though. Abby had worked through the fear and self-loathing from her own childhood but seeing another child bullied had created a whole new set of emotions. Anger and helplessness had smacked her hard in the face, leaving her reeling.
‘Go and get changed.’ He had already caught Diane’s eye and was pulling himself to his feet, grabbing his crutches.
There was nothing for it but to do as he said. Abby sat for a moment, watching Nick and Diane as they talked. It was okay. Everything was going to be okay. She repeated the words over to herself as she made her way towards the entrance to the changing rooms.
Nick only had to get out of his sweatpants and canvas shoes then pull on a pair of jeans, but when he made it to the reception area he found that Abby was already there, waiting for him. ‘Is she all right?’ She fired the words at him almost before he had reached her.
‘She’s fine. Diane’s talked to her and she’s going to have a word with the mother. She asked me to thank you for spotting what was going on and breaking it up.’
She nodded wordlessly, her eyes fixed on the floor. It seemed that what he’d done met with her approval.
‘You ready for breakfast, then?’ Maybe he’d ask her. About that haunted look in her eyes and the way she’d reacted at the poolside. The way she was reacting now.
‘I’m a little tired. Maybe another time.’
He supposed that ‘another time’ meant when he’d forgotten all about what had happened here this morning. That wasn’t going to happen. ‘Abby, I know that no case of bullying should be taken lightly…’ he didn’t know quite how to put this ‘… but you seem very upset.’
The look in her eyes told him that he was right. She’d chosen to see something else, something that she remembered rather than what had actually gone on here. But her lips, pressed together tightly, showed that she wasn’t about to admit anything of the sort. ‘I’m tired, Nick, and I didn’t react appropriately. It was a mistake.’
‘Our mistakes often tell us more than anything.’ Nick smiled to soften the words. It wasn’t a criticism. Or if it was, it was aimed primarily at himself.
‘And what this one tells me is that I’m tired and I need to get home.’
‘Are you sure?’ He shouldn’t be questioning her like this. Or rather he shouldn’t care so much. If he didn’t care about her answers, then asking would have been okay.
He was about to get the brush-off—he could almost see the lie forming on her lips. He caught her gaze, searching her pale blue eyes, and for a moment he saw the truth and wanted to hold Abby, protect her from every real and imagined threat.
‘I’m going home, Nick.’ She swung her swimming bag onto her shoulder and would have walked away from him if he’d let her.
He’d cared too much, pushed her too hard, and now she’d drawn back. Nick preferred not to think about what that mistake said about him. ‘I’ll drop by later in the week with the detailed itinerary.’
‘Good. Thanks.’
‘Keep up the good work.’
‘Right.’ There was no stopping her from going, this time. She turned and walked away from him, turning in the doorway to give him a wave that looked far more like Goodbye and good riddance than See you later, and then she was gone.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
