Not the wisest choice of words, Summer...
‘It’s a figure of speech,’ I say into the ether.
Justa figure of speech.
Edward
‘You look like you could do with something stronger than coffee.’
I flick Juan a look, wanting to flick him something else, but knowing it’s not his fault I’m in this state. I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. She dominates my every waking and sleeping thought.
I’ve even found her old postcards to Gran and have been re-reading them all...staying connected to her in a way that feels safe, controlled... And I know how ridiculous that is when she’s in the same building as me, but I can’t look at her without wanting to do so much more.
He places his cup down and eyes my clenched fist upon the desk. ‘Okay, I’m making an executive decision. Coffee isn’t going to cut it.’
I force my hand to relax. ‘It’s only three in the afternoon, Juan.’
‘What’s the saying? It’s party time somewhere... I’ll pour, shall I?’
He’s already on his feet, striding to the antique Japanese drinks cabinet—Gran’s pride and joy.
‘I’ll say one thing for Katherine: she always had this thing fully stocked. You know, I tried to get my hands on this fifty-year-old malt...’ He raises up a bottle ‘...happy to pay a fair sum for it too, and there was none to be had.’
‘She was a woman of many talents.’
‘You don’t sound impressed.’
Impressed? It’s Gran’s fault I’m in this mess.
‘Help yourself to it,’ I grind out, pushing up out of my seat and heading to the window.
Summer’s laughter reaches me through the glass a second before she appears, a bright splash of colour. Her red coat—another excellent purchase—is flaring out as she spins on the spot, blonde waves escaping her green beanie, an excited Rufus prancing around her, chasing the toy she has in her hand.
She’s a vision.
And I should have looked away the moment I heard her.
‘I don’t mind if I do, so long as you’re joining me.’
I drag my eyes from the window to see Juan studying me intently.
‘I take it you have your driver here?’
‘I do.’
As he says it, the arrival of someone else outside snags my attention. ‘So you do...’
Juan’s driver approaches Summer, who pauses to offer him a smile, her cheeks all rosy, face aglow. He’s young and handsome and his instant attraction towards her is as obvious as Juan’s had been.
I force my jaw to relax before I crack a tooth.
She’s laughing at something the man has said and I feel an ache deep within my chest, a longing... I want to make her laugh like that again. I want her eyes to sparkle up at me. I want... I want...
The driver is digging in his pocket for something that has Rufus bobbing up and down.
‘Does your driver always have dog treats in his pocket?’
Juan chuckles. ‘There’s a story there.’