All Summer Long
Chapter 17: Assault of the Heart
Here's chapter 17 for you! Thanks again for all the reviews. I'll be wrapping up this story shortly seeing as summer is pretty much over (I'm looking out the window at the rain at the moment!) and that I'll be starting university in a few short weeks. You'll all be suprised I'm sure to find out that I'll be studying Criminology! :P Depending on what my schedule is like, I might start a new TB group fic which will have a Christmassy ending. It's also up to you guys and what you want, so please let me know if you'd be interested in reading more from me. My relationship with the tv show is pretty much over, but I don't want the good ol' days of TB to die.
Reviews as always are loved! Xx
When Andrea returned to her hotel room the conversation she had just had with Honey was still on her mind. Things between her and Neil had never been concrete or clear but she now that she knew how she felt about him, she wanted some certainty. Although it would be difficult she could continue to be his mistress if that was what he really wanted but he knew it would break her heart to know that she could only ever share his bed, not his life. She had thought he was ready to end his marriage to Philippa but with each day Andrea wondered if Neil really was still too deeply in love with his wife.
"Hey, where have you been?" Neil asked, he was still in bed enjoying a lie-in. Gina had already informed him of the following day's task and he was resting up for it.
"Just had a coffee with Honey." Andrea replied, sitting down on her side of the bed.
"I missed you." He said, looking her in the eyes.
Andrea smiled, taking his hand and linking her fingers through his. "What are we doing Neil? What is this; us?"
"I love you Andrea Dunbar, and when we get home I'm going to ask Philippa for a divorce." He cradled her face in his free hand. "And then, I'm going to ask you to marry me."
Andrea looked at him in surprise, this was certainly not what she had expected for him. "You are?"
"Yes, and I hope you'll say yes to me."
The following day the group were forced to get up early and piled back into the mini-bus. They were looking forward to this trip far less than the lifesaving skills or the camping excursion, today Gina was taking them to an assault course. Dale Smith was allowed to go with them but he was exempt from taking part in any of the activities. He was glad, he hadn't wanted to stay behind at the resort without Kerry.
Twelve hours later, exhausted, muddy and longing for hot showers and a decent meal, the group arrived back at the hotel.
"I feel like I could sleep for a week." Diane moaned as she and Nikki stumbled off the bus and towards their hotel room. Things had been steadily improving between them and although they were keeping things to themselves, they were pleased with how things were going.
They showered separately, but when Nikki stepped out of the steamy bathroom she saw that Diane was still sat on her bed, wrapped in the soft white bath towel.
"Di?" Nikki questioned softly as the younger woman stepped towards her, bringing their lips together in a slow-burning kiss.
"Trust me." She said softly, letting her towel slip away and pulling Nikki's away from her.
Nikki allowed herself to bed laid onto her bed and returned Diane's kisses, and taking a deep breath she gave herself over to her impulses entirely.
Jo had not enjoyed the trip to the assault course at all, and by the time they returned to the resort she was hot, tired and dirty, and finally Millie's youthful enthusiasm downright annoying. The thought of having to spend the entire evening and the night with her younger woman was too much for her to deal with in her current state.
"You haven't heard a word I just said, have you?" Millie smiled at Jo, wrapping a long strand of red hair around her finger. Normally Jo would have responded positively to this seductive gesture but tonight it was the final straw.
"I've been trying not to!" She finally snapped. "You're really getting on my nerves tonight Millie, can't you see I want to be left alone."
"Fine." Millie replied coolly, getting off the bed and walking into the ensuite bathroom, shutting the door firmly behind her.
Jo sighed, feeling a mixture of guilt and relief. She packed up the belongings she had brought with her to Millie's room when she had unofficially moved in, and headed back to the suite she had been sharing with Honey.
"I'll let you get some rest, baby." Kerry said, leaning over to kiss Smithy's forehead before knotting her white dressing gown firmly at the waist.
Smithy smiled at her, very pleased with how things were going. "I'm fine, stay if you want."
"I'd love to, but I don't want to put you back in the hospital again. That wouldn't be any fun at all?"
"That's true." Smithy chuckled, reaching for her and giving her a final kiss. She lingered a moment, not really wanting to leave him either.
"I'm too tired," Sam protested as Kayla and Libby tried to persuade her into joining them for an evening of drinking and dancing.
"Oh, come on Sam, it'll be fun." Libby persuaded, despite having ulterior motives for inviting her boyfriend's ex to spend the evening with them.
"Okay, okay." She finally caved, knowing that it would be better to keep busy tonight rather than spending the evening doubting her decision not to take things further with Phil.
They headed to one of the lesser known clubs at the resort and ordered their drinks at the bar; margaritas for Sam and Libby, and a lemonade for Kayla. They chatted for a while, mainly about the day at the assault course and about Kayla's baby, but Libby was hoping for an opportunity to steer the conversation towards the topic of Stuart.
"Oh no, Phil's here!" Sam whispered urgently, just as Libby was about to mention her own boyfriend. "Bet he's looking to get lucky." She muttered, more to herself than anyone else.
"Didn't you hear?" Kayla asked, looking up from her drink.
"About what?" Sam was suddenly cautious, wondering who else knew about the night they had shared at the campsite. Part of her suspected that Phil had shared the information but she knew she was being far too harsh and judgemental, he had changed after all and for her benefit.
"One of the barmaids...Natasha or Natalia or something, was all over him the other night but he sent her packing. She was supremely pissed off." Libby filled in the blanks for Sam who had been looking both confused and bewildered. Now she was intrigued, wondering what this meant for them, and if it meant anything at all.
Dan and Honey dined alone that evening, finally gaining the privacy they had craved but had been denied all day. Things were running smoothly between them now and they talked and laughed contentedly through dinner. Once their dessert plates and empty coffee cups were cleared they left the restaurant, walking slowly around the resort, which looked all the more enticing in the evening. They were in no hurry, knowing inevitably where the evening would end.
They barely talked as they walked, happy just to be in each other's company in the relative peace. Eventually they made their way back inside, walked with purpose now towards Honey's room which was now blissfully her own. Dan was kissing her heatedly before Honey had even dug the key out of her evening bag.
"Patience, Dan." She grinned, finally unlocking the door and tugging him inside by the hand. Their perfect, romantic evening came to an end as Honey found that her suite was no longer just her own and that Jo was back, propped up in bed with her book.
Kerry walked back to her and Sam's room, so lost in thought about Smithy and their relationship that she barely noticed when she nearly walked into someone.
"I'm so sorry." She said almost automatically, barely looking up.
"No problem." A heavily accented voice replied and with curiosity, Kerry finally took notice of the man. "It is not every day that a beautiful woman walks into me." Kerry felt her cheeks redden, the man was handsome in a disconcerting way. "I'm Antonio."
"Hi, I'm Kerry." She replied, taken aback when he took her hand and kissed the back of it. She was painfully aware of the fact she was wearing nothing but a hotel robe and matching slippers. "Well, it was nice to meet you." She broke away and hurried back towards her room, still feeling his eyes on her.
"Who's that man sitting with Gina?" Phil asked Callum at breakfast the following morning.
"I don't know, maybe she's found herself a holiday romance." He replied.
Phil didn't reply, but suddenly his plate of eggs and bacon wasn't quite as appetising as it had been. Callum was about to say something else when he saw Diane enter the restaurant, a lazy smile playing around her lips and a glow in her eyes. He should have recognised the signs but even if he had, he chose to ignore them.
"Morning Di, can we talk a minute?"
"Sure," Diane replied, letting herself be led back outside by Callum, without even stopping to grab some coffee beforehand.
"I was thinking, maybe we could give 'us' another try. We could start slowly, get to know each other better?"
"Oh Cal, that's sweet but not right now." Diane was searching for an excuse when Nikki appeared behind him. "See you around." She broke away from Callum and followed the other woman back inside.
Callum looked after them for a few moments, wondering if his suspicions were correct.
Sam and Libby were sat at one end of the table and were talking softly so that they wouldn't be overheard.
"Is it really true about Phil and that woman?" Sam asked, she had barely been able to sleep. She had kept replaying the conversation over and over in her head.
"That's her side of the story anyway, and I might not be a police officer but I think I can tell the difference between whether someone is lying or not." Libby replied. "It means a lot to you, doesn't it?"
"What does?" Sam asked, hoping Libby hadn't noticed that she had spilled some of her coffee in reaction to the question.
"Phil not sleeping with this woman."
"I guess," Sam busied herself spreading jam on her toast, unaware that Nate was hovering not far behind her on his way to refill her coffee. "I know it's none of my business but I do care; I care about him."
Nate swallowed hard, knowing that his efforts would be useless. Whether she would admit to it or not, Samantha Nixon was in love with Phil and there was nothing he could do to make her feel otherwise.
Hope you enjoyed! Please review! :)
