Page 126 of The Rebound
“Thank you. Tell her it’s important.” She turns to me, exasperated. “Abby, did you hear me?”
“You need to leave first!” I exclaim, and she rolls her eyes, turning to the stairs.
“Five minutes,” she calls as Luke shuts the door behind her. I drop the sheet, grabbing yesterday’s underwear.
“She is not well,” I say, clipping my bra into place. “And you need to be more protective of your property. Next time someone’s hammering on the door, you threaten them until they leave. You donotlet them inside.”
Luke’s still standing by the door, looking like he’s trying not to smile.
“What?”
He puts his hand on his hips and I drop my arms, realizing I’m in my stance again.
“Whatever,” I snap, and he laughs.
“I thought you were a morning person,” he says as I locate my dress by the coffee table.
“No one is a morning person when their morning starts like that. Even if they—” I stop talking as he kisses me, catching me off guard. The back of my legs hit the couch and if it weren’t for the iron rod of his arm welded to my back, I think I would have toppled right over it. It lasts only a few seconds but they’re a few very good seconds and when he pulls away I struggle to remember what I was saying.
“Is that your way of telling me you’re a morning person too?” I ask.
“That’s my way of telling you that you’re doing a good thing helping your sister. And that I’m sorry your morning is ruined.And,” he says, pulling me into him, “that we’ll just have to find some way to make it up to you.”
“I can think of a few ways,” I say seriously, and he grins before leaning down to kiss me again.
One hour and one very dangerous car ride later, we arrive at the dunes near Castlebay beach, where the builders are due to arrive. Despite the early hour, we’re not the first ones there. A dozen or so people already mill about the makeshift parking lot, Louise’s co-workers judging by the branded T-shirts and supplies they’re unpacking. A small bearded man in a navy waterproof jacket and green rubber boots is waiting for us, waving a clipboard in his hands.
“It’s a nightmare,” he calls, blinking behind his glasses.
“My boss,” Louise says as we get out of the car. “Ned.”
“They’re bringing the diggers and everything,” he continues. “They lied to us. Complete lies.”
“Have you contacted theLeitrim Observer?”
He nods. “And theConnaught Telegraphsays they’ll send someone today. We’ll be on the morning radio too. I’ve called everyone I know. We’re just waiting for the local council offices to open before we find out what the hell happened.”
“We’ve prepared for this,” Louise reassures him. “It’s nothing we haven’t been through before.”
“I just wish we had a bit more time,” he says. “But delighted to have you on board,” he adds as Tomasz walks past, clapping him on the shoulder. His eyes flick to me with a distracted smile. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”
“No,” I say as Louise stiffens beside me. I try not to roll my eyes. “I’m her—”
“Sister,” Louise interrupts. “This is my sister, Abby.”
Ned rears back in surprise. “Thesister? Didn’t you used to work for MacFarlane?”
I nod solemnly. “I brought them down from the inside.”
“Oh, look,” Louise says as Ned’s eyes widen. She points to more arriving cars coming down the road. “Reinforcements.”
“That will be the student union,” Ned says, bristling with importance. “If you’ll excuse me.”
I turn to Louise as he hurries away from us. “I guess you love me after all. I think I might cry.”
“The cousin thing was a stupid idea.”
“It was your idea.”
