He’d already told her that he regretted their relationship.
There was nothing left to say except goodbye.
But the words stuck in her throat and Oliver seemed more interested in his computer than her.
So Helen quietly put his car keys on his desk, slid out of the room and walked out of the surgery with tears in her eyes.
She’d get a taxi back to the cottage, pick up her bags and go to the station before Bryony and Jack arrived home. That way she wouldn’t be a wet blanket.
She stood for a moment in the car park, staring at the mountains, thinking that in a month she’d recovered from David.
All she had to do now was recover from Oliver.
But she knew that what she felt for Oliver would be with her forever.
CHAPTER NINE
OLIVER stared blindly at the monitor, fighting the temptation to put his fist through it.
It had taken every ounce of will-power on his part not to crash his way through his desk and grab Helen.
But the image of her in David’s arms had stayed with him.
He tried to console himself with the fact that four weeks ago his life had been happy.
Four weeks ago his life had been fine.
But that had been before he’d met Helen.
The door to his consulting room flew open and he glanced up eagerly, his broad shoulders sagging slightly when he saw his brother standing there.
‘What’s wrong?’
Tom strolled into the room, pushing the door shut behind him. ‘Bryony just rang from the airport. She’s on her way back. I came to warn you so that you can rethink accommodation for you and Helen.’
‘Thanks, but it’s all sorted. I’m going home after I’ve finished here.’
‘Home to your home?’ Tom lifted an eyebrow mockingly. ‘And what about your roof?’
Oliver didn’t smile. ‘My roof is finished.’
Tom looked at him searchingly. ‘And Helen?’
There was a long silence and when Oliver finally spoke his voice sounded rusty. ‘David has turned up.’
‘David? The guy who left her?’
‘The same.’
‘And she slapped his face, yes?’
‘Not when I was there,’ Oliver said evenly. ‘In fact, they were looking pretty cosy. She came here to say goodbye. She’s on her way back to London, presumably to begin the life she had planned before he ditched her at the altar. He’s about to make her a very happy woman.’
‘Are you sure about that?’ Tom frowned. ‘I just saw her climbing into a taxi, looking as though her best friend had died. She certainly didn’t look like a woman who’d rediscovered the love of her life.’
Oliver gave a twisted smile. ‘Helen’s a sweet girl. I expect she was worrying that she’d hurt me. I tried to pretend that it was all just a bit of fun and that none of it mattered, but I don’t think I was very convincing.’
Tom looked at him, his eyes searching. ‘And you’re sure you didn’t misunderstand?’