Lily stood and stared down at the motorbike in front of her.
‘OMG,’ she muttered, mimicking Lauren’s favourite catchphrase.
She looked around her and realised that the moon was out, shining overhead like a beacon.
She had to be brave. She had to get on the scary bike, otherwise she was going to lose the real love of her life forever.
What if he was planning to go off around Europe again, like before? What if he left and never came back? She couldn’t bear it. She had to go and tell him how she felt.
She went over and swung her leg over the huge seat. It seemed enormous without Jack there to support her and guide her through everything. Her trembling hands fiddled with the key until it finally slid into the slot and she started the engine with a roar.
She had a bit of trouble kicking the stand away but after a couple of attempts she finally made it. Then, balancing the bike, which was pulsing underneath her, she took a deep breath.
‘Right hand is throttle,’ she told herself and began to rotate it towards her. The bike shuddered into life and she began to move across the driveway.
Squealing in panic, she tried to concentrate on keeping herself straight so that she wouldn’t fall off.
‘Come on,’ she told herself. ‘You can do this.’
The bike had picked up enough speed for it to squeal at her to change gears. She managed to change gear just the once and the bike protested and jolted so much that she decided she could do the whole journey in second gear.
Once out of the long driveway, she turned the bike onto the wide avenue and set off for his home.
Despite her nerves, inside she felt a little thrill of excitement. That taking a risk had been the right thing to do.
She just hoped she would make it in time.
*
Jack had spent a miserable, quiet day at home. He normally enjoyed solitude but not that day. He missed his friends at Willow Tree Hall. He missed everything.
But he missed Lily most of all.
He had told her that he loved her. And she hadn’t said a word in reply.
Perhaps he shouldn’t have said anything, but just once in his life he had wanted to be open and honest with her.
And look how well that turned out, he thought, staring out across the darkness to where the river was reflecting the moon up above.
If only he had his motorbike. Then he could have driven off and never looked back. Gone to Europe. Gone anywhere. If only…
He stopped pacing and cocked his ear towards a familiar sound. It couldn’t be. It just sounded the same, that was all.
But he couldn’t stop himself from walking away from the balcony and across the floor of his lounge. He flung open the front door just as a motorbike came into view, roaring up to the driveway.
He found himself watching Lily, his Lily, driving his motorbike. She braked hard and almost went over the handlebars, causing him to clutch the front door in alarm that she might hurt herself.
He couldn’t believe that she was here and that she had driven his motorbike.
What on earth was so important that it couldn’t wait?
*
Lily’s hand was shaking as she switched off the engine. She had made it!
Then she quickly realised that there was light streaming from the house in front of her. Jack was standing in the doorway, framed by the light behind him.
In a rush to speak to him, she quickly clambered off the motorbike and walked towards him.
She was only vaguely aware of the bike falling over behind her, as she had forgotten to put up the stand.
She walked up to him before crashing to a halt in front of him.
Jack was still standing in the doorway, watching her with a look of disbelief on his face.
He glanced over her shoulder to where his bike was lying on the tarmac before coming to stare back at her.
‘You drove my bike all the way here?’ he said.
She nodded. ‘Well, you know me. Wild Lily Harper and all that.’
She took a step forward towards him. Towards handsome, funny, sexy Jack. He was so close she could smell his spicy aftershave.
But he took a step backwards from her and shook his head. ‘I told you how I felt,’ he said in a flat tone of voice.
‘I know,’ Lily told him. ‘And it was wrong of me not to say anything. I was scared, you see. Scared of being hurt. Scared of telling you how I really felt. But you’ve taught me not to be scared any more. I know that I hurt you, and for that I’m truly sorry. But please just let me be with you. On whatever terms you want.’ She took a quick glance at the barren interior of his house. ‘I’ll even be your interior designer, if you’ll have me.’
She gave him a small smile but he was still watching her silently.
‘I made a mistake,’ Lily carried on. ‘A big, stupid mistake. Because I love you. I’ve always loved you and always will.’
Had she really just said that? The shock in his eyes told her that she had.
‘I love you, Jack Carter.’
He was silent for a moment. The time dragged and Lily was convinced that he would still turn away from her.
Then he reached out and pulled her into his arms, enveloping her with such love that she could feel the tears spring to her eyes.
‘I thought I’d lost you,’ she heard him say, as he pressed his mouth against her hair.
She lifted her head as the tears ran down her cheeks. ‘You’ll never think that again,’ she replied. ‘I love you. I really do.’
‘And I love you, Lily Harper.’
He closed the gap between them and kissed her, gently at first before it developed into a deeper embrace. And it felt as good as it had always done.
When they finally drew apart, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close to her once more. She felt safe. She felt as if she were home.
‘For the record,’ she told him. ‘I would drive that motorbike anywhere in the world so that I could find you and tell you how much I love you.’
He nuzzled her neck with his lips. ‘For the record, I’m not letting you out of my sight. Ever.’ He drew back to look at her. ‘By the way, you owe me a new gearbox for the bike,’ he said, smiling softly.
But his eyes were warm as she reached up to bring his head back down to hers again.
Then the only sound was the wind in the trees as it softly moved the clouds away from the moon, leaving the stars sparkling high above them.