Page 65 of Burning Embers
“You would be amazing.”
I shake my head. “It was just a dream.”
He shuffles us so he’s staring down at me, tucking my stray hair behind my ears.
“Rachel, it’s not just a dream. You have the talent, you could do it.”
I find myself holding my breath. Though it’s dark in here, I can see the conviction in his eyes. I turn my head and suck in a deep breath. “It’s not that simple.”
I think of the cost of getting a teacher’s degree or taking a teaching assistant course…not to mention the amount of time it would take.
“You know, there are grants,” he says.
“Maybe,” I say, hoping he will drop the subject for now. I’ll be coming into my inheritance soon, but I don’t want to get into that.
“I can help you search online. I believe in you, Rachel, even if you don’t believe in yourself.”
I nibble my bottom lip, my throat going dry. Apart from my nan, no one else has ever said that to me before. My nose tingles as my eyes begin to water.Damnit, don’t cry.
His thumb wipes at a stray tear. I sniff loudly, hoping I can dislodge the urge to full-on cry. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
I grab his hand and kiss the pad of his thumb. “You didn’t. It’s just nice having someone believe in me again.”
He leans forward, kissing the tip of my nose, my cheeks, pausing a breath away from my mouth. “I do, and I want to be witness when you start believing in yourself, too,” he whispers.
And then his lips meet mine—a kiss so powerful, it’s almost suffocating. I grip the back of his head, wanting him closer; the weight of his body on top of me is intoxicating. He pours his words into this kiss. When he pulls away, we are both breathless and he winks at me before pulling me back into his chest. Secure in his arms, I close my eyes and allow the sound of his breathing to lull me to sleep. For the first time in a long time, I have a thread of hope.
Chapter Forty-Two
OLLY
I blink awake, hold back my groan.How the fuck does Rachel sleep on this sofa every night?She’s snuggled into my chest. A soft snore escapes her lips, letting me know she is still in a deep sleep.
The sound of a door creaking causes me to sit up slightly, and I see Molly-Mae walking in with her flamingo blanket tucked under her arm, thumb in mouth. Her big-blue eyes find me and widen. Her thumb pops out of her mouth, then she starts running over.
I hold up my hand for her towaitand press a finger to my lips tobe quiet. “Let mummy sleep,” I whisper.
“Okay, Olly.” She turns away, and I wonder where she’s going—bathroom.
I manage to scoot off the torture device of a sofa without waking Rachel. I reach for my jeans and quickly pull them on. I hear the sound of a flush and water running before Molly comes back out. “You had a sleepover?” she asks.
I nod. “Yeah. You want breakfast?”
She reaches out to me, and I pick her up, popping her on my hip before making our way into the kitchen.
“What do you want to eat?” I ask.
“Chocolate.”
I shake my head. “Nice try, Molly-Mae, but your mumma would tell me off.”
“Hmm…what today?”
“It’s Sunday,” I reply, hoping I understood her correctly.
“Pancakes.” She wriggles, and I put her on her feet. She grabs her small blue chair and drags it over to the counter to stand on it.
“Whoa, kid,” I say.
