The Trouble with Love (8 page)

SIXTEEN

Polly froze in horror as Sam pulled away from Eve's arms. Eve smoothed her hair and straightened her dress.

“Well, it's been fun,” she said, casually wiping a speck of lipstick from Sam's cheek. “We must do it again some time.”

Polly could hardly breathe. Her boyfriend and her worst enemy? It was impossible. They had only just met! Hadn't they? Was this a set-up? Was Sam a two-timing creep like Max? How far would he go to get his sponsorship for the seals? Her mind raced through all the possible explanations, desperate to find a way out. But there was just this: Eve, and Sam, in the dark. Kissing.

Sam looked pale. “Polly, it's not what it looks like—”

“I know what I saw, Sam,” she managed to say. She wondered if she was going to be sick right at Sam's feet.

“Polly, please believe me,” he said hurriedly, looking at Eve. “Eve surprised me. I didn't know she would kiss me!”

Even in the darkness, Polly could see Eve's eyes glittering with triumph.
I'll get even. Don't think I won't.

“This is all very dramatic for just one little kiss.” Eve patted her hair again and sighed. “Take it from me, Sam. You can do so much better than Polly. Why would you want to be second choice anyway?”

Sam looked even more confused and worried. “What do you mean, second choice?”

“You'll have to ask Polly that,” said Eve silkily.

Polly burst into tears. She could feel her mascara running in black rivers down her face. Her heart lay in splinters on the grass. Eve's victory was complete.

“I hate you, Sam. And I never want to see you again,” she wept.

“Polly!” Sam shouted after her.

Polly had spun round and run back up the garden. Twigs and branches scraped viciously at her arms and legs, but she hardly noticed. The image of Sam kissing Eve was burned into her memory. She had to leave or she would fall down in a dead faint.

There was the sound of running feet behind her. Someone caught her by the elbow and yanked her round.

“You have to believe me, Polly,” begged Sam. His bowtie was half undone. Polly wondered if Eve had untied it. Eve had ruined
everything
.

“I'm going home,” she said, wrenching her arm away from him.

“Give me a chance to explain!
She
kissed
me
!”

“It didn't look that way to me,” Polly wept.

“It's true.” Sam took her arm again, more gently. “Please, Polly, calm down. Can we talk about this?”

Polly took several deep, trembling breaths. She wanted to believe him. It would be typical of Eve, getting back at her in this way. Making her think the worst of Sam.

“She really kissed
you
?” she said at last, wiping her eyes with trembling fingers. “And you weren't expecting it?”

“Yes,” Sam insisted. “She said there was someone I should meet out in the garden, so like an idiot I followed her. You saw the rest.”

Polly closed her eyes. “I'm sorry,” she said, still fighting to keep calm. “I believe you.”

Sam pulled her into a grateful hug. After a moment's resistance, Polly clung to him like he was a life raft and they were back in the sea again. He kissed her cheeks, and brushed away her tears with the pad of his thumb.

“Eve's so awful,” Polly hiccupped. “She's cheating with her best friend's boyfriend at the moment.”

Sam whistled. “So am I forgiven?”

Polly sniffed and nodded. “You're forgiven.”

They stood with their arms round each other in the dark garden, in the glowing light from the hotel windows. Polly rested her head against his warm chest, and closed her eyes, and wished they were back by the sea beside a driftwood campfire.

“What did Eve mean,” Sam said into her hair, “about me being your second choice?”

Polly tensed.
You really knew what you were doing, didn't you, Eve?
she thought. It wasn't enough just to kiss Sam. She had to make him doubt Polly as well.

“Just another of Eve's lies,” she said.

“Really?” Sam looked at her with dark eyes. “Because if there's someone else. . .”

“There isn't,” Polly interrupted. She was desperate for him to believe her. Ollie couldn't come between them like a ghost now. “Really, Sam. Eve just made that up to make you doubt me. She hates me because I know about her and this guy she's seeing behind her friend's back. I've never felt this way about anyone but you.”

He looked relieved. “Anyone who can pull a stunt like the one she just tried in the garden can't be trusted. I can see that. I'm mad about you, Polly. I couldn't bear to lose you over a bunch of lies. Can we forget this ever happened?”

He kissed her again. Polly sank against him and kissed him back with all her heart.

“Let's get out of here,” he said at last. “Thinking about that girl is making my skin crawl. You look beautiful tonight, Polly. Let's go into town. How about the Heartbeat Café?”

“Aren't we a bit formal?” said Polly with a giggle.

“The Heartbeat will love us,” Sam promised.

Polly fixed her ruined make-up in the bathroom as quickly as she could. There were wipes, and moisturizer beside the sinks, and she had put some extra mascara and lipstick into her clutch. Knowing Sam was waiting for her made her feel calmer, and she resisted the urge to check and double-check her dress. Ten minutes later, Sam had helped her into her faux-fur jacket and they were walking down into the Old Town together.

The Heartbeat glowed like an old jewel in the dark February evening, lights flickering cheerfully in its windows. Heartwell Manor had been beautiful, but cold too, like a grand old queen. The Heartbeat felt more like the jolly-faced cook down in the queen's castle kitchens, warm and welcoming.

People looked at them curiously as they came through the door in their evening finery. Polly's heart almost burst with pride when Sam gave her a warm smile, and held her hand, and made it clear that they were together. They were definitely the most stylish couple in the room.

“Polly!”

Lila was waving enthusiastically from one the tables near the stage. Polly's smile faltered as she clocked Ollie's blond head beside her best friend.

“There's your friend,” Sam said, nodding in Lila's direction. “Shall we join her?”

Joining Lila and Ollie was the last thing Polly wanted to do. Ollie was looking extra gorgeous this evening in a chunky green jumper that brought out the blue in his eyes and emphasized his wide shoulders. Her stomach fluttered uncomfortably.

“Can't we sit by ourselves?” she began, but Sam was already leading her across the room.

“You guys look amazing,” said Lila in wonder as they reached the table. “Polly, your dress is incredible. You look like a model. Where have you been?”

“To a very boring party,” said Sam. He offered his hand to Ollie. “Hi, I'm Sam.”

“Ollie,” Ollie grunted.

Instead of shaking Sam's hand, he shoved his own hands into his pockets and stared at the table. He clearly thought Sam was a posh idiot in a tux, not worth getting to know. Polly's stomach tied itself into unhappy knots.

“Ignore him,” Lila said, shooting a glare at Ollie. “He was playing football and lost and is taking it out on everyone he meets tonight.”

“Who do you support, then?” Ollie threw at Sam.

“Seals, mainly,” said Sam with a smile.

Ollie frowned. “Is that a local team?”

Polly wanted to die. A sweat was breaking out across her back and pooling unpleasantly in her armpits. How long would they have to stay here?

“We were about to go home,” Lila was saying. “But why don't we meet tomorrow night for a proper double date?”

“I don't think we can,” Polly said.
Say we can't
, she willed Sam.
Say we already have plans.

“Of course you can,” Lila insisted. “I want to get to know Sam better now you two are going out. We'll have a great time. Won't we, Ollie?”

“Whatever,” sighed Ollie.

“That would be great, Lila,” said Sam politely. “We'd love it.”

Polly wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. A whole evening with Ollie and Sam? It was guaranteed to be awful.

SEVENTEEN

“But we won't be able to talk properly,” complained Lila on the phone later that night, when Polly suggested they should spend their double date at the cinema the following evening. “Why don't we just have a meal together?”

Not talking is the whole point
, Polly thought. An evening where they could avoid too much conversation was definitely the best way to go. “It's a really great film, Lila,” she said in her most persuasive voice. “I've been meaning to see it for ages. And we'll have time to talk beforehand. We could book a table at a nice restaurant before the film. Where would you like to go?”

“Luigi's?” said Lila. She sounded brighter. “It's not far from the cinema and they do awesome pizzas. Italian's good for veggies. Is Sam a veggie too?”

“Yes,” said Polly, smiling. It was yet another thing she loved about her boyfriend. He cared too much about the world to eat its animals.

“There'll be plenty of meaty boy pizzas for Ollie,” said Lila, “so he should be OK, so long as we don't make him eat any salad. I'm really sorry he was so rude to Sam earlier. He was in a funny mood all evening, to be honest.” She sighed. “I don't understand him sometimes.”

“Don't worry about it,' said Polly. “Sam hardly noticed.”

This wasn't quite true. Polly had apologized to Sam over and over for Ollie's strange behaviour as they walked home. Sam had insisted that Polly should forget it.

“He's probably jealous that I've got such a gorgeous girlfriend,” he said, laughing.

Polly squirmed uncomfortably. If only that were true.

“He's OK normally,” she said, wondering why she was defending Ollie.

“I can put up with him for Lila's sake,” Sam had answered, tightening his arm round Polly's shoulders. “She's great, isn't she?”

For some reason, this hadn't made Polly feel much better.

“So if the film starts at eight, we should book Luigi's for, what, six-thirty?” Lila was saying. “It's only a ten-minute walk to the cinema from there. This is going to be great, Polly. And if Ollie's an idiot again, you have my permission to kick him under the table!”

So now it was Thursday, and already six-fifteen. Polly was back on the brink of panic, fighting through her wardrobe with the usual sensation of falling from a great height. She'd tried on a million outfits. At last, Polly made it outside to where Sam was waiting for her, looking tall and handsome and relaxed.

“Sorry,” she gasped, fighting the mad desire to return to the mirror for one final outfit check. “I'm really sorry. We probably have to run now.”

Luigi's was on the edge of town, not far from Heartside Bay's small four-screen cinema. Polly's face was running with sweat as she and Sam came through the doors at twenty to seven. She had spent ages getting the perfect flick with her eyeliner so that her eyes looked huge and fairy-like, but she could already feel her make-up clumping in the corners of her eyes and her hair clinging sweatily to the back of her neck. She probably looked like a clown, not a fairy at all.

No change there
, she thought glumly.

Lila and Ollie were waiting at a small curved booth with a padded bench running all the way round it. The way they were sitting suggested to Polly that they had been arguing. She wondered why.

“You're here!” Lila said, sounding relieved. “It's great, isn't it? They're bringing us some breadsticks and sparkling water – is that OK?”

Polly studied the table, feeling worried. It was very small. They would be cramped together like sardines in a tin. And if Sam did his usual thing and let her sit down first, she would have to wriggle in beside Ollie, which she really didn't want to do.

“After you,” said Sam, as Polly had known he would.

She swallowed unhappily, and squeezed on to the padded bench next to Ollie, tugging down her sequinned miniskirt so that it didn't ride too far up her legs. He looked at her with stormy blue eyes. Polly couldn't decide if he was pleased to see her or not.

“Hi,” she said nervously.

“Hi yourself,” Ollie replied.

Sam settled in on Polly's other side, nodding briefly at Ollie. Ollie half-lifted his hand in return.

“This is fun already, isn't it?” said Lila brightly. “Sam, do you want something to drink, like soda or juice?”

“Water's fine, thanks,” said Sam.

“What are you, a fish?” Ollie enquired, taking a long and noisy slurp from his glass of Coke.

Sam smiled sideways at Polly. “No. But coincidentally, Polly's a mermaid.”

Ollie belched. “She looks pretty human to me,” he said, glancing at Polly's outfit. “You know, for a disco-dancing pixie.”

Polly flushed, horribly aware of Ollie's warmth pressing against her, all the way from her shoulders to her knees. She should have known her sparkly skirt was too dressy for a simple trip to the cinema.

“I'd prefer it if you didn't insult my girlfriend,” said Sam evenly.

“What's so insulting about that?” Ollie protested. He patted Polly's sparkly thigh, almost making Polly leap out of her skin. “I happen to like pixies.”

Lila caught Polly's eye apologetically. Polly grimaced back. This was going to be a long night.

Ollie started texting someone, making no effort to join in on Lila and Sam's awkward attempts at conversation. Polly's thigh burned with the memory of Ollie's warm hand. She wished it wouldn't. He was being horrible tonight. She should hate him. But she couldn't.

“Pizzas!” said Lila with relief as two waiters headed towards them, holding steaming plates high above their heads. “Yours is the goat's cheese and rocket one, right, Sam?”

Ollie snorted. “And the margherita covered in shredded pig is mine,” he said. “In case you were wondering, veggie boy.”

“I always prefer the veggie ones,” said Lila heroically. “The flavours are much more interesting.”

“Sure,” said Ollie, nodding as he helped himself to a mountain of parmesan cheese from the bowl in the middle of the table. He added a squirt of ketchup to the middle of his pizza. “If you're a rabbit.”

Polly took Sam's warm hand and tried to focus on the good things in her life right now. It was hard.

“Stop behaving like an idiot, Ollie,” Lila snapped, struggling to control her temper.

Ollie draped his arm round the back of the padded bench behind Polly's head. She could sense its warmth near her shoulders. She gripped Sam's hand more tightly.

“I'm not the one who came up with this stupid double-date idea,” Ollie objected. “What is this film, anyway? I bet there isn't a single decent action sequence. I'm missing some good telly for this.”

Polly had to leave before she screamed. There was no way out of here except by crawling under the table. In a brief moment of desperation, she wondered if it was worth trying.

The waiter placed a large glass of apple juice beside her. Polly stared at it, and took a deep breath. Then she deliberately swept her arm across the table, as if reaching for the parmesan.

“Oh!”

Her shriek was genuine. The apple juice now soaking the front of her tank top and her skirt was cold and sticky. Sam leaped to his feet before the juice could splatter sideways. Ollie jumped up too, almost knocking his pizza to the floor in a bid to escape a soaking.

“I'm sorry,” Polly stammered, wiping at her top. “My fault.”

“Man, that went
everywhere
,” Ollie laughed, mopping at the table with a handful of paper napkins.

“Don't worry, Polly,” said Sam soothingly. “Accidents happen.”

“You poor thing,” said Lila in dismay. “Your top's a mess.”

Polly had a genuine urge to cry. Even though she'd spilled her drink on purpose, it was still the most disgusting feeling, the way it was soaking right through her clothes. “I . . . I really am sorry,” she said, wiping herself frantically with a napkin. “I have to go home and change. . .”

“I'll take you,” Sam offered at once.

“Everyone loves a hero,” sighed Ollie.

Polly wriggled free from the imprisoning table. Her face felt hot with a combination of shame and relief. She was as bad as Eve, engineering her so-called accident.

“We'll wait for you at the cinema, shall we?” said Lila anxiously as Sam threw a twenty-pound note on the table and helped Polly towards the door.

“Go ahead without us,” said Polly, hating herself. “I'll have to see the film some other time. Thanks for arranging this evening, Lila. I'm sorry I messed it up. I hope you and Ollie have a good time.”

The cold air outside was a welcome relief after the stifling atmosphere in the restaurant. Polly walked in silence with Sam for a while, and then sat down on a wall when it felt as if her legs were about to give way.

“I'm sorry for making such a mess,” she mumbled.

“That was no accident,” said Sam. He looked at her curiously.

Polly could feel exhausted tears welling up in her eyes. What must he think of her, pulling a stunt like that? As usual, she had ruined everything.

She couldn't do anything right.