“I’m not with Priya. I never have been. She’s marrying Steve the fucking dweeb, for fuck’s sake.” I don’t know why I keep calling him that, I actually like the bloke.
Her hands cover her flushed cheeks. “I thought you were back together this whole time.”
“Mum shouldn’t have said that.” My fingers run through my hair, pulling it from my face and balling it into my clenched fists. “I broke my phone. I lost your number.” If I’d known what was going on, I’d have come back in a heartbeat. She should know that.
“Why did she say that if it wasn’t true?” Steph stands with her hands on her hip as if calling me a liar.
“I don’t know why. Probably wishful thinking. She always wanted us to work things out.”
Her lip twitches and her eyes swell and darken, like moss in a damp forest.
I kick at the gravel driveway. “Do you want me to go?”
She shakes her head. “I want you to hold me like you did the other night.”
I want to hold her. I also want to kick her to the curb. Her bottom lip trembles and I can’t resist comforting her. “Come here.” I console her without being overly affectionate. Her breathing relaxes along with her heartbeat.
She breathes in deeply and buries her face in my neck.
I pull away to look at her. “Do you feel better now?”
“I think so.” She comes up to my face with her lips inches from mine. She wants me to kiss her. I know her. She does this and I almost lean in out of habit, but I can’t kiss her this time. I’m still furious with her.
She looks down and steps away. “I have to go. I can meet you somewhere tomorrow.”
“I’ll have my girls. We can take the kids to a park or something. Or is that gonna cramp your style?” I huff.
“No, that’s fine. I have things to do tomorrow, but I can meet you after the school run at the cafe in the woods.”
“Fine. I’ll see you there.” I take one last look at Caleb in the car, my heart aching to hold him before I go.
She gets in her car and starts the engine and I watch her leave.