Daniella had been the one who had called the emergency services when she saw smoke billowing from the cottage.
‘Looks like I’m too late to save the day,’ she had quipped, walking into the clearing and startling them both.
Noah had been relieved to see her, though he pointed out she could have arrived twenty minutes earlier.
He had forced Olivia into an ambulance, ignoring her protests because he knew that she needed to be checked over. Even if her injuries were mostly superficial, she had taken a couple of heavy bashes to the head, and he didn’t doubt she was still in shock.
They had sat mostly in silence as they watched the fire burn, and she had let him hold her, but he wasn’t fool enough to think things had been fixed between them, knew she may go back to hating him after everything had calmed down.
He had deceived her, he got that, and knew he had broken her trust. She was safe though and that was the most important thing. He told himself he would respect whatever decision she reached about their future.
Daniella had watched him with a smirk as the ambulance took Olivia away and he narrowed his eyes. ‘What?’
‘Didn’t you get bashed over the head too? Seems to me you should have been in that ambulance with her.’
‘I’ll get checked out later.’
Noah had insisted on hanging around, despite the protests of the paramedics, though he had gratefully taken the bottle of water that Daniella had offered.
The bodies of Malcolm and Alice Grimes were never recovered, and the police had sent out a search and rescue team, in case they had made it out of the cottage and into the surrounding woodland. This was eventually called off without success.
Noah had kept tabs on both of them, was certain he would know if they made a reappearance. He wasn’t too worried about it though, was certain there was a reasonable explanation. He remembered seeing the siblings huddled on the floor surrounded by flames, and found it unlikely that either of them would have survived.
He only saw Olivia once again after the fire. She had told him she needed some space and time alone to process everything that had happened and he had accepted her decision without argument, going to Devon to stay with his family over Christmas, then throwing himself into work when he returned in early January.
He had bumped into her brother, Jamie, at the gym a few times. The first encounter had been a little uncomfortable because Jamie now knew that he had been used to get to his sister. But he also knew that Noah had helped her escape from the fire. After some initial frostiness, they had settled back into a tentative friendship.
The ball had been left in Olivia’s court so she could call when she was ready; but she never did. Although Noah was disappointed, he had promised to leave her alone, and resolved to do so.
His decision had upset Daniella, who kept grumbling about how miserable and bad-tempered he had become. She had attempted to fix him up with a handful of her friends, but there were no second dates. Noah always managed to find fault with every one of them.
‘Why don’t you just go and see her?’ she suggested, one afternoon in early spring when they were out on surveillance.
Noah shot her a look, but didn’t answer. They both knew who Daniella meant.
‘Has it ever crossed your mind that maybe she is reluctant to contact you?’
‘How have you reached that conclusion?’
‘You met her under false pretences and you’ve never really done anything to prove to her that she wasn’t just a job.’
‘I apologised for that.’
‘But did you properly apologise and convince her that you cared about her? Look at it from where Olivia is standing. You only got close to her because someone had hired you to investigate her and when you became involved with her, you kept the truth a secret. Then, when she found out what that truth was, you never got in contact to convince her that she had it wrong and that you do really care about her.’
‘I never got in touch with her because I was stuck in the middle of the woods cuffed to a bloody radiator.’
‘Details.’ Daniella waved her hand dismissively. ‘You had time after the fire to have that conversation, but instead she told you she needed a bit of time and you just said “Okay, bye”. She probably thought she was doing you a favour cutting you loose.’
Noah had scowled at that, dismissed her theory as stupid. Olivia knew he was sorry about everything that had happened. Still, Daniella’s comments stuck with him, playing on his mind. The next time he saw Jamie, he swallowed his pride and asked after Olivia.
Initially, Jamie seemed reluctant to talk about it, but then he admitted, ‘She’s found it tough.’ The truth had come out then about how much Olivia had struggled over the months following the fire, both with her confidence and with trusting people. Jamie suggested that what Daniella had said was true, that Olivia still believed she had just been a job to Noah. ‘That’s why she never got in touch. She figured if she really meant something to you, then you would have tried to fight for her.’
Jamie had looked contrite then, perhaps realising he had said too much. ‘She’s been doing a lot better in the last few weeks. She quit her job and has been working in the restaurant, and she’s been going out and socialising with friends more. She’s slowly building her confidence back up.’
‘That’s good. I’m pleased for her. Do me a favour and tell her I said hi, will you?’
‘Sure.’ Jamie hesitated. ‘You know, you could always stop by and tell her that in person. I think she would like that.’
A lot of things had changed for Olivia following the fire, some bad and some good.
She had initially gone to stay with her mother, unable to face returning to the home in Salhouse which she had shared with Molly.
It wasn’t just the memories, the house was just too big and empty, and she was far too jumpy. If the last few weeks had taught her anything, it was to practise caution and to be very afraid of the things that go bump in the night.
What had started as a couple of weeks over Christmas and New Year had turned into a much longer stay, and eventually she had realised that she couldn’t move back home. Instead she had put the house on the market and stayed with her mum and Jamie while she considered her options.
She had also quit her job at the estate agents. She lasted two hours when she returned in the New Year for the first time since the fire. Roger’s guilt-tripping that she had taken too much time off and Jeremy’s snide looks and comments seemed so childish and insignificant given everything she had gone through and the idea of having to spend day after day with either of them was excruciating. It wasn’t as if she was any good at selling houses anyway.
Elena had been delighted when Olivia had taken a waitressing job in the restaurant. It wasn’t permanent, but it was okay for now while Olivia decided on her next career move.
She had always kept her circle tight, but since Christmas she had made it even smaller, scared to let anyone new in.
Molly… Alice’s betrayal had left her reeling. The woman had managed to work her way into Olivia’s life and had shared her house. Knowing that she had been so easily duped had really scared her. It would be a long time before she could trust anyone new again.
Noah’s deception had been a little different, but no less hurtful. Olivia understood now that he had just been doing his job and that everything he had done was with the best of intentions. She had just been unlucky enough to be caught in the crossfire and to have fallen for him in the process.
He had redeemed himself in her eyes when he had helped her to escape from the cottage and she had clung to a hope that maybe his feelings for her were real and not just an act. But she had realised it wasn’t to be when she had asked for a little space and he couldn’t wait to give it to her. She hadn’t seen or heard from him again.
It was late afternoon on a warm day in April, and she was setting the tables in preparation for the evening reservations. Olivia was alone in the restaurant, with Jamie on a supplies run and Elena was out back in the kitchen.
‘I heard you quit your job.’
The door was propped open, so the bell hadn’t sounded. She jumped at the familiar voice, swinging round to see Noah standing by the bar.
‘I did.’ She blinked at him, caught off guard and a little unsure how to react. He looked good, really good, his tawny brown hair its usual scruffy mess and those green eyes as sharp as ever. ‘Selling houses wasn’t for me.’
‘So you’re working here full time now?’
‘For now, while I consider my options.’
Olivia put down the cutlery she was holding, moved closer, her heart thumping. She had thought after not seeing him for four months she might have started getting over him, but no, it seemed he still had the power to floor her, especially when his mouth curved up into that familiar crooked grin, his cheeks dimpling.
‘Why are you here, Noah?’
He took a step towards her, caught hold of her fingers, his grip loose, allowing her to pull away if she chose to. She didn’t. This close she could breathe in his warm familiar scent, hadn’t realised how much she had missed it.
‘I wanted to see how you’re doing.’
‘I’m good, I’m fine.’ She spoke the words lightly. It was easier that way.
‘I’ve missed you.’
For a moment she couldn’t speak. Four months she had waited for him to come and see her, to tell her that. Four months without a word. ‘Well I’ve been right here,’ she managed eventually.
‘I didn’t come because I thought you didn’t want to see me.’
‘Perhaps you should have at least tried.’ Her voice cracked on the last word and she cursed herself.
Noah was silent for a moment and then he dropped her hand. She hated that she instantly missed his touch.
‘You’re right, I should have.’ His hand went to her face, cupping her chin so that she was looking up at him, into that clear steady gaze. ‘I should have come to see you and I should have told you how much you really mean to me. I nearly lost you in the fire and then I let you walk away.’ The dimple cracked again. ‘In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m an idiot.’
‘Yes, you are.’
‘Can we try this again? No more secrets, no more lies, no more psychotic bitches.’ His eyes twinkled at that. ‘Just you and me?’
When she gave the faintest of nods, he closed the distance between them, kissed her nose and then her mouth. Soft, sweet and chaste, though she felt the fire beneath it.
‘I’ve missed you, Liv.’
Olivia slipped her arms around his neck, pulled him towards her for another kiss.
‘I’ve missed you too.’
