The One Awakened: Book 1 in The One Trilogy (37 page)

“Are you OK?” he seems genuinely concerned
 

“I’m fine!” I put on my best
happy
voice, “Just a little tired that’s all.”
 

Act like nothing is wrong Lucia, don’t be a drama queen.

He rubs his hand over his head, drawing me to focus on his handsome face. “Me too. I need some serious shut-eye. Didn’t get much last night.”
I think that’s his attempt to lighten the mood but he fails miserably and the moment is still awkward and clunky. We don’t know whether to hug, peck or kiss.
 

We both choose to do neither. It’s all a complete disaster.
“Anyway thanks again. I’ll see you soon,” I offer smiling tightly whilst I begin to walk backwards, my insides crumpling at the emptiness I feel.
 

Why do I feel as though I’m about to cry? Bloody turn around and go before you do!
“No probs Lu – I’ll call you,” he nods, staring at my face as if he wants to say more; do more. He doesn’t act upon it but to be honest I don’t give him the chance; I just want to get out of there.
 

We turn and head to our respective vehicles. Everything is up in the air; too much is unsaid but both of us are too wary to push it. It’s as though we have finally figured out how to be together physically but now we couldn’t be friends. He’d gone from hero to Zero in the space of eating breakfast.
 

WTF?

What the hell just happened? How did things go to shit between her screaming my name for the neighbours to hear and buying her breakfast?

We’ve just had the most amazing sex I’ve ever experienced - connecting in a way I’ve never achieved or thought possible. It had been hot, dirty; sexual, uniting and gut wrenchingly toe curling, all in one. Our bodies fitting together like they were made for each other; her touch making me come so easily; I’d feared I’d not be able to give her the momentous night I’d promised.
 

And this morning - God! I’d never needed to be buried inside a woman again so badly, so fast, that I couldn’t think straight. I’d been so caught up in the moment I’d forgotten all about protection - I’m pretty sure she’s on the pill? Isn’t she? She’d have said if that weren’t the case surely?
 

How could I be so irresponsible?
 

My mind if brimming with questions, as I pull up outside the office. A few hours sorting through my mounting emails would help me focus. I should have stayed with her this morning. We should have driven down to The Brew-UP
together,
like Na and Abby.
Why didn’t I think of that?
My brother was playing it well - he seemed to be falling hard for Lu’s friend. I hadn’t seen him quite so enamoured before. Good on him, but he was making me look like a fucking amateur.
 

I shake my head; laughing to myself as I unlock the main doors, hit the alarm and head through the empty office space. I loved coming in to Silver Con on a weekend - it was quiet with no phones ringing to interrupt my progression. Heading straight over to the cappuccino maker, I set up a frothy coffee with full fat milk and add two sugars.
 
Sweet coffee yeah, but not in tea - don’t know how Lu does that!
 

Settling at my desk, I buzz the imac into life and set up my stall for business. She’d said she was going to take Finn to the movies this aft hadn’t she? Maybe I should join them? I quite fancy a bit more of that
domesticity
lark.
I can’t leave things the way we just had.
 

Sipping my coffee I click on a few emails, adding one immediately to the trash.
 

Be honest with yourself - you need to be near her again.
 

It’s true - only an hour apart and I’m itching to have full skin-on-skin contact; place my palm in the dip of her back and smell her luscious hair; stroke the back of my hand down her soft cheek. I might just be following my baby bro’s footsteps here and it scares the be Jesus out of me.

I need to taste her again!
 

She was like a drug and now I’ve had my first hit, I crave more.

So much for playing it cool!
 

Odd how in the past if I’d had an issue with a woman, I would have rung Lu for her amazing therapist advise. That wasn’t a option now. Let’s face it I’d never really cared enough to spend the next morning driving myself insane with the thought of a woman. I’d certainly never put a woman before work.
 

Stretching back into my chair I look up, as something catches my eye, on the CCTV monitor to my right. I squint, looking closer, and see a car. The camera image is black and white and the cars windows are tinted, so I can’t see the driver. Maybe it was a delivery? I watch and wait, as the car waits a while. It’s a dark saloon,
VW
or maybe a
Vauxhall
, I can’t really tell from this angle. Then as quickly as it arrived, the vehicle is exiting the driveway to our office, careful to manoeuvre wide, around my own Range Rover, cleverly avoiding the camera.
 

Now until that moment, I’d just thought if you weren’t here with a delivery mate, you’d made a wrong turn - now I’m not so sure.

I’d parked in a shitty place.
Crap!
 

If I hadn’t been lazy Sunday driving, I’d have been able to see his plate. Don’t want people casing the place for a burglary; we had a lot of technical equipment in here, plus some serious tools and vehicles, in the workshops. I run off a message to Toni, asking her to keep an eye out for any other suspicious ongoings, then finish the last dregs of my coffee. After firing off a couple more emails, one to Paul, a major shareholder, about the Jannah Hotel project in Dubai and another to the architect firm involved. Within an hour I’m done. It’s futile to deny things any longer. I was no good to anyone here.
 

Grabbing my black leather jacket, I slip it on, check for my phone and keys and switch off. I’m already decided, that my next stop is Lucia’s. I’m going to swing by hers and see if I can manipulate a little boy into letting me take him and his yummy mummy out for popcorn. Anything to be in her company a little longer.

After a chilled few hours on Sunday afternoon, catching up on my soaps and impressing myself at my skilful ironing achievements (I hate ironing!), I am feeling a little more me. I’ve even tackled the ironing in
The Basket
, which I save for
angry days
- full of impossible to press duvet covers and linen clothing, I wish I’d never purchased and would never get wrinkle-free.
 
I smile secretly satisfied at my efficient laundry duties. Now all I needed was Finn back in my arms and I would be able to forget Sebastian for a while. I should have been tackling some of the mountains of work I need to address for the ensuing week but I can’t focus properly.
I am fortunate that I do not have to see my ex, as Finn is delivered back by Niall’s Dad, Pete, a tall lean man, who adores Finn and has great family values. He asks after me and appears to want to linger but I don’t ask him in, and instead chatter briefly on the steps up to the terrace. He really is a pleasant man, if a little blinded of his son’s inadequacies and I am touched that Pete has often mentioned that I’m doing a great job but never seems to forget to slip in the remark,
‘How nice it would be if you and Niall gave it another go - Maybe make it legal this time?’
and I cringe. He means well but doesn’t know the full story of our split, or what a shit his son had been and fully aware that he’s Finn’s Grandpa, I’m reluctant to shout,
‘When hell freezes over!’
in front of little ears. Instead I politely choose to ignore his rather insidious comment and encourage Finn to make a fuss over him with a goodbye cuddle.
 

Waving Pete off, I close the door and we settle down to reflect on Finn’s time with that side of the family before I tell him my surprise. It’s not long before I can hear him
Brumming and zooming
with his favourite toys in his room and I smile at the comforting sounds, I hadn’t realised I’d missed them until now.
“Finnster – would you pop into mummy’s room for a minute?” I call up to his bedroom on the top floor of our home.
 

I begin to put the freshly pressed clothes away as I wait for him to join me. He lands on my bed and at least half of the hanger-free items tumble into a pile on the rug. He screws his face up and winces in apology. Smiling at his worry I shake my head to say its fine as I collect the fallen items and place them back onto the bed.
“Poppet - how do you feel about mummy taking you to the cinema to see Despicable me 2?”
I ask him already knowing what his reaction will be. I’m excited for him, as his giddiness is contagious. His little face lights up automatically in wonder.

“Yaaay!” he bounces up and down all over the now rather crumpled laundry.

“Whoa! Calm down tiger.” I enfold him in a huge cuddle and lift him off the bed to save what is left of my hard work.