Their Secret Spring Fling - chapter four

‘New York isn’t that far from London,’ Archie said in the darkness of the parked car.

‘What are you suggesting?’

Archie’s question that they spend the night together had tripped something inside Polly: fear. She wanted to go with him, she wanted to spend the night with him so much it terrified her.

‘I’m not ready for this to end,’ Archie continued.

Polly wasn’t ready either, but what was the alternative? ‘A long-distance thing?’

‘Why not?’ he said.

In her experience, long distance was just a slow and painful way to end a doomed relationship. If neither was willing to uproot their life for the other, then what else wouldn’t they give up? What was the point of a relationship where neither person was prepared to compromise?

She didn’t want to say goodbye to Archie, but messing around with him for a few more months, or even longer, would only delay the inevitable. It would only hurt more when they did finally part. Archie wanted adventure—to know what was across the next ocean. Polly was ready for a change, but she didn’t want to give everything up for Archie.

‘I’m not sure…’

Besides, this was Archie. Her childhood tormentor. Her nemesis.

You don’t really still think that, do you?

Archie may not have been about to push her into a pool, but he still wasn’t offering commitment. He was seeking the next challenge. The next deal. Polly may not have known what she wanted, but she realised then that if she didn’t leave now, Archie had the potential to break her heart. Utterly and completely.

‘I think we need to end this, don’t you? It’ll be better for both of us in the long run. We always knew it was a holiday fling.’

We’re adults. We know the score. Neither of us will get hurt if we do this.

Those words seemed so careless now.

‘We can still enjoy tonight, can’t we?’ he asked, starting the car and pulling out onto the road.

‘No, I’d better go home. I told Mum I’d help her get ready for the party tomorrow night. There’s the cake to make, the decorations to organise.’

‘But we’ll see each other tomorrow.’

‘At the party.’

‘I meant before that. At the hotel?’

***

Archie drove Polly along the quiet street to her parents’ house. The longer it took her to answer his question, the larger the pit in his stomach grew. By the time they reached her house, she still hadn’t answered.

We’re adults. We know the score. Neither of us will get hurt if we do this.

Those words seemed so foolish now. After spending most of the last two weeks with her, he could hardly believe he’d been so nonchalant about it. This was Polly. He’d never treat her so casually.

But she was right, he realised. What else was he offering her but a holiday fling?

‘This has been lovely, but we both know it has to end, and I think we need to do the sensible adult thing, don’t you?’ she finally said.

What was the sensible adult thing? For a second Archie thought the answer was ‘get married’. Of course, that wasn’t what she meant.

‘We should say our goodbyes now. Tomorrow should be about Ken and Maisy, not us. Thank you, Archie, for a great holiday.’ She leant over and brushed her lips gently across his cheek, but his skin turned to stone under them. His body was suddenly heavy, immobile. Frozen.

He couldn’t speak, but it was just as well. He didn’t trust himself to say something he wouldn’t later regret. When he heard the click of the door behind her, he groaned and rested his head on the steering wheel.

He didn’t know what he wanted. But he knew what he didn’t want. He didn’t want to lose Polly.

He wanted Polly.

And he wanted her every day. And every night.

Don’t be ridiculous, a voice told him. This is a holiday thing. She knows it, even if you don’t. Neither of you are cut out for commitment. You both have busy jobs. And you live on different continents. Get a grip.

He wanted adventure, excitement. They both did. That was why they’d left Diamond Bay in the first place. Archie drew a deep breath and restarted the car. Saying goodbye to Polly would be hard, but it was the way things had to be.

***

Polly dragged herself through the next day in a daze, her feet heavy, her heart aching. Saying goodbye to Archie had been one of the most difficult things she ever had to do in her life, but she was relieved to have done it. Every further moment she spent with Archie just made things harder.

Polly waited at the entrance of the hotel for the guests to arrive. Her mother had told her several times how beautiful she looked, with her long hair loose in glossy waves around her shoulders, wearing a long rose-coloured gown. Her appearance didn’t match the turmoil inside her. Her heart was cracking, but she told herself she should be relieved. By saying goodbye first, she had a chance to salvage her heart, she had a chance to recover. If she’d waited for Archie to say those words, as he inevitably would, it might just destroy her.

Archie Thompson.

How was it possible to feel so much for one person?

Irritation, sometimes, but also gratitude. Affection.

And desire.

And love?

She might be thinking of the next steps in her life. She might be thinking about opening her life and her heart to someone else. She might even be wondering if she could share it with Archie, but that was irrelevant because he wasn’t thinking any of those things.

***

The guests began to trickle in. Most of the town was there; everyone knew Ken and Maisy and wanted to congratulate them. The irony of the evening was a gentle torture for Polly. Her grandparents were celebrating seventy-five years of marriage and she was celebrating the end of another relationship.

Polly busied herself welcoming all the guests, trying not to think about Archie, but all her senses went into overdrive when he finally walked in with his mother and stepfather. He was dressed more formally than the rest of the crowd, in a suit that looked as though it had come from the boutiques of Mayfair, tailored to fit his figure perfectly. In his light blue tie that made his already bright blue eyes brilliant. She watched him scan the room, and when those blue eyes found her, they clouded and he simply nodded, but made no move to come over to her.

She thought she might burst into tears. This wasn’t how this holiday was meant to go. She was meant to have a break, go back to New York refreshed. Instead she was going to return with a broken mess of a heart.

She moved around the room smiling, making only the minimum small talk. Anything else was impossible. She was crumbling inside.

Archie was sitting and speaking with her grandparents, so she was staying as far away as possible, but when her grandmother caught her eye and waved her over to where they were seated on the balcony, Polly released a quiet groan. She couldn’t rebuff her ninety-five-year-old grandmother. Archie jumped up and offered her his chair. ‘I was just leaving,’ he said.

‘You stay,’ Maisy ordered. ‘Get another chair.’

Great. Matchmaking. If only she knew.

‘We’re so glad you both came back. We are absolutely touched,’ Ken said.

‘I wouldn’t have missed it. I miss you both so much,’ Polly said. Despite the frequent video calls, she didn’t see them enough.

‘We miss you too, but we are so proud of you. Of both of you.’ Maisy reached for Archie’s hand too. ‘Diamond Bay was always too small for the pair of you. Always looking for the next adventure. You’re both so brave.’

Polly nodded. It was true, but now she didn’t feel brave. She just felt like running away.

***

Polly looked gorgeous, wearing a stunning deep pink dress, her long dark hair tumbling like silk around her shoulders. He wanted to reach for her. Hold her hand. Press her to him. He wanted her so much it was a marvel he was still managing to breathe sitting next to her.

‘Congratulations again. Seventy-five years. It’s amazing,’ he said.

‘It’s easy when you marry someone so wonderful,’ Ken said, smiling at Maisy.

Archie couldn’t imagine the life they had shared, so many years. He knew marriage must be harder than Ken was making out. Not that it mattered. He was never going to be married for seventy-five years. He probably wouldn’t be married at all.

‘What do you like most about being married?’ Archie asked.

‘Not having to go on Tinder dates,’ replied Ken. ‘They sound awful.’

Archie laughed. ‘They can be, yes.’

He stole a quick glance at Polly but couldn’t tell if she was about to cry. Or laugh.

Ken’s expression turned serious. ‘Having a person. A person who is your memory, the keeper of your heart. Having a person who knows you better than you know yourself.’

‘It hasn’t all been perfect,’ Maisy continued. ‘It isn’t all passion and flowers and fun. It’s hard work. But that’s what makes it worthwhile. Because life isn’t always fun. It’s challenging and heartbreaking, but having someone by your side makes it bearable.’

Archie didn’t dare look at Polly. ‘What did you notice about him first?’ he heard her ask her grandmother.

‘His eyes. And his backside. He had the tightest muscles—’

Polly coughed on her champagne. ‘Grandma!’ she exclaimed. Archie knew his own face was bright red.

‘What?’ Maisy chuckled. ‘He did!’

‘But how did you know he was the one for you?’ Polly asked.

‘I didn’t,’ Maisy said, and Ken laughed. ‘I didn’t marry him thinking we’d be together for seventy-five years. Heavens no. If you want guarantees like that, you’d never be able to do anything.’

Archie let those words sit with him for a moment. She was telling him it was alright that he wasn’t sure. She was telling him that sometimes you just had to take a chance. Could he take a chance with Polly? All his life he’d shunned commitment. But had he been wrong about that?

‘Rumour has it that you pair have been sneaking out together and spending time upstairs here,’ Ken said.

It was Archie’s turn to nearly choke on his beer. Luckily, Polly hadn’t been mid-sip or she surely would have covered her grandparents with a mouthful of champagne.

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she spluttered.

‘You think you can keep a secret in this town? Exactly how long have you been away?’

Polly’s cheeks were flushed a pretty pink, but that only reminded him of the breathless days spent in the room above them. The room just above where they were sitting now.

‘Um, yes, well, we’ve been spending some time together,’ Archie said, hoping the answer would satisfy Ken and Maisy.

‘Some time? I hear you’ve built quite the love nest upstairs,’ Maisy said.

‘I…’ Archie had experienced some awkward moments in his life, but this one topped them all. His thoughts floated above his body as he spoke. His mouth was not his own. But he had to say it, for Polly’s sake. ‘We’re just friends, that’s all.’

‘That’s right, just old friends,’ Polly agreed.

He didn’t risk looking at her.

‘I’m not trying to get you both to move back here. Diamond Bay isn’t for everyone,’ Maisy said. ‘And thank goodness it isn’t. Otherwise, everyone would come here. You were both always so adventurous. Always looking for excitement and something new. Isn’t marriage the greatest adventure of all?’

***

Polly forced a smile. If her grandparents knew how much her heart was breaking, surely they wouldn’t be saying all these things in front of her?

Archie couldn’t make his excuses to get out of there fast enough and thankfully her grandparents didn’t insist he stay. More well-wishers came to speak to the happy couple and Polly managed to slip away. She needed to go outside, get some air.

And maybe get an earlier flight home.

With her heart racing and the room closing in on her, she slipped outside and to the low stone wall overlooking the bay. Back to where they’d sat that first night.

Isn’t marriage the greatest adventure of all?

As she reached the wall, she heard a voice echoing her own thoughts. ‘That was some relationship advice.’

Inside, Polly crumpled. Couldn’t they just leave things as they were? They’d said their goodbyes. Why drag it out? But at the same time, there was nowhere in the world she’d rather be than with Archie. She was almost powerless to leave.

‘Seventy-five years, they probably know what they’re talking about,’ she said, lowering herself onto the wall next to him.

‘Probably,’ he agreed.

They sat still, letting the cool breeze and the sound of the breaking waves wash over them.

‘I never thought of this as just a fling,’ Archie said suddenly, turning his whole body to face her. ‘It’s okay if you did, and I know I made you think that, but I just wanted you to know that I wouldn’t treat you like that. I’m sorry about pushing you into the pool, I’m sorry about not telling you who I was at Brendan’s party, but I do want to see you again. I want to see if we can find a way to make this work. I don’t know how exactly, but I want us to figure it out together. Polly, I adore you. I’m not ready for this to end.’

Archie’s words stopped Polly’s world. Her thoughts, her plans, everything stood still. Had she heard him correctly?

With her heart in her throat, Polly tried to speak in a way that made sense, even as she struggled with her feelings herself.

‘I’m not ready for this to end either.’ And then she took all of her bravery, every ounce of her spirit, and said, ‘But I don’t want a part-time relationship with you. Or a long-distance one.’

‘I don’t want that either. I want us to be together. Live together.’ He picked up her hand and clasped it in his.

‘Really?’

‘Yes, really. I’m in, Polly. I don’t want anyone else. For as long as I live.’

‘I don’t want to be with anyone else either.’ She squeezed his hand and moved closer to him. ‘I just want to be with you.’

When she leant into his arms, everything fell into place. She may not have known everything—where they would live, what they would do—but she knew they would be together.

‘I’ll come to New York if you like. I’ll go wherever you want. I want to have another adventure, but I want my next adventure to be with you.’

Archie understood her like no one else. He was her past and now her future too.