Page 51 of Wish You Once More
Callie chewed on her bottom lip. “Bree, I think what you’re doing is admirable to try and bring the family back together, but I’m worried about you. What if you go up there and Mat doesn’t want to see you? Or you can’t convince him to patch things up with Jonny?”
“It’s a risk I’m prepared to take.” I swigged from my own bottle of beer. “I know what he went to the States for now. It wasn’t Scott Lincoln’s fault and I feel like I ought to do something to help now.”
My best friend sighed. I knew in her heart of hearts she didn’t approve of this crazy-ass scheme, but she’d support me every step of the way. “Do you need a lift to the station?”
I leaned over and hugged her. “Please. Although is now the time to tell you my train’s at five to seven?”
Callie wasn’t my best friend for nothing. When my alarm went off at five thirty the next morning, she was already up and had showered and dressed. She’d even sorted me out a care package from what was left in our refrigerator. Five and a half hours on the train beckoned, so I was already grateful for whatever she’d packed.
Minimal traffic, apart from one tractor, meant we got to the station with plenty of time to spare. There were precisely three other people waiting for the train, all of them wearing business suits and carrying laptop cases, in comparison to my jeans, oversized sweater, and battered luggage.
“Looks like you’ll have a quiet journey,” observed Callie. She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
I wasn’t. “I’m sure.”
“Call me when you get to Mat’s. And get straight back on the train if things don’t work out.”
“Got it,Mum.”
She punched my arm. “Good. Now get out of the car so I can get back home and have at least one more coffee before I go to work.”
I did as I was told and waved her off.
The train pulled in on time. I got on and found my seat, preparing myself for the long haul. I had music, a couple of trashy magazines and my sketchbook. Typically, I had my best ideas when I was on the train.
My mind, however, didn’t seem to want to respond to any creativity at all. I found myself staring a blank page for almost the first hour of the journey. So instead, I looked out of the window, admiring the open fields, and then the architecture of the different towns and cities the train rolled through.
The closer I got to Manchester, the more nervous I became. I’d seen Mat less than a week ago. It wasn’t like the four years before. We’d slept together… talked about old times…, as close as we once were. I couldn’t shake that closeness. Helping Melinda wasn’t the only reason I’d come up with this plan.
I knew I still loved Mat. Now I needed to find out if he felt the same.
25
Mat
The buzzer went and I half-expected it to be Scott. After our chat yesterday, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to find him on my doorstep, checking up on me. I went to the door to look at the intercom and did a double take. Standing at the front entrance, looking gorgeous, was Bree.
I pressed the button. “What the actual fuck are you doing here?” Admittedly, it wasn’t the best greeting I could have given her, but I was stunned into submission.
“Mat? Can you let me in?” She glanced nervously either side of her.
“Sure, come on up.” I released the front door and opened my apartment one.
In the three or so minutes it took for her to get here, a million questions circled around in my brain. Why the hell hadn’t I tidied the flat? What would she thing of the mess? What was she doing here? How had she found out where I lived?What was she doing here?
“Hi.”
She stood in front of me, the oversized sweater she wore slipping off of one shoulder, revealing her creamy skin. I wanted to reach over and pull it up, but I was scared to touch her in case she wasn’t real.
“Are you going to let me come in?” Bree tilted her head to one side, her icy blue pools focused on me.
“Of course.” I stepped to one side and ushered her into the hallway.
“Wow,” she breathed. “This is a step up from our place near uni.” Her head swivelled from side to side, taking in the open plan living and dining area, with floor to ceiling windows which gave an unrivalled vista the cityscape. She dropped her backpack onto the sofa and walked over the window, drinking in the view. “Although it’s just as messy,” she observed.
I laughed. “I guess I can afford a better place these days. And yeah, I haven’t been around much to keep things tidy.” I stepped over to stand next to her, neither of us saying a word, until I broke the silence. “Bree, what are you doing here? How did you find me?”
A small smile slipped across her face. “I have my ways.” She let out a huge yawn. “Any chance of a coffee? I’ve been up for hours.”
