BooksBarbecue
Back Again, Rachel
Chapters (98)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. 77
  81. 78
  82. 79
  83. 80
  84. 81
  85. 82
  86. 83
  87. 84
  88. 85
  89. 86
  90. 87
  91. 88
  92. 89
  93. 90
  94. 91
  95. 92
  96. 93
  97. 94
  98. Acknowledgements

It sounded so sexy. I could actually feel it, Luke sliding his arms around Kallie’s waist, pulling her to him, against his hips. Kallie twirling away as he watched admiringly, then spinning back, landing hard against his body, discovering how much he wanted her.

Lucky.

Fucking.

Kallie.

This morning, my clean life of recovery seemed brain-numbingly boring—a very dangerous train of thought. I wanted to be the girl I’d been in my twenties, before my addiction had caught up with me, when there had been nights of wildness and adventure and no thought of tomorrow.

I’d have to ring Brigit. She’d detail how tragic and desperate I’d actually been.

It was only 7.30 a.m. but as I was awake, it seemed like a good idea to go to work. I was worried about Trassa. After yesterday’s revelation, she was bound to be extremely vulnerable.

Often, during a person’s time in the Cloisters, a trauma that had been stashed for perhaps decades broke the surface. Ultimately, casting the cold light of day on it was a good thing, but in the short term, Trassa would need a lot of minding.

All the counsellors were trained in crisis care and the nursing staff would have kept a watchful eye on her during the night, but she was ultimately my responsibility.

I was in two minds about waking Quin but he surfaced just as I was leaving.

‘Come back to bed.’ He pulled me against the warmth of his chest.

‘No, honey. See you tomorrow night.’

‘Not tonight?’

‘Laundry,’ I said.

‘Bring it here,’ he insisted. ‘I’ll do it.’

Hah! That was a laugh. His cleaner Irini would end up with the job.

‘I also need to go to Aldi,’ I said. And hopefully talk to Brigit, but I kept that to myself.

‘Life hack,’ he mumbled. ‘Do your big shop Monday nights at twenty to nine in Dundrum. Best time of the week. Nobody else there to annoy you.’

But today was Wednesday and there was nothing in my house. ‘Tomorrow night, you, Taryn and Timothy are coming to me for Transylvanian food. Remember?’ I kissed him, then ran down the stairs and slipped out into the day.

As I was getting into my car, my phone vibrated—a WhatsApp from Kallie. Ohmigod, Rachel, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!

In a mad rush of sympathy, I decided to ring her—she was clearly awake.

‘Rachel?’ She said, ‘You hate me, right?’

‘No.’ Then I added, ‘You big eejit. I mean that affectionately. An Irish thing, Luke can explain it.’

‘I was anxious,’ she said. ‘I drank too much wine too quickly. Those questions I asked you and Quin, about your drugging, I am truly embarrassed. I am so sorry.’

‘It’s really okay.’