Page 117 of Second Chance Summer
‘No, I decided not to. It’s been too long. And most of all,’he put his hands on Lily’s arms, ‘that card made me realise that I can’t live my life looking backwards. I don’twantto. It made me realise that I want to look to the future, and that that future is withyou.’
Lily was speechless momentarily but then walked into his arms and held him as tightly as he held her. ‘I feel the same,’ she said. ‘Back in London – without you – I knew I’d left a piece of me behind. I couldn’t wait another moment to be with you. When I make up my mind, I go for it.’
His eyes lit with joy.
Lily threw her arms around him and planted a kiss on his lips that went on and on until finally she had to break away to breathe.
‘Wow …’ Sam said, drawing in air, his eyes full of happiness. ‘You really do go for it!’
‘Oh, I do! When there’s something I want so much. I’m so happy I rushed down here even if we did almost miss each other!’
‘We didn’t and that’s what matters,’ he said, holding her tightly. ‘We both came to our senses and realised the incredible thing we had within our grasp.’ With a gentle touch he pushed a strand of hair off her face. ‘You’re an amazing person, Lily Harper, I worked that out fast. What it took me longer to work out was that I could have feelings for and find happiness with someone like you – someone I thought was so different to me. Once I did realise how I felt about you, I didn’t want to risk getting hurt because I couldn’t see how we could ever make it work.’
‘Wewillmake it work somehow. I’ve been thinking aboutthat. We both want to be together and that’s all that matters.’
‘It is. Rhiannon’s card made me realise how much my new life means to me. How much you mean to me. I’d learned to live alone, expecting nothing, until you walked into my life.’
She laughed. ‘You didn’t seem too happy about it!’
‘Neither did you.’ His eyes lit with fresh pleasure.
‘I said I’d come back, Sam. Why did you doubt it?’
‘I was tooafraidto believe. Terrified of getting hurt again and I’d no idea how we could build a future together when we exist in such different worlds.’ He hesitated. ‘I – I could come and live in London, if you want? In your place. Or we can get a new one?’ He looked down at the floor, as if he was afraid to hear what came next.
‘You can’t run Stark from London but I can run Lily Loves from Stark – at least for part of the time. I’m going to refuse the supermarket deal and all my team are in agreement. I knew it was wrong: the stress, the hours – selling our souls. Better opportunities will come along.’
Sam looked skywards and let out a huge sigh of relief, then he took her face in his hands and kissed her so tenderly, she wanted the moment to last forever.
Finally, their kiss ended and they were joyfully looking into each other’s faces.
‘Shall we go home?’ he said, still holding her.
‘Ah, but whose home?’
‘From now on, home is wherever you are.’
Morven was at Hell Bay when they returned, walking in hand in hand.
She rolled her eyes. ‘Does this mean you two are official?’
‘Official?’ Lily said.
‘If you mean, are we seeing each other, then yeah, I guess it’s official.’
‘About time,’ said Morven. ‘Right, now that’s sorted, I’m going round to Rowan’s for a sleepover.’ She slung her backpack on her shoulder and waved goodbye. ‘See you tomorrow.’
Elspeth walked in and spotted Sam holding Lily’s hand. ‘It’s true, then?’
‘Yes, it’s true,’ Lily said.
Elspeth sat down heavily on the sofa. ‘Bugger me. When you turned up at the quay that filthy afternoon, I would have said it was the last thing I’d ever have expected.’
Lily exchanged a glance with Sam. ‘Us too,’ she said. ‘I think it was loathing at first sight.’
Sam laughed.
‘Well, there you go. You never know how life is going to turn out.’ Elspeth shook her head. ‘I’m happy for you both. Now, are you staying here tonight or going over to Stark?’
