Chapter Thirty-Four
Hollie
Two Weeks Later
AJ gets out today.
I’m too excited.
Firstly, because I get to show him our new apartment. It’s still a work in progress, but as part of the compensation deal from the development company, they’ve funded the rental payments for the next six months, along with everybody else moving out of Rapture.
Plus, tonight is also the first time we’ll have some alone time for a grand total of sixteen nights. I think I’m more nervous than I was for my first time with AJ, and I want to make it worth the wait for a man who’s still healing from three broken bones.
In my old apartment, I look around at my packed bags. The place has been emptied. All that’s left behind is the couch and the TV. All I need to do is cross the road with my suitcases, to our new apartment block in Eastvale, or as everyone is now calling it, Little Rapture.
I hear the sound of a key in the lock. I snap out of my reverie, and walk over to the door, checking the spy hole.
‘Hi,’ I say, as I open the door, staring in surprise at the sight of my dad, standing there with his leather holdall slung over his shoulder, along with a suitcase of his own, his hand on the key already in the lock. ‘What are you doing here?’
His cheeks redden. ‘Sorry, I… thought you’d be gone by now.’
‘I was just about to take the last of my stuff across. Come on in.’
He removes his key from the lock and pulls everything through the door.
I look him over. ‘Everything okay?’
He shakes his head, a little flustered. ‘I… I, um, just asked Evelyn for a separation.’
My brow creeps up my forehead. I blink, just once. ‘You did?’
He throws down his holdall and rakes his fingers through his hair until it’s all mussed up, then wipes his hands over his face.
‘I… I couldn’t take it anymore. The impending court case.
Her whining on about how unfair it is she’s been stripped of her mayoral title.
The way she treats her loss of status like she’s practically lost a limb.
The way she looks down her nose at absolutely everyone.
Her incessant complaining. The way I make her coffee all wrong…
or any drink for that matter. The way she calls me ‘Rick’, when she knows I much prefer ‘Rich’.
The way she likes to degrade me when we’re having sex, like it’s something she thinks I actually enjoy… ’
He raises his eyes to me, taking in the look of slightly-grossed-out-horror on my face, and swallows. ‘Sorry. Too much information for that last bit. I apologize.’
‘No, it’s fine,’ I say with a nod, because I’m happy to see him expressing emotion and not acting all repressed. ‘You clearly needed to get all that off your chest.’
‘I love her. I do, but…’ He shakes his head again. ‘I’ve told her I can’t go on like this.’
‘You know she won’t win, Dad? The court case? She’ll go to jail. And you can’t blame Echo Salinger… for the civil lawsuit. Has she accepted she’s at fault yet?’
‘She doesn’t want to face reality. Even Doug can’t make her see sense. She told me if I left, then not to come back. That’s why I’m here. You don’t mind if I stay awhile? Just while I work things out?’
‘Sure, Dad. Of course I don’t mind. I won’t be here. There’s no bed though.’
‘I’ll order a new one and sleep on the sofa for the time being. When is AJ out?’
I brighten. ‘Three o’clock.’
‘You must be excited.’
‘I am. He gets to see our new apartment. Chase, Nicole and Balthazar are coming round this evening for a little welcome home party.’
He smiles. ‘I’m happy you’ve finally made friends here, sweetheart. Any word on the application?’
‘Tawny’s submitted everything from Sunset Pines. She says now all we can do is wait. But if all goes well, I’ll be on a fully sponsored working visa. Mrs Huxley insisted on writing me a glowing reference to become a nurse on the sponsorship programme.’
‘That’s very kind of her.’ He looks away. ‘If wish you’d have let me help you a bit more.’
‘I know, Daddy. I know you do. But I wanted to do this for myself.’
He smiles, but he looks a little heartbroken. ‘I’m very proud of you. And I’m sorry Evelyn didn’t go easy on you. I know she wasn’t always very… welcoming.’
I say nothing. ‘I called Noah,’ he adds.
My eyes widen. ‘When?’
‘Two nights ago. We had a nice chat.’
‘I thought you didn’t have his number.’
‘I did some detective work. Plus, I spoke to your mother in Paris. He’d been to visit her.’
‘Where is he?’
‘Still in California. Blissfully in love and happy by the sounds of it. They’ve set up a cafe in San Diego.’
‘Can you please give me his number? I’d like to talk to him.’
‘Yes. He said the same about you. He misses you. I told him you had a boyfriend who rides a motorcycle.’
‘What did he say to that?’
‘He said he thought you must have gained a little confidence since he last saw you.’
I smile. ‘Maybe I have.’
‘You’ve blossomed, sweetheart. It’s wonderful to see. Shall I help you with the suitcases?’
‘It’s only just across the road, Dad. You’ll see me all the time.’
‘Yes, well, a father has to grab these chances to help his little girl when he can. There aren’t many nowadays. I’m no longer an important man in your life.’
‘That’s not true.’
‘It’s as it should be. I’m happy for you and AJ. Now I just have to hope that you’ll give me some grandchildren one day.’
I give him a second horrified look, but inside, the idea of having AJ’s children makes me feel warm. ‘Deal. But maybe not quite yet, hey? For now, you can just carry suitcases.’
I was worried it would be weird without a pool table. Yet, so far, everyone’s made themselves right at home.
To my left, on the couch, Nicole is curled into Balthazar’s side, a bottle of beer in her hand. She’s laughing at Chase sitting alone opposite her, manspreading in a pair of baggy workmen’s jeans and a fitted white tank, his brows drawn sharply together.
‘So, what’d you say to her exactly?’ she asks, a curious smile on her lips.
Chase shrugs his shoulders. His voice is only just audible. ‘I… you know. Asked her if she wanted to get railed.’
Next to me, AJ almost spits out his beer.
‘You what?’ Nicole blurts, cackling as she leans forward.
‘Holy crap, Brennan, you’re a neanderthal,’ Balthazar says.
Chase’s frown grows deeper.
‘Not somethin’ you wanna say to your crush, man,’ AJ says next to me, shaking his head. He’s comfortable, both his legs propped up on an ottoman loaned to us by Mercy. His right leg remains in plaster, and there’s a medical boot in place on his lower left leg and ankle.
‘Do you even know what that means?’ Balthazar asks, still laughing. ‘Like, seriously?’
‘Sure, I know,’ Chase says, but I can see the base of his neck start to redden. ‘It means, like… do you wanna bang?’
Nicole says, ‘Chase, you just asked the girl for a quick fuck. No wonder she got out the car.’
Chase is silent for a moment. He picks the label on his beer bottle. ‘It don’t mean that. I just asked if she wanted to have sex with me. I meant… you know. Stay over. Get freaky.’
AJ wipes a hand over his face. ‘Dude, you implied you wanted it quick and rough. A one-time thing. You should have asked Aubri if she wanted to come up for a drink. Reyes is right, you’re dragging your fucking knuckles on the ground right now.’
Chase squirms in his chair. ‘Shit. No wonder she blocked me. What do I do now? Hollie?’
I look up. His eyes are pleading. I never thought I’d develop a soft spot for my former school bully, or that he’d be looking to me for advice. I press my lips together. ‘Do you like her?’ I ask.
He nods his head vigorously. ‘Really like her. We were having a good time ’til I opened my dumb mouth.’
‘And you’re sure she’s blocked you?’
‘Uh-huh. I’ve sent her, like, a dozen messages saying sorry. All undeliverable.’
I look to AJ. ‘Maybe I could message her?’
AJ twists a lock of my hair between his fingers. ‘It’s up to you, baby. You don’t owe Bren nothing.’
‘Hey,’ Chase complains.
I reach for my phone. ‘You’re the best, Palmer,’ Chase adds.
‘Just go over there,’ AJ says. ‘Tell her you’re sorry and that in reality, you have a pin dick, and a tendency to overcompensate.’
Balthazar cackles. Chase gives AJ the finger.
‘Look, AJ is right,’ I tell him. ‘You should go to her place but tell her you’re sorry and that you just want to get to know her, and that anything else can wait.’
‘That way she’s guaranteed to jump right into bed with you,’ Nicole says drily.
‘Really?’ Chase says, his shoulders going back. His gaze comes back to mine. ‘You know, Hollie, you’re definitely way too good for Callahan,’ he then adds.
‘Hey!’ AJ shoots back. ‘I happen to agree with you. But that makes me the luckiest guy on the planet, shitbag.’
‘You guys are too cute,’ Nicole says with a wink in our direction.
AJ reaches for my hand. The room goes silent for a moment, apart from the music over the speakers. I frown as Balthazar mouths something at Chase.
‘Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah,’ Chase says, getting to his feet, like he’s realized something.
Balthazar and Nicole follow suit.
‘Hey, where are you guys going?’ I ask.
‘Home,’ Nicole says, putting down her drink. ‘Or… back downstairs. You guys deserve a little alone time after two weeks apart. Thanks for having us.’
‘Yeah, and I now live right underneath you,’ Chase adds, finishing his beer. ‘So, keep it PG, all right?’
AJ rolls his eyes. I get to my feet and feel hot sensations crawling up my neck.
‘Thanks for the hospitality,’ Balthazar says, and holds out his hand to AJ. They bump fists. ‘Good to have you back, man.’
‘Good to be back,’ AJ says.
‘Later,’ Chase says with a wave of his hand. Nicole gives me a brief hug, squeezing me tight, and before I know it, they’re all out the door.
I let out a sigh and let my shoulders droop. I turn and face AJ.
He’s smiling.
‘Did you ask them to do that?’
His lips twist. ‘I may have mentioned to Reyes that my balls are turning blue. Now get over here and kiss me.’