Page 145 of Fix You

No, sister, I’m sick in heart and soul.Forcing a smile to my face, I replied, “I’m sorry to have worried you. I have a headache.” Inwardly, I winced since I was lying to a nun. But I hoped God would absolve me today of all days.

“Can I bring you something for it?”

With a shake of my head, I replied, “No, I’ll be fine. But thank you.”

“Sister Antonia wanted me to see if you could clean the church after morning mass, but I’ll tell her you are under the weather.”

“No, no, my headache is better. I’ll be happy to help.”

Sister Lucia once again frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I think the fresh air will be good for me.”

She smiled. “All right then. I’ll let her know.”

Once Sister Lucia left, I threw back the covers. I swept my hair back into a ponytail before I slid on the simple black dress I’d worn the previous day. I didn’t bother trying to conceal the dark circles under my eyes.

Although Sister Antonia would’ve frowned disapprovingly at me, I put my earbuds in as I crunched along the gravel path from the mission to the church. When I arrived, it was empty from the morning mass.

As I started sweeping, my playlist switched over to the soundtrack for the broadway musicalAida. After enjoying theopera, I watched the musical on Youtube during my flight back to Dublin. At the opening toWritten in the Stars, my broom froze in mid-sweep.

I'm here to tell you we can never meet again.

Pain ricocheted through my chest as my fingers gripped the broom’s handle tighter.

Every moment of my life from now until I die, I will think, or dream of you.

A hiccupped sob tore from my chest at the lyrics that spoke of Rafe’s and my love.

In which we’regiven paradise, but only for a day.

I tore the AirPods from my ears and hurled them to the floor. At the thought of how I would’ve chastised Rafe for such an action, a maniacal laugh bubbled from my lips.

Swiping my eyes, I shook my head. “Guess music is out for the rest of the day,” I mumbled, as I swiped the AirPods off the ground.

I managed to push my thoughts of Rafe out of my head to finish sweeping and mopping the floors. After a quick dusting of the benches, I put the cleaning supplies back into the closet.

As I went back out into the church, my footsteps echoed on the stone floor. Instead of going back to my room to sulk, I knelt on the church’s kneelers.

Reaching into the pocket of my dress, I took out the St. Maria necklace Rafe had given me. After I’d initially refused it, I’d asked him if I could have it again. Now I often used it as a very expensive rosary.

Bowing my head, I tried to lose myself in prayers.

But in the end, all I could think of was Rafe.

It was his face I saw when I closed my eyes. The sexy smirk he’d give me when he was about to devour me. The pure maleness of his scent that filled my nose. The feel of his hardmuscles under my fingers. The weight of his body on mine as his hips pumped his cock deep inside me.

“Maeve.”’

Tears pricked my eyelids at the voice. My mind was haunting me a step further by making me think I heard him calling my name. His scent grew even stronger until it overwhelmed me.

“Maeve?” the voice repeated.

My eyes popped open as I jerked my head to the aisle. At the sight of Rafe standing before me, I collapsed back on the kneeler. Shock reverberated through me the same as if I’d seen a ghost. For a few moments, I could only stare at him in disbelief.

When I finally found my voice, I asked, “W-What are you doing h-here?”

“I came to see you.”

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