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“She can be, if you let her.” I reached across and took his hand. He squeezed my fingers as I did that. “But you also need to take your tablets and let them do their job. Otherwise…” I paused, not wanting my words to hurt him anymore than he was already hurting.
“Otherwise what?” he asked.
“Otherwise youwillbe a danger to herandto yourself.” I shuffled closer and wrapped my arm around his shoulders. “I love you Christopher and I think if you do this, you can be happy with her. It’s not a sign of weakness to admit to needing help.”
He was silent for a long moment. “I know, Luke,” he whispered. “I just don’t want to hurt her. She may not even want to see me again anyway.”
I chuckled. “Spitfire Isobel?” I tightened my arm around his shoulders. “She may give you hell for walking out on her but I don’t see her being done with you just yet.” We sat in a comfortable silence for several long moments. “Are you going to take your pills?” I asked.
“Yeah.” He sighed. “Not sure what I’m going to do when I run out though.”
“We won’t worry about that just yet.” I tightened my grip on his shoulder. “Maybe you can take Isobel back to London and get your prescription renewed. I have paperwork in the apartment to become a US citizen now that I have no plans to go back. Marriage is way down the line for Freddie and I so don’t even mention that.” He smirked when I said that. “Maybe consider doing that if you decide to stay here?” I grinned. “Or you could ask Isobel for a green card?”
He laughed loudly when I said that. “I don’t see Isobel being on board with that.”
“Probably not.” I stood up and reached down for his hand. “Come on. I think it’s time I got you back to your girl.” He grabbed my hand and allowed me to lift him to his feet.
“Think she will be?” he asked as we began to walk away. “Still be my girl, I mean?”
“Isobel doesn’t give up on people that easy.” I clapped him on the back of his shoulder. “She may be up your ass about looking after yourself more but I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”
* * *
As we climbed the stairs to Isobel’s apartment, I noticed he grew more tense with each step.
“Relax, Christopher. You’re not on the march to death row.” I stopped at the door and knocked and within seconds, Freddie was opening it.
His eyes scanned Christopher, most likely searching for any signs of hurt. “What happened?” he asked, pointing to his own face to indicate the bruise that was beginning to form on Christopher’s jaw.
“Luke hit me,” Christopher said as we entered Isobel’s apartment.
“Luke!” Isobel admonished.
Christopher stared over at her and she was still dressed in her strappy top and shorts. His shoulders drooped as he went over to her.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him. He kissed her cheek before he lowered his face to her neck.
“We’ll take off now,” I said to them. “Leave you two alone.”
I looked over at Isobel and smiled at her. “Thank you,” she mouthed silently to me as she rubbed her hands up and down Christopher’s back in an attempt to comfort him.
I gently closed the door after us and blew out a breath as I leaned back against it.
“Is he going to be, okay?” Freddie asked as he took my hand in his.
“I fucking hope so.” I cuddled myself closer to his side as I walked with him down the hallway. “Isobel can hopefully reach him now and make him see how much of a moron he’s been for not taking his damn pills.”
Freddie chuckled as we descended the stairs. “Poor man. She’s not going to go easy on him.”
“Good,” I muttered. “He needs to listen to someone and I think she’s the one that can get through to him.”
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
ISOBEL
When Freddie turned up at my place, I wasn’t sure if I should be panicked or relieved. I had a multitude of thoughts hit my brain in a flurry of panic.
Had Luke found Christopher and something had happened to him? Was that why Freddie was here to take me to him? Had he done something reckless and stupid after running away?
