‘Aunty Wylder!’ the cutest little boy runs into the hotel lobby heading straight for his favourite aunt.
‘Oliver!’ Wylder squats to pick up her nephew and gives him the big hug and a smattering of kisses that make him giggle. ‘What are you doing here?’
Oliver is quickly engulfed by his other aunts who are waiting in the wings to spoil him with kisses too.
‘We all came for the summer.’
‘Hello you!’ Ava, dearest cousin, walks in with the rest of her posse, impish smile on her face.
‘What the hell are you guys doing here?’ the cousins exchange hugs with each other ever so fondly.
‘Mummy and daddy surprised us with a stay for the summer. You know they always take a house in the village, but they booked this for us.’ Ava explains.
‘Hello River. How are you?’ Wylder greets her cousin’s partner. ‘It’s so good to see you again.’
‘You too. This is an incredible place you have.’
‘Thank you.’
‘I don’t think you’ve met my children, this is my daughter Wyn and my son Ralph.’ River introduces the teenagers standing beside River.
‘It’s lovely to meet you both.’ Wylder reached out to shake their hands, Ralph she can tell, is the shier of the two.
‘I’m a huge fan of yours.’ Wyn blurts out.
‘Oh, thank you I don’t know that you should be.’
‘Are you kidding me, you’re badass.’
‘Wyn!’
‘Sorry dad.’
‘Thank you.’ Wylder says with a little laugh.
Just then Oliver tugs on his aunt’s dress.
‘Yes darling.’ Wylder picks up Oliver.
‘He says he saw Sebastian Rose Jones, the formula 1 driver, outside.’
‘What?’ Wylder’s grip tightens around Oliver.
‘I saw him coming out of a car.’ Oliver affirms.
‘Are you sure?’ Wylder asks.
‘There he is! Mummy can I ask for his autograph?’
‘No, you may not.’ Ava answers her son, she’d noticed that look in Wylder’s eyes.
It can’t be true. He cannot possibly be here. Wylder looks at her sisters for confirmation and Luella slowly nods to affirm what she knows her sister knows.
Shit.
She turns.
He turns.
And there it is. Kismet.
‘Do you know him?’ Ava asks Willow.
‘It’s a long story that we have to tell you over champagne, lots of champagne.’
Ava reaches for her son in her cousin’s arms ‘Wylder, go over there and say hello to that gentleman waiting to be checked into your lovely hotel.’
‘We concur.’ Her sisters say in unison.
Everyone else is busy going about their day, oblivious to the shift in the centre of her earth. ‘How is my hair?’
‘Perfect.’ The women answer with sly smiles playing on their cheeky faces.
‘Start walking.’ Ava says giving her a little shoo. She takes two steps and stops because Sebastian is already making his way towards her, purposeful strides, confident, and so damn sexy. Wylder stands rooted to the spot the two steps she took place her, still in the vicinity of her family.
‘Hello.’ Sebastian says, stopping shy of three feet from her.
‘Hi.’ Wylder fights to get the words out because seeing him take her breath away and the butterflies in her belly lose their minds. ‘Hi.’
‘Nice to see you again.’
‘You too. Hello.’
‘Bloody hell.’ Luella muttered behind her sister before taking a step forward. ‘Hello I’m Luella-’
‘You’re the oldest sister. Nice the meet you.’
‘Lovely to meet you too, and these are my other two sisters, Willow and Lilou. This is our cousin Ava, and her family, River, Wyn and Ralph. And this little man here-’
‘I’m your biggest fan.’ Oliver is already out of his mother’s arms.
‘You are? I’m honoured. What’s your name?’ Sebastian squats to meet Oliver’s eye level.
‘I’m Oliver and I have watched all your races.’
‘You like Formula 1?’
‘Yes, and you’re my favourite driver.’
‘Thank you.’
‘What happened with your last two races?’
He spares Wylder the briefest of looks, ‘I’ve been going through a rough patch.’
‘You’ll be back in first place soon.’ Oliver is so confident of this statement.
‘Tell you what? If you promise to come to my next race after summer break I’ll try my hardest. But only if your mummy will let you.’
‘Mummy, you have to say yes. River, please tell mummy to say yes.’ Oliver pleads marshalling his cute face to boot.
‘Only if Aunty Wylder comes too.’ Ava says conspiratorially.
Now all eyes are back on Wylder.
‘Mr Rose-Jones can my aunty Wylder come too?’ Sweet Oliver.
‘She can.’
‘I guess that’s settled.’ Willow says, ‘come on Ollie let’s get you guys checked in. it was lovely to meet you, Sebastian.’
‘You too.’
The others leave the two of them alone, they clearly have a lot to talk about.
‘When did this happen?’ Ava asks her cousins as they make their way to the other check in desk.
‘Three months give or take. It’s a long story.’
‘They look beautiful together’ Ava says, ‘and Ollie really is a huge fan, he and River stay up watching the grand prix, my son has indoctrinated him.’
‘Speaking of cute together, you and River, chef’s kiss. You look so happy Ava.’ Lilou whispers.
‘I am. Thank you.’ Ava throws a look back at River who has her son in his arms.
Meanwhile still in the spot where they left them…
‘Hi.’ Wylder smiles, ‘I already said that.’
‘You did. It’s really good to see you. And this place, it’s incredible. Congrats.’
‘Thank you.’ She looks down at her feet then back up at him, ‘how long are you staying for?’
‘The entire summer break. Dex and Bobbie got together, and we know what happens when they do.’
‘We do.’ She laughs a little ‘I also know we need to talk.’
‘We do.’ The look on his face turns serious. ‘We really do need to talk.’
‘We will. But first let me check you in.’
He is staying in the three-bedroom suite all summer long and the thought warms Wylder so much. She hands him his keys and escorts him to the lift.’
‘Coming up?’
‘Your butler will be waiting up there for you, I don’t want to put him under any more pressure than he’ll already be in. But I promise I won’t be a stranger.’
‘Good.’ He leans in and kisses her on the cheek. ‘It good to see you.’
‘It’s really good to see you too.’
That smile, that single dimple… good God she is in trouble!