Cecelia Ahern 2-Book Valentine Collection: PS I Love You, Where Rainbows End

PS. I love you …

She felt Gerry watching her and the corners of her lips lifted into a smile. She began to laugh, repeating, ‘NO WAY!’ whenever she caught her breath. Finally she calmed down and announced to the room, ‘Gerry! You bastard! There is absolutely no way I am going through with this!’

Gerry laughed louder.

‘This is not funny. You know how I feel about karaoke, and I refuse to do it. Nope. No way. Not doing it.’

‘You have to do it, you know,’ laughed Gerry.

‘I do not have to do this!’

‘Do it for me.’

‘I am not doing it for you, for me or for world peace. I hate karaoke!’

‘Do it for me,’ he repeated.

The sound of the phone caused Holly to jump in her seat.

It was Sharon. ‘OK, it’s five past twelve, what did it say? John and I are dying to know!’

‘What makes you think I opened it?’

‘Ha!’ Sharon snorted. ‘Twenty years of friendship qualifies me as an expert; now come on, tell us what it says.’

‘I’m not doing it,’ Holly stated bluntly.

‘What? You’re not telling us?’

‘No, I’m not doing what he wants me to do.’

‘Why, what is it?’

‘Oh, just Gerry’s pathetic attempt at being humorous,’ she snapped at the ceiling.

‘I’m intrigued now,’ Sharon said. ‘Tell us.’

‘Holly, spill the beans, what is it?’ John was on the downstairs phone.

‘OK … Gerry wants me … to … singatakaraoke,’ she rushed out.

‘Huh? Holly, we didn’t understand a word you said,’ Sharon gave out.

‘No, I did,’ interrupted John. ‘I think I heard something about karaoke. Am I right?’

‘Yes,’ Holly replied.

‘And do you have to sing?’ enquired Sharon.

‘Ye-eess,’ she replied slowly. Maybe if she didn’t say it, it wouldn’t have to happen.

The others burst out laughing so loud, Holly had to remove the phone from her ear. ‘Phone me back when the two of you shut up,’ she said angrily, hanging up.

A few minutes later they called back.

‘Yes?’

She heard Sharon snort down the phone, relapse into a fit of the giggles and then the line went dead.

Ten minutes later she phoned back.

‘Yes?’

‘OK.’ Sharon had an overly serious ‘let’s get down to business’ tone in her voice. ‘I’m sorry about that, I’m fine now. Don’t look at me, John,’ she said away from the phone. ‘I’m sorry, Holly, but I just kept thinking about the last time you—’

‘Yeah, yeah, yeah,’ Holly interrupted, ‘you don’t need to bring it back up. It was the most embarrassing day of my life so I just happen to remember it. That’s why I’m not doing it.’

‘Oh, Holly, you can’t let a stupid thing like that put you off!’

‘Well, if that wouldn’t put a person off, then they’re clinically insane!’

‘Holly, it was only a little fall …’

‘Yes, thank you! I remember it just fine! Anyway, I can’t even sing, Sharon; I think I established that fact marvellously the last time!’

Sharon was very quiet.

‘Sharon?’

More silence.

‘Sharon, you still there?’

There was no answer.

‘Sharon, are you laughing?’ Holly gave out.

Holly heard a little squeak and the line went dead.

‘What wonderfully supportive friends I have,’ she muttered under her breath.

‘Oh, Gerry!’ she yelled. ‘I thought you were supposed to be helping me, not turning me into a nervous wreck!’

She got very little sleep that night.

CHAPTER TEN

‘Happy birthday, Holly! Or should I say Happy belated birthday?’ Richard laughed nervously. Holly’s mouth dropped open in shock at the sight of her older brother standing on her doorstep. This was a rare occurrence; in fact it may even have been a first. She opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish, completely unsure what to say.