Page 86 of Plot Twist

‘I hope so,’ Bridget mused.

I hesitated, wondering if my announcement would be classed as something going wrong, but I had to tell Bridget and Ellie my plans to leave. I couldn’t hold off on breaking the news any longer, given I was leaving the next day.

‘I’m booked to go home tomorrow,’ I blurted out. ‘I’m sorry to tell you on your big night but if I didn’t tell you now, I wasn’t sure when I’d get the chance. I’m sorry to let you down, too, just as the twins are arriving and the business is opening. I feel awful about it. But, I have to go.’

My eyes flew to Ivy as she danced in the middle of the floor like no one was watching.

The job as their receptionist would have been a dream come true. It could have solved all of my problems, for the short term, at least. But now, with a big dark cloud hanging over my head and Riley probably dancing somewhere close by with Ivy’s mum, I couldn’t stay.

‘We understand,’ Bridget whispered, although her puppy dog eyes betrayed her.

‘We didn’t just want you to be our receptionist,’ Ellie said, placing her hand on mine. ‘Just so you know. We’ll miss you. I wish you could hang around and meet the twins. More than anything.’

Another two hearts I wasn’t willing to tamper with.

‘I’ll miss you, too,’ I whispered but the words were cut short as someone called my name. Ellie glanced down and murmured something about checking a cottage and Bridget followed swiftly behind her.

The music took on a slower pace and I watched the fairy lights glittering all around the dance floor. Bridget and Ellie were in the centre; Ellie swayed from side to side, then whispered something into Bridget’s ear, who threw back her head and exploded into raucous laughter.

‘May I have this dance?’

Riley stood in front of me, his hand outstretched.

I wondered if he was joking, but one look at his expression and I realised he was deadly serious.

‘You’ve got to be kidding,’ I said, folding my arms in front of my body.

‘I don’t kid, Becca. Not about dancing, anyway. Come on,’ he said, grabbing my hand.

He pulled me in so close that I felt his breath on my cheek. Swaying from side to side to our own rhythm, I glided along beside him. I wasn’t sure what the song was but as he held me tighter, I thought of Jackie warning me to back off.

And the cancer letter, burning a hole in the coffee table at my flat.

‘Are you OK?’ he whispered.

‘Just thinking,’ I replied.

His breath became hotter on my neck and his body pressed up against mine.

‘It’s so beautiful, isn’t it?’

‘You are so full of shit,’ I whispered back, grinning.

‘Ah Jaysus, Becca, give me a break. I’m a romance writer. I live for this kind of thing. Let me just soak it all up. The lights, the music, the mood, not having to debate with Ivy about her bedtime over and over again. It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of and more. And you look beautiful, by the way.’

‘It’s your sister’s dress,’ I replied with a shrug. ‘I didn’t pack anything this fancy.’

He twirled me around and pulled me closer again, his hand clutching mine. There were so many questions swirling around in my mind, I didn’t even know where to start. But instead, we danced wordlessly and moved together in a perfect rhythm. It was all too intense for a man with a child. With a partner. And me, with possible cancer.

‘I have to go,’ I said, pulling away from him.

‘Wait,’ he said, pulling me back. ‘I know this is all so fucked up, with Jackie back on the scene, but can we talk about it?’

‘I’m sorry, Riley. There’s just too much going on now,’ I said. ‘You and Jackie are still sorting things out and I don’t want to confuse or disappoint Ivy. She’s been through enough. When she told me she’d seen her mum in the playground last week before she came back and I—’

He stopped suddenly and frowned slightly, moving his hands away from mine.

‘What do you mean?’ Riley asked, staring me straight in the eye. ‘When did she see Jackie in the playground?’