Page 47 of Wild Rush Of Love
Laughing, Reena stepped into the room. “True, true.” She pulled off her apron.
“You done already?”
“Yeah. Mrs. Wallace gave me the rest of the day off.”
“Lucky you.”
“I’m not sure about that.” Reena frowned. She’d been all but ordered to eat lunch at Sunday’s with Rush. No doubt they’d have lots of eyes on them.
“Make the most of your time off. I’ll see you later. I need to get behind the bar before Tris comes looking for me. I’d be getting the boot, not the afternoon off.” Steve waved before he disappeared out the door.
Reena grabbed her bag and checked her phone. There were several missed messages. All from Rush.
She smiled as she opened them up. He’d sent a ton of emojis. Kisses, hearts, flowers, a moon and stars and sun, and something that looked like… “Oh my god!”
He’d sent her a penis. Thank god it wasn’t a picture of his actual penis.
Laughing, she switched her phone off, dropped it in her bag, and headed out of the staffroom. The man was incorrigible. He knew how to make her laugh, how to help her relax and enjoy herself in a world she hadn’t felt a part of for so long.
He made her happy.
And he was going home in three days.
Her mood shifted. It was so easy to forget he didn’t live in Baltimore. Being with him, having him in her house, she’d gotten a false sense of comfort. He wasn’t hers to keep. He wouldn’t stay. He had a life and a job and it was hundreds of miles away from her.
“Hey. You all right?” Rush placed his hands on her shoulders, scrutinizing her intently with concerned blue eyes.
Forcing a smile, she said, “Oh, yes. I’ve got the rest of the day off.”
“That’s good but why the frown?”
“Nothing.” She tried to move around him except he proved to be as stubborn as a Collins.
“Nope. Not buying it.” He tipped her face up with a finger under her chin. “Talk to me. Don’t keep whatever it is running around inside that overanalyzing head of yours to yourself.”
Reena sighed. “It’s Wednesday.”
“And?”
“We’ve only got three days left, and I have to work all but one of them and that’s the day you leave, so it doesn’t count.” She loved her job, except right now she hated it. Hated that it kept her from Rush.
He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m not disappearing from your life when I go home. We’ll still see each other.”
“How?”
Rush shrugged. “I don’t know yet but I promise we’ll work it out.”
“Hey, you two. I think these are yours.”
Reena turned to see Felicity beside them, a plate of the day’s special in each hand. Felicity’s rolled ankle had turned out to be minor and she was already back at work.
“Oh. Right. I forgot. Lunch.” She smiled at Rush. “Hope you’re hungry.”
“Always hungry for food when it comes out of Sunday’s kitchen.” He ushered her the few feet to their table and pulled out her chair. “What are we having? It smells delicious.”
“Corned beef and cabbage. It’s a Collins family favorite,” Reena explained as Rush took the seat beside her and Felicity placed their meals in front of them.
They dug in and Reena thought she’d escaped the conversation she didn’t want to have. Except Rush hadn’t forgotten, and the minute he’d swallowed the last mouthful, he reached for her hand and wove their fingers together.
