Page 161 of Torn
“We’re working on my legs now,” I reply. “How have you been?”
She pulls the strap of her bag up higher on her shoulder. “I’m doing well. My calligraphy business is going great. I’m actually designing a lot of those hand-lettered tattoos for people, especially Lukas’s clients, and I’m selling a lot of the cookies I told you about.”
“The cookies with the writing?”
“Yeah. A lot of brides have been buying them. And I just started making some for dogs that have cute words on them.”
“Wow, that’s really cool. I’m proud of you, Angel.” The nickname slips out past my lips before I can stop it.
A hint of pink touches her cheeks. “Thank you,” she says. “I was going to call you once I got settled.”
I chew the inside of my cheek. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?” I ask, because I can’t stand here not knowing why. “Why were you waiting to call me? What if I hadn’t run into you just now?”
“Because I wanted us to reconnect with me being on my own. Not living in my father’s house. Even though he’s doing his best to accept it, I couldn’t see having you come over to see me inhishouse, or make him watch me leave his house to go to yours and then come back again later that night. That’s the place where you were my uncle and I was your niece, and I think we need to stay away from those memories for a little while, at least in front of him.”
I nod slowly. “Okay. That makes sense, and I can accept that.”
“I was definitely going to call you, Tor,” she assures me. “Please don’t think I wasn’t. I just wanted us to start off right, and I wanted some time with my father, too. To make sure he’s really okay. I just wanted to do everything right.”
Right.That’s what I want, too. Everything to be right. And normal. Without lies, and betrayal, and worry.
“Can I take you to dinner?” A year ago, we couldn’t go out to dinner for fear of someone seeing us. But now I don’t care. Asher already knows, so there’s nothing to hide. Now I can take her on a real date.
She beams. “I’d love to. When?”
“Is tonight too soon?” I ask with a grin. No point in trying to hide my impatience, right?
She laughs and I want to kiss her so bad I can practically taste her on my lips. I wonder if she still wears that strawberry lip gloss I loved so much.
“Tonight is perfect.”
“Can I pick you up?”
“Sure,” she replies. “Let me write down my address for you. Me and Rayne are renting a studio apartment in a converted barn in Amherst.” I wait as she digs through her purse and finds something to write on, then copies the address from her phone onto the scrap of paper.
“I know this is awful, but I keep forgetting the address,” she says as she hands it to me. “I’ve only been there two weeks. I stayed at my dad’s for a few weeks before I moved in with Rayne.”
I take the paper from her and shove it into my front pocket.
“Tor,” she begins, stopping to take a breath. “The message in the bottle was amazing. It really made me see everything so clearly. I loved it. Every night before I go to sleep, I read it.”
“I was hoping you would.”
“And I did make a wish that night. With the penny you sent.”
My heart starts to pound as she moves closer to me and slips her hand into mine.
“You want to share it with me?” I lace my fingers through hers, not planning on letting her go. Ever again.
“I wished for you. And us. And happiness.”
Stepping closer, I lift her chin to look into her eyes. “I can make that happen.” I kiss her long and soft, my mouth lingering against hers, breathing her into me, wanting to devour her right here on the street. Her free hand clings to my arm like she’s afraid she’s going to fall over.
“I still love you the most,” she whispers between kisses. “I never stopped.”
“Neither did I, Angel. I never will.”
I lean down and cover her lips with mine, and yes, she still tastes of strawberries, and of yesterday, and of tomorrow.