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“I dunno, we used to need five for you and all your boyfriends. Now you have Phoenix too.”
“We were kids then. In the real world, women don’t have four boyfriends. Single mums have even less.”
“Fewer,” he corrects me with a twinkle.
“Bite me.”
“You’re the literature student.” He shrugs.
“Wait, how do you know that? In fact, how did you find me? It’s been ages.”
“Accidentally, actually. I was helping my cousin settle in as a fresher, I caught sight of someone who looked a lot like you. I decided to stick around to see if it was you...the rest is history.”
“When was that?”
“About a week...ish...ago, I think?”
“So you’ve been stalking me for a week?”
“Oh no, Princess. I’ve been stalking you for the last four years and four months. I could probably tell you the days, hours and minutes too. I’m just really shit at it and you were good at hiding.”
“That was kind of the point. I didn’t think anyone would still be looking for me at this point.”
“I wasn’t. Well, not consciously anyway. But I’m always seeing flashes of you wherever I go. The others get pissed off with me. They almost didn’t come this time.”
“This time?” I glower, though it’s hard to be mad at him; what he’s saying is pretty sweet. I think.
“Let’s just say there’s been a false sighting or two of you,” he says sheepishly.
“But why not approach me yourself? Why did you call the guys and ambush me? I nearly died.”
“I didn’t want you to run again. It’s harder to run away from four people.”
“I can’t run. Phoenix is settled and I’ve almost finished my degree.”
“But you would have run from us the other day, if you could?”
“Reb, I...” I can’t answer that, but the look he gives me says he sees the truth in my eyes. I hate the pain I see in his.
“You will have to tell me why, one day, but I’m not about to demand and force answers from you when you’re not ready to confide in me. I’m not Jax.”
He looks so sad, like it breaks his heart to know that I don’t trust him enough to let him in. It almost makes me crumble. But I don’t. I have Phoenix to protect, and for that reason, I have high stone walls built around my heart. Stronger than stone; they’re made of fucking granite.
I let out a loud noisy breath and nod to him. “Okay,” I say shakily. He’ll give me time, that’s something at least. “So, what am I going to do about this table? I appreciate the thought, but it’s way too big for the flat. Please tell me we can change it?”
“Nope, sorry, no can do, Princess. When I bought it, the manager said all sales were final. He seemed quite glad to be rid of it really, but I don’t know why.”
“Gee I wonder? Maybe because nobody besides the Queen could fit this monstrosity in their dining room!”
“Pah, don’t exaggerate. I’m sure all of the major royals could fit it in their homes.”
“I don’t even have a garden I could use it in,” I moan.
“Would you like a garden?”
“I’d love a garden. Especially for Phoenix. I definitely miss the hot tub you guys had. I don’t think there was anything quite like it for melting stress away.” I smile at him nostalgically.
“Okay, so if you could move to a bigger place, what would you want?”
