“Hi, Henry.I’m glad you’re here.”A lovely, rosy color shades her cheeks.“Thank you for breakfast and lunch.”
“This’ll make three meals together in one day,” I point out with a cheesy grin.“Thanks for having us.Oh, and here.I thought you might need these.”
She eyes the boot laces I picked up for her with surprised amusement.“I do.How thoughtful.”
“No chewing on her new laces, Buster,” Olly instructs with a laugh.Buster barks.
Venus ushers us inside.“Make yourselves at home,” she says, heading to the galley kitchen.
Olly takes off with Buster, roaming shamelessly through all the rooms and then marching up to the loft.While he explores, I follow Venus into the side pantry off the kitchen, where she tries to reach a narrow metal pail on the upper shelf.
I wedge into the small space behind her.“Let me get that.”
I only have a few inches on her, but it’s just enough to grab the pail.She turns to face me, and we grin simultaneously at how close we are.
“Where’s Olly?”she asks.
“Looking under your bed and going through your medicine cabinet upstairs.”
“Good.”Then, her hands slide up my chest and around my neck, dragging me closer for a greedy kiss.My entire body hums with the contact, and I sink into her touch.
“You’ve missed me,” I accuse coyly.
Her brow pinches.“It defies logic.It’s only been three hours since you kissed me goodbye.But yes, I’ve missed you.”
“Best to go with those feelings, not try to reason them out,” I smile before kissing her again.
“Campus walks, lunches… office hours,” she says, breathless at my lips and blushing again, “are all nice, but for this experiment to work, we need more data.I need more time with you.”
“That’s what I want, too.Come over tomorrow for dinner and spend the weekend with me.I have a plan.”
“What Henry wants…” she smirks, turning the corner out of the pantry as Olly rushes into the kitchen.
“Dad!You won’t believe it!”
“Believe what?”
“She’s got plants everywhere, Dad.And drawings.And a notebook full of pictures with your name on it.”
“Olly, you shouldn’t go through people’s things,” I say, using my stern voice.
“Dad, Venus doesn’t mind,” he says, as if he’s known this woman all his life.
In a way, he has.
“I don’t mind.”Venus holds up the pail.“This is for the flowers.Want to help?”
Olly nods enthusiastically.Venus fills it with water and sets it on the table beside the flowers.He takes her side, following her lead as she unwraps them.
“Why do you write notes to Dad?”
Her perfect lips ease into a light smile.“He’s my best friend.I take him wherever I go.”
Olly’s face pinches.“Can you start writing notes for me, too?”
“Notes?You’ll get full letters with illustrations and treasures,” she promises, “if I go away again.”
My head spins over the wordif.
