“Well, now I’ll definitely worry. What were you going to say?”
“It’s really nothing.” She went and got the biscuit tin from the cupboard. “I want to hear about your plans. It’s so exciting. I’d love to come out and visit you … have a little holiday.”
“That’d be nice,” Keira said half-heartedly.
After spending all week being excited about her plans, her dad had well and truly burst her bubble. When she got home to find Mel wasn’t there for her to vent her frustrations to, she almost called Noah, then stopped herself.
Ranting about her dad wasn’t going to make the situation any better. In fact, it would likely make her feel worse. She needed to focus on the positives and be around people who were happy for her. If her dad couldn’t share her enthusiasm, he wasn’t worth her mental energy.
* * *
Two weeks later, her colleagues threw a small farewell party for her on Thursday afternoon. It was only cake and Prosecco, but she appreciated the gesture. Especially since she wasn’t actually leaving the company and would still be working with them.
It made it all feel real, as did the fact that Noah was waiting on the doorstep when she got home. He’d help her finish packing on Friday, then they’d fly back to Scilly together on Saturday.
“I missed you,” she said, flinging herself into his arms. “I thought you might have been waiting for me in the Flute and Fiddle.”
“I may have been there for a little while.” When he kissed her, she got a distinct hint of lager.
“And I may have had a little drink already myself,” she told him. “My colleagues brought Prosecco.”
“How’s the packing going?”
“Not bad.” She peeled herself off him to open the door. “I took some stuff over to my parents’ house yesterday to store there. I can leave some stuff here for now too.” Her plan was to bring the basics to start with and gradually take more stuff over whenever she was back in Bristol.
“We can always go over with the ferry at some point if you’ve got bigger stuff you want to bring. Or you can get stuff shipped over.”
“I know.” The lift doors slid closed and she hit the button for the fourth floor. “I thought I’d wait and see what I need first …”
He slipped his arms around her waist. “You mean wait until you’re sure that you can cope with living on a remote island with me?”
“I didn’t say that.” She smiled widely until Noah kissed her in a way that made her insides quiver. It was cut short by the lift doors rumbling open.
“How was it with your parents yesterday?” Noah asked as they walked into the flat.
“A bit weird.” As much as she was trying not to dwell on that aspect of her life it was hard not to. “Mum’s acting strangely now as well as Dad.”
“How so?”
“She seemed kind of secretive. Like she wanted to say something but wouldn’t. Then she was being all twitchy about Dad getting home and insisting that I waited for him.” She shrugged as she kicked her shoes off. “He knew I was coming over. If he’d wanted to see me he’d have been there.”
“So you didn’t see him?”
“No. I haven’t seen him since I told him I was leaving. He didn’t seem to care very much. It seems as though the only reason he made the effort to see me previously was to get money from me.”
Noah planted his hands on her shoulders as they walked to the living room. “You should try and see him before you leave. Why don’t we offer to have lunch with them tomorrow?”
“Because Dad won’t want to.” She turned to face Noah. “And quite frankly, neither do I.”
He pushed her hair from her face. “I don’t believe that’s really true.”
As tears filled her eyes, Keira bit down on her lip to stop it from quivering. “I don’t want to see him when he doesn’t want to see me.”
“Okay.” Noah folded her in a hug. “Whatever you want.”
Her throat was too tight to reply, and by the time she’d taken a few deep breaths they were interrupted by Mel arriving home. She greeted Noah almost as enthusiastically as Keira had, then stepped back and looked at him sternly.
“I should be really annoyed with you for stealing my best friend, but I’m also excited about the three of us being together again.” She rubbed her hands together. “I was thinking of a games night tonight, and then one last Friday night in the Flute and Fiddle tomorrow.”