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

After I fed Crunchie, I checked on my seedlings and eventually trailed up the stairs. I’d really need to get moving, the committee meeting was scheduled for eight thirty and it was already almost eight o’clock. Instead, I shut the bedroom door, kicked off my sneakers and lay on my bed, thinking about Luke. I knew I shouldn’t but my body was so full of longing for him.

Putting my hand on my waist, I pretended it was his. And that he hadn’t stopped when he had.

Behaving like this was insanity, it would only make things worse, make them real. But the feelings were too strong.

Until, making every nerve in my body flare, my phone beeped with a text.

From him.

I can’t stop thinking about you.

Staring at it, the rush of elation had me paralysed. I read and reread the six short words, shocked and grateful. Then the text disappeared. It just…disappeared. Stabbing at the screen, I hit refresh, trying to find it. Nowhere. It was gone.

Unable to stop myself, I texted, Did you just message me?

Sorry. It was meant for Kal.

Slowly, I lowered the phone to the bed and curled on my side. I am pathetic. Utterly, utterly pathetic.

Moments later my phone began to ring—him. ‘Sorry about that text,’ he said. ‘My clumsy fingers. Listen, wanted to tell you, flight’s booked, I’m going home Sunday.’

‘Oh-kay.’ This upset me a ridiculous amount.

‘We’re having Mum’s one-month mass on Saturday. I’ll stay for your mum’s party Saturday night, then fly back Sunday.’

‘…That makes sense.’ I made myself say. ‘Thanks for telling me. You didn’t have to.’

‘Yeah. But I did. Well, I wanted to. We’re going to try being friends, aren’t we? Well, we are friends?’

‘Sure.’ I didn’t know what we were.

He must have picked up on my desolation because his tone changed to Let’s Cheer Up the Poor Sap. ‘Hey! How about you and me hang out on Saturday? Maybe go for a walk. I’ll see you and Quin at the party but that’ll be crazy, like. No chance for the chats there. But Saturday? Anytime you like, just you and me?’

It was all soooo Pity Poor Rachel. ‘That’s sweet of you, Luke, but it’s going to be insanely busy on Saturday. Mum, Anna, Angelo, everyone, you know?’ I made myself laugh.

‘Cool, cool.’ He sounded so unbothered. ‘Listen, what present should I get your mum?’

‘God, I don’t know…’ With a nervous giggle, I said, ‘A photo of you.’

A moment of startled silence followed before he spoke. ‘Estée Lauder Night Repair.’ He’d decided to behave as if I hadn’t just been really weird. ‘That’s what my mum always asked for. So, ah, see you there.’

76