Page 54 of Wish You Once More
When he still wasn’t out, I grabbed my phone and perched on the edge of the sofa.
Callie: So? How’s it going? Did you sort things out? xx
My lips stretched into a smile. I wasn’t prepared to divulge all the details over a message, but Callie deserved to know things were panning out well.
Bree: We’re getting there. I think he was pleased to see me :o) xx
Callie: He should be! You trekked half the country to see him!
Bree: Thanks for the food parcel. We’re going out for dinner now xx
Callie: Have a great time! Give me ALLLLL the details when you get back. Don’t think of me with my sad TV dinner and Hollyoaks for company…love you xx
I couldn’t help but laugh. Callie had just described her favourite night in. I hated watching soap operas and she usually watched them on her laptop in bed. To actually watch it on television would be a total treat for her.
Melinda: Bree, have you managed to speak to Mat yet?
I tapped the phone against my chin. I’d obviously managed to do a whole lot more than talk to Mat, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to tell Melinda yet. Mat also hadn’t said what he was going to do, whether he was going to get in touch with Jonny himself.
“Ready to go?” Mat reappeared.
My gaze took in his skinny black jeans and a grey buttoned shirt which clung to his chest. He looked every inch the rock star, and I loved it.
“If we have to,” I sighed.
“Bree Sheridan, you’re insatiable!”
“Only around you, Mat Redmond.”
“Good, because I couldn’t bear it if you were thinking of someone else.” He leaned down and kissed me so thoroughly that it was difficult to get up. Eventually he extended a hand to help me. “Let’s go.”
Mat wasn’t wrong about the restaurant. The Midnight Garden fully lived up to every expectation I’d had. The Mediterranean inspired menu had so many dishes which made my mouth water, I had a hard time choosing. In the end, we went for a whole bunch of tapas to share. Mat ordered a bottle of rose for me and a beer for him.
“Are you trying to get me drunk?” I asked, sipping carefully from the glass. What I wanted to do was tip the entire thing down my throat.
“I don’t think there’s any need for that, is there?” He quirked a brow. “It’s not like we haven’t already, well, you know.”
I giggled. “True.”
“But I know how a bit of alcohol makes it easier for you to talk, to share your true feelings, and I thought after the other night and earlier, we ought to have a conversation.”
My blood suddenly ran cold. Had I misinterpreted his intentions? I gulped another mouthful of wine. Couldn’t hurt if he was about to bin me off, could it?
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking these past few days.” Mat bent his head to stare at the tablecloth, so I couldn’t see his expression. “About my family situation, and about you. I know that being in a band and having a serious relationship don’t always go together. Seeing Scott and Rosie make it work made me want it for myself. I could try with Ellie, but she isn’t the one I want, the one I’ve always wanted. I want to see if we can give it another go, Bree. It’s you. It’s always been you.”
I was about to answer him, but my phone rang. He covered my hand with his, finally raising his eyes from the tablecloth. I saw fear in those chocolate pools, along with hope, and desire. Fuck answering the phone, this was more important. But whoever was trying to get hold of me wasn’t giving up easily. As soon as the first call rang off to voicemail, it started up again.
“Mat, I—” With a sigh, I pulled away and grabbed my phone.
Melinda’s name lit up the screen and I saw she’d messaged as well. I turned the screen to Mat. “I think I need to get this?”
“Bree? Oh, thank God.” Melinda’s voice cracked when I answered. “Are you with Mat?”
“Yes, but—”
She cut me off. “I need to speak to him. Now.” The urgency in her tone made me hand the phone over straight away.
“Melinda needs to talk to you.”
