He palmed his phone from his pocket and messaged the only person he knew would be up at this time of night, reading in bed while his dad snored beside her.
Walker: You awake, Mum?
He only had to wait a second for the response.
Mum: I am, love. Everything okay?
He knew he wouldn’t have to elaborate. His mum would understand. So he kept it short.
Walker: Gabi leaves on Sunday. She’s got the job in America.
Mum: Ah. I see. That’s a shame. We all liked her.
Walker: I’m really going to miss her.
His chest felt tight as he wrote the words.
Mum: Is there no way to work around things?
Walker: I feel like we’re from two different worlds.
It was the understatement of the year and he sighed, exhausted by everything he was feeling.
Mum: Hold on in there, son. Sometimes, worlds collide.
He felt the flicker of hope, like a tiny flame, somewhere deep inside him.
Walker: Love you, Mum.
Mum: Love you more.
Chapter Sixty-One
Gabi
It was Saturday afternoon, and Gabi had dressed carefully in a fitted asymmetric top that almost met her jeans. Not just because she wanted to look her absolute best, but because she had to plan what to keep out of her suitcase, which was otherwise packed and standing at the end of her bed like a flashing beacon of doom. She’d mussed her own hair and checked her eyeliner was just smudged enough to give her a smoky eye and not look like she’d been crying most of the morning. Which she had. Which was ridiculous.
She could hear people arriving and heading out to the garden. She’d been banished to her room for an hour while Amber got everything ready but now, she heard the shout that she could attend her own party. The one which was meant to be fun and to say goodbye, although how those two things went together were a bit beyond her.
All the gang were there. Toby and Jesse had even popped in. All her favourite people in one place, the people that had turned from strangers to friends over the past few months. Tunes were playing on the speaker; the sun was out, and the sky was blue. And although it might be ten degrees colder than where she’d be the next day, she reckoned it was twice as beautiful.
The first person she looked for was Walker. He stood at the end of the garden talking to Fox, his T-shirt fitted across the span of his chest and shoulders, his jeans hugging his thighs. Damn, he looked good. Better than good. She headed for him, just wanting to be near him for these last, precious few hours.
‘There she is!’ Wren shouted, before she reached him. He turned at the words and their eyes locked, and everyone and everything else fell away.
Amber popped a bottle of champagne, and everyone cheered. Reggie and George ran onto the patio as a double act and shot party poppers around her, trailing streamers as they went. Glasses were handed out and by the time hers was filled, he was beside her, his arm around her shoulders, his breath in her ear.
‘You look hot as hell,’ he whispered, pulling her closer into his side. She went to reply but found her throat constricted. She coughed to clear it and squeezed him back. He smelled of peppery spice and she wanted to bury her face in his neck and breathe him in. No chance of that until later, though. Everyone encircled her, glasses poised.
‘To Gabi,’ Amber said, raising her glass in the air. ‘My favourite flatmate ever. Sorry you ate my face mask once thinking it was yoghurt.’ The guys gagged and the girls laughed.
‘Easily done!’ Gabi said. ‘Quite tasty too.’
‘To Gabi,’ Isabella continued. ‘My favourite cousin in the world.’
‘Your only cousin in the world,’ Gabi corrected.
‘Not the point!’ Isabella just shrugged and blew her a kiss, before pulling a handkerchief out of Etienne’s pocket and blowing her nose loudly.
