The Heart Series: Complete Boxed Set (104 page)

“But that’s with good reason, he has treated you so bad in the past you’ve every right to wonder.” She squeezed my hand in support.

“I think things are going to change now for the better.” I smiled, hoping it was true.

“I hope so, you deserve to be happy.”

“You too.”

“Promise we’ll always be friends and never let any more boys come between us?” she asked almost pleading with her eyes.

“Promise,” I whispered. “I’m going to miss you when you leave,” I confessed. That was actually putting it mildly.

“What, are you trying to get rid of me already?” she joked, ruffling my hair.

“What, no, I want you to stay here with me, but I understand your reasons for going back. Of course there’s hot gym guy too. FYI, I need some pictures of him.”

She grinned at my enthusiasm. “I will get you some when I get back. I’ll get him to personally pose for one, tell him it’s for my cousin as I need your approval before I go ahead.”

“Well of course, I guess you’ll be leaving soon?” I frowned at the thought.

“Nope, actually, work has given me a couple of weeks off. I’ve never took any time off before so they insisted.” She grinned.

“Wow, so I have you for a couple of weeks?”

“Yep, two whole weeks of back to back films, Ben & Jerry’s, more Maltesers than our bodies can take. Are you sure you can handle it?”

“I’m pretty sure I can. Oh but I get first dibs on what we’re watching first,” I announced.

“Well of course, you are the patient.”

“Oh this is going to be good.” I clapped my hands excitedly.

“Yep, just like old times.” She winked and I couldn’t have been happier.

“I can’t believe you’re finally leaving.” I scrunched up my nose in disgust watching B pack all her belongings away for her journey north.

“I know. It flew in fast, but we had a great time.” I could tell from her face she was sad to leave.

“The best.” I’d been home just over ten days, and B had stuck to her word in vegging out with me daily as my body slowly recovered from the beating I had taken. I was still in a lot of pain. I had three broken ribs and the swelling and bruises were still very apparent, but with each day that passed, they began to fade and I was glad. I didn’t want the reminder of what he had done. I was ready to move on. He had been charged with assault pending a court date. At first he had pleaded not guilty, but thankfully one of his bystander friends had come clean. I was just grateful he would receive the punishment he deserved. I was still anxious about going out. I’d been going to some counselling sessions to try to break through the panic attacks. My dreams were haunted about the attack. I wondered if I’d ever be free, but I had to stay positive and be grateful for the fact I was still alive. Every day was an uphill battle though. It was made better by having B here but I couldn’t help but wonder once she left if I would revert after all my hard work. I didn’t want her carrying the burden of being the one person keeping my mind off it in the best way she knew how. We were back to our old ways. It was like Luke never existed. Well almost. I hadn’t heard anything from Ollie, no call, not even a text and that hurt. I thought something like this would have made a difference, but the silence continued between us. It was clear to see he had moved on, and I had to come to terms with the fact my life would have to carry on without him in it. The thought alone made me sad, but I couldn’t let the sadness pull me under again. And as I’d learned from this attack, vodka was no solution to my problems.

“We can FaceTime,” she suggested as a means to stay in touch.

“It’s not the same.” I scrunched up my nose at her suggestion.

“Well we’ll make it like it is. We both have iPads so we can talk to each other all the time, watch films together, check out guys together.” She winked.

I liked that idea.

“I suppose, you have to FaceTime with Craig and then I can interrogate him and have a good look at his hot bod.”

“I’m sure he’ll love that.” She snorted.

“I’m sure you can make that happen with your persuasive ways.” I quirked a brow, hoping she’d comply with my request.

“Oh course I can.” She rolled her eyes like it was the most ludicrous thing to question her abilities.

“I’m going to miss you.” I sighed, falling back onto the pillow.

“I know but we had a great time. I made your recovery more amazing. I really should be a nurse.”

“Err are you kidding? With your bedside manner?” I laughed at just the thought of it.

“I suppose but I would look hot in the uniform though? I wonder if Craig would like that idea?”

“Eww cousin over here, please keep that thought to yourself.” I batted her playfully with my pillow.

“Err how many times have we talked about guys cocks, girth and all.” she stated looking completely miffed by my ban on sex talk.

“Yeah they are strangers. I don’t need the visual of you in my head dressed up in latex, bleurgh.” I pretend gagged just to get my point across.

“Yeah yeah, whatever.” She rolled her eyes dramatically.

“What time is your train?”

“In a couple of hours.” She sighed.

“Did you say goodbye to your mum and dad?”

“Yeah, not that they noticed. I swear parents of the year–not.”

“You have my mum though,” I replied soothingly to help ease the pain.

“I know but how can two sisters be so different. All the good and kindness went into your mother whereas mine, well, she wouldn’t know how to be nice to me if it hit her square in the face.”

She wasn’t wrong there.

“I’m sorry, B. I wouldn’t want Auntie Diane as a mother either,” I admitted. I was grateful I had fallen lucky with the mother I had.

“There, that’s me packed.” She clicked the case shut and lifted it off the bed. “Let’s go out and grab a coffee, you know just one more time.” She smiled, waiting for me to say yes.

“I’m fine here, we have coffee.”

“You have to try to go out more, E.” She looked worried at my lack of enthusiasm for venturing outside.

I frowned. “I know, but today I just don’t feel quite like it. Please don’t force me.”

“I won’t but I want you to try. Apart from going out with me or Auntie Pam you haven’t yet ventured out on your own, and the therapist said that you need to start and push yourself more,” she urged.

“I know what she said, I was there,” I barked. I didn’t need to be told the same thing over and over.

“Okay, Mr Snappy.” She poked out her tongue to lighten the mood.

“Sorry, I don’t want to argue, especially when you’re leaving. I want to part this time on good terms.” I didn’t want any more fights. I couldn’t handle it.

“We will. I won’t lose you again. I just want to see you return to your old self. I don’t want the attack holding you back. You have to live your life again. You can’t let the attack define you.”

I knew she was right, but I wouldn’t let her know that.

“How about I make that coffee?” I asked, hoping it would be a good distraction.

“Come on then, lead the way.” I went to walk forward, but she grabbed me from behind encasing me in a hug, resting her cheek against my shoulder blade.

“Love you, E,” she murmured into my shirt.

“Love you, B,” I replied smiling.

No other words were needed.

* * *

Brianne texted me the moment she got home. I sighed looking at the screen. I missed her already, and she’d barely been gone hours. I had gotten used to her being back, things were like the old days and I missed that closeness, but we had our iPads to connect and chat. She promised me this time that we would speak several times a day. After a week of constant texting, FaceTiming and calling, she finally sent me a message asking if I was ready to meet Craig. I grinned looking at the screen. Oh this was going to be so much fun.

I quickly texted back with a yes and within moments her face popped up on my iPad screen.

Hey E, looking good, all the bruising has now gone I see.” She grinned, happy to see me slowly returning to my usual good looking self.

“Yep, I’m back to my devilish handsome old ways,” I added with a wink.

“Oooh speaking of handsome, meet Craig.”

B didn’t even give him a chance to prepare before she turned the iPad on him.

“Whoa, B, a little warning first of all would be nice. You know a little build up.”

“Oh I like this guy already, B,” I remarked, grinning at his sense of humour.

“I know, right? He puts me in my place,” she joked, elbowing Craig in the ribs.

“Well someone has to,” I retorted.

“You got that right, if I didn’t she’d have me by the balls,” Craig joked.

“Oh slight exaggeration.” B snorted.

“I think Elijah knows I’m right.”

“Too right,” I replied laughing.

“Oh trust you to gang up on me already.” She threw up her hands in mock horror, but I could tell she was more than enjoying herself.

“Oh whah whah, tell it to someone that cares. Anyway enough about you back to Craig,” I mused, checking out the guy on screen.

“Yeah, back to me, limelight hogger.” Craig grinned, giving B the evil eye. “Well I’m Craig. Brianne has already told you how we met, she fell at my feet.”

Instant joke, he gets points for that.

“Oh righto.” B scoffed.

“Well that’s how I like to think of it,” Craig added winking.

“So what do you do, Craig?” I asked.

“I’m an IT specialist.”

“Yeah, that’s right, I’m dating a geek,” B shamefully admitted.

“Geek?” he asked, looking not amused by the term.

“Pfffttt, you know you are. We were watching 24 the other day, and he went off about their firewall.”

“Oh you can be so cruel,” he replied mockingly.

“She’s a witch,” I added with a grin.

“Elijah, don’t be mean.” She pouted.

“Oh whatever. So Craig, what are your intentions with my cousin?”

“Well I hope that we will continue dating and if we manage to not kill each other in the next few months, then I might ask her to move in with me.”

“Really?” Brianne looked alarmed.

“Yeah, well, that’s if I haven’t scared you off already.” He frowned.

“No, unfortunately you might be stuck with me.” She grinned as they kissed.

I swiftly looked the other way. “Errr guys, do you mind?”

“Shush, Elijah, we’re having a moment.” At least she covered the screen this time, but the noises were enough to leave me cringing.

Ewww. Ewww. Ewww.

“Okay, we’re done.”

“For now.” Craig grinned.

“Okay, back to the conversation, what’s your place like, Craig? Don’t scrimp on the detail.” I wanted to know everything.

“Okay, going into full blown Estate Agent mode. It’s a semi-detached, three bedroom house that I did up myself. It’s—”

B soon interrupted. “Elijah, it’s freaking amazing, designer kitchen and the bathroom is to die for. I could live in the shower.”

“I think you do,” he added dryly.

“And the decór?” I enquired.

“Tasteful, neutral tones throughout, leather sofa, 50 inch TV.”

“God, he’s such a bloke.” I rolled my eyes.

“I know, right, but I vegged the other day and watched Channing, and hello, he looks even more amazing in 50”.”

“Channing?” Craig asked looking confused.

“Channing Tatum.”

“Who’s that?” he asked, looking bewildered.

“Oh sweet lord,” I muttered.

“Never mind, we’ll watch one of his films later,” B reassured him.

“Better not be chick flick,” he warned.

We both grinned at each other. He was in for a treat.

“Right, so we’ve established you’re a geek but you have good taste, now I need to check out the merchandise. B, if you would.”

Brianne prompted Craig to stand up. “Err why?”

“Because I’m going to show E your hot bod.”

“I don’t think so—” he protested, but I knew B had persuasive ways.

“Craig, it will be far easier if you comply. Trust me, I know,” I said smiling.

He huffed and scowled when B signalled for him to turn around. “God, I feel like a piece of meat.”

“Oh whatever, just turn round and show me the goods,” I said, almost bored.

“He wants to see your tight buns,” she explained.

He shook his head and turned around. “Just this once.”

“Yeah, that’s what you think,” she muttered.

“Yowser, you weren’t kidding.”

“I know, right, but he does lots of squats.” She grinned and I could definitely see that.

“I am here you know,” he muttered sarcastically.

“Shush, we’re talking, so yeah yay for squats.” She chuckled

“God, you’re a lucky bitch,” I remarked just staring at the screen in wonder.

“I know.”

“I’m sitting down now,” Craig mumbled looking embarrassed.

“Yeah, that’s okay, he’s checked you out,” B said grinning. “So what’s the verdict, E?”

“Nice catch and with his own house—score. Shame he’s a geek, but we can let that slide.”

“Seriously guys, I’m right here. Are you always this brutal?” Craig asked.

“Yep, so get used to it,” I joked.

“Does he get your approval then, E?”

“Yeah, I give him an eight, if he tones down the geekiness a nine.”

“Remind me never to FaceTime with you two again,” he complained.

“Oh diddums, do you want me to kiss it better?” B mocked, but I could see the lust building in her eyes as a warning.

“Err guys, I think my connection is going.” I hit the quit button before I was faced with a scene of them making out in front of me. No one needed to see that. I tossed the iPad down onto the bed and sighed. I was so happy for B, but I couldn’t help but feel envious. Ollie seemed such a long time ago.

I clicked on my phone and stared at the screensaver of us too smiling together. I felt a small pang in my heart. God, I missed him. I’d never fallen this hard for anyone before. He was my first true love, and I felt achingly sad the way it had ended. Now I was almost house bound. My happy go lucky self now locked in the confines of my own home because I was too rattled to go outside.

As the weeks slowly went by, I spent my days watching DVDs and chatting to B. Lucy and Olivia had popped by with college work and kept me up to date with all the gossip. Of course they went into great detail about who they were currently screwing. At least it kept my mind off other things for a few hours.