‘You don’t even know this guy,’ Emma said. ‘It’s only been a week.’
‘I admit it’s been pretty fast, but I …’ Bel let out a frustrated groan as she searched for words that wouldn’t sound ridiculous to Emma. ‘I think he’s my soulmate.’
‘But you’ve only. Known him. A week!’
‘I get how it sounds. When I say it out loud, I hear the crazy too, okay? But what I feel is completely different. He was sent to me, Em. I know you don’t believe in all that stuff, but I do, and I’m telling you, sometimes the universe puts things in our path for a reason. This is the push I need to actually do something. And weren’t you the one who was always telling me I should leave? Find a man?’
‘Yes, but I didn’t necessarily mean a complete stranger who lives on the other side of the bloody continent!’
‘You can’t choose where love lives.’
‘I thought that was the whole point of you conjuring up your dream man? So youcouldchoose?’ Emma shot back.
‘Yeah, well, I forgot to add his location in there, so I guess that’s on me,’ Bel said snarkily. With some effort, she softened her tone. ‘I know it’s a bit of a shock, but this feels right, Em. I don’t want to sit here and wonder what if I’d gone when he asked me. You know? There’s been too manywhat-ifs in my life. I’m only going for a week. Who knows, I might get there and hate it, but at least I’ll have something exciting to remember.’
‘It’s all happened rather fast,’ Emma said, frowning.
‘I know. And I know you’re only looking out for me, but I need you to be happy for me right now. I’m going,’ Bel said in a quiet voice, holding Emma’s gaze firmly.
‘Okay,’ Emma said with a resigned shake of her head. ‘But you’d better keep your phone location app on. I’ll be keeping a close eye on it.’
‘Stalkerish much?’
‘You’ll thank me if he turns out to be a serial killer,’ she muttered.
‘Thank you,’ Bel said, hugging her.
‘For what?’
‘Always looking out for me. I do appreciate it, you know.’
‘I know. And I do want you to go and have fun. I guess I’m just worried that it’ll be too much fun and you won’t come back.’
‘If it is, isn’t that a good thing too?’
‘Yeah. It is. Okay,’ Emma said, rolling her eyes. ‘Fine. Go on a holiday with your drop-dead gorgeous book-cover model and have lots of wild, hot sex. Don’t worry about me over here, doing the dishes and washing clothes all day. I’ll befine.’
‘Oh, you love it. Stop complaining. I’ll be back before you know it.’
‘You’d better be.’
Two days later, after clearing out the fridge and switching everything off, Bel pulled the front door shut behind her and let out a deep breath.
She took one step off the front verandah, then another and another until she reached Tate’s smiling face as he held open the car door. She braced her shoulders and resisted the urge to turn around and take one last look.It’s only a week.
