Page 194 of Take My Hand

“Which you’ll get.”

I rolled my eyes. “We’ll see, but how did you know?”

Zak shrugged. “I just saw it in your face when Connie mentioned she’d be in Newcastle.”

“And would you be okay with that if I went there?” I looked down, rubbing at some non-existent stain on my jeans, not daring to see the expression on his face.

“Mads,” Zak said, regaining my attention.

“What?” I looked back up at him and chewed on my bottom lip.

“Of course, I’d be happy if you went there, if it’s right for you. I want you there for me, but I don’t want you just to go because of all this with Connie, because nothing at all is ever going to happen there ever again.” He cupped the back of my neck, threading his fingers through my hair, the intensity in his gaze making me want things that I shouldn’t at my age. “If you don’t go then we’ll just have to make it work.”

I took a fortifying breath, not sure I should give him my honesty, but I was so in love with him it was impossible not to.

“I want to go there. It’s a great course and I want to be with you. I don’t think I could stand not seeing you every day, but if we don’t work out, then I won’t stalk you around campus or anything, I promise.”

Zak frowned. “Well, that’s not happening anyway. You know we’re going to work out, and if we didn’t, I’d definitely stalk you.”

We both laughed softly, and as our gazes locked on each other, the atmosphere changed. There’d been a shift in our relationship one way or another the last few days, and I think we both knew that we were a serious ‘us’.

“You know my dad and Maya have gone out to dinner and won’t be back for ages, don’t you.”

Sadness about Ana still overwhelmed me, but whenever I was with Zak the pain was slightly less. Intimacy was something I was desperate for. Not just for the thrill of the orgasm, but because it felt right being in his arms. It felt safe.

Pushing me on my back, Zak hovered over me, his hands caging my head, and dropped his mouth to mine.

“I love you,” he said as he slowly unzipped my hoody. “And I can’t wait until we get to Edinburgh.”

“Me neither,” I whispered, pushing up his t-shirt, relishing the feel of his warm skin.

“Good.”

It was then, as he started to undress me, I realised that apart from my dad, Zak Hoyland, was the only man whose hand I wanted to take.

Chapter Seventy

Will

My nerves were jangling as Maddy and I leaned against the counter of the jewellers we were in.

“Dad, your hands are shaking,” she said, laughing as she placed hers on top of mine.

“I’m not sure whether it’s the thought of Maya saying no or the amount of money I’m about to handover,” I replied with a groan.

“The money, definitely.” She gave me a huge grin and held her hand, palm up. “Take my hand, Dad.”

Exhaling, trying to rid myself of tension, I placed my hand in hers, and her small fingers wrapped around mine. “I love you, sweetheart,” I told her. “And I’m so proud of you.”

A shy blush appeared on her cheeks, never one to like too much attention. “Dad, it’s university, that’s all.”

“It’s a big thing,” I protested. “You’re going out of your comfort zone and leaving home.”

Maddy was going to Edinburgh, not staying at home and doing some online course. My relief was huge, only tempered by the knowledge that I was going to miss her.

“I’m only going because I know you have Maya to take care of you,” she told me.

Maya had been living with us for three months and it had been perfect. Well, almost. There’d been a couple of teething problems over how I left the bathroom after a shower, and how she got makeup powder everywhere. Money had also created a heated discussion because I didn’t think she should pay half the bills. Seeing as Maddy’s habit of leaving lights on, and Zak eating every meal with us most weekends, contributed the most to our bills. After an hour of ignoring each other, though, we discussed it calmly and we finally agreed on Maya paying a third. I’d have been happy with zero, but my woman was bloody stubborn.

---