Miles launched into the reason he’d called. My smile grew and grew as I listened. When he had finished telling me his plan, we spent about twenty minutes talking about everything, from the trial to life back in Australia, and his work. It was good to talk to him again.
Cole sat beside me patiently, rubbing circles on the palm of my hand with his thumb. My sandwich was probably starting to harden, but I didn’t care. When we eventually wrapped up the phone call, and I turned my attention back to Cole.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yeah, actually. Everything’s great.”
He looked intrigued. “What do you mean?”
“You’ll see,” I replied and kissed him.
I spent the rest of the night doing nothing, but it was nothing with Cole so that was plenty. We lounged on the sofa, watching TV. It was perfect. The only time we were apart was when he quickly went home to get a change of clothes for work in the morning. It took a lot of convincing to get him to go back, but I didn’t want to get in the way of his job. Mum and Jasper would be with me constantly anyway.
“Let’s go to bed,” I yawned, pressing my face into Cole’s shoulder. He kissed the top of my head and helped me up. “Night,” I mumbled to Mum and Ali.
“Night,” they called back at the same time. Mum and Ali had had two bottles of red wine and were determined to finish them off. I didn’t blame them. If I’d liked red wine, I would have joined in after how the last few days had gone.
I changed, brushed my teeth and got into bed. Lately, I had been exhausted all the time even though I hadn’t done much. Lizzie had spent most nights over her ‘friend’s’. I had a feeling she was using me as an excuse to stay with this ‘friend’.
“I love you,” Cole whispered.
I rolled onto my side and slung my leg over his. “I love you too.”
When I woke in the morning, I was filled with dread. Cole was going to work, and I was left with Mum and Jasper fussing over me. I loved them both to death, but their worrying drove me crazy. I wasn’t the only one that was having a tough time right now.
“I don’t want to go to work,” Cole complained as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
“I don’t want you to go to work either but you have to. You don’t want to get fired.”
“No, you don’t want me to get fired. I could quite happily chill with you all day.”
“We’d end up killing each other.”
He pushed himself up and rested on his elbows, hovering over me. “I don’t think I would. I quite like you.”
I laughed and pushed him off me. He flopped back on the bed. “Shut up and go to work, Cole.”
He sighed heavily. “Fine.”
I watched him hop off the bed and pull on his grey trousers and light blue shirt. I felt so calm whenever I was with him, so long as he was in sight. He had this effect on me that just made everything seem a little better. When I was back in court, I was going to ignore my dad and focus on Cole.
He slumped back on the bed when he was dressed.
“Now, you have a good day and try not to get fired,” I teased.
He beamed and kissed me. My heart soared as his tongue swept over my bottom lip. I tangled my fingers in his newly styled hair and pulled him closer.
Cole abruptly ended the kiss and said, “Bye.”
“Oh, you’re mean.”
“Call me if you need anything.” His voice told me it was an order and not an option.
“Yes, sir!”
He fought a smile but failed. “I’ll see you tonight.”
Once Cole left, I decided to get up and face my family. I walked downstairs, and the house was deserted. There was a piece of paper on the counter. Jasper’s scribble read, ‘Gone for breakfast with Abby. Be back later.’
Mum must still be asleep. I had prepared for an argument, and now I was alone. I filled the kettle and flicked it on, knowing Mum would need a coffee as soon as she got up. When there was no sign of her after I’d made the coffee I decided to do her breakfast in bed and made her some toast.
I carried the tray upstairs and pushed the door open with my foot. “Mum?” I called. She groaned and looked up at me. Oh, hangover, of course!
“Breakfast.”
A smiled slipped on her face, and she sat up. “Thanks, sweetheart, that’s just what I need.”
“Polished off that wine then?”
She groaned. “Please, don’t mention the W word.”
I grinned and handed her the tray.
That afternoon, sitting in the lounge watching daytime TV, I watched the clock nervously. He was due here any minute, and I still wasn’t sure if I had done the right thing. Mum put a mug of hot chocolate down in front of me, clearly having fought off the hangover.
“Are you expecting Cole?”
“No. Why?”
“You keep looking at the clock.”
“Oh. I don’t know.”
She frowned at me. I had been texting Cole throughout the day, and he was working an extra hour to catch up on a few things. “Cole’s working. I’m just waiting for a new top to be delivered.”
“A new top?” she repeated.
“Yeah, ordered it yesterday.” Oh God, I’m the worst liar in the world! I sighed. “Okay, that was a lie.”
Mum grinned. “No. Really?”