Page 77 of An Unexpected Kind of Love

I turn to bury my face into Blake’s shoulder, needing his comfort. He smells of luxurious cologne. He rubs my back.

Clearly, the universe is jerking me around. Why can’t things ever be simple and clear-cut? Why is Blake a limited time offer? How can I want someone I can’t have? Someone who lives in a different world than mine?

“Hey, it’s all right,” he assures me.

Eli’s news makes me feel worse, not better. In a week, Blake will be gone, and I’ll have nothing to show for all of this longing.

Eventually, I lift my head from his shoulder and he gives me a soft kiss.

“You ready to go back in?”

“I am,” I say, finding whatever courage I can scrape up. Drawing a breath, I stand to my full height and squeeze Blake’s hand. “Let’s go.”

The rest of the evening passes without incident. Ryan’s well-celebrated and well-loved, that’s apparent. With good reason, since Ryan’s great. I catch his gaze at one point and his wavers, looking away first. So, I take it he knows I know about their breakup, but no one else here does, not even Lily.

We have a few drinks and the evening slides by till it’s time to go and goodbyes are made, with successful avoidance of Eli. After, Blake and I head back to my home, a ten-minute walk away.

Taking the entry direct to my flat, we tromp up the stairs and I finally let out the breath I’ve been holding all night. “Thank God that’s over,” I say with relief, sagging into Blake’s arms as he smiles against me.

“It wasn’t bad. Your friends are nice.”

“Thanks. Sorry that Eli was being an arse.” I hesitate whether to tell Blake about Eli and Ryan’s breakup. What good would that do, telling him? Selfishly, I want his last few days here to be like we live in some universe of our own.

Blake’s unfazed. “He doesn’t matter.Youmatter.”

I melt against Blake’s smile as we exchange kisses.

“How about I put on the kettle for tea?”

I perk up immediately, because the way to my heart is clearly lined with tea. “Yes, please.”

He grins and goes off, trotting down the other stairs that lead to the back of the shop and the kitchen.

And, a moment later, I hear Blake calling for me.

“Aubrey!” Blake yells again from downstairs.

When I reach the kitchen, Blake’s on his hands and knees, half under the sink, and in a pool of water.

“Holy shit.” I look around with a sinking feeling.

“Where’s the water shut off? It’s not under the sink!” Blake calls out, almost banging his head as he scoots out and sits up. “Water’s coming in through the wall.”

“Fuck. Out front.” I run to the hidden cover near the front door where the piping comes in from the street, shouting back over my shoulder, “The plumbing’s fucked around here.”

“I can tell,” Blake yells back.

I find the shutoff in the bathroom and haul it closed before grabbing some towels and going downstairs to try to mop up the water and the damaged wall.

I suspect one my forever rattling pipes has at last given way. Blake knocks at the damp wall. “In here,” he says. “Mind if I cut a hole?”

I sigh. “Go on. The wall’s fucked. Along with the pipe. What’s another hole in the wall around here?”

Blake finds tools in my stash under the sink and gets to work. Meanwhile, I use all the towels and the mop and bucket to try to save the tiled floors.

“At least,” says Blake optimistically, “none of your new books got wet. This can all be fixed easily enough.”

“Shit, the books!” I dash off to go check the boxes delivered yesterday, but everything’s dry. With relief, I return to Blake. “It’s fine.”

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