Page 16 of The Lies
“Saturday,” I agree before ducking under his arm and letting myself in to the house. I watch him through the little window in the door for a few minutes. He tips his head up to the sky and shuts his eyes while running his hands over his face. I’ve no idea what he’s thinking but I can only presume he’s trying to pull himself together. After a few seconds, he drops his hands in favour of rearranging himself in his jeans, which makes me smile. I love that I affect him so much. Blake then turns, gets in his van, and backs off the drive.
“Did you have a good night?” Aunt Addy asks from the living room, startling me. Apparently, when I turn around it answers her question. “Don’t answer that, the look on your face right now says it all. I’m so happy for you, Addison.”
I don’t know why but at Aunt Addy’s words I burst into tears.
“Oh my goodness,” she says, jumping up from her chair to wrap me in a hug. “What’s wrong?”
I don’t answer for a few minutes. Instead, I just cry on her shoulder.
Once I’ve calmed down a little she pushes me back and wipes the tears from my cheeks.
“Addison?” she questions when she sees me smiling.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what that was about. It’s just everything that’s happened since coming back here—well, almost everything—has been so incredible, I’m just a bit overwhelmed by it all. I had another three cake orders today while spending the day working on my bakery, then an amazing night out with an incredible man. It’s all just a little unbelievable. I’m sorry.”
“I understand,” she says softly. “You’ve had a massive change in your life. You don’t need to apologise for being a little emotional. It’s bound to happen with everything you’ve been through.”
Aunt Addy and I chat a while longer before we both begin to get ready for bed.
“Here, I made you a nice hot chocolate with some marshmallows,” Aunt Addy announces as she places it down on the coffee table, reminding me again that I really need to exercise.
“Thank you, that wasn’t necessary.”
“It’ll help you sleep,” she says, and after a kiss on the cheek she disappears down to her bedroom.
I notice that she’s already made the bed for me so I prop my pillows up, grab my laptop and power it up before putting it to one side in favour of my hot chocolate. I just start scrolling through the online furniture store Sinead found some of her images on when my phone rings. I jump into action, thinking it’s Blake wishing me goodnight, and manage to tip chocolate all over the cream duvet cover.
“Fuck,” I complain as I put the mug down and continue searching amongst the duvet. When I grab it, Blake’s name isn’t the one looking back at me. It’s Juliette.
“It’s about time,” I say as a greeting. I tried ringing her as promised on Sunday but there was no answer and she hasn’t been in touch since.
“I’m so sorry. One of the kids brought home a sickness bug from school and we’ve all had it. It’s been fucking horrendous, I’ve never seen so much sic—”
“Okay, Ju, I don’t need all the details,” I say.
“Sorry. I swear though, Adds, I’ve cleaned the toilet more times in the last three days than I have in my entire life.”
“That’s not hard, seeing as you’ve had a cleaner your entire life,” I point out with a laugh.
“Fuck off. Anyway, the puke fest seems to be over and I wanted to find out all your juicy gossip about that sexy man. The last you told me was that he stopped you from leaving all romance novel style so please continue…”
I do as I’m told and tell her everything that happened from then on, including theup against the wall in front of the windows in the middle of town in my new bakerysex.”
“Oh my God, that is so fucking hot, Adds!” she squeals in delight. “Now that’s what you fucking needed, a right good seeing to.”
“Yeah, it was pretty welcome. I’ve still no idea if anyone saw, though.”
“Who gives a fuck? If they did, they’ll have only been jealous that you were being nailed by a sex god against a wall and they weren’t.”
“You’re a sex pest,” I comment with a laugh.
“And?”
“Anyway, this bakery is going to be amazing. Blake’s daughter did this moodboard for me; it’s perfect. The place needs a lot of work but I can see it already.”
“I’m coming for the opening,” Juliette announces. “I want to see you in action.”
“You mean you want to eat my cakes.”
