Page 26 of Fighting Salvation

Bás chuckled and his blue eyes sparkled with mischief. She wondered how much his experiences had changed him and knew it was probably indescribable, but she wouldn’t change him. He was a good man, although she doubted he’d ever see it in himself.

“He wanted to be a doctor. He was going to study medicine so he could help people in villages that couldn’t get access to medical care.”

“Wow, he was the brains of the family.”

Val could tell Bás knew she was joking and it felt good to be able to relax and be like this with him again. She’d missed it when he’d begun cutting her dead except for work stuff.

“He was the brawn, too. Kid played rugby in the league below me. He was fierce, but he had the gentlest of souls.”

A sadness swept over his face and Val knew it was time to switch up the conversation. Their food arrived giving them a reprieve and he was right, the babotie was to die for and she told him so.

“Of course I’m right.”

“Hurricane would love this. We should get him some to take away.”

“We can do that before we leave.”

They ate as they chatted about random topics, including life in the village of Longtown and the residents.

“So how did you meet the asshole?”

Bás frowned as he pushed his empty plate away and patted his flat belly. “We played rugby together. He was older than me but we both played defence so it started off as us strategising. Plus, our dads both worked at the embassy and we were thrown together at events a lot. We were both super competitive so we always wanted to win, but we were close, like brothers in some ways. We began to hang out playing video games, all the normal shit kids do. We even dated sisters one time.”

“Was he always jealous of you?”

“I don’t think he was jealous, more that he wanted to win.”

Val shook her head. “No, he’s definitely jealous and I got the impression he harbours some deep-seated issues with you that stem back years.”

Bás shook his head. “I have no idea why. Sure, we were competitive but nothing outside the norm.”

“Maybe you just couldn’t see it because you were too close.”

“Perhaps. My mum wasn’t keen on him, that’s for sure.”

“She never said why?”

“Just that she felt he was a bad influence. Which was probably the worst thing she could have said to me. I was the rebel and Sean was the good one. She would call me her rapscallion but always with a smile on her face and love in her eyes.”

It was easy to see how much he missed his family now she was looking, and he was allowing her a tiny glimpse. “She sounds wonderful.”

He nodded slowly, sadness and regret mixed with the love only a son could have for his mother. “She was the best.” Bás shook his head. “You ready to get out of here?”

“Sure.”

They loaded up on groceries and swung back around and picked up takeaway babotie for the others back at the house. Val was deep in thought watching the scenery when Bás spoke.

“Why romance novels?”

Her gaze swung around to see him looking at her before casting his eyes back to the road. “Huh?”

“I’m curious why you read romance. It doesn’t seem your thing.”

Val shrugged. “Don’t all women secretly read romance?” She was giving him a shallow response and she could see he knew it. For a split second, he allowed her to see the flicker of hurt in his eyes before he shut it down and nodded.

Guilt assailed her and she felt a stab of pain for having caused him even a second of it after he’d opened up to her. Didn’t he deserve the same? “I read romance because I know it’s as close as I’ll ever get to a happy ever after.”

His brow furrowed. “What the hell?”