Page 33 of Come Back To Me
His eyes fall to his lap, fingers squeezing around the wheel. “He doesn’t like them. Says they’re too in your face about everything or something.”
“That’s crazy. Your mom and dad are awesome.”
“Yeah. I guess he sees them as pushy and very involved in our lives.”
“Sure, they can be a little invasive, but what parents aren’t? He also has to remember you’re an only child.”
“So are you.”
“Yeah, but my parents clearly don’t care about my life as much yours do.”
“What was their deal with Gareth anyway?”
“My mom said he could have moved for me, and my dad was hoping I’d eventually trade him in for the girl next door he kept trying to push on me.”
Leo lips bunch together. “I’m sorry they weren’t here for you.”
“Yeah.” I shift my eyes ahead. “Me too.”
We don’t talk for the rest of the ride home in the car, and Leo is the first to break the silence when we step onto my porch.
“So, see you this weekend for puking carving.”
“Yeah. I’ll be here, waiting for you to chauffeur me around.”
His chuckles tickle my cheek as he wraps his arms tightly around me. “It’s going to get better. One day at a time.”
“Yeah, I know.” I hug him back and then go inside, closing the door all the way once he’s in his car. I twist the lock behind me and when I step further into the house, I notice the fireplace is on. Blankets are strewn in front of it, along with two glasses and a bottle of wine in an ice bucket.
When I look toward the footsteps trailing from the kitchen, Gareth is holding a bowl of strawberries and smiling my way. “You’re home.”
“Yeah.”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
I look around, my eyes staying on the waving flames. “Consider me surprised.”
He sets the bowl on the coffee table, tugging up his shirt sleeves. “I’ll go get the first aid kit.”
“This is turning into some weird tradition for us.”
He laughs. “There’s nothing wrong with adding new things to our relationship. Better than taking them away.”
“Yeah,” I say, lowering myself onto the couch and fidgeting with my hands. There are times when I think things are being taken away, but then he goes and gives me more of Gareth . . . and something I didn’t realize I was missing before.
There really is nothing wrong with adding to what we already were.
Eleven
Riley
I wake up with a crick in my neck and rub at the tense muscles. Someone wiggles beside me. Gareth. He’s sleeping. I’ve never seen him do that while being this new undead version of himself. He looks like he used to, restful with mussed hair and sleep lines on his cheek. My heart wrenches at him reaching for me with his eyes closed, and I lie back down and snuggle against him.
“Hi,” he says groggily.
“Hi.” I scoot closer, putting our faces only inches apart. “I woke up before you for once.”
“I stayed up for a while after you passed out.”
