Page 45 of One Week With You
“I’m wondering if you’ve seen Rafe yet? He said he was walking into the village to check the snow ploughs are coming?”
“Whatever would he do that for? The government deals with things like that.”
I knew it.“Oh. Well, if and when you do see him, will you tell him to give me a call?”
“Of course, dear. I’ll keep an eye out.”
After our call I paced the living room, my mind filled with new questions, new fears. When the phone rang my shoulders sank in a combination of relief and annoyance, but only for a second. Leo was a master at texting but rarely called unless it was an emergency or if he needed to get out of an awkward date. The amount of times I’d had to pretend to be our mother was alarming.
“What’s wrong?” I rushed out.
“Uh, hello to you too,” Leo said, amused. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just checking in.”
“You hardly ever call me though, unless you want something.”
Silence filled the line. “Yeah, well, it’s been weird not seeing you. No matter how busy things get at work, we always see each other at Christmas. It was strange, that’s all.”
“I know,” I said with a sigh. I didn’t regret my time spent away, not after everything that had happened, but it didn’t stop the twinge of guilt. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
“Hey, none of that. I understood the need to get away. Trust me. This isn’t a guilt trip. I wanted you to know you were missed and to see if you were okay.”
Aw.The fight eased its solid grip on my muscles and I sank into the armchair. Leo would walk through fire for me, for any of our siblings, but he rarely spoke his love and loyalty out loud. He was more actions than words, so this meant something. “That’s sweet, Leo. I missed you guys too.”
Even though I’d spent Christmas completely wrapped up in Rafe and the way he touched me – the way he made me feel – I had missed my family and all our traditions. But it had also cemented how much I wanted someone special in my life. Family was one thing, but a life partner, someone by my side, was something else. I wanted it all.
I want Rafe.
I ached with want, desperate with it, especially now I knew what it was like to really, truly be with him. To wake in his arms and be wrapped in his embrace. No longer dreams or imaginings; I had actual memories now, solid moments I wouldn’t be able to shake. I wasn’t sure how I’d go back to before, wasn’t sure if I’d need to. We needed to talk and now that Christmas had officially passed, it felt like we were running out of time. But maybe my uncertainty was warning enough? I should’ve felt more secure by now, after everything we’d shared, and yet…
Real life.
That’s what Rafe said earlier.
Something seized in my chest. Was I even part of his real life? Did he want me to be?
“How was it?” I asked, desperate for distraction suddenly.
“It was fine. No tears,” Leo joked. “Actually, it pretty much went as normal. Food, movies, presents. Dad pretended to be a good host while the neighbours stopped in for a sherry. Jacob cheated at Monopoly. Oliver fell asleep duringIt’s a Wonderful Life. The usual. You didn’t miss anything except the amazing present I got you, and my presence, of course.”
I rolled my eyes but grinned at the picture he made. “Oh yeah? Well, I’ll have something to look forward to when I get back. You can wow me with your presence then.”
“You can count on it. I better have a good gift in return. Season of giving and all that.”
“Guess you’ll have to wait and see.”
Leo chuckled. “Not too long I hope.”
“Weather depending, I’ll be home a few days after New Year’s, I promise.”
“But did you get what you needed? Has it been worth Mum’s inevitable guilt trips?”
Yes.No matter if Rafe was about to break my heart completely, I couldn’t find it in me to regret the time we’d spent together. Sometimes stolen moments were meant to be cherished, however fleeting.
“I think so.” The urge to tell my brother what I’d decided about my career was right there on the tip of my tongue, but I held back for now. I needed to make sure I had the means to start my own business first. There was so much to do before I cemented things. “I have some things to work out but I’m getting there. Is… Is Dad still freaking out?”
“Nah. We calmed him down. He knows you’ll be fine. Think he’s mellowing in his old age.”
I blew out a steady breath. One less thing to worry about at least. “Good. That’s good.”
