Page 76 of When We Are Old

“Oh, have you spoken to her then?” The muscles in my face dropped no matter how hard I tried to freeze them into my smile.

He smiled slow and pushed a kiss onto the corner of my mouth. “Only on text.”

“Oh.” Like while I was wedged into the sofa by your whiskered aunty?

“Ronnie. I just want to get the dog for the kids, and then we can have an amazing week together. I can’t believe you are going to be here for the whole week. It’s more than I ever dreamed.”

My heart plummeted at the thought of going home. I mean, I knew it would happen. Hannah needed to get back to school. I had to pack the house for the sale… had to get back to work.

“What’s wrong? Are you cross I texted Julie?”

“No.” I shook my head. “I just don’t think a week is going to be enough.”

Matthew sighed and pressed his forehead down onto mine. “I can’t think further than a week.”

“It’s going to hurt.” I wanted to say more. Not that I knew the words to say, but Lynn bustled out of the kitchen, double taking us in when finding her son pressing his new girlfriend up against the wall of her hallway.

“Oh my.”

Matthew grinned and kissed me swiftly. “Sorry, Mam.”

She fanned her face. “Matthew Carling. If you don’t mind.”

“I really don’t mind at all.” He winked at her and she pulled a tea towel from her apron, winding it for a flick.

“Don’t make me, Matthew.” He chuckled but didn’t let me go.

“I’ll guard you with my life.” He spread his arms either side of me, shielding me with his enormous tall frame.

“Oh, get out of here. Go and get that bloody hound. I thought I’d take Ronnie to the shop while they are all screaming the place down in there. She looks like she has as much interest in football as I have in cricket.”

She wasn’t wrong and I gave a sheepish nod of my head to Matthew. “Sorry. I didn’t want you to find out for at least five years.”

He laughed and pressed his nose into my neck, uncaring of his mother acting as a front seat spectator. “You really think I didn’t know? Believe me it’s one of the first things I ever learned about you.”

I met his gaze, the heat of my heart almost burning my chest. “You did?”

“You’re the love of my life, Veronica Childs.”

Lynn made a strange choking noise. I blinked back saltwater and said, “Go get the dog and then let’s go home.”

His face shone with angelic brilliance. “I’ll be half an hour.”

“Matt,” Lynn warned. “Don’t rush. We are going to be at the shop.”

He broke away from me and saluted his mother. “Yes, boss.”

I didn’t want to let go of his hand. I clung on tight as I walked to the door. Matthew nodded his head from the doorway to the lounge where most of his family watched. “Enjoying the show?” he asked.

“Yepppp.” They all chorused at once.

Once he’d grabbed his keys out of the small bowl on a table in the hallway and shut the door behind him, I turned to Lynn. “Oh, wait, he didn’t say goodbye to the kids.”

“Wait…” She held up her head and counted to three using her fingers. The door reopened and I held my breath as he ducked back through. His grin could steal the oxygen from the entire universe.

“My bad.” He winked at me as he scooted past and shot into the lounge where I could hear him telling Ewan and Jack he was off to get Hugo. One of them, I placed the voice as Jack’s, wanted to go with him, but Matthew lowered his voice and said he needed him to look after me, because I didn’t know anyone.

Tears stung my eyes as sharp as diamonds.