Come Back To What You Know

by Kyra Lennon

  Come Back To What You Know

  by

  Kyra Lennon

  Come Back To What You Know © Kyra Lennon 2020

  All rights reserved in all media. This book may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without written permission from the author.

  All characters and events featured in this book are entirely fictional and any resemblance to any person, organisation, place or thing is purely coincidental and completely unintentional.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold

  or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person,

  please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did

  not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to

  Amazon and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work

  of this author.

  Acknowledgements

  Huge love to Danielle Henfrey and Toya Richardson for their early reads of this book! Extra thanks to Kelly McMullen Lowe for making me see what was missing! <3

  A Note From The Author

  This story was originally written as a short for an anthology. It has been slightly extended for the purposes of publishing as a standalone, but I also didn’t want to add so much to it that it became a drag. There are time jumps in the book as the story spans two years – so if this isn’t your thing, then this story probably isn’t for you. <3 However, I hope many of you will enjoy it for what it is!

  Also, Come Back To What You Know was written pre-Covid. As such, there is no mention of it in the book. It didn’t exist back then, and to change the story to add in a part of 2020 most of us are trying to escape from seemed wrong. I am a big fan of keeping things real, but this is one thing I am more than happy to skip over!

  Also, some of the places within this story are fictional. <3

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Epilogue

  Reviews

  Other books by Kyra Lennon

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Charley

  My knuckles loosen their vice-like grip on the armrests as the 'seat belts on' sign clicks off. We're fully in the air, and I finally unclench my now aching muscles. Anyone would think I've never flown before. The truth is, it's been a while. Just shy of two years. This will be my first Christmas in the UK in a while, and I hope to hell it'll be enough to cancel out the pain of last year's.

  In eight hours, my feet will touch home soil, and in twenty-four hours… I’ll get to see him. My stomach rolls at the thought. It's really happening. My grip tightens on the arm rests again as my head swims a little. The anticipation is making me woozy, and I grapple in my bag for my bottle of water, pushing my long hair behind my ear as I sit back up. My clumsy fingers struggle to unscrew the lid, and I almost drop the bottle twice due to the moisture on my palms.

  Relax, Charley. You can't keep this up the whole way home.

  But what if this is a mistake? What if I've made the wrong decision?

  "Feel free to tell me to mind my own business, but, are you okay, dear?"

  I freeze for a moment before slowly turning my head to the left. In my panic, I really hadn't taken the time to notice who's beside me or around me. My only focus had been to get my butt– arse–in the seat and try not to pass out from the dramatic turn my life is about to take.

  The lady beside me has an English accent. On a flight from Chicago to London, there was a fifty-fifty-ish chance that I'd be near a fellow Brit. I glance farther along the row to the seat next to hers and deduce she's probably on her own too. The guy in his early twenties beside her is turned away from her, earbuds firmly in his ears. Unless he's a particularly moody son, I figure it's safe to assume my neighbour is flying solo.

  "I... I'm not sure," I mumble, my fingers gripping my water bottle, making the plastic crackle under the pressure.

  The lady rests a gentle hand over mine and smiles warmly. "Well, it's a long flight. You've no reason to talk to a stranger, but if you'd like to, I can't sleep on planes and I don't much care for movies, so I'll just be here reading. If you fancy a natter, just let me know."

  I return her smile, my fingers uncurling slightly as I take in her appearance. Her brown hair is pulled back tightly into a neat bun, and she has kind eyes. She wears a white blouse, a black knee-length skirt, and a dark green jacket. Something about her makes me think of a young Professor McGonagall—semi-casual, ready for a staff night out at The Three Broomsticks. The thought makes me chuckle.

  "Thank you." I try to cover up my adolescent giggle. "I... Yeah. I might take you up on that. I'm Charley, by the way."

  "Anita." She holds her hand out to me and I shake it. As we let go, she says, "Okay. What's got you in such a tizzy?"

  I close my eyes for a few seconds, exhaling long and slow while I try to figure out the correct starting point. As my eyelids lift, I open my mouth to begin my story.

  Chapter 2

  Charley

  Twenty-Four Months Ago

  Christmas Eve

  “Becky, is this really happening?”

  My friend chuckled as she handed me a glass of sparkling white wine and guided me back to the seats we’d claimed in our favourite pub. I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking as we sat down.

  “Charley, relax.” Becky placed her hand over mine once our glasses were firmly down on the table. “He’s excited to meet you. He’ll be here.”

  I tried to swallow then took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly. “You and I both know this has not worked out well for us in the past. And I can’t help thinking, with it being Christmas Eve and all…” I trailed off and reached for my drink, gulping it back ungracefully before placing it back down in front of me. “He’s not coming.”

  “He is,” Becky insisted. “Do you think I would set you up with an unreliable dickhead?”

  “No, but-”

  She held up her hand. “Stop it. He. Is. Coming.”

  I allowed myself to smile. Her firm tone left no room for argument.

  That didn’t stop the nerves, though. Brayden McKie had been harder to get hold of than a bar of soap in a hot shower. Becky, a friend of mine from work, had told me six months ago that she had a guy friend who would be perfect for me. Naturally, I’d rolled my eyes. At twenty-three, I wasn’t sure I was at a point in my life where I needed to be set up. But apparently, we had a lot in common. So, I humoured her. Since she had already told him about me, she gave him my Facebook details and we’d added each other as friends.

  And that was where our story—almost—began.

  Brayden was by far the best-looking guy I’d ever seen. We’re talking ridiculous good looks. Dark hair that was the right side of scruffy to still be cool, a slightly stubbled jawline, and the bluest eyes. The kind you could stare in to for a lifetime and never get bored.

  We’d messaged a lot, and inevitably, we’d eventually arranged to meet. However, all three times, things had gotten in the way, and now it was Christmas Eve. No work interruptions. Neither of us had become unwell. This was it.

  I was ready, but also sick with nerves.

  Because Becky had been r
ight. We had so much in common it was insane. We listened to the same music, loved the same movies, enjoyed eating out at the same restaurants. We even had the same taste in trashy TV shows. Numerous times we’d stayed up all night messaging, and sometimes FaceTiming. On paper, he couldn’t have been more perfect if I’d picked him out of a catalogue. But it was about to be time to see if all of that translated to real chemistry.

  If I was honest with myself, I was as afraid we would hit it off as much as I was afraid we wouldn’t. The thing was, five months ago, I’d been offered a job in Chicago, teaching English as a foreign language. I couldn’t pass up that opportunity when everything was already organised for me. I’d been assigned an apartment with a roommate, and my work visa was sorted out. All I had to do was pack and get on the plane.

  So, if Brayden and I got along as well as I thought we would, I was leaving for a year after Christmas, and that would really hurt. And if we didn’t… well, I’d wasted six months waiting to meet a guy who turned out to be a dud. We both knew the deal, but it didn’t make it any easier.

  This is a no-win situation, Charley. Maybe you should just go home…

  “Hey,” Becky said, bringing my attention back to her. “Since we’ve already finished these drinks, let’s go and dance for a while. Take your mind off the nerves!”

  As she spoke, the Christmas tunes were cranked up by the DJ, and everyone cheered, several people getting to their feet. Becky buried our handbags under our coats, and we stood. We weren’t going too far from them anyway.

  It was impossible not to get caught up in the excitement; we were surrounded by tinsel and fairy lights, and there was a stunning Christmas tree in the back corner, lit up and decorated beautifully. As the opening bars of All I Want For Christmas is You played, Becky and I twirled each other around, laughing and exchanging smiles and jokes with the people dancing near us.

  I would miss this when I went away. I would miss spending time with Becky every other weekend. She'd been a good friend to me since we met at work, and although we'd never quite become besties, we always had a lot of fun together. I tried to block out that rush of panic that kept overwhelming me when I thought about being so far away from home. I'd barely left the UK before, so Chicago was going to be a gigantic leap of faith. I just hoped people liked me. I never found it hard to make friends, but there was a whole different way of life over there. I was a small town girl in comparison to their big city lifestyles.

  Becky stopped dancing and stretched up on her tiptoes to look over people's bobbing heads towards the doorway. Then she looked at me and beamed.

  "He's here!"

  A whole different kind of panic rushed through me, and I swallowed hard, trying to suppress the nausea.

  It really was happening. After all this time, I was about to meet Brayden.

  Becky nudged me in the side, chuckling. "Don't just stand there! Come on, let's go get you two introduced."

  I gave her a nervous smile in return, and she took my hand and pulled me through the dancing crowds, both of us getting jostled along the way.

  I really wanted to look up, but I was so conscious of not treading on anyone in my six-inch heels, I kept my head lowered until we got past the revellers.

  And there he was. Just waiting at the edge of the dance floor, wearing a long black coat, with a red scarf around his neck.

  Oh, wow.

  I really hoped I hadn't said that out loud.

  When his eyes met mine for the first time without a phone or laptop screen in the way, my heart actually flipped over inside my chest. His eyes were so, so blue. So much better in real life, and his smile... butterflies went crazy inside my stomach.

  Get a hold of yourself, you idiot! I'd never had a problem talking to him on FaceTime, so I really didn't want to come across as an airhead now.

  "Hi," I said confidently, and for the first time, I noticed he too looked a little dazed. I thanked God I wasn't the only one.

  "Hi." He started to hold his hand out as if to shake mine, and then he laughed and put it down to his side again. "Sorry. It's weird to actually be able to touch you, and I'm not sure what to do."

  His cheeks tinged with a blush as he realised what he'd said, and I laughed too, stepping forward. "I say we just tackle the awkwardness head on and go for a hug."

  My words broke the ice, and we both took another step closer to each other, my arms winding around him, and his slipped around my waist. His coat was cold, but I wasn't sure that was what made me shudder. As he felt my shiver, he said, "Sorry. I should have warmed up a bit first."

  "That's okay," I said as we broke apart, and I shivered again. "It won't take long for the heat to kick in."

  I felt my own cheeks warm, like I'd just blurted out some random innuendo, and this time, he was the one to laugh. "Can I get you a drink?"

  "No, don't worry about that," Becky said, and I turned to her. I'd kind of forgotten she was there. "What are you having, Bray? Can you even drink tonight if you have to drive?"

  "I’ll be okay to have one beer. Thanks."

  She gave me a wink before heading to the table we'd been sitting at and picking up her purse to go to the bar.

  "Shall we sit?" I asked, and he nodded.

  He led the way to our table, and I slid into the seat I'd been in earlier, and he sat down opposite me, in the seat not occupied by Becky's bag and coat. As he shrugged off his own coat, I tried hard not to stare as he revealed a blue shirt and some dark jeans. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, and I noticed a small sprinkling of chest hair.

  I very much approved.

  "I can't believe we're really doing this,” Brayden said as he sat back in his chair, his eyes still on me. "You look incredible, by the way."

  I ducked my head briefly, trying not to scream like a teenage girl looking at her schoolgirl crush. "I guess since you have mostly seen me either in my work clothes or in my PJs, this would be an improvement!"

  I gestured down to the black dress I was wearing. I'd agonised over what to wear for so long I was sure some of my wardrobe had gone out of fashion, but you can't really go wrong with an LBD. It was short enough to be sexy, but not so much that I looked like I was trying to throw myself at him, and the top showed just a hint of cleavage, but not so much that I was at any risk of falling out. My heels may have been a bit over the top, but it was Christmas Eve, and I really didn't get to wear the strappy beauties that often.

  Brayden laughed out loud. "You always look great. Just… even better in reality."

  I raised an eyebrow. "You scrub up pretty well yourself."

  Just as he had seen me in my comfy clothes, I had also seen him pretty chilled out, in sweats and old t-shirts. Sure, the first few times we video called, I made some effort, ensuring I didn't look too scruffy. However, once, he’d called me when I wasn't expecting it, and since he didn't run away screaming, "MONSTER!", I relaxed a little more after that.

  Just then, Becky came back and placed a drink for me and a drink for Brayden down, but kept hers in her hand. She picked up her jacket and bag. "Here you go. Enjoy! I'm going to sit with Hannah and James for a bit."

  Under any other circumstances, with anyone else, I would have been miffed she'd abandoned me, but she knew just how long I had been waiting for this moment, and I gave her a grateful smile as she smirked at me then walked away with a sway in her step. She was clearly pretty proud of her matchmaking skills.

  **

  A couple of hours later, Brayden and I were getting along better than I could have hoped. At some point earlier in the evening, Becky had moved on to a different pub with some of our other friends, but Brayden and I had been content to stay where we were, talking as easily as we always had. Eventually though, we both caved in to the need to join in with the dancing, and he took my hand and walked me to the dancefloor. Slade's Merry Christmas Everybody played, and most people were beyond hammered, singing along and waving their arms in the air.

  A feeling of festive happiness fill
ed me up as I stood with Brayden, amongst a lot of strangers, enjoying the seasonal spirit coursing through us all.

  "So, you're really into this Christmas thing," Brayden said with a smile, leaning in close to my ear so I could hear him over the noise.

  "What gave me away?" I laughed as I swayed my arms in time with everyone else.

  "Hmm, maybe that huge smile on your face."

  I gave him a nod. "You got me. I am just a huge child when it comes to this time of the year! I mean..." I paused, gesturing around at the people surrounding us. "Look how happy everyone is tonight. It's like, for just a couple of days, nothing else matters. Not work. Not money. Not stress. Just people having a good time and enjoying each other's company."

  Brayden nodded as he looked around too. "I agree." Then he fixed his attention back on me, his expression slightly more serious as he looked into my eyes. "It's the one time of year when anything is possible."

  The background noise began to fade as our gaze connected fully, and I allowed myself to get lost in his eyes. "Anything?" I asked softly.

  "Anything." He took a step closer towards me, and I lowered my arms, forgetting about the music, and pretty much everything else in the world. "I mean... finally getting to meet you seemed like it would be impossible a few months ago."

  He wasn't wrong. Every hurdle imaginable had come up, including a car accident (his mum), a stomach bug (me), and a disaster in the office where Brayden worked as a junior editor for a newspaper. It was as if something was stopping us from meeting, and now we finally had... well, I definitely believed there was some Christmas magic involved.

  "I know it's not that late yet," Brayden said, his mouth still close to my ear, "but do you want to go for a short drive before I have to go home?"

  It was only nine-thirty p.m., way earlier than I usually headed home on Christmas Eve, but Brayden lived almost two hours away. If he was going to get home before Santa arrived, he probably wouldn't be able to stay too much longer. I was nowhere near ready to say goodbye yet, but I always knew this was how it would be. Don't get too close. You're leaving. I knew it the whole time, but... I was already too close.