Page 91 of The Rescue

“Aye, but I’m going to kill my nan.”

She smirks, and I can only imagine what the altercation was like between the two of them.

“Yes, she’s a stubborn old bag, but we hashed it out. And honestly she’s fine, I wouldn’t have left her if she wasn’t.”

I laugh at her comment because only Crystal can get away with calling my nan that. I tuck her hair behind her ear.

“I know, thank you.”

“I told her that I’d call later and if she didn’t answer that I was going to come round to her house and bring you with me.”

I smile at her little threat to my nan. Crystal seems to have stood her ground with her, and lord knows someone needed to. My nan never listens to me. I haven’t asked Crystal why my dad was at my nan’s house, I’m stalling because I don’t really want to know why, but I think I can take a guess.

“He was there to find your mum, he told your nan she owes him money.”

My stomach sinks. I’m trying not to think that my mum could’ve taken the tips because she owes my dad money, but there’s a fleeting moment I think she might’ve if she was desperate enough. I swallow the lump in my throat.

“Do you think she took the money?” I ask Crystal because I can’t stop thinking about how she looked at my mum when Nellie told us about the money being missing.

She purses her lips, and she looks down at her feet.

“I don’t know Rab, I hope not. But given the situation and the past, it’s difficult to not make an assumption. I wish I could be as trustworthy as you,” she rubs my arm and finally looks up at me.

“Your nan didn’t want to tell you that your dad was in town, but I didn’t want you to be taken by surprise if he showed up. I’m sorry this is happening, I know you don’t need the stress right now.”

Crystal has been nothing but supportive through this whole ordeal, and her honesty means a lot to me. She’ll tell me her thoughts, even if it’s not what I want to hear and I respect that more than anything. Even though it’s a shitty situation that my dad is in town, I’m happy she told me, to protect me, to warn me. How did I ever deserve someone as protective and loyal as her?

“I’m glad you told me, mo beag. Thank you, but I’m not going to worry about it. I will speak to my mum and let her know.”

She stands up on her tippy toes and kisses me, and it’s just what I needed. A self-assured, grounding kiss. It solidifies that she’s here for me, and that we’re a team, and I couldn’t be happier.

“I’ll help you look for the tips, I’m sure they were misplaced.” She wraps her arms around my neck.

“Do you want to go to the pub for a drink?” She asks, thinking it will take my mind off the situation.

“Nah, right now I need you upstairs, naked in my bed.” I grab a handful of her deliciously round butt and she giggles.

33

Crystal

This is my last week in Crossmackiebefore I return to America to visit my family.Rabbie and I haven’t had a conversation about what happens after, but I’m waiting until after the launch party to tell him that I want to come back for New Year’s Eve. I know he’ll be so happy that I want to come back, but I’m nervous. This is new for me, I’ve never been into a guy like this, who am I kidding? I’m in love with the guy.

After yesterday’s whirlwind of events, Rabbie wanted to go over to his nan’s to check on her. She wasn’t too happy to see us when she opened the door. Rabbie and Grannie Jo both gave her a talking to about how stupid she was to refuse help and not let me call Rabbie.

Being the stubborn old hoot that she is, she just rolled her eyes at them. I shrugged my shoulders at her, and she silently chuckled to herself at their constant lecturing. After she told Rabbie that she was fine for the hundredth time, we left andwent to the pub and caught up with the guys. Rabbie told them about his dad showing up at his nan’s and they were all worried for him that his dad is in town, but he didn’t seem too bothered about it.

This morning I woke up to the usual, a coffee and a little note on the bedside table, and Edie purring next to me in Rabbie’s spot. It’s become our little morning ritual. I love waking up to a coffee and one of his notes. I’ve been saving all the little notes that he writes in my notebook. I don’t mind waking up to Edie either, I mean I would prefer Rabbie, but he’s a busy man. Normally I would hate the cat hair being in the bed, but I don’t mind it as much now. The fluffball has grown on me, and we’ve quickly become friends. I give her a quick belly rub, and jump out of bed eager to see Rabbie. It’s still early and I don’t have anything to do today, but I want to see him before he opens the cafe and is too busy.

After a quick shower, I’m rushing down the stairs to see him. Usually I find him working at the kitchen island but he isn’t there. The cafe hasn’t opened yet, and it’s just the two of us here but he isn’t in the kitchen. I look around and see a soft glow from the store cupboard that’s tucked away under the stairs. I quickly rush over and open the door, to find Rabbie scanning over the shelves of dry ingredients. He turns and a large smile spreads across his face, and I suddenly have the urge to pounce on him. His smile does things to me that makes me want to rip my clothes off and go feral.

I close the storeroom door behind me, closing us in the small space. The storeroom is so small that we’re practically flush against each other. Since we know this is my last week here, we haven’t been able to keep our hands off each other. Every waking moment, we have to be touching each other in some way.

He looks down at me as I loop my arms around his neck, and pull his lips to mine. I never thought I would be so obsessedwith kissing a man, but it seems I can’t get enough of Rabbie. The kiss is intoxicating in so many ways, it’s soft but deep. Our tongues lightly brush against one another in languid strokes. His large hands run down my back and over my ass, cupping and squeezing, the perfect handful. I didn’t think we could get closer but he pulls me into him. I can already feel his hard erection pressing against my stomach, and the heat between my legs ignites.

He breaks the kiss, and runs his thumb over my bottom lip.

“What are you doing, mo beag?”

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