‘So, can you make 5 p.m.?’ The voice was assured.
‘Yes. 5 p.m. I’ll be there.’
‘That’s terrific. Look forward to meeting you.’
Bryony sat up in bed. It was quarter past eight and she hadn’t been in the mood to get up and hang about the house alone. The day was bright but she’d felt downhearted. Post-competition blues? Or more likely she was suffering from post-Lewis blues. The call from the television studio had chased all that away. ITV wanted her to appear on an aftershow with her fellow teammates to discuss what really happened behind the scenes in France.
They’d be able to chat in depth about their reasons for being on the show and what they’d got from it. There was huge public interest following the last episode shown the evening before, and the production company had decided to capitalise on the sensation of What Happens in… and arrange for the four finalists to be interviewed together. It would be one last chance to talk about her long-lost sister and she was going to grab it.
The only fly in the ointment was Lewis. The studio had rung and left a message but not heard back from him. They might have to do the interview without him, but Bryony knew from what she’d read online that many people would tune in just to see him. He, like the others in the teams, had won over thousands of people who wanted to know everything about him.
She jumped from her bed, threw on a loose top and jeans, scrubbed her teeth and pulled back her hair. Catching sight of her reflection, she wondered if Hannah looked at all like her. Certainly as children they had little in common other than the same colour hair, delicate nose and calm, grey eyes. She wondered idly if Hannah’s hair was still golden-blonde or if, like her own, it had darkened over the years.
Melinda opened the door before she rang the bell. Bryony grabbed her by the hand and hustled her into the kitchen.
‘You’ll never guess what’s happened.’
‘They’ve signed you up to be the face of a famous cosmetics company? You’re going to host the Royal Variety Performance this year? Ed Sheeran has written a song about you entitled Brainy Bryony, a Girl in France? Am I close yet?’ She dropped onto a kitchen stool.
‘Funny! I’ve been invited to Birmingham for an aftershow this evening. All the finalists are going to get the chance to chat about the show – the highs, the lows, and I’ll be able to speak about Hannah again. I’m going to take photographs along and all my new social media links.’
‘That’s incredible. Good for you. I told you there’d been a crazed interest in the show. Is Lewis going?’
‘I don’t know. They hadn’t managed to get hold of him when I spoke to the producer.’
‘Really? He’s back. His car’s outside his house. Why don’t you nip round, find out, see how he got on with Maxwell and make up with him?’
‘There’s little point in being friends if he’s going to leave the area and move back in with Maxwell.’
‘At least there’d be no bad feelings between you. If he goes on the show this evening, you need to be able to spark off each other like you did during the challenges. That’s what the public want to see. You’ll lose sympathy if you freeze him out. You need them on your side.’
‘Sorry, I can’t be false. I’ll be civil but I’d rather put what happened between us behind me. He made his choice. I’d better ring Mum and tell her. I had planned to visit her and Dad later. I’ll have to put it off now.’
She made to leave. Melinda scooted off her chair and accompanied her friend to the door. ‘I’ll be watching. Is it live?’
‘Going out at 6 p.m. We have to be there at an hour before.’
‘I’ll spread the word and… break a leg!’
They hugged and then Bryony strolled back towards her car parked on the road near the house. As she did so, she spotted a figure racing from the opposite direction. She quickened her pace, hoping to reach the car before he caught up with her but Lewis sprinted quickly and drawing to a halt in front of her, seized her arm.
‘Bryony, I have to talk to you. Don’t go. It’s important.’
She let out a sigh. ‘Lewis, look, it’s okay. I get it. What we had was a holiday fling and Maxwell has come back into your life and—’
‘For goodness sake! Maxwell is not in my life. You are. You most definitely are.’
Bryony’s brain could not fully process the meaning of his words but a burst of adrenaline coursed through her veins. She took a sharp intake of air and her hands began to shake.
‘Maxwell was never going to worm her way back into my affections. Not after you. You and me, well, we’re close.’ He spoke the last word in such a way that Bryony felt a surge of elation course through her body.
‘Are we?’
‘Of course, we are,’ he replied, pulling her towards him in a tight embrace and kissing her full on the lips. Reluctantly he released her.
‘Maxwell…’ she began.
‘Maxwell is sulking and throwing tantrums and behaving like a spoilt child but she’ll survive.’
‘You didn’t go back to her?’
‘Why would I do that now I’ve found you?’ he asked, caressing her cheek with his fingers. ‘Maxwell tracked me down through her contacts. She discovered I was on the game show with Potts and after doing that piece to camera at the live event, she wheedled the emergency number out of one of the film crew. She knows me too well. She worked out that no matter what had happened between us, I’d stand up for her, especially against Potts. She was incredibly upset with him. The bastard not only split up with her because he thought she might be expecting a child – it was a false alarm – but he also put out the word that she was clingy, self-centred and destructive, and thanks to him she was dropped from a new show she was working on.’ He held Bryony’s gaze. ‘She may have her faults but she didn’t deserve to be treated so badly. That callous pig told her there was no way he was having children and she could do what she liked but he’d have no part of it. I’m afraid I went off the deep end. I’m sorry for almost thumping Potts. If you hadn’t been there I don’t know how much damage I’d have inflicted on that shit. I planned on giving him a broken nose at the very least. You must think I’m a complete thug.’ He shrugged an apology. She shook her head at him.
‘After the telephone call, I had to see her in person. Maxwell was in a terrible state, tearful, talking seriously about taking her own life. She came out with all that “I should never have been so stupid to let you go” nonsense. I’d have explained if I’d had a chance but you walked off and I couldn’t find you anywhere, then Roxanne suddenly hustled me into a taxi which was at the back door before I got a chance to speak to you. It all happened so quickly. I went to London to set the record straight and tell Maxwell, face to face, that I was seeing somebody I really, really liked. She isn’t one to give in easily so it was best she could understand how much I’ve changed and see how happy I’ve become. With Maxwell, seeing is believing. We talked for an age. We worked things out. She understands she and I will never get back together and once the flat sells she’ll move into another one with a friend – a girlfriend. I returned really late last night. I rang your mobile a while ago but there was no reply, then I spotted your car. I’ve been hanging about, twitching the front curtains waiting for you to emerge. I can’t begin to tell you what you mean to me, Bryony, but I hope you’ll let me show you. In a short space of time you have literally spun me around 360 degrees and I don’t want to be with anyone other than you. It’s up to you now. You need to decide how you feel. Take your time. I’m not going anywhere – well, not without you. But I want one thing before you make a decision.’
‘What’s that?’ she asked tentatively.
‘This,’ he murmured, wrapping his arms around her body gently, drawing her face towards his own and then pressing his lips against hers with a passion and urgency that made her heart soar.
Lewis rapped on Bryony’s bathroom door and called, ‘Taxi will be here at three o’clock which give us loads of time to reach the television studio before five. Oscar’s on the phone. He wants to know if we’d like to join him for dinner at a Japanese restaurant on Broad Street after we’ve done the show. He raves about the place. It’s very trendy. Fancy going?’
Bryony, naked in front of the bathroom mirror, was towel-drying her hair. ‘Great. Let’s do it.’
‘Bryony says yes, mate. See you later. Look forward to it.’
Bryony emerged from the bathroom, her tousled locks framing her face and cascading over her shoulders.
Lewis crossed his arms and whistled. ‘You going to do the chat show like that?’ he asked.
Bryony put her hands on her hips. ‘It’s a new look I’m perfecting. I’m calling it the Lady Godiva look.’
‘I’m calling it the “duvet” look.’
‘Why?’
‘Because it makes me want to drag you back to bed and smother you with my lips,’ he answered, pouncing in her direction.
She shrieked playfully and attempted to scurry away but found herself enveloped in his arms. She breathed in his scent and willingly tilted her head towards his.
‘I love all this,’ he said as they lay together on the rumpled sheets. ‘A beautiful day, and a beautiful woman by my side. I consider myself very fortunate. Oscar and Jim might have won the money on What Happens in… but I got the first prize.’ He kissed her again.