In the Name of Love (36 page)

‘Oh my God! This whole thing with TFB was to distract Felipe from that, wasn’t it?’ Zoe burst out. ‘Because she knew that if she told him it was all to do with her riding phobia, he would say it didn’t matter. She’s done all this for him, precisely because she loves him!’

‘Bloody hell, you women are complicated, complex creatures. It’s exhausting. Give me a simple man any day of the week! They’re only ever after one thing,’ Aidan said, injecting the first bit of humour they’d had all night.

He went up to the bar and returned with another bottle of Sauvignon Blanc – their third. Concern about Charlie had caused them all to knock back the wine. And he bought a huge bag of pick and mix sweets: Haribo fried eggs, love hearts, cola bottles, jelly babies, and giant chocolate buttons with sprinkles.

‘God, I shouldn’t be eating these!’ Zoe said, shoving three fried eggs into her mouth. ‘I just fucking love them. Sorry,’ she added. ‘The swearing always gets bad when I’m feeling emotional. And I am feeling
very
emotional.’

For a few minutes the trio felt more optimistic, buoyed up by Sauvignon Blanc and a sugar rush. Everything would be all right now they knew what Charlie’s problem
was.
That was until Darcy said, ‘So what do we actually do?’

‘We should go straight round to Charlie’s. Tell her she has to have therapy, and that we’ll help her.’ That from Zoe.

Aidan shook his head. ‘We’re all a bit squiffy, I don’t think it will go down well. And you know how defensive Charlie can be. If she sees the three of us coming at her, it will make her shut down even more.’

‘I think you should talk to her, Zoe,’ Darcy suggested, ‘and I’ll try and persuade Kris to go with you. You’re her best friend, and even though she and Kris had this row, I know he will want to help her.’

Zoe got up from her seat and enveloped Darcy in a hug. ‘You’re right, you’re so right!’ She turned to Aidan. ‘I love this girl!’

He smiled at Darcy. ‘Yeah, she’s okay.’

‘Once you can get past the stuck-up rich part?’ Darcy said dryly.

Aidan held up his hands. ‘I won’t be so quick to judge again. Cross my heart.’ He paused then added, ‘Oh, and FYI, I’m gay.’

‘I pretty well knew that,’ she replied. ‘I’m stuck-up and rich, not completely stupid. Your nails are far too good for any straight man and I’ve seen you reading
Grazia
… I mean
properly
reading it, not just flicking through to the pictures to ogle the models. Or at least not the girls.’

‘She’s got your number,’ Zoe commented.

‘Actually I’m coming out on Twitter,’ he replied. ‘All the important people in my life know, like my family
and
close friends, but I’m sick of pretending at work. And it will wind up the little fuck who’s been sending me and Charlie poison pen notes!’

‘What’s this?’ Darcy asked. Aidan quickly explained what had been going on.

‘You have to speak to someone at work,’ she insisted. ‘For all you know other presenters could have been targeted.’

‘Maybe, but I’m still coming out on Twitter. I should have done it a long time ago.’

They tumbled out of the pub at last orders, slightly tipsy but full of good feelings about their plans to help Charlie and sort out the poison pen letter writer. And as she took a taxi home Darcy felt a glow of happiness. She had never felt part of anything before. Her phone beeped with a text message. It was from Bunny.

Thanks for your text. I’m sorry too. About being a bride from hell and being such a bitch to you. I really want you to be at my wedding and of course you can wear a wrap. And I would like to invite Kris. You were right about Drew. He’s a shit
.

Darcy hadn’t expected this. If her sister could change, anything seemed possible.

It was only a small story and Charlie nearly didn’t see it as she was all set to read the sports coverage. And how she wished that she hadn’t. It was a tiny piece on the show-business page of the
Mirror: Charlie’s Ex Goes Back to his Ex
. There was a picture of Felipe and Paloma – one that had been taken long before Felipe and Charlie got together, but the article stated that the Spanish couple were back together and likely to announce their
engagement
any day now. She should hardly be surprised, given that she had done everything she could to push him away. But of course it hurt. She had succeeded in her plan, but at what price? She had lost the man she loved.

Charlie closed the lid of her laptop and curled up on the sofa. Even the knowledge that she had done the right thing couldn’t relieve the deep pain she felt. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t hear the front door open and nearly jumped out of her skin when Kris and Zoe walked into the living room. She hastily rubbed away the tears that were streaking her cheeks. The last thing she needed was for them to ask her what was wrong – she just couldn’t go there.

‘Hiya,’ Zoe said, sitting down next to her. ‘You look like shit.’

‘Thanks a lot, Zoe. You really know how to make a girl feel good about herself.’ Charlie tried to seem light-hearted but knew how dismal she must sound.

She looked up at Kris who had remained standing and seemed ill-at-ease. She had to apologise. It had been a week since their argument and he hadn’t replied to any of her messages – they had never had such a bad row before.

‘Kris, I’m sorry I said those things. I didn’t mean them. I was drunk. And you were right, I was out of order.’

‘Yeah, well, you were out of order, and I’m still pissed off with you, but Darcy said I had to make it up with you – that you didn’t really mean what you said.’

Charlie managed to stop herself from saying it was none of Darcy’s business.

‘Anyway, let’s forget it now,’ he added and sat down in an armchair. Both he and Zoe were looking at her closely. God knows what was going on.

‘We’ve got something to say to you, and you’ve got to hear us out.’ Zoe was speaking now. ‘We know why you broke up with Felipe.’

Not this!
‘I told you – it wasn’t working out between us. Why do you keep going on about it? Change the fucking record, can’t you?’

‘Because that’s not the reason!’ Zoe said passionately. ‘We know it’s because you couldn’t bear to let him down by not going to the Olympics. You only pretended to feel something for TFB so Felipe wouldn’t realise it was all to do with your riding phobia.’

Kris picked up the explanation there. ‘And we’re going to help you. You’re going to make an appointment to see Aidan’s therapist, and then you’re going to call Felipe and tell him what you did. We are not going to sit back and watch you ruin your life like this.’

Charlie hated to think that her friends had been discussing her, picking over her life, analysing her, and was instantly on the defensive. ‘There are just a couple of flaws in your little plan. I’m not going to have therapy because it won’t work, and Felipe is now back with Paloma and they’re probably going to get married.’

‘No way!’ Zoe exclaimed. ‘He doesn’t love her.’

Charlie shrugged. Leaning forward once more, she opened her laptop where the story about Felipe and Paloma was still on the screen.

‘You know what the press is like,’ Kris said after he’d
quickly
read the article. Neither he nor Zoe wanted to admit defeat.

‘And Aidan said his therapist is brilliant,’ Zoe persisted. ‘Look, I’ve brought along all the information about the kind of therapy she specialises in – it wouldn’t be like last time.’

‘No! I told you, it didn’t fucking work. Why won’t you get the message? I’m not going through that again.’ Charlie’s
I couldn’t care less attitude
had been replaced by one of passionate anger. At her friends for interfering, at herself, at the total fuck up that was her life. She stood up. ‘And now I’ve got to get ready, Aaron is picking me up in half an hour.’

Kris and Zoe looked helplessly at each other, their plan of action in ruins.

‘Don’t you mean TFB?’ Zoe said, ‘Because he won’t have changed. What are you
doing
with him? You don’t even like him. I know you well enough to know that.’

But Charlie was already walking out of the room. ‘I’m going to have a shower. You can let yourselves out, can’t you? Unless you want to stay and say hi to Aaron.’

In fact Charlie had no intention of seeing him. Tonight was the night she was going to dump him, by text. She never wanted to see or speak to him again. By the time she returned to the living room Kris and Zoe had left. She felt terrible at treating her brother and best friend so badly. Her mum rang but Charlie ignored the call.

It was a beautiful evening and it would have been the perfect opportunity to sit outside on the decking, catching the last of the sun’s rays with a glass of wine, having a good gossip with Zoe, but now all Charlie
wanted
to do was hide herself away. She poured herself a large vodka. She had run out of tonic but didn’t care. She couldn’t even face going to the shops to buy any. There was no food in the house either, and usually Charlie would have made herself a healthy supper. But nothing seemed to matter. Felipe was back with Paloma, and she had alienated everyone who was close to her.

She was halfway through her second vodka when the doorbell rang. God, it wouldn’t be Aaron, would it? She’d planned to send the break-up text late at night, specifically to avoid any confrontation. She ignored it but whoever it was kept ringing. Finally Charlie got up and stomped to the front door. She flung it open and got the shock of her life when she discovered Luis standing on her doorstep.

Chapter 25

WHAT THE HELL
was he doing here?
Charlie looked at him in astonishment.

Luis smiled warmly. ‘Hello, Charlie. I really need to talk to you.’

‘Did Felipe send you?’ Even mentioning his name caused a lump in her throat.

‘No, he doesn’t know I’m here.’

‘Was it Zoe?’

He shook his head. ‘No, it was something I planned along with Mariana and – this may surprise you – Vittoria. Now, is this interrogation over? Can I come in?’

Vittoria! What the hell did the Ice Queen have to do with this? Trying to collect her thoughts, Charlie showed him through to the living room.

‘This is a very pleasant flat,’ Luis commented, as he sat down on the sofa.

The half-empty bottle of vodka stood on the coffee table and Charlie waited for him to notice it. But he didn’t mention it.

‘So how are you, Charlie? We’ve all missed you.’

She sat at the opposite end of the sofa.

‘Fine. Busy but fine. And I’ve missed you too.’ Charlie attempted to sound upbeat, but realised it must be blindingly obvious that she was anything but. She knew how rough she looked. Her hair, which needed a wash, was scraped back into a ponytail, she had dark shadows under her eyes and wasn’t wearing any make-up. And seeing Luis again was causing the memories of Felipe to flood back into her mind.

‘How’s Mariana?’

Luis beamed. ‘She is blooming. But I haven’t come here to talk about her.’ He leant forward and clasped his hands together. ‘Vittoria came to see me last week.’

‘How nice for you,’ Charlie commented sarcastically.

Luis ignored the comment and pressed on. ‘She was very upset about you breaking up with Felipe.’

‘Yeah, right!’ The sarcasm went up a notch.

‘I know it’s hard to imagine. She admitted that at first she hadn’t wanted your relationship to work, that she wanted Felipe to get back with Paloma
and
that she had her lawyer tip off the British press about your riding phobia.’

Charlie frowned. She had suspected as much.

‘But when Vittoria saw how devastated Felipe was, she had a change of heart … well, about pretty much everything, but especially you. She insisted that I fly over and tell you that you are making a terrible mistake.’ He paused. ‘To tell you that whatever has been going on, it’s plain you love Felipe. And he loves you.’

Charlie had been so strong these past weeks, hidden
her
true feelings, built up her defences, but Luis’s words were battering them down. She tried to speak, to come out with a denial, but tears were blurring her eyes. She couldn’t pretend any more.

‘You broke up with him because you loved him,’ Luis continued. ‘Because you didn’t want your fear of riding to distract him in any way. That’s right, isn’t it?’

Charlie nodded; the tears were falling freely now. Instantly Luis moved next to her and put his arm around her. At the feel of his friendly embrace, she finally gave in to her emotions. Luis let her cry herself out. When Charlie could finally speak, she said, ‘But Felipe’s back with Paloma, he won’t want me after what I’ve done.’

‘He’s not seeing her again. That story was entirely of her invention. She is bitter because he rejected her. In her heart she knows Felipe loves you. You
have
to go back to him.’

For a tantalising instant Charlie allowed herself to believe that this might be possible. Then she had a reality check. ‘No, I can’t do that. It’s better that we don’t see each other again.’

‘That’s where you’re wrong, Charlie. Felipe is your soul-mate. He’s the man for you, just as you are the woman for him. You belong together.’

‘But my fear of riding is always going to get in the way. Vittoria was right when she told me that it wasn’t fair on Felipe that he couldn’t share the most important thing in his life with me.’

‘Well, she now thinks she was wrong, and she wanted me to tell you that. Charlie, you can overcome this – you can have therapy.’

‘I tried before but it didn’t work!’

‘My dear Charlie, from the little I have learnt from Felipe, it seems you had an unfortunate experience with therapy. There are other experts out there who can help you. You just have to be open to it. Believe me, if you turn your back on Felipe, you will regret it for the rest of your life.’

Charlie was in turmoil. ‘But I’ve destroyed my relationship with him. He believes I’m in love with Aaron. He will never forgive me.’

‘He doesn’t believe that, and he will forgive you.’

Part of her longed to get a flight there and then, Luis made it sound so wonderfully easy. But Charlie knew she had a major obstacle to overcome first.