Page 7 of Obsession Under the Southern Stars

She releases her sister, then turns to Rory and wraps her arms around him.

He buries his face in her shoulder. “I don’t want to go.”

“I know.”

“I want to stay here.”

“Dad has to move for his job,” she says gently. “They’ve transferred him to Auckland, you know that.”

“Can I come and live with you?”

She rests her lips on the top of his head and closes her eyes for a moment. Then she releases him, takes her case and picks up a backpack that was sitting by the front door, and walks out.

Rory walks away and disappears around the corner, no doubt heading for his room. I look at Olivia, who heaves a big sigh and says, “Sorry about that.”

“No problem at all. Nice to meet you.”

She nods toward Zoe. “She’s very upset. I’ll miss her, of course, but I don’t mind going to Oz. She’s very close to Rory,though, and she hates that he’s so miserable about going. Look after her.”

“I will.” Impressed that she’s so concerned about her sister, I follow Zoe down the path, taking out my phone to call for an Uber.

When I’m done, I turn to her and say, “You okay?”

She bites her lip, fixing her gaze on my throat, and shakes her head. “Not really.”

“Are you more worried about your parents, or Olivia and Rory?”

Her eyes fill with tears, and she presses her fingers to her lips.

“Aw. Come here.” I pull her into my arms for a hug.

It’s an instinctive move, but it’s the first time we’ve ever had a cuddle, and goose bumps pop out all over me. We’ve been friends since Elora first introduced us, just a month or two after they met at university, so maybe three years now, and as a group we’re quite touchy-feely, so it’s not that we’ve never touched. Zoe will occasionally nudge my arm when trying to get my attention or poke me when I’ve annoyed her. I’ve taken her hand when leading her somewhere or rested a hand in the small of her back to guide her across the room. But this is different.

She feels smaller than I anticipated in my arms. She projects a strong, capable persona, and for some reason I thought she’d feel substantial and solid, but instead she feels like how I’d imagine it would feel to hold a baby rabbit. She clutches my T-shirt with both hands and rests her forehead on my collarbone, then exhales and slides her arms around me. Oh yes, that’s better.

We stand there like that for several minutes.

I don’t say anything, and neither does she. For a while, I don’t move, afraid to break the spell. She’s soft, pressed up against me, and I can feel her chest rise and fall with each breath,which whispers across my throat. I rest my lips on her hair, enjoying the strawberry smell of her shampoo.

Last year, she cut her hair very short, which I loved because it made her look so striking, but I have to say I prefer it like this. It’s styled in a bob, but most of the time it’s slightly windblown and ruffled. It’s parted on the left, and she tucks the left side behind her ear, but the right side swings forward like a curtain.

She usually wears black eyeliner, often drawn to wings at the edges, which makes her look a little like Elizabeth Taylor inCleopatra, especially when she uses gold or blue eyeshadow. She rarely uses lipstick, though, and her lips are free of color and pale pink. It always makes me think that she’s just been kissed.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen her in a skirt. She wears black or dark-blue skinny jeans and tees, leggings with oversize shirts, or capri pants if she wants to smarten up. She did wear a fantastic pantsuit to the museum opening. If she hadn’t been with that fucking idiot, Charlemagne, I’d have dragged her off to a broom cupboard and kissed her until she saw stars.

She absolutely fascinates me, and despite having turned me down fifteen times since she broke up with her boyfriend, I’m determined to convince her we’re meant to be together.

The Uber finally draws up in front of us, and Zoe clears her throat and moves back, then, not looking at me, gets into the car. I wait until she swings her legs in, close the door, put the luggage in, and get in in the other side. We buckle ourselves in, and I confirm with the driver that we’re heading for the airport.

Then I glance across at her and murmur, “You okay?”

She nods and tucks her hair behind her left ear. Then she finally looks at me. “I’m guessing you got the gist of what’s going on.”

“Olivia told me your parents are getting a divorce. I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s not unexpected. They’ve not been happy for a while. I mean, that’s sad, but Rory’s nine now, and they don’t need to stay together for the kids anymore. Dad finding out he has to move to Auckland was kind of the last straw. Mum didn’t want to go, and she decided she wants to move to Australia.”

“Yeah, Olivia said, to Darwin.”

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