“Of course. I’ll help you get some food together.” Angie smiles, heading to the kitchen.
“Oh, no need. I’ve got my orders from the boys. Marmite sandwiches, grapes, and strawberries with Nutella dip.”
“Sounds yummy.” Angie screws up her nose.
“It is.” Connie giggles. “Oh, and they’d like to do some arts and crafts this afternoon, so I’ll have them well occupied if you want the day to yourselves.”
We glance at each other. We could do with some time on our own, and I guess Angie feels the same.
“You sure?” she asks. I’m happy she’s eager.
“Totally. If there’s a problem, I’ll shout.”
“Thanks, Connie. You’re one in a million,” I call over, collecting two bottles of water from the fridge and handing one to Angie.
“It’s no trouble at all,” she says, also delving into the fridge beside me and filling a jug with apple juice, then collecting two plastic cups. “See you in a bit,” she calls, stepping back outside.
As I lean against the kitchen counter, one leg crossed over the other at the ankle, I take in every inch of the beautiful woman in front of me. Today, she’s wearing an eighties-style denim jacket over a yellow dress which pinches into her slim waist then flows to just above her yellow Converse. Her hair is up in a messy ponytail, highlighting the contours of her beautiful face. In this moment, she’s the same girl I met eleven years ago. Fuck, how I’d give my right arm to go back in time and change what happened between us. The only upside of my current situation is Ozzie. He’s a good enough reason to have no regrets about the course of my life.
Angie’s head is on my lap, and she’s sprawled across the sofa. While I play with long strands of her blonde hair, I can’t help thinking how quiet she is.
“Is everything okay, babe? You haven’t said much.”
Her head tilts back and she looks up towards me. “I’m fine. Just thinking.”
“About?” I ask, raising a brow.
She sighs, looking straight ahead. “How we got here. We’re practically prisoners in our own homes.”
Dread fills my stomach. “I realise I was a dick for attacking Fraser. If I hadn’t, none of this shit would have happened. I should have kept my cool.”
“We’ve been through this and rightly or wrongly, you were protecting me. Although, I do find his behaviour a little strange. When we dated and he found out you and I were friends, he was over the moon. He said he was a fan and, honestly, I thought the real reason he was taking me out was to meet you,” she jokes.
I lift her chin with my finger, catching her eyes. “Have you looked in the mirror lately? You don’t know what you’re saying.”
Her lips curl up at the side, and I wink back, huffing out a laugh at the thought of any man looking at Angie and not thinking she’s hot.
As we quieten down, the atmosphere takes a more serious turn. “I understand if being with me is too hard.”
Angie sits up. Her elbow leans on the back of the sofa while her fingers comb through my hair. “I can handle it. We just have to be careful, but it will never affect how I feel about you.”
“And how do you feel about me?”
She rolls her lips and there’s panic in her face. “I’m…I?—”
My lips tighten in a straight line and I close my eyes. It’s stupid, but I hoped for more by now. For Angie, this is asking too much, too soon.
“I didn’t mean?—”
“It’s okay, I don’t want to push you into anything.” I smile, but I’m far from good. I’ve fallen for her. Completely this time.
Angie throws her head back and her hands in the air. “Oh, God, you’ve got me all wrong.”
I'm unsure what she means. “Why? What’s going on?”
Her hand cups my face. She looks right into my eyes while rolling her lips together as if she’s contemplating what to say. Then she shakes her head slightly. “Sod it.” She shrugs. “If you want the truth, I want to be with you twenty-four-seven. There, I said it.”
My head drops. “Fuck, I thought?—”
