by Rachel Dove
Luke nodded, his hand still in hers, and turned to look out of the window. She felt his grip tighten, just a fraction, and she gave it a squeeze.
‘Hello Mina, I’m sorry about that. Did Lester get him out? Are you mad?’
‘Is Mina mad?’ Robbie’s cold tones came out of the phone like icy fingers, making her ear prickle. Her grip tightened around Luke’s hand, hard and fast. Luke turned to the phone and jabbed at the speakerphone button. ‘What about me, eh? What about that? You can’t even say anything, can you? It’s path—’
Luke’s jaw clenched, and he took the phone out of her hands.
‘Listen to me, you lycra-wearing little shit stick. Listen carefully, if you have any actual brain matter in that massive head of yours. You don’t know who I am, but I sure know who you are. I have a very special set of IT skills, the very best. If you don’t leave Rebecca alone, or if you harm her in any way, I will use my special set of skills to end your internet life as you know it. You think you get attention now, wait till I am finished with you. You’ll have no need to worry about everyone knowing just who and what you are, because I will show them. Amazing what a bit of Photoshop and an internet connection can do, Dobbie. I will end your little following, and then I will track you down, and smack seven bells of shit out of you. Do you understand?’
Rebecca didn’t give Robbie time to stop spluttering, taking the phone she ended the call. The night fell silent once more, the driver humming along to his tunes, muffled by the screen.
‘I’m not going to say sorry,’ Luke started, and she took the phone from him, turning it off and shoving it back into the bag by her side.
‘I don’t want you to.’
‘Good, cos I’m not.’
They both looked out of their windows, hands on their laps. The music changed to Elton, singing about a rocket. The driver stopped humming and started bobbing his head like a nodding dog. Everyone was an Elton fan. Her mother loved him. Did she know Robbie was here? Were they still in touch? Another reason she knew Robbie was playing the part of the wounded duck. If he really wanted to find her, he would have contacted her mother. And her mother would never have been such a pain in the behind all this time. She was 100 per cent team Robbie. He’d bailed on her in her time of need, and she knew it as well as Rebecca did. Typical mother, choosing to only see what she wanted to see.
‘I’m really not you, know.’ Luke broke the silence. ‘I will absolutely knock his block off if he rings you again.’
‘I don’t doubt it.’
‘Good, cos I will.’
‘I know, you said.’
‘I mean, what the hell did you see in him anyway?’ He puffed his fringe out of his eyes. ‘I mean! I know it’s not my business, but …’ He bit his lip. ‘Well, his hair for a start. His hair looks like he’s been dipped in oil, and his clothes! Well, his clothes were nice, but clothes don’t maketh the man, Rebecca. Colin Firth lied. A knobhead in Armani is still a knobhead in my book.’
‘Manners,’ she muttered.
‘What?’ He turned back from the window to look at her.
‘Manners maketh the man. That was the line. Never mock Colin Firth.’
‘Why was he a tailor then?’ he asked, genuinely confused.
‘He wasn’t a tailor, he was a highly trained … look, does it matter?’
‘Not really no, but I do want to watch that one again now.’
‘I have it in the lodge on DVD – oh Luke, what are we going on about?’
‘I don’t know, you started that one.’ He turned his head back to the window. A moment later, she saw him pull his phone out and Google ‘Colin Firth film quotes’.
Rebecca pushed her lips together to stop herself from laughing. Thank God she could press her face close to the window so he couldn’t see her face. She could see him though, he was still spouting on, first about how confusing Kingsman was, and then back to Robbie. Then he kept impersonating Robbie’s hairstyle by putting his own hair into ridiculous peaks and patterns. She could see his reflection bouncing back as they parked up by the café. The driver turned and smiled at them jovially.
‘Good night?’ he asked, as though he was utterly new.
‘Great, thanks,’ Luke said, back to being Mr Polite to everyone. It was so cute. Robbie treated people like they were all in his entourage, whether they were or not. ‘Keep the change.’
He handed the notes to the driver and got out. Rebecca went to open her door, but Luke was there, hand outstretched. She took it without hesitating and the driver went on his Elton-loving way. She fumbled for her keys, using the distraction to push the words out of her throat.
‘I didn’t see all that, not at first. The hair, sure, but he wore a helmet a lot. Everyone we knew had weird hair. It was good at first. We gelled.’
Luke shuddered. ‘Go on.’
She reached into her bag to try to locate her keys again. Her hands were freezing already.
‘He was committed to the slopes, just as much as I was. We ended up hanging out with the same people, entering the same competitions, it just evolved from there. He wasn’t as bad as he is now. He hates me, so he’s only showing his evil side. I broke our dream.’
‘You didn’t break anything, Rebecca. You had an accident. Was he not there, after?’
She thought back to that day on the slopes. Half delirious with pain, she’d heard him on the phone. Not to her mother back home, or any of their friends. They would have been calling too, given that her fall from grace had been televised for the world to see. They’d have seen it all, in instant replay. Her making the jump, landing, and her ski breaking. Turned out, it had been damaged in flight. Unchecked, the moment her body weight met the snow, she was out for the count.
Robbie was on the slopes, right there with her, but he wasn’t calling her mum. He was calling the agent they shared, telling them to make the most out of this ‘opportunity’. She couldn’t blame her agency, that was what they did. They did their job, controlled the damage, spun the stories, kept the offers rolling in. But when she’d heard him like that, she knew the engagement they’d decided to keep under wraps till after the competition was over. It hadn’t even been a week. She’d only worn her ring once, that night he proposed on the Whistler mountainside. The next day, she’d given it back to him for safekeeping whilst they flew to France. The rest? Well, that was bone-shattering history. She’d never seen the ring again, and she’d never asked to.
‘He was there when he thought it was a blip. He thought I’d maybe broken a leg, be off the circuit for a season. He was hoping to squeeze a quickie wedding in between. My agent, our agent, he was great. Matt handled my hospital treatment, got me the best. Listened to me when I said I didn’t want bedside YouTube videos with updates for my “fans”. There was no point to it anymore, I wasn’t that person.’
She felt herself weaken, and sniffed.
‘Hell, I was never that person. I didn’t care about the fancy merchandise, or the money. I just wanted to be the best at what I loved.’
‘How bad was it?’ Luke’s voice was low, caution whispering out of the question.
‘I didn’t let anyone touch me for the first two weeks. Not when I was awake, anyway. The pain meds were intense.’
She had a flashback of waking in the middle of the night, the pain in her body making her stir. Pushing what she came to call the bye-bye button. You pressed it, you went bye-bye.
‘Holly came to see me, and she told me I stank.’ She laughed, but it turned into a little sob. ‘She washed me, sorted me out and told me to pull myself together.’
‘She’s a good friend,’ said Luke as Rebecca pulled her keys out and unlocked the café door. They walked inside and she breathed in the scent of home, relaxing just a little. She could hear Luke locking the door behind her. ‘Are you recovered now?’
She didn’t answer for a moment, and he slowly walked closer to her. His footsteps were the only noise now. He put his hands around her, his front pressed tight to he
r back. She took his hands and wrapped them around herself.
‘Yeah, all better. The doctors did an amazing job.’ That was true, other than the scars. The roadmap of her crash and burn. ‘Few pins and plates here and there.’ Not to mention the physical therapy till she was sick, her muscles burning from the effort of keeping her body going. Working half arsed wasn’t an option if you wanted to get back to normal. Whatever normal passed for these days. Robbie wasn’t there for any of that.
‘Do you still ski?’
She didn’t give an answer, and he didn’t press for one. He dropped a kiss onto her cheek.
‘I think we drank all the wine …’ He whirled her around, dropping one hand so that she twirled around him. ‘Or I would suggest a nightcap. For our shot nerves.’ He looked down at his wrecked shirt. ‘And to celebrate our victory at Fight Club.’
Rebecca put her finger to her lips, looking around the empty café. ‘What happens in Fight Club, stays in Fight Club remember?’
He drew her to him, his feet moving into a slow step.
‘Dance with me then. Let’s shake the night up a bit.’
She laughed, throwing her head back as he picked her up off the floor and spun her around. Slowly releasing his grip on her till their eyes met, he lowered her till her feet were just brushing the floor.
‘It’s weird Rebecca, but so far, this week with you has been one of the most exciting of my life.’
‘From what I’ve heard, that doesn’t take much.’ He stuck his tongue out at her. ‘Thank you for tonight, for standing up for me.’ She patted him on the shoulder. ‘It felt nice to have someone there, having my back.’
‘Even though I pissed in your bin?’
She laughed like a drain, making him chuckle.
‘My new bin is nicer, thanks for that.’
‘I haven’t seen that yet.’ He touched his cheek to hers, dancing to a beat that they both seemed to hear. ‘You’ll have to show me.’
She pulled back slowly, enjoying the rough touch of his cheek against hers.
‘I have new sheets too.’ She brushed her lips against his. ‘You missed that as well.’
He kissed her till her toes curled, still moving her to the same beat.
Pulling away, just a little, dropping little kisses still as though his lips couldn’t bear the separation, he murmured something that made her heart melt.
‘Trust me, I have missed so much in my life already. I don’t intend to miss anything else. I don’t care if we’ve only known each other for three days. People spend years together, and it still doesn’t work out. I say we go with the flow for once. I think a full room inspection might even be required.’ He was smirking at her now, and it was her that couldn’t wait any longer. He was right! She’d not had sex in five years. What was the worst that could happen? He’d be rubbish? She’d be rubbish? He was leaving. It didn’t even matter. It was perfect, actually. She wouldn’t exactly bump into him, would she? Once the baby came, Hans would be busy, and Luke had whatever he had going on …
He was leaving though. The first man she’d liked in five years enough to break her sexual drought, and he was leaving. Soon probably.
‘Thinking too much is not part of the new plan, Rebecca.’ He smiled at her, giving her the sweetest little kiss. ‘I am a gentleman though, and I am sorry for being a bit forward.’ He grinned ruefully, looking out at their footprints in the snow. ‘Blame the French night air, eh? Or the wine.’ He started to pull away just a fraction, and she stopped him. He looked down at her, his hair still at odd angles from the cab ride. Utter sex hair. Wow.
‘We take this slow, okay?’ She tried to slow her words down. ‘I like you, but you’re—’
‘Leaving, I know.’ He dropped his head, and she brushed back his hair. He nuzzled into her hands. ‘I didn’t plan to do this, but—’
‘It’s okay. Let’s just leave that conversation for another time. The date’s not over yet.’
He kissed her again. ‘I like you too. When Robbie spoke to you like that, I just lost it. I’ve never been like this before.’ He covered his mouth with hers, teasing her with his tongue. ‘I think it’s something to do with you.’
She smiled at him, nodding her head in the direction of the display case.
‘There’s some wine in the bottom of my wardrobe.’ He raised a brow, and she kissed it. ‘Shut up, it’s my emergency stash. I stockpile for winter. It’s pretty boring around here when the season’s done.’ His smile dimmed a little, but she wanted it back. ‘You go up, I’ll get us some dessert.’
His eyes lit up. ‘God, woman, you know how to turn a man on.’ He grabbed her, making her laugh as he dipped her to the floor. ‘Sorry, the song was ending. Big finale.’ He ran his stubble along her neck, and she almost felt a bit Austen-like herself. She wasn’t as dignified though, and the feeling of his mouth on her collar bone made her want to dry hump his leg like a happy rescue hound. ‘Don’t be long, okay?’
He lifted her back up, taking the keys and unlocking the interior door with a spring in his step. Rebecca gathered her bag and shrugged her coat off. Dumping it on an upturned chair, she took out her phone, and with a shaky breath, she dialled Mina back.
‘Hi! It’s me, don’t worry.’ Mina’s voice sprang out of the phone, and Rebecca loosened her grip on the chair leg she had been gripping onto. ‘He grabbed my phone in the ruckus out back, the slimy little rat. Are you okay?’
Rebecca could hear Luke upstairs, the radio on as usual. She could hear glasses clinking together.
‘I’m fine, thanks. We got back home okay.’
‘Wow, the date did go well.’
‘Well, he lives with me. It’s complicated.’
Mina didn’t reply. Rebecca found herself filling the pause in conversation.
‘Not Robbie complicated. He’s from back home. I didn’t know him, but he’ll have to leave.’
‘Aww, you’re screwed then.’ Mina, as dry as ever. ‘If only the human race could invent something to transport people from country to country.’
‘Nice try. I can’t leave the café.’
‘Why not? Hans can get someone else in. Hell, once the baby comes, Holly will be glad of the break from him. He is going to be a gooey mess when that little one arrives.’
Rebecca laughed. ‘I know, but still.’
‘Still no excuse,’ Mina pressed. ‘Ignore Robbie, he’s a total mess. He thinks life is defined by sponsors and followers. Lester really went off on him after you left. He got my phone when he stomped off. What did he say?’
‘Not a lot,’ Rebecca headed over to the counter, picking out some nice treats from the display case. ‘Luke took over and went all Liam Neeson on him.’
‘Liam Neeson from Taken, full on?’
‘Yep.’ She filled two plates and grabbed two juice bottles too. She’d settle up later. ‘Nerd edition. He works in IT.’
‘Brains as well as brawn, eh? What the hell are you doing wasting time talking to me? I’m stocktaking, but if I had a hot alpha male brain box in my flat, I wouldn’t be calling you about it. I will, however, want a blow by blow tomorrow. And I want every detail. It’s been a while. Lester’s a bit of a dish, isn’t he?’ Mina was to the point, as ever.
‘Lester, eugh. He’s like my brother. And Luke is hardly alpha male. I don’t know what got into him tonight.’ She dropped her voice to a whisper.
‘Yeah, well, he isn’t my brother! Don’t put Luke down either, he didn’t like Robbie, and he stood up to him. That’s a good man. You need a good man. You deserve it, after everything you’ve been through. It was nice seeing you, I mean that.’
‘I know, you too. I won’t leave it so long next time.’
‘Don’t let that be the only thing you start doing again, Becks is part of you too. I saw her tonight, just for a second. I saw you when Luke went for Robbie. You care about the guy.’
‘Do I, hell!’
‘Luke, idiot. You care about Luke.’ Mina shouted something in Manda
rin to someone in the background, a deep sigh escaping her lips. ‘Listen, someone should be getting some. Go get some for both of us.’ The phone clicked off as she started to shout at someone again, and Rebecca took everything upstairs.
The radio was off now, and she could see that he’d lit the candles in her lounge. He’d put a new sheet on the sofa, and set the wine out. On the table was an envelope. He’d got changed too. He was barefoot now, his glasses back on. Wearing a pair of cream sweats, he was shirtless.
Holy moly. He looked up as she entered, getting up automatically to take her plates from her.
‘These look amazing.’
She watched him pick one and take a bite. ‘Hans made them, good, eh? I learned from the best.’ He swallowed his mouthful.
‘I think I like your buns better though.’ The atmosphere changed again, and she realised that she was still standing there in her dress.
‘I bet you tell all the girls that. Why don’t you pick a movie, and I’ll go get changed?’
Closing her bedroom door behind her, she grabbed some clothes, chucking her outfit in her laundry hamper and grabbing a towel and some fresh loungewear she’d picked up in town. Another little thing she’d changed thanks to Luke. Raggy old yoga pants with holes in just didn’t cut it for nightcap time.
When she was freshly showered, she walked into the lounge to find him watching John Wick under a blanket. He lifted the blanket up for her, and she went to sit next to him. He smushed it around them both, putting his arm up for her to slide under. She did it, resting her head on his chest. He reached forward, taking her with him and picked up two full glasses of wine.
