Meet Me In The Sunflowers Read online

  “Not much to tell. I’m a mechanic. Work for myself, so was easy enough to take some time off. I wanted to travel a bit and see the world, so here I am,” he says as if that tells me all I need to know. It doesn’t. Once again he’s surprisingly vague. But I can’t blame the guy. Just because I spilled my life story hours after meeting him doesn’t mean he has to do the same.

  “And Tyler Tours was born,” I tease, and his face transforms back into that cheeky chap I’ve grown to admire.

  “You got it.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Today was another early start. We’re back on the road heading to Spain. I’ve never been to Spain before, so I’m excited, much to Tyler’s amusement.

  “Let’s play twenty questions,” Tyler suggests, turning the music down a little through the controls on the steering wheel.

  “OK, you can go first,” I say, smiling over at him and putting on my sunglasses. It’s another beautiful day in paradise. Not a cloud in the sky and no sign of that changing anytime soon.

  “What’s your favourite colour?”

  “Purple,” I answer without needing to think. That’s an easy one!

  “Same question.”

  “Original,” he teases. “Green. What was your first car?”

  “A green VW Polo. What was your first job?”

  “I had a paper round when I was a kid, my first proper job was an apprentice mechanic. What’s your favourite film?”

  “It used to be The Notebook, but I can’t watch it now for obvious reasons. So probably Love Actually. When’s your birthday?”

  “16th March, you?”

  “24th February. Coffee or tea?”

  “Coffee. Always. What’s something that would surprise most people about you?”

  Thinking about this one for a moment, I say, “The fact that I’ve always wanted to get a tattoo. I could never settle on what I wanted, too indecisive. But after Gramps passed, I thought about getting a little sunflower on my ankle.”

  “Why haven’t you?”

  “I don’t know.” I truly don’t. I’m not scared of needles.

  “Fair enough. What is your favourite food?”

  “Homemade chicken curry! My nan used to make the best one ever. She gave me her recipe and I make it all the time. What’s your biggest fear?”

  “Ouch, that one’s a bit deep,” he jokes but thinks about it. “I guess it’s not mattering. Leaving this world and not having made a blind bit of difference to it. I mean I know I won’t change the world, I won’t make a discovery, or cure cancer, but I’d like to know I made a real difference to someone, you know? That my life mattered.”

  Taken aback by his raw admission, I take a moment to digest it. I know what he means. How insignificant you can feel in such a vast world. Sometimes it takes my breath away.

  “I get that, it’s easy to feel like a grain of sand in a desert sometimes. Wondering if anyone knows you exist.”

  I feel his hand, before I notice he’s moved it to clutch mine.

  “I know you exist,” he says softly, and my heart rate speeds up. How does this man, this virtual stranger, get me better than anyone else ever has?

  Chapter Nineteen

  Barcelona is stunning. I can’t believe there are so many beautiful places in the world that I haven’t bothered to explore before. This has definitely been an eye opener for me. I want to travel and explore as much as I can. I want to go on adventures and make memories and live every day of my life to the fullest.

  “Hey, you ok? Where’d you go?” Tyler nudges me and I look up into his blue eyes and smile.

  “Just happy. This place is amazing,” I say, taking in all the bars and restaurants around us. The hustle and bustle of the place would normally freak me out, but I feel safe knowing I’m with Tyler.

  “What do you fancy doing tonight?” he asks, taking my hand in his and pulling me out of the way of an oncoming cyclist. The feel of his hand sends butterflies to my stomach.

  “I thought we could grab a bite to eat somewhere, then go to one of the karaoke bars we saw near the hotel. You said you’ve always wanted to sing badly in a bar, now’s your chance to cross it off the bucket list.” I wink at him. I want to cross things off our bucket list. I want him to gain something from this trip as well.

  “Are you sure you’re ready to be subjected to that?” He chuckles, weaving us around another couple coming in the opposite direction. The feel of my hand in his is comforting and I make no move to remove it once we are out of the crowd.

  “Yep, it’ll be fun.” I smile up at him before looking for where we can eat.

  “Ok, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he laughs in reply.

  Two hours later and I’m sitting in a rowdy karaoke bar across the road from our hotel, sipping on a cocktail and watching Tyler browse through the song book. His nose scrunches in frustration and it’s adorable.

  “Can’t find what you want?” I ask, taking another sip of my fruity concoction and savouring the taste.

  “Where’s all the country music?” he asks, in exasperation. Flipping through the pages again, determined to find the right song for his karaoke debut.

  “Why don’t you go and put a request in? They may have a way of getting the song you want anyway?” I ask, pointing to the man in charge of the karaoke. A young guy is currently belting a U2 song out at the top of his lungs. He’s clearly had a few drinks and his mates are drunkenly cheering him on, knowing full well that he’s terrible. But good for him for having the guts to get up there! I wouldn’t.

  I remember one year we went on a family holiday to Fuerteventura. There was a little karaoke bar called Flicks that we used to go to. Nan, Gramps and Mum were constantly getting up and belting out tunes while my dad and I watched on. Gramps got up one night and sang I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You by Elvis Presley to me. It still makes me smile, thinking back to that moment. Nowadays, with video phones and social media so prevalent, I’d be terrified to sing in case it ended up online to haunt me forever more! That wouldn’t have bothered Gramps though. He’d have said something profound like better to regret what you did, not what you didn’t do.

  “Belles?” Tyler’s voice brings me back to the present and I look up at him with a smile, charmed by the nickname he’s taken to calling me.

  “Sorry, what did you say?”

  “This place is pretty cool, right?” Looking around I can’t help but agree. With musical posters and programmes adorning the walls, it’s like a green room. The thought makes me smile and he picks up on it. “What was that thought?”

  “My nan was really into her amateur dramatics. I remember one day while she was at work, my gramps redecorated the downstairs toilet to make it a green room. He painted it green, stuck loads of her old programmes up and photos of her in her plays. It was so cool.” Smiling at the memory, I take a sip of my drink.

  “That’s sweet! Did your nan sing?” he asks.

  “Not really, she was more into acting. Are you ready for your debut?” I ask, pointing to the stage.

  “Yep. I found the perfect song, I’m up next.” Grinning at me, he takes a swig of his pint and looks toward the stage where the drunk guy is encouraging everyone to join in with the chorus. I smile at his enthusiasm and how the crowd joins in to encourage him.

  As he stumbles off the stage, the karaoke master says, “Next up we have Tyler! Let’s welcome him to the stage.” The patrons clap as Tyler walks onto the stage with confidence and takes the microphone. Life is A Highway by Rascal Flatts starts to play and I laugh at his song choice. It’s perfect.

  Watching him let loose and enjoy himself fills me with a mix of pride and jealously. I wish I could feel that free. Not care about the opinions of others, whether or not people would mock me, if it would end up on social media. I live my life hiding under an umbrella, terrified of the storm, but it also shelters me from the rainbows. I’m missing so much by trying to protect myself.

  As Tyler steps off the stage, I j
oin the crowd in applauding his performance, throwing in a wolf whistle for good measure. He walks back over to our table and sits down. Smiling from ear to ear, he says, “That was awesome!”

  “I think I want to have a go,” I say, before I realise the words have come out of my mouth. Where did that come from?

  “Yeah?” he asks in surprise, but he’s clearly pleased.

  “Yeah. But do you think we could duet? I might need some moral support,” I say, downing the rest of my cocktail and giving myself an internal pep talk. I’ve got this! I can let loose and enjoy myself. Life is for living.

  “You bet! What are you thinking?” Tyler asks, pushing the song book my way. I flip through trying to find a suitable choice and stop when one jumps out at me.

  “How about Lightning Strikes by The Shires?” I suggest, looking up at him as he orders us a couple more drinks.

  “I like your style, Belles! I’ll go let the maestro know,” he says, taking his pint with him as he puts in our request. Three women are currently singing an enthusiastic rendition of a Spice Girls number and I can’t help but join in.

  “We’re up next,” Tyler smiles, slipping back into his seat. “You ready for your big debut?”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be!” The Spice Girls in the making come to the end of the song and take a bow, revelling in the attention they receive. Once they step off the stage, Tyler grabs my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze.

  “We’ve got this, Belles. Just have fun. It’s just us,” he reassures me as we step onto the stage and up to the microphone.

  “Now it’s time for a couple! Tyler and Isabelle.” The crowd cheers and I blush at the couple comment as the music starts. Tyler links his fingers through mine and starts the song off. He isn’t half bad, I could listen to his voice forever. Jumping in at my part, I close my eyes and just enjoy the moment.

  You only live once.

  Chapter Twenty

  Three songs down and we call it a night, paying our tab and heading out of the small bar. Tyler links his fingers through mine and we head off back to the hotel. The feel of his fingers entwined with mine makes me smile. It’s strange how normal it feels to be walking with him hand in hand. Like we’ve known each other for years rather than days. The night is warm and there’s a lovely breeze, it’s the perfect end to a perfect day.

  “Did you enjoy crossing singing at a karaoke bar off of your bucket list?” I ask him, as he leads me across the street.

  “Yes, I really did. And you were a dark horse! You were good up there,” he says and I laugh. Good is a word that has never been used to describe my singing before. “I’m serious. For someone who shies away from social situations, you left your fear at the door and gave it your all. I’m proud of you, Belles.”

  My cheeks heat and I feel the warmth spread across my body. “Thank you,” I whisper, but I know he hears it as we reach the hotel entrance. He stops and turns to face me.

  “I mean it. You’re amazing. I know you fear so much, but there’s no need. The sky’s the limit for you, Belles. You can do anything you want to.”

  Without thinking, I lean forward and press my lips to his, kissing him. His lips are soft and taste faintly of alcohol. I pour all my thanks into that kiss, not knowing if we’ll ever get a chance to repeat it. But I am so grateful to Tyler for showing me that there is so much more to life than just breathing.

  Pulling back, I look up at him and bite my lip. Crap. What did I do? “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that. Can we forget that just happened?”

  “Yeah, of course. If that’s what you want.” He gives me a quick smile and turns to the door. “But if you don’t want to forget it…” He doesn’t finish that sentence, just offers me his cheeky grin and opens the door for me.

  What do I want?

  Chapter Twenty-One

  My alarm wakes me up, far too soon as far as I’m concerned. I can hear the shower running so I’m not surprised to see Tyler’s bed empty. Sitting up and running a hand through my unruly hair, I reach for the coffee that he left by my bed. He’s the best. Glancing at the clock, I see it’s not even seven am. I’m momentarily distracted by his phone vibrating with an incoming call.

  Sipping my caffeine fix, I think back to that kiss last night. I pretended it didn’t happen once we were back in the room, but there was no way I could forget it. His lips moulded to mine perfectly and he tasted decadent. Part of me wishes I hadn’t broken away from him and told him to forget about it. Although the sensible part of me is patting myself on the back.

  Lost in thoughts of kisses and bad decisions, I don’t notice the shower turning off. Tyler makes his way into the room wearing nothing but a white towel wrapped around his waist. My mug stops halfway up to my mouth as I freeze at the sight. This man isn’t real. How can anyone be this perfect?

  “Sorry, didn’t realise you were up. Just need to grab some clothes,” he says with a smile, leaning down to rifle through his bag. I have to avert my eyes so I don’t watch him.

  “No worries. Your phone’s been ringing,” I say, before taking another slurp of my drink.

  He glances down at the screen and a flash of dismay crosses his face, but it’s gone just as fast as it came. Dismissing the notification, he says, “We had a bit of a late one last night, but I was hoping to get on the road sooner rather than later if you don’t mind?”

  “Not at all, let me finish this and I’ll get ready,” I say, with a goofy smile, internally chastising myself for being weird.

  “Perfect,” he says, as he makes his way to the bathroom to get changed. Letting out a sigh of relief when the bathroom door closes, I lean back against the headboard. What was that? I’ve never been flustered around Tyler during this trip. I’m not sure whether it’s seeing him almost naked, or the fact that we kissed last night, that’s messing with my head, but I need to take a breath and pull myself together. No men. That’s the pact I made to myself. I need to focus on sorting me out before I even think about dating.

  Pulling out my phone, I send a text to Alice.

  I may have done something crazy. Xx

  I don’t have to wait long for her reply.

  Alice: Did you finally hook up?! Xx

  Me: No! I just kissed him last night… Xx

  Alice: What?! No! Why did you do that? Shall I call? Xx

  Me: No, Tyler’s in the bathroom. You told me to have fun and let my hair down? Xx

  Alice: I told you to hook up with him! Not kiss him! Xx

  Me: How is that any different? Xx

  Alice: Kissing is intimate. Hooking up is just sex. Please be careful. You’ve come so far. Xx

  Sighing in confusion, I send my reply and finish my coffee. It was just a kiss. It didn’t mean anything.

  After we grab breakfast, we load up the car and are on the road again. Tyler thinks we should be in Carmona by late afternoon, if we have a good run and don’t stop too much.

  Putting my sunglasses on, I look out the window and watch the world go by. Tapping my foot to the music, I can’t help but think how lucky we are that we get to experience this. Gramps would have loved to take a trip like this. He loved to explore.

  I’m pulled from my thoughts by a familiar tune. Smiling, I look over at Tyler.

  “I thought we could do an encore.” He grins at me, turning up the same song by The Shires that we sang at karaoke. Laughing, I start singing with him, at the top of our lungs, like no one can hear us. Windows down, sunglasses on, we must look like a right pair. But for the first time in a long time, I really couldn’t care less.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  As Tyler predicted, we arrive in Carmona just after four. We drive around until we find a small hotel, and then stop to see if we can get a room.

  Once we’re checked in, we trudge up to the top floor where our room is located and collapse on the twin beds.

  “How do you feel about a supermarket dinner and a night in?” Tyler asks, looking over at me from where he’s laying. With his bla
ck t-shirt tight across his chest and his hand running through his mop of brown hair, he makes it hard to concentrate on what he said.

  “I feel like that is an ingenious plan, the less I have to move, the better,” I say when I finally manage to focus on his question.

  “Thank God. I don’t think I’m up to much today, that drive took it out of me,” he admits, looking exhausted and I feel a stab of guilt that he’s doing all the hard work.

  “Then let’s have a chilled evening. We have Wi-Fi right? I can get Netflix on my phone and we can watch crappy TV and stuff our faces with junk.”

  “You’re the perfect woman,” Tyler jokes, sending me a grin. “You had me at chilled.”

  Rolling my eyes, I pull myself off the bed and make my way to the bathroom. “Mind if I jump in the shower before we head to the shop?” Do not focus on the perfect woman comment. Do not focus on the… Too late.

  “Not at all, I’ll just lay here and not move,” he says, doing a starfish impression on his bed.

  I laugh and pull my greasy hair out of the ponytail I’ve confined it to. Sighing, I walk back to the main room to grab what I need from my bag, then head back to the bathroom and lock the door. Turning the water on to lukewarm—it’s still too hot outside to take a hot shower—I make quick work of stripping off and stepping under the water. Bliss. There is nothing better than a shower when you’re tired and sweaty.

  Massaging the shampoo into my hair, I let my thoughts wander to the trip so far. It’s been far more than I ever anticipated. I feel like I’ve learnt so much about myself in the short time we’ve been away. I feel free. And I like that feeling. Like nothing is holding me back, I’m a sunflower seeking out the sun and growing strong. As proud of myself as I am, I can’t help but let my thoughts travel to the man in the other room. He’s made a huge impact on my life, even though I didn’t ask him to. Hell, I didn’t want him to. No men. That’s what I agreed. Yet here I am, in the shower, thinking about the feel of his lips on mine. This is not good.