Page 27 of A Little Light

Rachel smiled. “Love you, too.”

She ended the call, noticing an email waiting for her as she did so. Rachel frowned, and then her heart skipped a beat when she saw Andi’s name.

Good evening, Miss Meade.

I’m contacting you to inform you that the keys to your loft are now available for collection. I will be there tomorrow morning making final preparations, so please let me know if you would prefer to meet me there or if you would like to collect them from the office at a time that suits you.

Kind regards,

Andi Palmer.

Rachel swallowed as she reread the message. Andi couldn’t have been any more formal if she tried. While Rachel was thrilled by what the email contained, she knew she didn’t enjoy speaking to Andi this way. They’d had such a good time recently—the idea that this was where it ended didn’t feel right. You told her you’d call and didn’t. Rachel felt terrible about that. Andi had tried to put it all behind them a few nights ago, but Rachel seemed to find it easier to avoid the situation altogether.

She opened a new text message, inputting Andi’s number in the contact bar.

I got your email. Can I meet you there tomorrow? Also, I don’t like how formal we are right now.

She sent it off, hoping Andi would respond sooner rather than later. Andi likely didn’t know what to make of Rachel lately, given the way she had fled from her house, then proceeded to ignore her at the Christmas market. She may have told Andi she would contact her towards the end of the week, but that didn’t mean everything had returned to normal between them. Honestly, Rachel wasn’t sure it would. Andi didn’t seem like the kind of woman who would willingly be played around.

That’s no problem. Does midday work okay for you?

Yes. Midday is perfect. And about the formal emails and stuff?

Rachel placed her phone on the counter and prepared her tea. If Andi shot her down, she wasn’t sure what she’d say in response. Because Andi had been right in what she’d said the other night. Was this really worth falling out over? As Rachel had spent the last few days without Andi in her life, but with her firmly on her mind, it was a resounding no.

I’m doing as you asked. I would never do anything you didn’t want. See you tomorrow at midday.

Rachel sighed, a slight smile working its way to her lips. Andi wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want. This woman was a stark contrast to the woman Rachel had shared dinner with this evening. Actually, as Rachel stood here right now, it was confirmed that Andi was the perfect woman.

Chapter 9

Andi unplugged the kettle, leaving it beside the box close to the front door. This was it. Her last cuppa with friends in the only place she’d ever felt at home. Sally and Claire sat quietly on the other side of the island, their hands wrapped around their cups as they watched her. But she had nothing to say. She just needed a moment to feel whatever it was she was feeling.

Incredible sadness.

The fear of change.

Lost. Andi felt entirely lost right now.

As she turned her back and lifted her own cup, she paused and closed her eyes. This time had been coming for a while now; she thought she would be able to deal with it. Seemed she couldn’t, though.

“Are you okay, love?” Sally asked quietly. “Do you want us to go so you can be alone for a while?”

“No. I’m okay.” Andi plastered on her best smile and turned to face her best friend. “What are you two planning for the rest of the day?”

Claire shifted on her stool. “We thought we’d get some lunch when we finish here with you. Are you coming with us?”

“No. I…have to get back to work.” That was a lie, but Andi knew the moment she handed over the keys, she would fall apart. That was best done alone in her new home. It’s not home. It feels miserable. She turned her watch towards herself. “Rachel should be here soon, so we’d better drink this and get ready to leave.”

“Andi, I…want to thank you and Jane.” Claire reached her hand towards Sally’s, covering it. “If it wasn’t for you both inviting me over to the loft warming all those years ago, I never would have met Sally.”

Andi cocked her head as she smiled. “Is it really fifteen years?”

“In January, yes.”

“We did have some brilliant times here, didn’t we?” Andi looked up to the ceiling, her eyes briefly cast on the mezzanine level. The very place she’d held Jane night after night. “Our parties were epic.”

Sally laughed. “They really were. I don’t think I ever suffered hangovers as bad as I did after a night here.”

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