Page 41 of Best Laid Plans

Lucy nodded. ‘My period’s due in about two weeks.’

So matter of fact.

Two weeks felt like a life time. ‘I’ll wait for another phone call then,’ he said. ‘And I’ll hope for good news.’

Her eyes shimmered damply. Shyly, she said, ‘Thank you, Will.’

His abrupt laugh was closer to a cough.

A tear sparkled and fell onto Lucy’s flushed cheek, making him think of a rain drop on a rose.

Reaching out, he gently blotted the shining moisture with the pad of his thumb. ‘You okay, Goose?’

‘Sure.’

She smiled to prove it and he launched to his feet and dragged on jeans. ‘Can I make you a cup of tea or something?’

Lucy looked startled.

‘I just thought –’ He scratched at his bare chest. ‘If you’re planning to lie there for a bit, I thought you might like a cuppa.’

‘Oh – um – well, yes, that would be lovely. Thank you.’

He went through to her kitchen, filled the kettle, set it on the stove, and as he rattled about searching for teabags and mugs, he saw a familiar piece of framed glass hanging in the window.

It was dark outside, so he couldn’t see the jewel bright colours of the stained glass, but he knew the dominant colour was deep blue.

Memories unravelled. He’d given this to Lucy as a graduation gift, to remind her of the times they’d spent as schoolkids fossicking for sapphires.

She’d always been fascinated by the change in the chips of dark sapphire when they were held up to the light and transformed from dull black into sparkling, brilliant blue.

The same thing happened with the stained glass.

But he hadn’t expected her to keep this gift for so long, or to display it so prominently, as if it was important.

Now, Will looked around, trying to guess which piece among Lucy’s knickknacks had been a present to her from his brother.

Lucy managed not to cry until after Will had left. She heard the front door open and close, heard his footsteps on the front path, the rusty squeak of the front gate, the even rustier squeak of the truck’s door and then, at last, the throaty grumble of the motor.

As the truck rattled away from her house, she couldn’t hold back any longer.

The mug of tea Will had made for her sat untouched on the bedside table, and the tears streamed down her face.

She should have known.

She should have known this was a terrible mistake. Should have known Will Carruthers would break her heart.

Her sobs grew louder and she pulled a pillow against her mouth to muffle them, but nothing could diminish the storm inside her.

She loved Will. Loved him, loved him, loved him loved him.

She’d always loved Will, and she’d wrecked her whole life by getting involved with his brother in a bid to make him jealous. She felt so guilty about that and even now her memories of her mistakes cast a shadow over what had happened tonight.

Almost two weeks later, Lucy bought a packet of liquorice allsorts.

It was an impulse purchase in the middle of her weekly shopping. She saw the sweets, felt the urge to buy them andtossed them into her supermarket trolley. It wasn’t until she was unpacking her groceries at home that she realised what she’d done and what it meant.

She only ever had the urge to eat sweets on the day before her period was due.

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