Doing the Right Thing (31 page)

“Do you want the good news first or the bad?”

“The bad.”

“I’ve packed trousers with a hole in the knee, two dirty tops, a thin jacket and a pair of walking boots. There’s no sweater, no winter jacket, no toothbrush, no other shoes.”

“What’s the good news?”

“No underwear.”

Will laughed. “Do we pass anywhere we could buy you a toothbrush?”

Addie looked at her watch. It was nearly three. “Meadowhall shopping center at Sheffield, although this time of year it also goes by the name of Dante’s Inferno.”

“I didn’t hear you mention a dress. I was hoping for that red tube. We’ll look for another one. When you come to London, I’ll take you shopping.”

“London?”

“Come and work for me,” Will said.

Addie’s heart did acrobatics. “Can a company have two managing directors?”

Will laughed. “I thought I’d start you off as tea lady.”

“Not sex slave?”

He groaned.

“This is the turn,” Addie said. “Stay in the left-hand lane.”

Tell her about the baby
, Will repeated in his head, but the words wouldn’t come out of his mouth because they were trapped in his throat. Addie’s eyes were shining. She clutched his hand like a teenager and he couldn’t do it. He’d wait. Will wanted to show her how much she meant to him before he told her about the baby, because if he said something now, she’d catch a train home.

He watched her as she took in the elaborate Christmas decorations in the shopping center, the singing penguins and animated polar bears. There was something infectiously child-like about her joy and Will could feel his heart coming back to life, scars inflicted by Vee healed by Addie. He wanted a child just like her, a little girl who was gentle and funny and kind. Not one like Vee who was shallow and pretentious.

Will tried to swallow the lump in his throat and failed. What could he offer Addie? He loved her and he couldn’t even bring himself to tell her.

By the time they were outside, the temperature had dropped and fat white flakes fell from the sky.

“Oh, it’s snowing.” Addie tipped her head up and closed her eyes.

“You should have let me buy you a coat.” Will put his arm around her.

“I’m fine.”

Will saw her shiver. “No, you’re not.”

He turned but the center was closing. Addie tugged him toward the car.

“I’m not letting you buy me a coat. I didn’t want to let you pay for all this other stuff.”

Will looked at her face and knew if he’d just told Vee he wanted to buy her a coat, she’d have wheedled her way back into the shopping center and gone straight to the designer labels.

A snowflake dropped onto Addie’s cheek and Will kissed it away. Addie pressed herself against him and Will wrapped her in his arms.

“I don’t deserve you,” he whispered. “But when I’m with you, I feel as though I’ve started to breathe again.” He held her away from his body, his hands on her shoulders, and looked into her eyes. Will felt like his heart had leapt from his chest into Addie’s hands. It was up to her whether she gave it back or threw it on the ground. “I’ve been such a shit to you, Addie. I’m so sorry. Can you forgive me?”

She smiled. “Yes.”

“Oh God, that was too easy. Don’t forgive me so quickly.”

Will lowered his mouth to hers, teasing her upper lip with his teeth before sliding his tongue along the length of her mouth. He kissed her while the snow fell all around them and Will thought he could have stood there forever because he never wanted to let her go.

It continued to snow as they drove through Derbyshire and into Nottinghamshire, but until they turned off the motorway it hadn’t settled. Now, Addie saw ridges growing at the sides of the road, trees and bushes sporting their own winter coats.

She had a map book on her lap and a sheet of paper with directions to the hotel.

Will said his satellite navigation system was on the blink.

“I am a brilliant navigator,” she sang along to a song playing on the radio.

“I’m not so sure about that. This is the third time we’ve circled Kidderminster. Left or right at the next junction?” Will asked.

Addie scratched her finger over the map but didn’t speak.

“Turn the book the right way up,” Will said. “It might make me feel more confident.”

“I need it that way round so I can tell right from left.”

He groaned. “So is it left or right?”

“Shall I guess?”

Will winced. “Tell me the road number.”

“The A4117.”

Several minutes later Addie spoke again. “Er, did I say the A4117?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.”

“Why?”

“I think it should be the A4112.”

“So are we lost?”

“No, we’re fine. Keep going.”

When she hadn’t been looking at the snow, Addie had been distracted by Will.

Every so often, he’d reach over and run his hand up her leg and Addie would squirm.

When she tried to do the same back to him, he made her stop. She could see why and grinned. But every so often, her fingers crept back to his stiff cock and Will moaned.

Everything looked beautiful. Fat snowflakes raced toward the windscreen as though they traveled at warp speed in a galaxy of stars. The landscape was changing into something magical. Hedges were draped with crocheted blankets and stone walls transformed into piles of marshmallows. Snow had softened the edges of the world, hiding the faults and flaws, making it perfect. Addie loved it. She glanced at Will and thought she’d never been happier.

“Next left,” she said with more confidence than she felt.

“Are you sure?”

“Do not question the navigator.”

Two minutes later, the road began to narrow. “I think I meant right.”

“Do you want me to turn round?”

Addie was impressed that he still sounded patient. David would’ve had his hands round her neck by now. Even Finn lost his temper when Addie navigated.

“Yes, please.”

“Where exactly are we, Addie?”

“We’re on a red road. Or it might be that yellow one. I can’t tell. There’s too much snow.”

“The roads aren’t actually red and yellow.” Will laughed.

“Ha ha, very funny. But it’s definitely Staffordshire.”

“We’re supposed to be in Shropshire!” He looked across at her.

Addie grinned. Then it was as if they’d been shaken in a snow globe. Visibility plummeted as white flakes flew at them from every direction.

“Shit.” Will slowed right down.

Within a short time the road was covered. If Addie had been the one behind the wheel she’d have stopped, but Will drove on. There were hardly any other vehicles around, but every time she saw headlights, Addie shut her eyes and gripped the side of her seat.

“Have you got your eyes closed?” Will asked.

“Yes.”

He chuckled. “Don’t worry, Addie. I know how to drive in snow. No slamming on brakes, maintain high revs and take it steady. Do you want a go?”

“No.”

“So which way at the crossroads?”

Addie opened her eyes again and shivered when she saw the amount of snow. “I’m very sorry, but I have no idea.”

Will skidded to a halt at the junction. “Roughly where are we?”

Addie handed him the map book. “In here.”

“And a little more precisely.”

“Page fifty-six. The left-hand side.”

Ten minutes later they were back on a main road. Conditions had improved and there were signs of civilization.

“I didn’t realize Ludlow was so near the arctic,” Addie muttered.

“I was going to call at a pub, but I’m not sure we ought to stop now. Are you starving?”

“Only for you,” Addie said and then groaned.

“I wish you hadn’t said that.”

“I was lying. I’m desperate for food. I could eat an elephant.” Addie smacked her lips. “Umm, roast elephant.”

Will sighed. “You have exotic tastes.”

By the time they pulled into the drive of the Richmond Manor Hotel, they’d laughed so much their faces ached. Addie had begun to hope everything would turn out right.

“Addie, we…”

“Yes?”

“We’re booked in separate rooms,” he began. “But—”

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’ll be careful. Knock three times fast and three times slow and say, ‘Open sesame.’ I might let you in.”

“Or I could give you a key?”

“That would work.”

They walked into the reception to find Genghis standing in front of a blazing log fire talking to Ed.

“Hey, you made it,” Ed said. “How was the journey?”

“Terrible. I had a navigator who thought the M42 was a river.”

“It was blue on the map,” Addie said.

Genghis almost choked on her drink she laughed so hard.

Addie smiled at Ed and went up to the reception desk. “Addie Winter,” she said.

“Welcome to Richmond Manor, Miss Winter. You’re in Room 27 on the first floor.

One key or two?”

“Two.” Then stalled for a moment. “Er, in case I lose one. I’ve lost my house keys twice in the past year.” She knew she should shut up before she looked a complete idiot, but no, she kept going, aiming for absolute idiot. “Once down a drain and once in a taxi.” The annoying thing was it was true.

The guy pushed two keys across the counter. “Don’t worry about these. They’re only plastic cards. Breakfast is served from six thirty in the morning room. The pools and hot tubs are open until ten thirty at night. The restaurant has stopped serving dinner, but I could get chef to rustle up something for you.”

Addie felt Will at her shoulder, his hand on her bottom, hidden from view by his body.

“Do you want the chef to cook something?” Addie asked.

“So long as it’s not elephant.”

“But you promised,” Addie whispered.

“I was thinking of an omelet,” the desk clerk suggested, looking worried.

“Elephant omelet.” Addie licked her lips. “Do they lay eggs?”

“Not sure. Maybe we should go for cheese,” Will suggested.

“Cheese would be fine,” Addie agreed and turned to the clerk. “What room was mine again?”

“Twenty-seven.”

Will had to have heard that, Addie thought, and slipped a key into his hand.

Will collected his own keys and was making for the stairs when Ed pulled him to one side.

“I’ve had ten missed calls from Vee and a vitriolic voice mail demanding to know why the fuck neither you nor I had our phones switched on.”

“I’ll ring her.”

“Have you talked to Addie?”

“Yes, all the way here.” Will smiled. “Ed, she’s just great. She’s so funny and sexy and she doesn’t know it. I don’t think I’ve ever—”

“About the baby,” Ed said.

Will’s smile faded. “Not yet.”

From the moment he had Addie in his car, Will had tried to find the right moment to tell her. It had been on the tip of his tongue several times and then the moment had passed either because Addie was so happy or he’d lost his courage. He had to tell her more than about the baby. He had to be honest and that meant telling her that he’d slept with Vee since she’d come to Leeds. Well, not slept with. Fucked in the bathroom. Only once, but that didn’t make it any better.

If there had never been any chance of Vee and Addie meeting again, he might have risked being selective with the truth, but Vee would do anything she could to ruin this so Will had to take the risk of ruining it himself. He had to tell Addie that he was weak, that he’d said yes to Vee when he should have said no. But later. He just wanted a few nights with Addie without fear of interruption. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, make her believe him.

Addie walked up the red carpeted staircase feeling like a queen. The hotel had once been a stately home, occupied by Lord and Lady somebody or other. Maybe they’d been clock collectors because there were timepieces of every shape and size all over the place. The ticking would have driven Addie mad. Along with the clocks, huge oil paintings of grim-looking people lined the walls.

On the first floor, a long galleried landing led to several bedrooms. Addie’s was at the end. The light was already on in the room. Her mouth fell open as she stepped inside. More paintings and elaborate gilded furniture made the place look like a museum. Addie expected to see a red cord preventing her from entering and signs on the chairs saying “Do not use”. A huge chandelier hung above a sumptuous bed. She dropped her bags, closed the door and explored.

A basket of fruit sat on a side table together with a little box containing four chocolates. Three. Two. Addie sucked the last dark truffle into her mouth and groaned.

The bathroom was another marvel, but for its modernity. It had a large, free-standing tub and a separate shower. Twin glass washbasins hovered in midair below illuminated mirrors with crinkled glass edges. This was a different world and she was going to be different in it.

She’d just stripped off to change when the phone rang.

“What are you doing?” Will asked.

Addie smiled when she heard his voice. “Checking to see if I can lick my nipples.”

“Oh God.” He made a strangled noise.

Addie tucked the phone between her head and her ear, retrieved a newly purchased dress and slipped it on.

“Ooh, I can,” she whispered. “But I’d rather you did it. Will? Will?”

Addie became aware that she was talking to no one.

“You little minx,” he muttered, closing the door behind him. “You lied.”

“Did I?” Addie gave a sly grin.

“I thought I’d better check the key worked.” Will pulled her into his arms, sweeping his hands over her bottom to pin her against his body. “I’m next door, but I think I might have given the game away when I asked for two keys because I always lose mine down drains and in taxis.”

“You didn’t say that?” Addie asked in horror.

“Miss Gullible.”

“Mr. Tease.”

“Miss Striptease.”

Will ran his thumbs over her nipples. Addie’s insides clenched and lust surged through her veins in a flood tide.

“One kiss before we go downstairs?” Will asked.

“You know what will happen. We’ll never eat.”

“You’re right. Though it kills me to say it, put on your shoes.”

Will couldn’t taste the food. It was fuel and that was all. He ordered a bottle of red wine and that was fuel too. All he could think about was getting back upstairs. He could barely keep his hands off her. If the tablecloth had been longer, he might have risked sliding his hand up her thigh and making her come but the cloth wasn’t long and the waiter hovered, anxious for them to finish.
Not as anxious as me.
He watched Addie eat, willed her to hurry. His cock ached. His balls ached. His head ached with desire.