Page 115 of The Rebound
“That’s why you went back to college,” I say, the pieces clicking together.
He nods. “You should have seen them, Abby. I mean, these people are miracle workers. There was this girl who used to be there at the same time as Dad. She had to get her leg amputated after an infection and could barely stand the first time I saw her. She’d have two guys holding her upright and she’d be screaming at them the entire time, just so angry and in pain, but they stayed calm and they stayed with her and by Dad’s last few sessions she could walk by herself. Slowly but still.”
“That’s incredible.”
“Yeah. I knew that’s what I wanted to do. But I needed twenty-four K to get there and I didn’t have anywhere near that. So I stayed home and started saving as much as I could. Dublin rent was no longer an option. Dad owned the coffee shop from years ago but never did anything with it. I renovated it one winter and leased it out. When Dad started moving around by himself, I moved into the apartment. Got a job with the council to earn cash and then two years ago took out a loan to make up the rest. I quit that job, got into the course, and now here I am.”
Here he is. “You’re scarily impressive, you know that?”
“There was a lot of dragging my feet between each of those steps.”
“That doesn’t matter,” I say. “You’re out in the world doing your own thing and you give it all up for your family. Then you find something you love and you decide to go for it instead of settling. Do you know how many people settle? A lot. But you worked hard, you made sacrifices, and you went for it. All the while still being there for your parents and helping Beth andmeand…” I stare at him. “How are you not just constantly exhausted? Please. Tell me your secret.”
“Pilates.”
I laugh and he smiles as I do.
“Thank you,” he says. “It’s hard not to worry about whether you made the right choice or not. If I should have gone straight back to Dublin when I had the chance. That means a lot coming from you.”
“Little Miss Had a Freak-out, Lied to Everyone, and Came Home?”
His gaze grows warm. “I think that’s the first time I’ve heard you refer to Clonard as home.”
“It is?”
He nods. “Do you think you’ll come back more now?”
“I do,” I say, careful not to mention the still unshared news of the baby. “I guess this place isn’t as scary as I thought it was.” I frown. “Scaryis the wrong word.”
“I know what you mean.”
“Plus Louise and I are… well, not friends exactly but we’re better. I no longer want to avoid her for the rest of my life.”
“That’s good.”
I trace a circle in the dirt with my foot, squinting out at the lake. “There are other things too,” I add.
“Oh yeah?” He plays innocent. “Like what?”
I shrug, slowly sliding down my log until I’m sitting right next to him.
“Smooth.”
“I’m flirting with you.”
“I know,” he says, and this time he kisses me first.
It’s a quick one. A soft, light “is this okay?” one that I quickly return, twisting my body to face his, giving permission for more. My hands go to the rough stubble of his cheeks, his to my jeans, hooking his fingers through the belt loops as he tugs me gently to him.
I wonder what it would have been like to kiss him at lunch, if I’d still be able to taste the dessert on his lips. I wonder what it would be like to kiss him whenever I wanted to.
Nerves bubble through me at the thought, but before I know what to do with them, Luke moves his head, the slant of his mouth changing against mine, and that’s all it takes for me to forget everything.
He is warmer than the sun, the heat of him almost dangerous as his touch moves to the small of my back, and when his teeth nip my bottom lip, I decide I need more, intending to scoot over fully to his log but I slip off my own instead, landing with a soft thud on the ground. I don’t have time to be embarrassed because Luke follows me down, propping his fists on either side of my head as he hovers over me.
Unhappy with this lack of contact, I lift my hips as our kiss deepens, pressing myself against him until we both groan.
There’s a tearing sound as I lose my grip on his shirt, but I ignore it. I hear a happy shriek and a splash somewhere in the distance, but I ignore that too. I ignore everything but him, everything but how he makes me feel. And oh, how I feel.
