Page 39 of The Truth About Love

But my girl doesn’t allow herself to be intimidated. “It’s really good to meet you, Ms Wells,” she says, stepping around me to stand in full view of my mother and peeling the cardigan off her shoulders, exposing her secrets to the woman she’s only just met.

Part of me aches to pick up Summer-Raine and carry her somewhere far from here, but my feet are anchored to the floor. I don’t know what she’s doing, but I have faith that she does. All I’m able to do is just watch whatever’s happening play out in front of me.

To her credit, Mama’s eye contact doesn’t falter. But I know for a fact that she can see Summer-Raine’s exposed arms in the corner of her vision and I watch the moment her opinion of my girl changes. Like tectonic plates moving, the shift is monumental and strongly felt.

And suddenly I understand why Summer-Raine did what she did.

By showing Mama her arms, she put her demons on display. She showed a part of herself that she knew Mama would recognise as also existing inside herself. A part of her that Mama would understand.

It’s a warped, fucked up kind of olive branch, but an effective one nonetheless.

“He’s a good boy, Summer,” Mama says, extending her hand for Summer-Raine to shake. “Heart of fucking gold, that one. Don’t ever take it for granted, or worse, do something to break it.”

“Never.” Summer-Raine’s promise is a whisper that echoes all around us.

Hiding my smile, I take my girl’s hand and lead her upstairs to my bedroom, calling out to Mama on the way that I’m just stopping to change before we head out for lunch.

In the safety of my room, Summer-Raine releases a long, relieved sigh and sinks herself down onto my bed. I give her a moment of peace to collect herself after the intensity of that introduction and quickly change out of last night’s clothes into an exact, but clean, replica of the outfit.

“Girlfriend, huh?” Her voice is playful and confident, but I can still hear the slight tremble of nervous anticipation.

I grin.

I was wondering how long it would be until she brought that up.

“Did you really think I’d forget asking you something like that?”

Memories of Summer-Raine arriving at the party last night, me almost confessing my love for her, telling her how awesome it’d be if she was my girlfriend and then finally asking her if she would be came screaming back in full technicolour during the drive over here.

She just looks at me, stunned.

“So, what’s your answer, baby?” I give her a wink, striding over to where she sits at the foot of my bed looking up at me with beautiful, panicked eyes.

“My answer?”

“You said if I still remembered asking you this morning, then you’d give me your answer then.”

She can barely hold my gaze, her cheeks flushed a stark pink, a tiny smile pulling at the corner of her lips. “Technically, it isn’t morning anymore.”

“You’re totally right.” I fake a defeated sigh. “What a missed opportunity.”

Summer-Raine blinks like she can’t work out if I’m joking.

So, I put the poor girl out of her misery. “Summer-Raine, even though it’s past twelve and no longer morning, I’d really love it if you could give me your answer.”

Her blush burns impossibly brighter as she shifts her gaze to the Rolling Stones poster on the wall behind me. I gently reach out and tilt her chin up so that she’s forced to meet my eye again.

“Yeah, okay,” she whispers.

“Okay, what?”

I’m an asshole for dragging this out, but damn if her shaking hands and shy smile don’t make my soul sing like all of heaven’s angels carolling at once.

“Okay, I’ll be your girlfriend.”

I finally end her suffering, cupping her cheek and covering her mouth with my own. We make out like teenagers on my tiny twin bed and then, once I’ve finally found the self-control to pry my lips away from hers, I take my girlfriend out for lunch.

Chapter Ten

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