Right Number, Wrong Girl

“You never said a nice word to me the entire time I was in Moorhaven. Now you’ve taken the time to presumably do research into me, track down my parents, and travelled all the way over here.” I tilted my head to the side. “Now you’re giving me a key to your house in London, and you don’t even like me.”

“I don’t dislike you, Sophie,” Anna said softly. “I can’t say I like you, either, but that’s because I don’t know you. I never took the time to know you, and I regret that deeply. My entire family is apparently completely enthralled with you, so I’m going to assume it really is a case of it’s not you, it’s me.”

“At least you’re honest about it.” I looked at the envelope that she’d set on top of the one containing the cheque, then pulled them both to me. “If I don’t use the key in a week, I’ll send it back to you. And I’m only taking the cheque because I do truly believe you’re stubborn enough to send it to my bank anyway.”

“I am. And if you don’t cash this, I’ll do it.”

“I believe you.”

She nodded and pushed her chair back. “I’ve already covered the bill. Feel free to take that wine with you. I only had one small glass, and I always think it’s a shame to waste good wine.” She got to her feet and walked to the door, then turned back to me. “I’ll be returning to Devon tomorrow. Hugo doesn’t know I’m here. Everyone thinks I’m visiting a friend. If you choose to draw a line under the two of you, I’d prefer to keep this visit between us.”

I bobbed my head. “I agree.”

“And, Sophie? Before you make any decisions, there’s one more thing.” She gripped the door handle and looked at me probably with more honesty than she ever had. “If you and Hugo do decide to pursue a relationship, you will be welcomed to my home and my family with open arms.”

A lump formed in my throat.

“If that is the case, I should very much like for us to spend time together. I think we would both be surprised by how much we have in common.” She smiled. “Thank you for listening to me. I didn’t deserve your time today, but you gave it to me anyway. Evelyn was right when she said you had a good heart. It’s much better than mine.”

“You came all this way just to give me a key in the hope I would see Hugo.” I gave her a rueful smile. “You’re not a bad person, Anna, and I do accept your apology.”

“Thank you.”

“And… maybe… one day we might be friends.”

Her smile widened just the tiniest bit. “I sincerely hope so.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR – SOPHIE

The Choices We Make

“What are you going to do?”

I toyed with the key and looked at the laptop screen where Camilla was biting down onto her freshly manicured nails. “I don’t know. I’ve been staring at for a day now.”

“I think she meant it. She was pretty regretful before I left. I think she was in a corner after she saw everything.”

I shrugged. “What difference will it make? I don’t think I can trust her. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“You still went to speak to her, though. No matter how many times you tell me it was to ask her to leave your parents alone, you have to admit that you wanted to hear what she had to say to you.”

“All right, I did.” I clutched the key tightly in my hand and the rough edge dug into my palm. “I wasn’t expecting what I got, though.”

“I don’t imagine you were.”

“What am I supposed to do, Cam?” My voice thickened. “I—I love Moorhaven. I love everyone I met there, but everything that’s happened has made me so uncomfortable with the idea of ever going back.”

“I can’t make that choice for you.” She smiled sadly. “You told me three days ago that the way you felt about Hugo wasn’t worth fighting for. It’s been a week since you last saw him. Do you still feel like that? Knowing now what you do?”

I looked down at the keyboard.

I missed him.

A lot.

We’d spent so much time together when I was in Moorhaven, and ever since I’d left, it’d been almost as if a part of me was missing.

Like when you cut your hair short, and it takes you forever to get used to.