The Spark - Jules Wake Page 0,73
both been busy. She and Dad are away a lot at the moment, enjoying their retirement. I’ll see her at the anniversary party.’ He paused and then gave my hand a quick squeeze. ‘She’ll have to talk to me then.’
I let that one go; even Aunty Lynn had said that Sally was very busy at the moment. Although I wondered if that might have something to do with her connection to me. The ripple effect of Sam and me seemed never-ending.
‘And I do see my friends.’
‘As long as I’m not around,’ I said, trying not to sound bitter. I’d had enough. The petty vandalism had really got my goat and the injustice of it all chafed at me.
We lapsed into an uncomfortable brooding silence as I concentrated on the road and Sam stared out of the passenger window. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. What had happened to those early euphoric weeks when we’d been invincible and being together had been all that mattered? I loved Sam and I knew he loved me but was that going to be enough to get us through? Oh God, I was being a complete drama queen, and it so wasn’t my style.
‘Would you mind stopping at this one?’ asked Sam as we passed a mile marker to the next service station.
‘Of course not,’ I said, hating the politeness between us.
As soon as I pulled into a parking slot and before I’d even switched off the engine, Sam leapt out of the car and slammed the door. Butterflies shimmered in my stomach. I unclipped my seatbelt and watched him. Was he angry? Striding around the front of the car, he came to my door and wrenched it open. I stared down into his handsome, determined face, the butterflies taking flight at the focused expression in his eyes. Without a word, he reached into the car, put his arms around my waist and yanked me out. My breath whooshed out as he pulled me towards him, holding me tightly. Fierceness blazed in his blue eyes as he looked down at me. ‘I’m not letting this come between us, Jess Harper. I love you and we will get through it.’ With that he kissed me. Firm hard lips, possessive and greedy, claimed mine and OK, I admit it, I felt all girly and little woman-y, which normally I didn’t approve of but on this occasion, boy, it was nice to feel that sense of being precious and cherished, as I stood in the circle of his arms.
I kissed him back. ‘Yeah, we’ll get through it. But in the meantime, we’ve got a wedding to get to, and you need to gird your loins to meet Great Aunt Gladys.’
It was with some trepidation that we wound up the lane to Rose Bowl House. We’d left the main road twenty minutes ago and had been travelling along a single-track road with leafy glades on either side. I almost expected to see fairies dancing in the beams of sunlight slanting through the trees, which was a bit fanciful for me. Knowing Gladys, I’d be less surprised if I spotted a sky-clad Wiccan priestess wading through the ferns of the undergrowth.
‘I have warned you about Gladys, haven’t I?’ I said as the engine whined and I had to drop a gear to get up the steep slope.
Sam grinned. ‘Several times. She’s eccentric with a capital E.’
‘Details on the actual wedding ceremony are sketchy and I haven’t been able to find any details on this house. Apparently it belongs to good friends of her fiancé and he’s as bonkers as she is.’
‘Chill. It’ll be an adventure. It’s not going to put me off you, if that’s what’s worrying you.’
‘Ha! It’s worrying my mum. She was horrified that I was bringing you. Convinced that you’ll think insanity runs in the family.’ I bit my lip, thinking of what I’d told him about Mum. I’d worked hard to be pragmatic and sensible about things.
‘Jess. You are the sanest person I know. And it’s not like you to worry about stuff like this. Come on. Let’s forget this week. Put it behind us and have a lovely time. I think I’m going to like Aunt Gladys a lot. And don’t forget, I know half your family already. Lynn and Richard strike me as pretty sane people. And Shelley, although she scares me sometimes.’ Sam’s eyes twinkled as he said it.
‘You big wuss.’
‘She’s a maneater.’ His mouth quirked.
‘She is, but underneath it all,