seat, their phones charged and maps ready, Leanne opened the door, ready to get into the car parked at the front steps. ‘Where is he?’ she grumbled. ‘I want to go! I can’t wait to get on that boat!’

  ‘Me neither,’ Maddy exclaimed. ‘Now that we’ve decided to go I’m so excited.’ Her talk with Erik earlier had resolved their problems and now she was eager to start the next chapter of their adventure. A quick goodbye would be best. She looked around the deserted garden. ‘He said he’d be here to say goodbye.’

  ‘Maybe he had some business stuff to attend to?’ Leanne suggested. ‘Will we just go? We can call him later.’

  ‘No, hang on. I’m sure he’ll be here.’

  Leanne reached in and pressed the horn, the piercing sound making Bridget jump up and bark. ‘Come on, Dad,’ she yelled. ‘We’re taking off!’

  ‘Calm down,’ Erik ordered as he came out of the house. ‘I’m here.’ He walked to the car and took Leanne in his arms. ‘Bye for now, my wild, wonderful daughter. Have fun and don’t forget to write.’

  Leanne hugged him back. ‘Bye, Dad. Take care. If you follow the blog, you’ll see what we’re up to. But I’ll email you other stuff too. And text and call. You’ll be sick of me.’

  Erik laughed and let go of Leanne. ‘I’m looking forward to that.’ His gaze drifted to Maddy. ‘Bye, Maddy. Good luck. Come back soon.’

  Maddy smiled and walked around to his side. ‘We will.’ She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek, her lips lingering for a sweet moment. ‘Thank you,’ she said.

  ‘For what?’

  ‘For my perfume. And for waiting.’ Maddy pulled away and got in beside Leanne.

  ‘That’s the hard part.’ He leant in touched her cheek. ‘Fly carefully.’

  She blinked away tears. ‘I will.’

  ‘Okay, let’s go,’ Leanne urged and started the engine. ‘I hate long goodbyes.’

  Maddy nodded. ‘Me too. But this time it’s more of an au revoir.’

  ‘That’s a happy thought.’ Without further discussion, Leanne put the car in gear and took off down the drive. ‘Don’t look back,’ she urged. ‘Look forward!’

  But as they drove away, Maddy turned to look at the tall, handsome figure standing by the door. He lifted his hand and she waved back, knowing that whatever happened next, they would meet again.

  When the time was right.

  * * *

  If you loved reading The Road Trip, you can sign up here to be the first to know when The Boat Trip is released – another hilarious and heartwarming story with more adventures in store for Maddy and Leanne!

  Hear more from Susanne

  If you can’t wait to read more from Susanne O’Leary, you can sign up here to be kept up to date with her new releases. The Boat Trip is coming soon!

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  A letter from Susanne

  Thank you so much for reading The Road Trip. I hope you enjoyed this mad trip just as much as I did writing it.

  If you want to keep up to date with my new releases, please click on this link to sign up for my newsletter. I will only contact you with news of a new book and never share your e-mail address with anyone else.

  I love hearing from my readers and would be very interested to hear your reactions to the story. Did it make you smile or even cry at times? Did something in the life stories of Maddy and Leanne feel familiar? And did you love the settings as much as I did when I went there in real life? I would love to hear your reactions to the book in a short review. Getting feedback from readers is hugely helpful to authors, as it might help new readers want to pick up one of my books.

  While you’re waiting for my next book, you might like to try one of my earlier releases, which you can find on my website: www.susanne-oleary.com.

  Best wishes,

  Susanne

  Acknowledgements

  To my wonderful editor, Christina Demosthenous, thank you for your support and never-ending enthusiasm. Huge thanks also to the team at Bookouture, who have all made me feel so welcome. Hugs and kisses to my friend and star beta-reader Cathy Speight, who read this book in its first rough form before I dared show it to the world. I would also like to thank my family, especially my husband for the cups of tea, TLC and all the words of encouragement during this particular writing journey. Last but not least, my author friends, especially the members of The Writers’ Pub, who have given me so much support through the years. I don’t know what I’d do without you all.

  Published by Bookouture

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  An imprint of StoryFire Ltd.

  Carmelite House

  50 Victoria Embankment

  London EC4Y 0DZ


  United Kingdom

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  www.bookouture.com

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  Copyright © Susanne O’Leary, 2018

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  Susanne O’Leary has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.

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  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organisations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN: 978-1-78681-506-4