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Mikayla submitted with a gusty sigh, folding her hands across her stomach in a bid to stop herself from accidentally peeling at her face. That lasted two full minutes, before she said, “Could you at least change the music to something more upbeat? Bit of Led Zeppelin or something?”
“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” Juniper said.
“Come on, anything but Enya.”
“What’s wrong with Enya?” Juniper asked, ready to do battle.
“Nothing, if you’re a thirteenth century monk, whacking yourself in the face with a bible.”
“Okay, that is weirdly specific. Were thirteenth century monks whacking themselves in the face with bibles while listening to Enya?”
“They would have if she’d been around back then.”
“Well, I like her. She’s soothing.” Leah said.
“I agree.”
“Don’t let Callum hear you say that, or he’ll stop wanting to kiss you every other minute.” Mikayla could have bitten her tongue off as soon as the words were out. The last thing she wanted to do was freak Leah out.
There was a long pause before Leah said, “Callum wants to kiss me?” She didn’t sound freaked out, but her tone was hard to decipher. Flat, expressionless.
“How would I know? I’m his sister, he’s hardly likely to tell me about it, is he? But I’ll tell you what’s not soothing. This crap on my face.”
Leah sighed in resignation. “Take it off then, but don’t blame me if Rafe doesn’t want to shag you because you don’t have a peachy glow.”
Mikayla snorted, then said, “I can take it off?” She heard Leah moving over to her and felt relieved when she lifted the tissue stuff off her eyes so she could open them.
“I’ll get you a face cloth, hang on.” As soon as Leah had gone off to fetch a washcloth, Mikayla pushed to a sitting position.
“I wish I hadn’t said that.”
“I know.”
“It’s just gonna put the pressure on her, when she was only just starting to be herself around him.”
“Maybe not. Maybe it’ll help her. Let’s see. Shh, she’s coming back.”
“Junebug, you look ridiculous.”
Mikayla’s brow arched at the sight of Juniper with her wild hair wrapped in a towel, her face smeared with blue goo, and her toes separated by foam dividers. Juniper, in response, opened one eye and gave Mikayla the once over. “So says you.”
“Now’s your last chance to make tea before you’re trapped in the recliner,” Leah advised.
“Honestly, anyone would think you enjoy this,” Mikayla replied, making her way to the kitchen.
“I do enjoy it.” Leah followed her, filling up a foot spa with warm water.
“What, making your girlfriends submit to all sorts of torture, in the name of beauty?”
“Yep, and relaxation,” Leah said with a laugh, squirting some weird foamy soap into the spa and swirling her hand through it. Mikayla had to admit, it did smell lovely. “Plus, I just enjoy having girlfriends.” It wasn’t often that Leah made some allusion to a painful past, but there was a note of wistfulness in her tone. A longing, perhaps, for what she’d gone without. Or what she’d lost.
Her ready sympathy and innate kindness immediately stirred in Mikayla as she threw her arm around Leah’s shoulders. “And we enjoy having you.”
“Best thing I ever did, moving to Blessed Inlet.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
Mikayla made the tea and brought it into the lounge room.
