Page 56 of Built to Last
“What colour are your eyes?”
A surprised laugh escapes me. Not sure what I’d been expecting him to say but that wasn’t it. “Green, see?” I lean closer so he can see better and he nods.
“How old are you?”
“Tobias, that’s not always a polite question buddy,” Phillip quietly admonishes.
“Why not?” Toby’s head cocks, reminding me of a curious puppy. “People ask on the playground all the time.”
“It can be different for grown-ups. Some adults don’t like people knowing their age,” Phillip explains, pausing the film.
“It’s fine, I don’t mind.” I wave off their concern. “I’m twenty-six.”
“What do you do for a living?” Toby asks seriously. Despite starting to feel a bit like I’m at an interview, the question makes me bite back a smile. It’s obviously something Toby’s heard other adults ask and decided to copy. It always amazes me how much kids pick up on.
“What’s with all the questions, bud?” Phillip looks as amused by this as I am.
“Dad said on the phone to you that he wants to know how it goes with your new girlfriend. I want to help but I don’t know her, so I have to ask stuff or how am I supposed to tell him anything?”
Giggling at Phillip’s stunned expression I try to get myself back under control. Does this mean Phillip talked to his brother about us, more than just letting him know I’d be here at the same time as Toby? Am I his girlfriend? Before Sunday I would have said yes but now I’m realising we never actually discussed it. Seeing as I’m in love with the man, I should probably clear that up.
“I’m not sure if Rose is my girlfriend…” My heart sinks even though the logical part of me understands. “She was, but I made her sad so now it’s up to her to decide.” Phillip meets my eyes, holding me captive. “You can tell your dad I’m working on convincing her to give me another chance though.” Then he winks at me.Winks. I always thought winking was reserved for creepy old guys in bars, turns out I was wrong. Phillip can most definitely pull off a wink and now I’m back to being well and truly flustered.
“Let’s keep watching, hmm?” I grab the remote from the coffee table, jabbing the play button before they can argue. Mercifully Toby seems to be done questioning me and we continue watching the film without further interruptions. I can barely handle the cuteness when Toby and Phillip join in, singing the songs with practised ease. This is what family time is supposed to feel like.
Chapter Thirty
Phillip
Quietly,I pull the door to Toby’s bedroom closed, leaving him alone with the comforting glow of his nightlight for company on the off chance he wakes up. He has finally drifted off after all the excitement and I am more than ready for some alone time with Rose. I was tormenting myself as much as her with all of my teasing touches throughout the evening. Now I can barely focus on anything except the urge to tangle my hands in her golden hair and rediscover her mouth with mine. But first, I need to apologise.
Keeping my steps light, I eagerly make my way down the stairs. At the halfway point the living area comes into view and panic grips me. Rose isn’t on the sofa where I left her. Did she change her mind? No. She wouldn’t leave without saying anything. Noticing the door out to the workshop is ajar, a beam of light spilling through the door guiding me to her, I follow her trail ready to make things right between us once and for all.
I scan the workshop, relief coursing through me when I spot Rose sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the set. Her delicate fingers tap away on her phone and the now empty mug of hot chocolate I made earlier sits in her lap. The seafoam-green jumper she’s wearing has slipped down on one side,revealing the smooth skin of her shoulder and a pale-pink bra strap. She gathered her hair up into a messy bun while we were baking earlier, unintentionally showcasing the slender column of her neck. If only she’d known how tempted I was to trace the graceful slope with my tongue all the way down to that enticing sliver of pink.
Pushing my desire aside, I take a calming breath and step into the room. I tentatively approach her, ready to do anything to earn her forgiveness.
Rose
Absorbed by my work, making notes on my phone of the details that still need to be added to the set, I jump in surprise when the interior door swings open and Phillip steps into the workshop. I came out here for a quick breather, needing to centre myself before our talk, but I must have been gone longer than I thought if he’s already done tucking Toby in.
“You’re here,” he croaks, taking a hesitant step forward. I smile up at him and that’s all the encouragement he needs to finish crossing the room in an instant. Then he’s right there, joining me on the floor. He reaches for my free hand before seeming to think better of it, his brows lowering. I abandon my phone and reach out, the warmth of him comforting as I slide my palm into his. “Can I get you another drink?” he asks, voice hoarse.
“No, I’m OK.” I set my empty mug off to the side, the quiet scrape of ceramic against concrete loud in the tension-filled room. Phillip huffs out a self-deprecating laugh, running his free hand through his hair.
“Sorry. I planned out all these things I wanted to say to you, how I’d apologise… and now we’re here I can’t remember any of them. Seems like I can’t stop messing this up,” he admits, looking distraught.
“You haven’t messed anything up,” I tell him firmly, squeezing his hand in reassurance. “I need to apologise too, you know. You never gave me any reason not to trust you. I should have given you the chance to explain instead of freaking out and jumping to conclusions. I’m sorry.”
“No, I shouldn’t have waited to bring it up. You deserved to know about the opportunity right away.”
“I appreciate that, but as soon as I calmed down enough to think it through, I could understand why you waited. I’m not the most approachable when it comes to my art—wanting to find the right time to tell me makes sense.”
“But the right time kept getting interrupted by one thing or another. I should have just come out with it. Instead, you ended up feeling like I was purposefully hiding it and using you and that’s not OK. It won’t happen again.”
“I never should have accused you of just wanting to sleep with me before telling me, I know that’s not who you are. It was unfair of me.”
“It hurt, but I thought about it after you left and realised how it could seem that way.”
