Page 18 of The Lies
Chapter Four
I meetCara for coffee on Friday morning so that we can start brainstorming ideas for my website and all the other bits I’m going to need. When I say brainstorming, it’s more Cara showing me what she’s already come up with, and I love it! I suggest a few tweaks here and there but not a lot.
She’s shocked to hear that I’d almost left Ireland the previous weekend, and her delight that I’m still here is just another thing that shows I made the right decision.
“So I’ll pick you up about six-thirty on Monday night then?” Cara asks when we’re about to part ways. When I mentioned my need for some exercise, Cara told me about a Zumba class she attends and invited me along. I haven’t danced since I was a kid and Cara and I went to classes together; I’m excited to get back to it.
“I’ll be ready,” I agree, thinking I need to get myself some appropriate workout clothes over the weekend. Just thinking about the weekend gets butterflies fluttering in my belly. I cannot wait for my sleepover with Blake. We’ve been texting constantly since our date the other night. I love it because with each message, I feel like I’m getting to know him that little bit better, even if we are just talking about what he’s been up to at work.
He sent me a video last night of the freshly plastered walls in the bakery. Jason just had the kitchen area to finish, and once it’s dry we can start decorating. I’m so excited to get some colour on the walls and the furniture I’ve ordered in.
After leaving Cara, I head back to Aunt Addy’s to put the finishing touches to an orange and chocolate birthday cake that’s being collected by one of her friends later. This evening, Aunt Addy is taking me to see Macbeth, the play that she’s been making all the costumes for. I’m looking forward to seeing her masterpieces in action, as well as spending some time with her.
* * *
Before I know it, I’m stood looking out Aunt Addy’s living room window, waiting for Blake to come and get me.
“You remind me of Kayleigh waiting for the ice cream man to come,” Aunt Addy says fondly behind me. “My mother was such a soft touch with her and she knew as soon as she heard that damn music it was her lucky day.”
“I miss her,” I admit. I don’t think I will ever forgive myself for not staying in touch properly when we moved away. We grew up like sisters and then I left and that was it.
“Me too,” Aunt Addy agrees sadly. “Oh, he’s here,” she points out, pulling us both from our morose thoughts.
A zing of excitement goes through me and I stand and watch as Blake gets out of his van and walks this way. When he looks up to the house he sees me stood at the window and his face lights up. He’s in his work clothes—those incredible ripped jeans he was wearing when I first met him, and a dirty McCarthy’s t-shirt—showing he’s clearly been busy all day.
Aunt Addy and Blake have a little catch up in the hallway while I gather my stuff.
“You’re only staying the night, you know,” Blake comments when he comes in to grab my bags.
“I know, but you haven’t told me what we’re doing so I didn’t know what to pack.”
“Fair enough,” he mutters as he grabs everything in one hand before reaching for mine with the other.
“Hey,” he says, giving me a quick kiss to the lips.
“Hey, yourself,” I whisper back.
He then leans forward so his lips are brushing my ear, “It’s been too long since I’ve been inside you,” he breathes, sending goosebumps racing down my neck and across my body.
“Okay, you two, get out of here,” Aunt Addy says, obviously sensing the tension between us. “Have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”
“We’ll try, have a good evening,” Blake responds as he begins pulling me from the house.
My bags get thrown in the back of his van and the old part of me that’s still lingering wants to chastise him because of the cost of those Luis Vuitton cases, but the new me soon appears and shrugs it off. They’re just bags; no one here cares if they’re this season, last season, or from Primark.
Blake wastes no time in having the engine running and pulling off the drive. I give a quick wave to Aunt Addy, who’s stood at the front door watching us with a smile on her face, before she disappears as we turn the corner.
“Where are we going?” I ask when Blake doesn’t take the turning I was expecting.
“Just a quick pit stop.”
He continues to drive up the coast a little before pulling off onto a barely there road. We drive down the track, tree branches scratching down the side of the van until we come to a stop in front of the most amazing view of the bay beyond.
“Wow, how did we never find this as kids?” I ask, but it’s more to myself than Blake so when he responds it makes me jump a little.
“It’s private property. I did some work in the house over there for an old couple a few years ago, but they’ve since both died and the house is falling into rack and ruin,” he says, pointing past me.
I follow his finger to see the most incredible house. I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like waking up to this view every day.
