“Yeah, of course,” I reply for her.
Oakleigh’s head whips toward me, but I keep my gaze on my sister who is grabbing her cardigan off of the seat. She wraps it around her shoulders and frees any trapped curls from the neckline.
“Awesome. We’ll just walk back. I’m not trusting you to drive. Either of you.” She eyes up her fiancé who simply grunts behind her. Wren rolls her eyes. “Let’s go.”
We say our goodbyes to Sam, Jamie, and Bash, who winks at me before he heads outside.
The walk to Wren’s place only takes fifteen minutes.
Just as we’re about to walk up Wren’s walkway, Gus asks, “What’s happening with that plot of land you bought from Nigel?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Oakleigh watch me, surprised. I haven’t mentioned it to her yet because I wanted the deal to go through beforehand. I didn’t want to get my hopes up and have them destroyed.
“It’s getting there. Just waiting for the paperwork to go through and I’ve sent off the plans so I can get planning permission.”
“I’ve had my eye on that land for years,” Gus hisses. “Tight bastard always said he loved it too much to sell.”
“Sorry, bro, he just doesn’t love you the way he loves me.”
Gus shoves me playfully.
Wren lets us into the house, turning the lights on as we all pass through to the kitchen.
“So, what’s the plan for you two living together?” I ask.
Wren shrugs. “I’m moving into Gus’s house on the farm. We’re going to rebuild it.” Her expression turns mischievous. “Hopefully with the help of my favorite big brother?”
I watch her with mock surprise, because of course she was going to ask me for help. I wouldn’t expect anything less.
“We’ll see,” I say, and it’s a response that seems to shock all of us.
“Okay,” Wren replies, wide-eyed.
Oakleigh’s small hand slips into mine and I grip it before she can change her mind. Her touch grounds me, holds at bay the wave of anxiety that comes with setting a boundary.
“We should get some sleep,” she says, her smile soft as she looks at me.
I brush aside a lock of her dark-blonde hair, letting the strands run through my fingers as I pull away.
“Yeah, we should.” I lean in to whisper into her ear. “But, first, I believe I need to finish something that was interrupted earlier.”
She stares ahead with wide eyes, but otherwise keeps her mouth closed.
A small wave is sent to Wren and Gus before I’m taking Oakleigh upstairs to my bedroom.
My heart stutters as I lead her up the stairs, everything in me screaming and reminding me that this is something I’ve done nothing more than dream of for over a decade. I pray that Oakleigh can’t feel the way my hands are becoming clammy, my nerves clearly displaying themselves all over my tinted neck and face, my beating heart and clumsy steps. I trip on the stairs three times before we reach the top and I stay looking ahead for fear my embarrassment will deepen.
I slowly open the door. Light spreads to every corner of my bedroom, the blue feature wall, the simple four-poster standing flush against it. It’s all simple, the bare minimum, since I never thought I would be here for long. And I won’t be, I suppose, if Wren is planning on moving out soon.
The minute my brain understands where we are, exhaustion takes over, making me force each muscle to cooperate. My body feels heavy, my head weighing ten times more than it did. A yawn breaks free, and I stretch my aching muscles. Leaning over a pool table for an hour is not good for the back.
I turn to find Oakleigh stuck in the doorway, looking around like she’s lost and confused.
“I usually take the right side, but if it’s the side you prefer, then it’s yours.”
She looks at me nervously. “You’re okay sharing a bed?” she asks.
“Why? Should I be scared? Are you going to do something to me while I’m sleeping?”
