Nina Harrington - Her Sweet Surrender - The First Crush Is the Deepest

Amber smiled into the faces of her two best friends in the world. Friends who had somehow got pushed lower and lower on her priority list over the past few years, and yet they were the very people who had come running the first time she asked.

‘I don’t know what I did to deserve you two. Thanks. It means a lot. But I won’t put you out too much.’

‘Decision made, young lady,’ Saskia said in a jokey serious voice. ‘You are coming to stay with me at Elwood House as my birthday present, and you are going to be cosseted, whether you like it or not.’

‘Oh, that sounds good,’ Kate said, and snuggled back further onto the soft cushion of the patio lounger. ‘Can I come over and be cosseted in exchange for making curtains and cushions? I could use a good cosset.’

‘You and your needlework skills are welcome any time.’ Saskia laughed and gestured towards Amber with her head. ‘I’m going to need some help keeping this one from wearing herself out getting ready for her birthday party.’

Amber dropped her head back and closed her eyes as bright warm sunshine broke through the light cloud cover. Then she turned back to face Saskia and Kate, who were looking at her. ‘It’s going to be like old times. The three of us, camped out at Elwood House. But at least this time I’m not running away from home to spite my mother by eloping with Sam Richards.’

Saskia peered at her through narrowed eyes. ‘Ah, yes. Sam.’ She nodded. ‘Were you okay? With seeing him again? Because I still cannot believe that you went there on your own.’

‘Ah. So you think I would be safe from the evil clutches of the teenage boy who broke my heart and betrayed me with one of my best friends if I stayed here in my ivory tower penthouse like a fairy tale princess waiting to be rescued.’

She laughed and said with a snort, ‘Not a chance, gorgeous. I refuse to be turned into some kind of recluse just because the press want to know why I decided to retire. Besides, I’ve been working with reporters like Sam Richards for years. He doesn’t bother me.’

Kate shuffled to the edge of her seat, her bottom jiggling with excitement while Saskia just chuckled softly to herself. ‘Really?’

Amber pushed out her famous moisture lipstick slicked lips. ‘Oh, yes. My musician friend Parvita runs a wonderful charity in India who could certainly use the fee, only...’ she sighed with a slight quiver in her voice and Saskia and Kate instantly leant closer towards her ‘...I’ve had enough of that circus who think that they can make up any kind of story and get away with it. I have helped the media sell newspapers and magazines for the last ten years. And now I’m done with it. I am not playing that game any more. And they are going to have to get used to the idea. This time I call the shots.’

Kate’s eyebrows lifted. ‘I knew it! You’re going to charge them megabucks for a full page nude shot with you sitting at a white grand piano with only discreet pieces of sheet music and fabulous jewels to cover your modesty? That could be fun.’

Amber and Saskia both turned and stared at Kate in silence.

‘What? So I have a vivid imagination?’ Kate shrugged.

Amber frowned at Kate for a moment and then blinked. ‘Not exactly what I had in mind and no, it wouldn’t be fun, not even for the megabucks. But do you know what? The more I thought about it, the more I got to thinking that maybe Sam does have something we can trade with after all.’

Kate drew back and squinted at her suspiciously. ‘Go on.’

‘I need to get the past off my back. Parvita’s charity and my birthday party are going to take all of my time and energy, and the last thing I need is a troop of paparazzi making my life even more of a nightmare.’

‘You really are serious about retiring?’

‘Totally,’ Amber replied and smiled at Saskia. ‘But talking to you two has reminded me where my real priorities lie.’ And then she reached out and squeezed Saskia’s hand for a second. ‘Your aunt Margot gave me a sanctuary at Elwood House, and I haven’t forgotten it. I owe you. This is why I’m thinking of doing something rather rash.’

‘What do you mean by rash?’ Saskia asked in her low, calm, gentle voice.

Amber took a long drink of coffee, well aware that both of her friends were waiting for her to speak.

‘When you told me all about your plans to convert Elwood House into a private meeting and dining venue I was amazed that we hadn’t thought about it before. Your dining room is stunning.’

Her voice drifted away dreamily. ‘I gave my first piano recital in that house. I’ll never forget it. The crystal chandeliers. The flickering firelight. It was magical. This is why I want to do as much as I can to help make Elwood House a success.’

Saskia shook her head. ‘You have already invited half the fashion models in London, their agents, their posh friends and the music industry to your birthday party this week. I couldn’t ask for better publicity.’

‘And yet you still don’t have a decent website or booking system or photo gallery to showcase the house. And that. Is where I come in. And you can stop shaking your head; I know that you won’t take my money. So I am going to ask a professional photographer to come over and put together your full marketing package and organise the website. Free. Gratis. Won’t cost you a penny.’

‘Really?’ Saskia replied and lifted her mug towards Amber in a toast. ‘That’s fantastic. Is he one of your fashion pals?’

Amber licked her lips and took a sip of water before answering.

‘Not exactly. I think Sam Richards is calling himself a photojournalist these days. More tarts, anyone?’

Amber paused and looked at Kate, who was groaning with her head in her hands. ‘Don’t worry about Sam. He knows that he has to be on his very best behaviour if he has any chance of that interview. Saskia needs those photos and Sam seems to know which end of a camera to point. And no, I haven’t forgiven him yet. Think of this as part of the payback. So please don’t kill him. At least not in front of the party guests. Saskia does not want bloodstains on her nice carpet.’

The words had barely left Amber’s mouth and the shouts were still ringing in her ears when the oven timer bell rang and Kate shook her head slowly from side to side before diving back into the kitchen to get fresh supplies of snacks.

‘Don’t burn your mouth by eating them straight out of the oven,’ Saskia called out to Kate, but then her mouth relaxed into a half smile. ‘Payback. I suppose that is one way of looking at it and I have no doubt that he would do a good job. But sheesh, Amber. I am worried for you.’

Amber was just about to rattle off a casual throwaway remark, but instead she paused before answering one of her few real friends in the world. The old Amber would have laughed off her friend’s concern with a flippant gesture as some sort of silly joke, but the new Amber was slowly getting used to opening up to people she loved and trusted. ‘You always did like Sam, didn’t you?’

Saskia gave a brisk nod. ‘I suppose so. Not in any sort of romantic way, of course, nothing like that, but yes, I did. His dad had driven my aunt Margot around for years and sometimes he brought Sam along with him. I suppose that’s why I suggested that your mum use his limo service to take her to venues.’

Saskia lifted one hand. ‘I think I might even have introduced you. So blame me for what happened. But yes, I thought he was okay.’ Her brow squeezed together. ‘Why do you ask me that now?’

‘Because it was so weird. Over the years I sometimes imagined what I would say if I met up with Sam unexpectedly at some airport or hotel, or if he came to one of my performances. But when I saw him yesterday? All those clever, witty put-downs just fled. He was still the same Sam, working in his dad’s garage. And I was right back to feeling like a gawky, awkward, six feet tall seventeen-year-old with big feet who was trying to sound all grown-up and clever around this handsome, streetwise city boy.’