The Perfect Match (33 page)

‘No, you dilly. Aunt Jane doesn’t need an eye keeping on her, she’s got your friends the Agnews to do that.’ He paused. ‘I decided to make the move to be near you.’

Bella didn’t know what to say but it didn’t matter because Dominic kissed her.

‘Kissing in the street?’ said Bella, breathless. ‘I wouldn’t have thought that was what respectable solicitors did.’

He laughed. ‘Come on then, let’s go to the docks. You need to see what a wonderful city Liverpool is nowadays. And I warn you, I’ve got plans to do a lot more than just kiss you.’

‘That sounds nice,’ said Bella, her understatement belying the surge of happiness that welled up inside her.

‘Nice?’ said Dominic, affronted. ‘I’ll show you nice. Let’s go!’

BELLA FOLLOWED DOMINIC.
He was familiar with Liverpool and she wasn’t, so she was relying on him and the satnav.

Although she knew she should be ecstatic – triumphant that Ed Unsworth and Nevil wouldn’t be doing any more dirty deals together – she wasn’t. And Dominic obviously cared about her a lot. Yet somehow the doubt was creeping in. Would he still like her (she couldn’t let herself believe he loved her, not yet) when he found out she’d been to see Celine?

And although she knew it couldn’t be helped, she was sad about losing her job. She’d loved the agency so much. In fact, if she hadn’t loved it, she’d have ended it with Nevil sooner. While she knew this wasn’t entirely logical – it was not absolutely definite that she’d have to work in a different town – she felt it wouldn’t be her patch in quite the same way. And applying for new jobs with only old references might be tricky. There were lots of people after jobs like that. She’d just be another candidate. Her excellent house-selling record would have to be taken at her word. Nevil wouldn’t tell any future employer how good she was.

Alice would tell her she needed food. She’d say that Bella’s low spirits were due to the adrenalin she’d needed to confront Ed Unsworth now leaving her body, and all she needed was some chocolate to feel a whole lot better. Bella felt it wouldn’t be that simple.

Dominic found a car park and was in his space when Bella slid into the space behind him. He got tickets for both cars, and then he took her arm and they set off for the docks.

It was a hot afternoon, and it was lovely to be by the water to admire the huge red-brick buildings that had once been the hub of the maritime world.

‘Liverpool is a wonderful city,’ said Dominic. ‘A friend of mine was at university here, and I got to know it a bit when I came to visit him.’

‘Rather different from where we’ve just been,’ said Bella, trying not to sound upbeat. ‘There are areas like that in the Cotswolds, but on the whole my work doesn’t take me there.’

‘The area wasn’t so bad; it was the man who had his office there who was bad,’ said Dominic.

Bella nodded. ‘I think I’m only just realising how much danger I could have put myself in if you hadn’t been there.’

He put his hand on her shoulder. ‘But I was there, and all was well.’

She smiled bravely, feeling pathetic.

‘So, what would you like to do?’ Dominic said. ‘Do you want to find somewhere for a drink or something?’

‘Actually, could we just sit here for a bit and watch the water? It’s very soothing.’

Dominic found a vacant bench, and for a while they sat in silence. Then Dominic gave Bella a quick glance. ‘Would you like me to give you a potted history of Liverpool’s maritime past?’ he asked.

‘Actually no, thank you. If you don’t mind.’

‘I don’t, but if you don’t mind me saying so, you seem a bit – I don’t know – subdued. Is it a delayed reaction after confronting Ed? You should be turning cartwheels – we nailed him!’

Bella smiled. ‘I couldn’t turn cartwheels here. I can only do them on grass, with my dress tucked into my knickers.’

‘Can we hold the thought about you and your knickers until later? Although it will be a struggle. What’s on your mind?’

His gentle teasing was already making Bella feel better. ‘I will tell you, but you might not like it.’

‘It was me who banned discussion about your knickers, so I’m already disappointed. Tell me anyway. What have you done wrong now?’

Bella fell on this excuse to put off her confession a little longer. ‘What do you mean “now”? I haven’t done anything wrong apart from this one thing!’

Dominic raised a doubting eyebrow. ‘If you discount squaring up to Uncle Ed without much proof of his wrongdoing, and on your own.’ He paused. ‘Which actually I don’t.’

Bella was indignant. ‘Well, you didn’t tell me you were going, so of course I had to go. The not-having-a-phone thing is just lame! By the way, where did you get all the information? I was impressed.’

‘The no-phone thing was real, although I admit it was damn stupid. But with regard to Old Ed, I told you I had contacts and the internet will tell you everything if you ask the right questions.’

Bella nodded, half hoping he’d forget she’d been about to tell him something.

‘So what about your confession?’ He hadn’t forgotten.

Bella realised she’d have to do it. ‘I went to see Celine.’

‘You did? Why?’

He didn’t seem angry, just surprised, which was encouraging. ‘Because I thought it was terribly unfair of her to imply you didn’t look after Dylan properly when you obviously do.’ She paused. ‘I pointed out it was nice for her to have you as an extra dad.’

‘Oh.’

Bella couldn’t infer much from this monosyllable. ‘I said that if she insisted you had to focus on only him, you might not always be able to have him when she wanted you to.’ She paused. ‘She hasn’t been in touch to tell you this?’

He made a face and a ‘what?’ gesture with his hands. ‘The no-phone thing?’

‘I’d forgotten.’ She paused. ‘You’re not cross about me interfering?’ She studied his face. It would be so awful if she’d blown her chances of happiness because she couldn’t help sticking her nose into injustice.

After what seemed like forever to Bella, but was probably just a second, he shook his head. ‘No. You meant it for the best. But I’m surprised Celine agreed. She usually sticks to what she’s said in the heat of the moment, however unreasonable it is.’

Bella pushed her hair back off her face. Relief at his reaction had made her hot suddenly. ‘Well, she did admit that her friend – you know, the one we met while we were at the swings, having ice creams? She sort of egged Celine on to check up on you that day at Jane’s.’

He shook his head at the memory. ‘It did seem more unreasonable and insane than Celine usually is, which is saying something.’ Then he turned his attention back to Bella. ‘So, do you feel better now you’ve got that off your chest?’

She laughed gently. ‘That expression always makes me think of a nasty cough or something.’ She felt a hundred times better.

‘I’m glad. I was worried you were sad because you broke up with Nevil. From my own experience I know that breaking up with someone is always extremely painful, even if you’d stopped loving them a long time ago.’

She was horrified that he might think this. ‘No! I’m not sad about that at all! We weren’t really suited and I never really loved him, but I pretended to myself I did and that I enjoyed his company. I think I sort of glossed over the things that were wrong for my own convenience.’

‘That happens. So how long were you together?’

‘Over two years.’

He frowned. ‘You must have got together fairly soon after you moved to Stroud.’

‘Oh yes,’ said Bella, thinking back. ‘I was in such a low place, I sort of gravitated towards his cockiness. And of course the fact that he was instantly attracted to me was very good for my ego.’

‘So why were you in such a low place?’

Bella realised that she’d revealed far more than she meant to. ‘Well, you know . . . New job, new town, all those things . . .’

He frowned again and shook his head. ‘No, those things don’t make you sad, they make you excited, and you went there willingly. Why were you sad?’

Bella looked up at him, not wanting to say, even now. She wanted him to be the first to confess to love, not her.

Dominic went on. ‘I never knew why you left so hurriedly. It seemed so odd. One minute you were doing well in the job and always seemed so cheerful when I saw you in the office and then – boom – you’d left! Why?’

Bella took a few seconds, thinking up every excuse she could to explain her sudden exit. She fell back on the truth. ‘I was in love with someone. Someone married. I couldn’t hang around. I might have done something – well, wrong.’

Bella didn’t dare look at him and see his reaction. Instead she stared at the water, finding solace in the light dancing on the waves, creating sudden bursts of sunlight like camera flashes exploding.

‘Was that someone me?’

Bella just nodded.

‘If it’s any consolation, I think it was worse for me. Celine was pregnant. I had to stand by her, or I’d have followed you sooner.’

Bella wasn’t sure she’d understood. ‘Sooner?’

He looked rueful. ‘Oh yes. I was in love with you too. I didn’t know how you felt, of course. But when I was free of Celine, well – let’s just say me finding work in the same town as you wasn’t a coincidence.’

‘I thought it was because of Jane.’

He shook his head. ‘I could have made sure she was all right without moving to Stroud and there are other members of the family who’d have done that. Although I’m so glad I’ve had the chance to get to know her properly.’

‘If only I’d known . . .’

‘You wouldn’t have gone rushing into Nevil’s arms so quickly?’

‘No! It was definitely a rebound thing.’

‘After you left I was a mess,’ he said. ‘I know nothing had ever happened between us, if you don’t count a kiss under the mistletoe, but I knew – felt I knew – that you were mine really.’

‘But you were married. And then Celine got pregnant. That was what made me go.’

‘It was all horrible. Especially when Celine implied you covered up for her when she was having an affair.’ He hesitated. ‘I think she suspected I had feelings for you and used you just to be nasty.’

‘That’s horrible. I must confess I didn’t think about you suffering. I thought it was just me.’

‘Same here. It never occurred to me it was because of me that you left.’

‘Well, that’s good for my pride, at least. I think Celine suspected, even if she wasn’t certain.’

‘But thank goodness that’s all in the past.’ He put his arm round her shoulders and hugged her to him. ‘So what will you do now? Confront Nevil? Tell him what we’ve done?’

‘I already have. And if he’d agreed to stop, I would never have gone to see Ed.’

He chuckled, still hugging her to his side. ‘Although it was obviously wrong and dangerous, I’m kind of glad. I like the thought of making love to you in Liverpool.’

‘Dominic?’ she questioned gently.

‘I think we’ve waited long enough. I’m going to take you to a really good hotel where we can make up for lost time.’

‘Dominic! We can’t go to a really good hotel without luggage or anything!’

‘Oh yes we can. Trust me, I’m a solicitor.’

Bella got the giggles as she and Dominic entered the reception area of what seemed to be the poshest hotel in the city. She knew it wasn’t helping but she couldn’t stop.

‘I feel like Julia Roberts in
Pretty Woman
!’ she whispered as they crossed acres of marble to the reception desk.

‘Ssh!’ he said, patting her arm. ‘Good afternoon,’ he said grandly. ‘Have you a room? Now. Just one night.’ Then he tossed his credit card on to the desk and the woman opposite picked it up with a smile.

Five minutes later they were being shown into a huge room overlooking the water. The moment they were alone, Bella ran to the window to look out. ‘This is an amazing view!’

‘Yes,’ said Dominic. ‘Shame you won’t have time to look at it.’

He took her into his arms and kissed her, and then without breaking the kiss he swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bed, where he dropped her.

‘For a solicitor, you can be quite dashing,’ said Bella, panting slightly.

‘You ain’t seen nothing yet,’ he said, and peeled off her coat.

Bella gave a happy sigh.

The following morning, having taken advantage of the laundry services provided, as well as using all the other facilities, (spa bath, trouser press, free tea and coffee) Bella turn on her phone. She had found time to text Alice and her mother to assure them of her safety and the success of the mission, but then she’d turned it off. Now, having enjoyed a very leisurely breakfast on the balcony, she felt ready to face the rest of the world.

There were a lot of missed calls, and a text from Tina.

Get yourself into the office ASAP. Nevil is out on his ear and they want you back!

She showed the text to Dominic. He grunted in satisfaction. ‘You’re not the only one who can fix things behind people’s backs.’

‘What? But you didn’t know I’d been sacked until I told you!’

‘No, but I knew about Nevil. I told them at Rutherfords’ head office what a star you are, but they already knew that. They must have been furious when they heard Nevil had fired you.’

‘I suppose we should get back though and see what’s going on.’

‘I suppose we must. Shall we leave your car here so we can travel together?’

Just for a second Bella was tempted by the thought of shooting down the motorway in Dominic’s much bigger car but then said, ‘No, that would be silly. It would be a pain to come and get mine later.’

He drew her to him. ‘I suppose so. I just don’t want to be parted from you for a minute.’

‘Or in this case, nearly three hours.’

‘Will you go directly to the office, or stop off at Alice’s first?’

‘Go straight there, I think. Thanks to this very luxurious hotel, I’m all clean and ironed. No reason to call on Alice first. If I start talking to her I’ll never get to the office.’

‘I’ll meet you there then.’

It took them several minutes to say goodbye.

When she arrived back in Stroud, Bella parked her car in the office car park and let herself in the back way. Instantly there were cheers, party poppers and bottles of champagne. Through the streamers she spotted Dominic, pouring champagne into glasses.