Secrets to a Happy Ending

Chapter 23

Lydia pulled up at the hotel, where Ben was standing outside waiting for her.

"Hi, I thought I would come to check if you were ok, but I heard you dashed out."

Lydia quickly looked for a reason to justify her sudden disappearance. She happened to notice her camera on the passenger seat of the car.

"Well, i'm going to be leaving soon, and I had to get some photos of other villages to compare with this one, you know so my readers can see the difference you know."

Ben stood and listened attentively, but the look on his face made Lydia realise he was not going to buy the story, even if he didn't say it, had her cover been blown? Did he know the truth?

"You know Lydia, if you don't want to see me that's fine, you don't have to make up a story, it's cool you are your own person after all, I get that?"

"No wait, honestly it's nothing, the other day when I was at the sawmill, Ronnie suggested that I go and look at how Bulgarians live in comparison, that's all."

"Can I see you tonight?"

"I can't Ben not tonight I'm busy I have to get the prepped ready for my blog."

"You know I have never read this blog, when do you suppose I can have a look?"

"Tomorrow, look I promise everything will be clearer tomorrow, but for now i'm tired and I have to work. Can we pick this up then?"

Ben looked down at the ground. He had his hands in his pockets while he kicked the ground, thinking about Lydia's proposal, it reminded Lydia of some naughty school boy who was getting told off for something.

"Ok tomorrow then."

Lydia smiled and then went towards the gate into the Garden of the hotel, when Ben pulled her back he grabbed her close and brushed her hair from her face. Lydia could feel his heart beating as he held her close, she closed her eyes and reached in, where

Ben gave her the sweetest kiss, she had not known in a long time. She dropped her bag and flung her arms around him, wanting the kiss to last even longer. She yearned there and then to tell him everything, she felt safe with him, that no harm would come to her. Then she stopped and stepped back, she had come too far now, she had to find out the answers.

"See you tomorrow." She said then ran inside.

Once in the hotel, the foyer was quiet, the reception desk appeared to be unmanned. She checked her watch and it was 7.35pm, she ran upstairs to her bedroom, and closed the door. Her head felt full of information, but for now she could not get Ben out of her mind. She could not believe what had just happened, she smiled at the thought of the kiss, remembering the meal she had with him and the time they spent together over the past few days. She walked over to the bouquet of flowers he had bought for her, which had been picked by Julie, included in it was the red rose from Claire.

Knowing that she had to go out later she had some planning to do, so she called down to the reception where a man answered the phone. Lydia explained she was having an early night, and that she did not wish to be disturbed. Afterwards she started jotting down notes about the village, the bungalows, sawmill, the village square everything. She turned on her laptop and opened a word document to begin typing, when she saw her email flashing at her. She remembered Michael saying he would email her the document; however, she could not remember the name of the person, she was about to reach for her iPad to open it, stopped and listened, there was someone outside of the door.