If the sky wasn’t a clear, perfect blue, Will would have thought he’d just been struck by lightning. Leah? As in the person who’d patiently followed him around the world for the last three years?
Immaculate, capable… professional. Leah, his PA, the woman he spent most of every day with. The woman who was so organised and composed, it was mildly terrifying?
Here she was, though, completely transformed. Not trying to negotiate with hotel managers or chase down missing sheetmusic or remind him he hadn’t eaten since the previous day. This was a different version of Leah… one he’d never been allowed to see before.
‘Will? Okay, you’ve gone properly glazed now,’ said Matt, waving a hand in front of his face.
‘That’s really Leah?’ said Will, his voice coming out slightly strangled.
‘Yes!’ tutted Matt. ‘YourLeah.’
‘She’s notmyLeah,’ said Will quickly, though something about the words made his chest squeeze with something that felt strangely like hope.
‘Right. Ofcourseshe isn’t.’ Matt’s voice was dripping with amusement. ‘Is that why you look like you’ve been hit by a bus right now?’
Stanley chose that moment to lumber to his feet and give an enthusiastic bark in the direction of the swimmers, his tail wagging furiously.
‘Even Stanley knows what’s what,’ laughed Matt. ‘Anyway, as I was saying before you went all moon-eyed, we’re heading to the Froth after they’ve finished splashing about. You’re welcome to join us?’
‘Yeah,’ said Will absently, his attention already drifting back to the water. ‘Sounds good.’
If he was being honest, there was only one person he wanted to see right now. The same person he’d seen every day for the last three years. The prospect of hanging out with Leah while she was off-duty instead of simply existing in the same space while she organised his life was weirdly exciting.
‘You know,’ said Matt thoughtfully, ‘I’ve never seen you look at anyone like that before.’
‘Like what?’ said Will, dragging his attention back to his brother.
‘Like you’ve just discovered something important that you didn’t know you’d been looking for.’
Will opened his mouth to protest, but the words died in his throat. He coughed, stroked Stanley and then let out a strangled laugh.
‘Rosie’s turned you soft!’ he muttered.
Matt wasn’t wrong, though, was he? For months now, Will had been lost. He’d felt disconnected from everything that was supposed to matter to him. The music that had always been his whole world felt hollow. The acclaim felt meaningless. He’d been going through the motions, playing the notes, but feeling nothing.
‘She’s brilliant, you know,’ said Matt quietly. ‘Leah, I mean. Connie and Rosie both think she’s lovely.Properlylovely. You could do a lot worse, you know.’
‘I know,’ said Will, deliberately misunderstanding his brother. ‘She’s the best PA I’ve ever had. I couldn’t function without her.’
‘I wasn’t talking about her organisational skills,’ said Matt with a meaningful look.
Will felt his cheeks grow hot. ‘Matt?—’
‘I’m just saying,’ said Matt, holding up his hands again. ‘Maybe it’s time you stopped seeing her as just your PA and started seeing her as… well, as Leah.’
Out in the water, the pair of swimmers had turned to make their way back towards the shore. Will watched as Leah caught a wave and rode it in, her laughter carrying as she stumbled to her feet in the shallows.
‘Come on then,’ said Matt, getting to his feet and brushing pebbles off his jeans. ‘Let’s go and say hello. Stanley, you too—it’s nearly time to reunite you with your mum.’
Stanley immediately perked up at the mention of going somewhere, though Will noticed the dog’s attention was also fixed on the three women now making their way up the beach.
‘Will? You coming?’ said Matt.
‘Yeah,’ said Will, scrambling to his feet, though his coordination seemed to have deserted him completely. ‘Yeah, just… give me a second.’
Leah was walking towards them now, her hair loose and darkened by seawater, droplets still clinging to her skin. She’d wrapped a towel around her waist, but there was still plenty of that striped swimsuit on show. Will had never seen her looking so alive. Connie and Rosie walked on either side of Leah, bearing her up the beach like a giggling guard of honour as she did her best to keep her towel in place.
Will swallowed as Leah reached up to push her wet hair back from her face. A stream of saltwater cascaded from the dark strands, catching the morning light before trailing down her neck across perfectly smooth, tanned skin.
