Page 43 of A Little Light

“You said you’d make a booking with me. That says all it needs to say, Andi.” They could dress it up however they liked. Andi had suggested the booking, and that was that.

Andi offered a sad smile. “I said that because I didn’t want you to waste your time with me when you could be working and making money. I offered to pay you so I didn’t feel bad. I know you said that you choose your hours, but you still need to earn a living.” Andi sighed, shaking her head. “I didn’t want you to feel obliged. That’s all.”

Oh.

Fuck.

“I know you take evenings off work so we can do things together, Rachel. While I appreciate that, it’s not something I expect from you.”

“I’m sorry.” Rachel reached a hand across Andi’s desk, but Andi immediately drew her own hand away. “Andi, please. I got it wrong and I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay. It’s done now. I know how you feel about me, and I’ll deal with that in my own time.” Rachel caught Andi clenching her jaw, her eyes narrowed at the screen. But a single tear still fell down Andi’s cheek, almost tearing Rachel in two. “What was it? You know I need to feel a part of something. And to not be alone.” Rachel swallowed. She couldn’t believe she’d said that. “Well, I’ll tell you right now that I’m quite content being alone. I spent the last three years of my marriage nursing my wife until the day she died, so trust me when I tell you that I’ve spent plenty of time alone. And I don’t need to be a part of anything. Not if I’m not welcome there. So, please, have your opinion of me…however wrong it may be, and leave.”

Rachel’s bottom lip threatened to quiver, her eyes stinging as she fought back tears. “You know how I feel about you. You know how much I love spending time with you. You…know.”

“I thought I did. I thought we had an understanding of one another. But after last night and how you made me feel, I’m not so sure anymore. All I know right now is that it’s not what I need in my life. I asked you a simple favour, and you offered…” Andi chose not to finish that sentence. Her stone-cold demeanour had the hairs on Rachel’s neck standing on end. “I’d come there to find out why you weren’t returning my calls and to tell you the date and time of the Christmas party.”

“Yeah, I’m beginning to realise that I kinda fucked up. It’s just…I heard booking and client, and I thought the worst. Because that’s not the kind of relationship I want with you, Andi. That’s why I was so confused. Instead of just dealing with it there and then, I let it get the better of me.”

Andi removed her glasses and sighed. “I thought you knew me better than that. I know we’ve only just met, and I know you probably don’t trust me, but I still thought you knew me better.”

Rachel chanced her hand again, this time relieved when Andi didn’t shift away. “I do know you better. Please forgive me.”

Andi cast her gaze on their hands, clearing her throat. “I never expected you to say those things to me. I asked what I did because I trust you. Not only with my past but with my future. People will probably tell me I’m out of my mind for that; we barely know one another, but it’s true. Still…I…is that really how you feel? That this has been my plan all along?”

“No.” Rachel could say with certainty that Andi had been nothing more than genuine. And to know Andi had so much trust in her, well, that would take a moment to sink in. “I didn’t expect you to show up last night. When you did, I don’t know…I tried to throw it back at you.”

“Throw what back at me?” Andi frowned.

“How you’d made me feel at the burger hut.” That was petty, Rachel knew that, but in that moment when Andi had said the word client…Rachel’s stomach roiled.

“I never meant to offend you, Rachel. You do know that, don’t you?” Andi had a pleading look in those big brown eyes as she focused fully on Rachel. In this moment, Rachel was lost in them. “Rachel?”

“Of course. We got our wires crossed, and I’m sorry for the things I said to you. Please, forgive me.”

Andi slid her hand out from under Rachel’s, placing it on top and squeezing gently. “It’s okay.”

“It’s really not. It’s not okay at all. But thank you for not kicking me out of your office.”

“That’s not me—you know it’s not.” Andi looked pointedly at Rachel. “Do we have to meet all over again for you to realise the kind of person I am? Has that one stupid suggestion I made really caused you to question my character?”

Could they meet all over again? Perhaps then, Rachel could take back the time she had turned Andi down. “If…you want to? But not because I’m unsure about you. Because then I can change some of the things I’ve said or done.”

“I don’t particularly want to start again. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you so far. We don’t need to go back to the beginning.” Andi’s shoulders relaxed as she sat back in her seat. “So, about the Christmas party?”

“Just tell me the time and place, and I’ll be there.”

Andi lifted a pen and clicked the end of it. She scribbled down an address and a time and handed it over to Rachel. Their eyes met, and Andi wore a shy smile. “I like that about you.”

“What?”

“You realised you’d made a mistake, apologised, and now we move forward.”

Rachel grinned. “And I like that about you, too.”

Chapter 14

Rachel stepped inside the wine bar, scanning the room for Andi. They were meeting at six, and then they were travelling to the Christmas party together. As she worked her way through the crowd of people waiting for drinks, Rachel stopped, her breath catching. Andi was sitting on a stool at the far end of the bar, looking amazing. No, amazing wasn’t the right word to use, but it was all Rachel could conjure up in the moment. Andi, God…she was stunning. She wore a navy, A-line cowl floor-length dress. From a distance, Rachel would say it was chiffon, but she couldn’t be certain. It sat perfectly over the swell of Andi’s breasts, her dark hair sporting a curl this evening.

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