Doing the Right Thing (13 page)

Addie’s eyes shot to his. “How did you know about my leg?”

Will looked confused. “Didn’t Lisa tell you?”

“What?”

“I came round to your place last night. I saw—”

“You were in my room?” Addie’s throat closed up.

“I was worried, Addie. I’d knocked you out. You should have been in hospital. You might have a fractured skull.”

His leg touched hers again and she caught her breath. It crossed her mind that the leg nudge had been deliberate.

“How long did you stay?”

“I left at four. I fell asleep,” Will said.

Addie thought she’d have to kill Lisa now as well. At this rate she’d have enough experience to get a job as a hit-woman with the Russian Mafia.

“So, are you okay?” Will asked.

“Do you think the double vision will go soon?”

He looked so mortified, she laughed.

“That wasn’t funny. I could have killed you.”

“It wasn’t your fault. I was wearing a dark coat and trying to hide.”

“Why?”

“It’s the only winter coat I have.”

Will frowned. “Try again.”

Addie wriggled in discomfort. “I didn’t want you to see me.”

“Why?” he repeated.

“Because I don’t like it when you shout at me and don’t listen.”
And because I fancy
you so much you make my heart do weird things in my chest.

Will turned to face her. “I’m a good listener. I’ve never been accused of not listening. Talk to me and I’ll listen now.”

“I didn’t send out those invoices. I wasn’t sure they were legal if we’d been taken over. I was going to ask before I took them to the post. I didn’t change the press release.

I gave it to someone else. As for Mrs. Wilberforce,” Addie lowered her voice, “she wanted to stop on the hard shoulder of the motorway. She makes up reasons to complain and sometimes gets a free trip. Genghis knows what she’s like.”

Addie saw from his eyes that he believed her.

“Who set you up?” Will asked.

She shrugged. “It only matters that it wasn’t me.”

“I’m really sorry. Usually I don’t make judgments without hearing all the facts.”

“What happened this time?”

“You, Addie. You happened this time.”

Addie could feel him looking at her, but she couldn’t move her gaze to his.

“You were so desperate not to let me see you on Monday morning, I was angry,”

Will said, “so I pretended we hadn’t met and that was wrong.”

“I thought the three of you were laughing at me.”

He shook his head. “I didn’t tell Ed and Jack anything. Ed guessed where I spent Saturday night when he saw you hiding in the cupboard. I didn’t tell him what you’d asked me to do. Can we be friends?”

Addie gave a little smile.

“No more ideas about resigning?”

It was a minor miracle she kept the smile in place. All that concerned him was not looking bad. She was still leaving.

“Do they sing all the way there?” Will whispered.

“And most of the way back.”

Will groaned. Addie risked a glance. He’d closed his eyes. A lock of his hair had fallen over his forehead and her fingers itched to push it back. His hair was dark, but there were strands of gray at his temples.

“What are you looking at?” He hadn’t opened his eyes.

“Gray hair.”

“I didn’t have any until I met you. And the suits weren’t Armani, by the way, but this sweater is.”

“It’s very nice,” Addie said, wishing she was wearing something other than cheap jeans and her old fleece with the large brown moose on the back. Where was a fairy godmother waving a magic wand when you needed one?

“How did your Sunday lunch go?” Will turned to look at her.

“Couldn’t have been better. My niece came downstairs with her hair wrapped around toffees and it was my fault. I gave my mother flowers that reminded her of my father’s wreath. My clothes were disgraceful and I was blamed entirely for the fact that you dumped me. You retained your sainthood because you proved my mother right—

you were far too good for me. She’s particularly pissed off because her Christmas letter has to be rewritten to ensure every one of her friends and relations know her pathetic daughter is still single and desperate.”
God, cut out my tongue,
Addie thought in horror.

“You’re just wishing you hadn’t told me that,” Will said with a smile.

“Had I known you were a mind-reader, I’d have asked Ed.”

His face fell. “You don’t mean it.”

“Stop reading my mind,” Addie whispered.

“I told you that you should have dumped me.”

“And I told you that would never have worked. I don’t know why I bothered inventing Noah in the first place. I’m back where I started. I’m sorry I asked you to do it.”

“You’re the first woman to regret spending the night with me,” Will said in her ear.

Addie squirmed on her seat. Well, that wasn’t a surprise, and she hadn’t regretted spending the night with him, only wished she’d been brave enough to reach across the bed.

“I can’t tell you how upset that makes me and how desperate I am to put things right.”

Bloody hell.
How come he only had to talk to her to make her panties damp?

“Do you want me to move?” Will muttered when she didn’t say anything.

She shook her head. Despite the fact that her body burned from being so close to him, she was in heaven not hell. If any part of him touched her, she’d spontaneously combust, but she’d go happy.

“What are you doing on the trip anyway?” she asked.

“Research, plus I wasn’t sure you’d be able to make it after yesterday.”

Addie’s slender hope that he might have come because he wanted to be with her, dissolved into nothing.

* * * * *

“Be back no later than three thirty,” Addie repeated as everyone climbed off the coach. “If you miss the bus, we’ll pick you up next month.”

“She’s bossy, that one,” Gordon told Will as he got off.

“You know how much you like to be dominated, Gordon.” Addie winked at him.

“Make sure you buy me a stick of rock in case I need to smack you round the head on the way back.”

“I’ll buy the biggest I can find.”

“In that case, I know just where to put it.”

Gordon laughed. Out of the corner of her eye, Addie could see Will listening. Fred locked up and followed the straggling line of passengers toward the steep hill which dropped down through the village to the sea. Will stood there in his dark jeans and Armani sweater, tall, dark and shivering. Addie slung her backpack over her shoulder.

“Three thirty?” he repeated in dismay.

“It’s a day trip. They’d feel a bit short-changed if I’d said—oh look, there’s the sea, we’ll be heading back now.”

Addie hesitated and then set off after the others.

“Hey,” he called.

She turned. He looked like a lost little boy, standing there with his hands pushed deep into his pockets, the wind blowing his hair.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“For a walk.”

“Can I come?”

“If you want.” Did she sound as though she didn’t care one way or the other? If she did, it was a miracle.

By the time they reached the edge of the car park Addie could see the tan leaching from his face. She took a bright yellow waterproof jacket out of her backpack. “Here, put this on.”

“Don’t you want it?”

“I had the sense to wear a fleece.”

“But not enough sense to avoid buying one featuring a large moose.”

“If you’re going to be rude about my fleece, I’ll have the jacket back.”

“And what a lovely moose it is too,” Will said.

Addie smiled.

“Do you have enough peanut butter and marmalade sandwiches for me?” he asked.

“No, but there’s a fish and chip shop.”

“Great.” Will smiled. “So what’s the history of this place?”

“Smuggling center in the eighteenth century. The locals could pass contraband from one end of the village to the other without it leaving the houses because there are so many secret ginnels and bolt holes.”

“What’s a ginnel?”

“A narrow passageway. You’ll see when we get further down. This village is a maze of cobblestone streets and alleys. The women used to pour boiling water onto the heads of the customs men as they went past. The place is awash with art galleries, antique shops, book shops and little cafes.” Damn, she’d turned into a talking guide book.

On their way down the hill, they overtook most of the coach passengers. The smell of the sea grew stronger. Addie took a deep breath of the cold, salty air.

Will was entranced by the village of red-roofed cottages that clung to the cliffs as the road dropped to the sea. Vee would have hated this place. She’d have whined and moaned before they were halfway down the hill. In fact, she wouldn’t have got off the coach. Actually, she’d never have got on the coach. But Addie looked at home here. Her face, devoid of make-up, had a healthy glow. Her haircut and the new color suited her.

Even in that stupid fleece she looked sexy. Maybe they could find a secluded, sheltered spot and he could check out what lay underneath. Or even better, a local hotel. Will’s heart jumped. He was her boss. This wasn’t appropriate.

They reached the bottom of the hill and Will gawped.

“Good, the tide’s out,” Addie said.

The place would have looked a damn sight better if the tide had been in. Instead of the golden beach he expected, ahead of them lay craggy stretches of ugly black scars, dotted with pools left by the retreating sea. All his recent holidays had been spent on white sandy beaches washed by warm turquoise water. Robin Hood’s Bay looked as grim and menacing as an alien planet.

“When did you last go to the seaside?” Addie asked.

“A year ago.”

“Whereabouts?”

“Antigua.” With Vee. There had been a lot of sun bathing, drinking and sex.

“These rocky outcrops might look unappetizing, but there’s something special to see here. Watch your step.”

She was more sure-footed and also wearing suitable shoes. Addie was already crouched down looking at something by the time Will picked his way to her side.

“An ammonite,” he said in surprise.

Addie looked up and beamed. “These scars are one hundred and seventy million years old, limestone and blue shale pressed under the sea. The place is teeming with fossils.”

They spent so long bent over, a little boy came up behind them with a fishing net.

“Have you found a crab?”

“No, a fossil. It’s called an ammonite,” Addie said. “Can you see any more?”

The boy touched the mark with his fingers. “I’d rather catch crabs.”

Will and Addie shared a smile.

“Mum,” the boy yelled. “Come and look. They’ve found a satellite.”

* * * * *

As Will stepped over the next lot of rocks, he slipped, and without thinking, Addie reached out and grabbed his hand.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

He didn’t let her go. Addie raised her eyes to his face and he tightened his grip. She curled her fingers around his and had to fight hard not to burst into tears of joy.

“Let’s walk down to the sea,” Will suggested.

Let’s throw ourselves into a snake pit.
No problem,
Addie thought.
Just keep hold of
my hand.

They picked their way around the seaweed-fringed rock pools, the clouds casting such dark shadows, the water around them looked bottomless.

“What are you thinking?” Will asked.

That she’d never had her hand held like this.

“You’re going to wreck your shoes and get your feet wet.” Addie was so pathetic she wanted to kick herself in the head.

As soon as they reached the sand, he let her go. “Race you,” he said and started to run.

“Look out for quicksand,” Addie shouted and Will slammed to a halt. She shot past.

“Wow, this
is
quick sand,” she yelled.

She heard him laughing as he came after her. Will reached the water before her, but Addie didn’t mind. Years of her brothers beating her meant she never expected to win anything.

The sun came out and Will whirled around on the sand with his arms outstretched.

“This is great.”

The wind was whipping the surface of the sea into foam. The wind direction and strength were just right. Too tempting for Addie. She took off her backpack, unzipped it and pulled out a red packet. She knew she was about to show off, but couldn’t help it.

Will came to her side. “What’s that?”

“Power kite.”

Addie shook the material and twisted out the lines. The wind caught the kite and she dug her heels in the sand as the red and blue fabric shot straight up.

“Shit,” Will yelled as she let it pull her into the air.

Addie laughed with delight. She had to be careful doing jumps. She didn’t want to end up in the water and she still ached from yesterday. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Will desperate to have a go. He stood there looking like a model out of a glossy magazine, with the sea and the light behind him, the wind whipping the yellow jacket. She wished he was hers.

Addie performed a few more maneuvers and then called him over. “You know you’re going to ruin your shoes.”

Will smiled. “Do you think I care?”

And your trousers and my jacket
,
Addie thought as Will crashed onto the sand, but after a few mishaps he got the hang of it and Addie smiled as he whooped and yelled.

She slipped her camera out of her bag and took a few shots while he wasn’t looking.

They took it in turns to fly, but the wind was strong and it didn’t take long before Addie’s arms ached.

“I’m hungry now,” Will said, helping Addie wind in the lines.

“If you’re a good boy you can have an ice cream.”

Will grinned. “Last one back buys the chips and no more jokes about quicksand.”

He paused. “Unless there really is quicksand. In which case, please tell me. I still have nightmares about that scene in
Lawrence of Arabia
.”

“And
The Neverending Story
?”

“I wasn’t going to admit to watching that.”

* * * * *

Clutching open trays of fish and chips, they made their way to the harbor wall and sat with their feet dangling over the edge.