The Holiday Swap

by Zara Stoneley

  He looked so caring, as though he really did want to know, that she suddenly felt awkward. ‘Well, yes and no. I mean I’m always so busy at home and I felt at a bit of a loose end. That sounds stupid in a place like this, doesn’t it?’

  He shrugged. ‘Not really.’

  ‘I mean, I know there’s loads of places to go and see, and Flo left me a massive list, but I needed to do something more—’

  ‘Physical?’

  Physical. That was it, that’s why she’d had that weird dream. It was her brain telling her she needed to be more active. With Javier. She gulped. Scrub that image. She’d gone all hot again, hotter than she already was, even though she hadn’t thought that was possible. Just the way he was so close, and the way he said ‘physical’. There was only one way her muddled-up mind wanted to take it. And there she was thinking her libido had gone into permanent hibernation. This was SO inappropriate.

  He was watching her, waiting. Nice, inviting, not at all suggesting anything sexual in any way, shape, or form. If she could she’d bang her head on something. Then he really would think she was a head-case. ‘Er, yes, I suppose. I ride every day, muck out, take Mabel in the fields, and haul dogs in and out of the bath.’

  ‘What a glamorous life you lead.’ He grinned.

  ‘Told you, country hick me.’

  ‘You look sad.’

  ‘Oh I’m not, honest. I was just thinking about how different it is here, and I was being soppy. She’s only a dog.’ Well that’s what Jimmy always told her.

  ‘Oh no,’ Javier suddenly stopped dead as his mobile phone beeped. ‘Is that the time? Hell, I’ve got to go and meet Gabi. Look I’m sorry, I didn’t realise we’d been—’

  ‘Moving so slowly? My fault. You go, I’m fine now my legs are working again.’

  ‘Take it easy.’

  ‘I will – after I’ve got up the eighty-five steps to the apartment.’

  His hands were on her arms, the warmth drifting through her body like a drug and it took all her willpower not to lean in towards him and kiss that gorgeous mouth. ‘I am sorry, Daisy. Look, I’ll catch you later. I’ll call.’

  ‘Sure, don’t worry if you’re busy.’

  ‘Drink plenty of water. You sure you’ll be okay? You look a bit wobbly still.’

  She’d be okay if he didn’t keep looking at her in that earnest way. It was the touch of his skin against hers that was making her feel like she was about to dissolve. She swallowed and put on her best smile. ‘I’ll be fine, I’ll drink.’ And never, ever go jogging again. ‘Go, Gabi will be waiting.’ He had a girl. She had a boy. A boy called Jimmy that she had to talk to as soon as she could.

  ‘Hey,’ he grinned, ‘she’s not only a dog, she’s your dog.’ Then with a wink he turned and was jogging back up the beach.

  ***

  ‘Are you busy?’

  ‘Let me think about that.’ Well, she’d got up. Had breakfast. Stood on the balcony in the sun and watched people. Which left only one thing on the ‘compulsory for today’ list – check how Flo was doing. ‘No, not exactly rushed off my feet. I was just writing another list actually.’

  He laughed. ‘Forget the list, I’m downstairs waiting for you.’

  She shook her head. She’d begun to think Flo must have instructed Javier to make daily checks on her, in much the same way she made daily checks on Barney’s fence. ‘You can come up if you like.’

  ‘It’s okay, best if you come down. I’ll be here.’

  He was. Right outside the door, his back to the wall. He pushed away and turned slowly round when she opened the door.

  ‘Meet Poppy.’

  Poppy was a dachshund. A wriggling bundle of chocolate-and-tan gorgeousness with the biggest, darkest eyes she’d ever seen. And she looked quite indignant at being presented in Javier’s large, capable hands.

  ‘Oh my God, she’s adorable. Totally gorgeous.’ The heat of silly tears prickled at the back of her eyes and she didn’t know if she should laugh or cry. Or just look daft. Then Poppy licked her hand and sealed the deal. She was in love.

  Javier laughed and passed the little dachshund over. ‘I thought you’d like her.’

  She stroked the silky soft ears, felt the wonderful warmth of her doggy body, and the little dog buried its nose under her arm. ‘Where on earth did you get…? Is she yours?’

  ‘No, not mine, I’m not around enough. She belongs to my sister, but I asked if I could borrow her for a few hours. You looked so sad when you were talking about Mabel yesterday, I know it’s not the same as having your own dog, but it was the best I could do.’ He shrugged his broad shoulders and grinned. Gosh how much gorgeousness could she cope with in one day?

  ‘Oh thank you.’ She acted on impulse, reaching out and hugging him, then quickly retreated when he flinched and she realised what she’d done. ‘Sorry.’ It was a family joke that she didn’t ‘do’ hugging or kissing, and now she was throwing herself all over a man she hardly knew. First she’d stumbled over him yesterday, literally asked him to give her the kiss of life, and now she was draping herself all over him just because he’d handed her a dog. ‘You’re welcome.’ He didn’t seem too flustered, but she hung onto Poppy a bit tighter just in case he decided it was safer to make a quick exit and tried to take her with him. But he probably hadn’t noticed, after all he was half Spanish and they did the whole big hugs and double kisses. It was just her that took the whole British reserve thing to extremes. ‘Not quite an Irish Wolfhound.’

  She laughed. ‘She’s adorable, and size doesn’t matter.’ He laughed at that. ‘It’s daft really, I’ve not been gone long and she probably hasn’t missed me at all, she’s only bothered about sitting in front of the fire, and food.’

  ‘It’s not daft,’ the steady blue gaze didn’t waiver, ‘it’s nice to care that much.’

  Nice or, as Jimmy said, a little bit mad.

  ‘I get it, I like dogs myself. I’d have one if I didn’t work such crazy hours in the summer season. Come on, let’s walk.’

  She put Poppy down reluctantly. ‘No lead?’

  ‘She’s a typical Barcelona dog, she thinks she’s a person. No lead, visits bars, eats in restaurants.’

  ‘You’re kidding?’

  ‘Well she doesn’t get a plate, but people here are pretty relaxed about dogs.’

  ‘I saw a pig yesterday when I was walking back.’

  ‘That doesn’t surprise me one bit.’

  ‘It was on a lead though.’

  There was, it seemed, a dog-walking time in Barcelona, which she hadn’t really noticed before. And it was a little community all on its own. Even if she didn’t know the other dogs and owners along the route, Poppy did, and all Javier and Daisy could do was smile as she said her morning hello’s to some, and snubbed others.

  ‘She’s a real little madam.’

  ‘Determined, like you.’

  ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

  ‘Well some of this scares you to death, doesn’t it? But you’re determined to do it.’

  ‘I’m enjoying myself, it’s just different. I’m not exactly scared, just, well it is all so different. Does it show that much?’

  ‘No, not at all. I just like to watch you watching them, as it were.’

  She frowned. ‘Watching me watching them?’

  ‘Well you people-watch, don’t you? And you care, you react. Sometimes you’re shocked, surprised, it’s like seeing the city through new eyes. I guess most people just don’t react much.’

  ‘Oh but they must. It’s beautiful, amazing.’ She stopped abruptly. ‘What on earth is that?’ She whispered and nudged him in the ribs so that he turned to look into a bar window at the food.

  Javier laughed. ‘That’s pulpo, octopus.’

  ‘Eww, should I try it?’

  ‘You’re funny.’

  ‘You have just got to take me on one of your tapas tours soon. I haven’t tried half of those things on sticks.’

  ‘Pintxos. Don’t wor
ry, I’ll take you. You can have a private tour if you want. We’ll do stuff, I promise.’ He patted her hand, then shouted over to Poppy, who was barking at a very large Labrador.

  ‘That would be lovely, if you’re not too busy.’

  ‘Stop mentioning me being busy, I’ll tell you if I am.’ He scooped Poppy up and she licked his chin. ‘I suppose we better get back, hadn’t we poppet?’

  The poppet wriggled.

  ‘This was so kind of you, thank you, I appreciate it. Really. Some people would just think I’m daft.’

  He put one finger under her chin. ‘I don’t think that at all.’

  She didn’t know what had got into her, but she went up on her tiptoes and leant forward the few inches she needed and kissed his generous mouth. Well, she went to kiss his cheek, but he moved slightly. Honest. It was just a quick touch against his full, slightly dry, lips. Lips that parted slightly. It was an instant, the slightest brush, but it was nothing like the fleeting kisses she shared with Jimmy.

  The scent of him teased at her senses, sending her stomach tumbling and she closed her eyes. She wanted to kiss him properly, linger long enough to feel the pressure of his mouth against hers, to savour the unfamiliar taste.

  Her chin brushed against the stubble of his and she started guiltily, brought back to her senses. What was she playing at? What on earth had made her do that?

  What did she do now? Kiss the other cheek to make up? Kiss the dog?

  ‘Daisy?’

  ‘Sorry.’ She patted Poppy on the head, being careful to miss all contact with his hand, and definitely miss all eye contact.

  ‘Daisy?’

  Okay, she’d have to look up. Embarrassment corner. ‘It wasn’t… I didn’t mean … I know you’re married and…’

  ‘I’m not married,’ he paused, ‘or anything.’ his voice was soft, firm.

  ‘You’re not? But…’ She’d seen him with the amazingly pretty girl, called Gabi, a girl that he’d been so pleased to see that first night she’d met him.

  ‘It ended a while ago. We’ve stayed friends, but,’ he shifted awkwardly, ‘it’s just I’m not in the perfect place for a relationship right now,’ he shrugged, ‘if you can understand that? My life’s a bit all over the place. I’ve got responsibilities, people that rely—’

  ‘I can understand, nor am I. I didn’t mean anything by …’

  ‘Fine, my misunderstanding, it’s just…’

  ‘I know, I don’t normally kiss… it was a sudden… an impulse.’

  ‘You seem to be getting a lot of those lately.’

  She was. Dangerous out-of-character impulses. ‘Yeah, and they’re not working out that well, are they?’ She ran a finger down Poppy’s long nose, and let her lick it. ‘Please say thank you to your sister.’

  ‘I will. Daisy, I like you,’ he was waiting for her to look at him again, ‘really like you, but you need to know where I’m coming from, and you’ll be off home soon. I don’t want to hurt anybody, I…’

  ‘Javier stop. I didn’t mean anything, honest. I’ll see you around okay? Bye Poppy.’

  ‘Daisy?’ He put a hand out to stop her opening the door, ‘what did you mean yesterday when you said the freedom had gone to your head? At the beach.’

  ‘Oh nothing. Just a figure of speech.’

  She shut the door and belted up the stairs, regretting it after two flights when she ran out of breath and had to literally crawl up the rest. She really had to get a handle on this pacing herself business. When she got to the top she collapsed on the sofa.

  Oh God, a man was nice to her, and she had an irresistible urge to kiss him, and maybe jump him. Which was so not her, she couldn’t remember ever doing that. Not even to Jimmy. She was having a mid-life crisis, the sun had gone to her head. Maybe she needed to go home before she did something really daft. Or frightened the very nice Javier off. Maybe she already had.

  So which was the real Daisy? What did she really want? Was she the mad, impulsive girl who decided to stay in Barcelona, kiss strangers, and jog along the beach? Or did she need Mabel, Barney, and maybe even Jimmy to keep her feet on the ground and stop her making a complete and utter fool of herself?

  She rubbed her palms over her eyes. She’d kissed Javier because she was happy, because she was on a high. Because he’d been kind. Because she really shouldn’t be getting married to Jimmy.

  She picked up her mobile. ‘Javier, thanks for bringing Poppy, I love her. Can we do tapas soon? Please?’ she could have added, I promise not to kiss you ever again, but thought that was better forgotten. Ignored. ‘I need to tell you about my list’ the new list she’d been writing when he’d arrived, ‘and my dizzy head.’

  Chapter 14 – Flo. Home sweet home?

  Flo did not sleep well. Her dreams were filled with vivid images of her licking Hugo’s scar, which then turned into a snake and gave her a deadly bite. It didn’t take Freud to work out that one. Maybe Tippermere wasn’t that good an idea after all. Had she jumped from the Oli frying pan into the much more lethal Hugo fire?

  ‘Should I go home? What do you think Mabel?’ This had all seemed a brilliant idea, and she did love being back in Cheshire. But she wasn’t sure it loved her. She couldn’t exactly spend two weeks hiding from her next-door neighbour, even if he was insufferable. But there was nobody else to talk to. And Barney had decided she was a pushover, so idyllic hacks in the country weren’t high on the agenda. To sort him she’d need Hugo’s help, and no way was she going down that route.

  Daisy had left car keys though, so she could always go into the village, find out if it had changed. Stock up on food. Wander round Kitterly Heath. She sighed. But she couldn’t exactly spend the next two weeks doing that, just to avoid having to face Hugo again.

  The toast popped out of the toaster and she lathered the butter on, not hearing the skype call ringing out on her laptop until Mabel nudged her.

  ‘Oh, thanks Mabel.’ She was halfway across the kitchen, one piece of toast and a mug of coffee in her hands, when she saw, out of the corner of her eye, the dog surreptitiously stealing the other piece.

  When was she ever going to get used to the idea of a dog whose head was at worktop height?

  ‘Oh hi Daisy.’

  ‘Hiya, everything okay?’

  ‘Mabel just stole my toast.’

  ‘She’s good at that.’

  ‘I met your, er, neighbour.’ She sat down at the laptop and started to eat the one slice of toast she did have.

  ‘My neighbour?’ There was a pause, followed by Daisy’s eye widening and her hand going over her mouth. ‘Oh my God, you’ve not met his Lordship, I am so sorry I should have warned you, I never… Well, I wasn’t sure if you already knew him or not.’

  ‘Lordship? He’s a Lord? Oh shit.’ She knew he was posh but hadn’t realised he was a Lord, and she’d called him an arsehole, and he’d seen her slip on her bum. Twice. And in a ditch. And she’d dreamt she was licking his abs. Eurghh. Her mum would never forgive her.

  ‘No, no he’s not an actual Lord.’ Daisy giggled. ‘We just call him that, if you’ve met him you’ll know why. Are you alright?’

  ‘He’s not?’ Flo wondered if it would be better to turn the camera on her laptop off, rather than let Daisy see her meltdown.

  ‘He’s so bloody pompous. Look, I am sorry, I should have warned you. He’s not been horrible has he?’

  ‘Not horrible, no.’ Flo spoke slowly, trying to work out the best way of saying this.

  ‘Did you already know him?’

  ‘Well I did meet him yonks ago when I used to have riding lessons with Billy Brinkley, but I didn’t recognise him at first.’

  ‘Oh. But he has been alright? He always looks down his nose at me.’

  ‘Fine, we er had dinner last night.’

  ‘Dinner!’ Daisy’s squeak travelled at high volume all the way from Spain and Mabel lifted her head and cocked her ears. ‘Oh Mabel, Mabel, aww she looks happy, it’s so good to see her, I miss her. Ha
s she been good? Apart from taking your toast?’

  ‘Fairly.’ It was probably best not to mention she’d let her sleep on the bed, and fed her popcorn, and fallen over her a few times. Dogs didn’t bruise, did they?

  ‘Fairly?’ Daisy frowned.

  ‘Oh she’s been perfect, haven’t you, Mabel?’ Unlike Barney. Please don’t ask about Barney.

  ‘And how’s Barney? He hasn’t got out at all, has he?’

  ‘No, still safe and sound.’

  ‘If you hack him out, be careful when you go under the electricity cables, he’s not keen on the buzz, but he will go if you’re firm.’

  Thanks for that one, Daisy. ‘Okay.’

  ‘Oh God, Flo, how come you ended up having dinner with Hugo?’ Which was worse, talking about Barney, or Hugo? ‘You’ve got to watch him, he’s a real, real—’

  ‘Cad?’

  ‘Something like that. He’s a total womaniser, though. God knows what the attraction is.’

  Flo had a vague idea what the attraction was, but decided not to voice it. Or think about his abs. She shook her head, hoping it would get rid of the image that seemed to be set on her brain. ‘I think he’s quite funny actually.’

  ‘Funny? As in funny ha-ha?’ Daisy sounded confused.

  ‘He’s amusing – he can just be so pompous.’

  ‘Very, so what’s funny about that?’

  ‘Maybe he’s misunderstood?’ Flo grinned at herself. ‘Maybe he has this deep, sensitive side that he never lets out.’ She could pretend, or just accept he was a bit shallow and wanted a shag.

  ‘Yeah, had a traumatic childhood.’ Daisy laughed. ‘Jimmy hates him, but he is good in a crisis, he’s really kind of assertive and decisive, he just gets on with it, but you can kind of get trampled by him if you’re not careful.’

  Hmm, she could understand that. ‘I think I witnessed the Hugo charm offensive last night.’

  ‘And?’ Daisy had leaned forward in anticipation.

  ‘I called him a wanker; it seemed to destroy the romantic atmosphere somehow.’