Page 105 of The Love Position

Isaac stroked her cheek. ‘You’re already a saint. And a goddess.’

She blushed. ‘I feel different when I’m with you.’

‘I want you to feel like that all the time. Be truly yourself and don’t worry about what anyone else might say or do. That’s on them. It’s their crap. Don’t allow them to make it yours.’

A shadow crossed her face, then she nodded. ‘I was born shy and unsure, and life circumstances made the imprint deeper. But with you, I feel I could be as quietly confident as Eveline, and as badass as Estelle.’

‘And with you, I can be fully in the world, rather than running away from it.’

The main doors opened, and the wind shrieked in, making Sophia jump. She glanced at the wall clock.

‘You hungry?’

She nodded. ‘I didn’t think we’d be here past lunchtime.’

Drawing her forward, Isaac dropped a kiss on her lips. ‘I’ll go get some food. I won’t be long, and Murphy’s Law states that the moment I leave, you’ll be called through.’

‘Very true.’

‘You okay to go in on your own if that happens?’

‘Yes. It’s different now. Everything’s different.’

Isaac gave her another quick kiss, then left, taking out his phone as he passed into the main body of the hospital and ringing the ashram. He wanted to tell them he and Sophia had been delayed, and check the ferry was still running.

Five minutes later, he knew they weren’t going anywhere.

18

‘What’s happened?’ Sophia asked as she hobbled out of the treatment area, now only using one crutch.

Isaac was waiting for her, his phone in his hand and his expression tense. ‘How did it go in there? Everything okay?’

‘Yes, absolutely fine. There’s just a small amount of paperwork to do, then we can leave. I’m going to hang onto this crutch for the next two weeks and I—we can drop it off when we leave the islands. What did the ashram say?’

‘It’s too rough, so they’ve cancelled the ferry. The storm has changed course and is headed this way.’

Sophia’s eyes were drawn to the palm trees outside the main doors, their tops whipping in the wind. Stinging prickles of anxiety stabbed her skin.

‘Is there another way back to the island?’

‘Not tonight. All flights are cancelled as well. We’ve got to find somewhere to stay.’

‘Oh.’ Oh…

The realisation that they would stay the night together, far away from the ashram, seemed to be lost on Isaac. His brow was furrowed as he ran a hand through his hair.

‘Have you been ringing places?’

He nodded. ‘But everywhere’s fully booked.’ He took her free hand. ‘Take a seat and I’ll keep calling. Can I get you anything to drink?’

Sophia’s heart flip-flopped. She wasn’t used to this level of kindness and attention from a romantic partner. She’d only had one before Isaac, and he’d always put himself first.

‘Thank you. Would you be able to find somewhere to refill my water bottle?’

‘Of course.’ He took it from her. ‘I won’t be long.’

Sophia sat facing the doors as rain threw itself angrily at the glass. Was this a hurricane? Whatever it was, or was about to become, she knew it could be lethal. Weather events like this in the UK were uncommon, and she had no frame of reference for what might be approaching.

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