Page 60 of Ask Another Day

‘I wasn’t ever going to say anything. I thought it could all go unsaid, but when you banned me from the pub–’

‘I didn’t ban you,’ she interrupted.

‘When you banned me from the pub,’ he repeated more firmly, ‘it was so hard not seeing you every day. And I told myself if I had the opportunity, I wouldn’t screw it up. I know you’ve never thought of me, romantically, but I have. Thought of you, I mean. I think I’ve loved you since we were maybe fourteen?’

His unexpected declaration made Holly’s breath catch as her brain tried to make sense of what he was saying. When she was able to form a coherent thought, she said the first thing that came to mind.

‘Fourteen?’

‘That’s the bit you focus on?’

‘But what about Sloane?’

‘Sloane?’ he repeated, as he sat back in his seat, ‘What about her?’

‘I saw you both. At my birthday party,’ Holly added for clarification.

Seb took a few seconds to get on the same wavelength.

‘When she kissed me you mean?’ he said, pinching his eyebrows together.

‘When you blew me off and met her instead - and the kissing looked pretty mutual from where I was standing.’ The words rushed out, harsh, before Holly could guard her tone.

Her pulse was racing now, she never thought she’d be having this conversation with him, and her body wasn’t ready for it.

‘Blew you off? What are you talking about?’ Seb had released his vice like grip on his steering wheel and had turned to face Holly now.

Holly trained a steady gaze on the Viennese finger that was melting in her hand. Although she hadn’t prepared herself for this conversation, she’d had it in her head too many times to count over the years.

‘Sloane passed on my message to you about how much I fancied you and if you liked me too, you’d come to the party early.’ The explanation came out quietly, as if someone else was in control of what she was saying.

Holly stole a glance at Seb now the truth was finally out between them. But the guilt she expected to see wasn’t there. In its place, all she could see was hurt.

‘That is not the message I was given,’ he said with a force she’d rarely heard from him.

‘Whatever, Seb. It was a long time ago. You chose Sloane, broke my heart, and then disappeared for years. Water under the bridge,’ she tried to sound unaffected but she knew the pain was leaching out with every word.

‘Holly, I don’t know what you think happened on that night, but I most definitely did not choose Sloane. And if anyone broke someone’s heart - you broke mine.’

Chapter 19

28th March 2007

The Night of the Party

Seb

Seb sat at the bar in The Bay Hotel and waited for everyone to arrive. He had thought it odd Holly would change the venue for her party at such short notice, but Sloane had been adamant the plans had changed. By half eight, he started to get worried. Why was everyone so late? He downed what was left of his pint, then checked his phone a third time for any messages. None.

He had tried phoning Holly, but it cut off before it even rang. He tried Sloane’s number this time, and she picked up on the second ring.

‘Seb, where are you?’ she sang down the line.

‘The Bay - like you said?’

‘Oh, shit. Sorry. Last minute change of plan - again. Holly has been all over the place today. It’s all back on at The Dolphin. Meet me outside first - we need to talk.’

He left the hotel and made his way up the cobbled street to the sounds of music and laughter drifting down from The Dolphin. He couldn’t quite understand what had happened this weekend. He’d been excited to see Holly, to give her his present. But everything, every interaction, every moment they’d had together felt stilted. He spotted Sloane as she slipped outside, moving towards him.