Page 55 of About Last Night
Nothing was guaranteed in this life – the perfect relationship didn’t exist – but he wanted to believe he was strong enough in character to stick by his choices and work through any hiccoughs. His father might not be able to do it, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t.
‘Uurgh! Em, what have I done? I’ve made a royal mess of everything!’ Lula moaned into her sofa cushion, as Emily rubbed soothing circles on her back.
They’d spent the morning together and Lula had become increasingly depressed about the hot mess her life had become.
‘Whatever possessed me to talk to a man I’ve barely even been dating for a few weeks aboutgetting married. No wonder he’s kept a low profile since then, I probably scared the bejeezus out of him.’
‘Clearly it needed to be said though, Lu. You couldn’t have gone on hoping things would just work out all fine and dandy without letting him know what you needed out of the relationship. Although, point taken about coming off as a little bit needy.’
‘A little bit!’ Lula grimaced. ‘No wonder I don’t seem to be able to hold onto a man.’
Emily batted a hand at her. ‘Nah, you just have very high expectations.’
Lula buried her head in the sofa again. ‘But I really liked him, Em.’ She looked up at her friend, unable to stop the tears from welling in her eyes. ‘Reallyliked him.’ She picked a bit of lint off the cushion. ‘In fact, I think I’m in love with him.’
Emily gave her a weak smile and gently rubbed her arm in sympathy. ‘Yeah, I know, babe, that’s pretty obvious.’
The loud rasp of the buzzer made them both jump.
‘You expecting someone?’ Emily asked, already levering herself off the sofa.
‘No.’
‘I’ll get rid of them,’ Emily said, striding purposefully towards the door. Sometimes Lula was extraordinarily glad of her friend’s no-nonsense approach to life. It made her feel safe and protected; something she’d never had a sense of in her youth.
She sank back into the cushions, listening to the low rumble of voices at the door, wondering who it could be. She didn’t have to wonder for long as Emily strode back in with tense shoulders and aguess who?expression on her face with Tristan following closely behind her.
All Lula could think in those moments washe’s here,and her heart soared with hope.
‘Sorry, Lu, I told him you didn’t want to see him, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer.’ She turned back to scowl at Tristan, but he totally ignored her.
‘Lula, I need to speak to you,’ Tristan said, taking a step past Emily towards where she sat on the sofa, his dominating presence seeming to take over the whole room.
‘I hope you’re here to persuade her to stay, because you’d be an idiot to let someone as amazing as Lula walk away,’ Emily said behind him, folding her arms and glaring at the back of Tristan’s head.
He turned to meet Emily’s gaze and held it, the air crackling with angry tension between them.
It was like watching two stags vying for supremacy.
Lula put up a calming hand to her friend. ‘Thanks, Em, but I can handle this on my own.’
Emily narrowed her eyes at Tristan. ‘Okay, but you’d better not let her just skip off to Oz or you’ll have me to answer to,’ she said, finally breaking eye contact with him and walking over to Lula to give her a hug.
‘I’m only a phone call away if you need me,’ she murmured into her ear, before pulling away and shooting Tristan one last warning frown.
Tristan dipped his head and raised a brow. ‘Nice seeing you again,’ he said, his voice laden with sarcasm, as Emily spun on her heel and walked out of the room, slamming the front door behind her.
He turned his dark gaze on Lula and she had to fight back her surge of nerves so as not to turn into a complete gibbering wreck.
‘God help any man trying to get close to her, that’s all I can say,’ he muttered, shaking his head in apparent amusement.
Lula twisted her fingers together. ‘Em’s had a pretty tough life so she’s a bit defensive, but she’s a really caring, lovely person when you get to know her.’
He flashed a smile. ‘I guess she must be okay if you like her.’
‘Areyou here to persuade me not to leave?’ she managed to saypast the lump in her throat, ‘Because I don’t see any presents or cryptic notes.’
He huffed out a laugh. ‘It’s just me this time. I was hoping that would be enough.’
