me. There was shock as his gaze met mine, a long moment of amazement as I stepped into the kitchen. And then there was a smile, a nervous smile that made my heart do a weird little flip.
“Katie,” he said, as though I’d been gone a million years.
“Surprise,” I said, and it sounded so dumb.
Rick slapped his arm as he walked by, gave him a playful smile. “Couldn’t keep her away. I tried to ditch her in Much Arlock, but she was having none of it.” He flicked the kettle on and gave me a wink. “I guess we’ll just have to put up with her.”
“Guess you will.” I poked my tongue out. “Tea for me, please.”
“And she expects hot beverages.” He mock groaned. “So demanding. I don’t know why we put up with it, Carl.”
But Carl wasn’t listening, wasn’t buying into our stupid banter. His gaze was intense and constant, green eyes eating me alive. My heart did another weird flip, and I felt like I was falling. I stood still, watching him right back.
“Hey,” I said, just like that. One stupid little word and I felt my cheeks burning.
I didn’t know what he’d say, but he didn’t say anything at all. He put down his mug and closed the distance between us in a couple of quick strides. He folded me in his arms, and kissed my hair and held me tight. He smelled of bodywash and citrus, and him. My cheek pressed to his chest, his heartbeat against my ear, and it was warm there, safe there. Everything felt so right there.
His chin rested on my head, his arms solid as they gave me a squeeze.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry for what I said, I’m sorry about the yard.” He breathed into my hair, kissed me again. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
I felt as though I was melting into him, my body sinking into his. I held him right back, my arms around his waist, squeezing him just as hard as he was squeezing me.
“Thanks for coming back,” he said, and there was such sincerity there it caught in his throat.
I wanted to say so much, but the words were catching in my throat, too. I couldn’t shake the sadness, the pain in my heart at Rick’s story.
“I stink of Samson.” I tried to laugh, but it came out all goofed up, and there was a pathetic little sob, one I couldn’t stop, and tears pricked even though I didn’t want them to.
“I like the stink of Samson,” he said, and sniffed me.
I fought him a little as he took me by the shoulders, prised me away enough to look at my face. I tried to blink away the sadness before he noticed, but I was too late.
“What is it?” he said. “The yard?” He sighed. “I’m so sorry you’re losing the yard. We can still try and rent… we can talk to Jack…”
But I was shaking my head. “I’m fine,” I said. “It’s not the yard. I’m ok with the yard. It’s not even that important, not in the scheme of things. It’s just some land.”
Carl’s eyes dug into mine, and I looked away before he could dig my thoughts right out of me, but I was too late, he’d already seen.
He looked towards Rick, a half-smile on his face. “Had a little chat, did you, Richard? Spill all my dirty secrets?”
Rick stepped over, handed me a mug. “Don’t even think about telling me off for blurting out shit I shouldn’t, mister.” He jabbed Carl’s shoulder with a finger, but he was smiling. “Pot fucking kettle springs to mind.” He pulled his tobacco from his jeans, rolled a cigarette. “Smoke time. I’ll leave you two to do your little kiss-and-move-the-fuck-on.”
He stepped in the direction of the back door, but Carl gripped his arm. He yanked him close, wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling him into a headlock which didn’t look altogether comfortable. And then he kissed him, a big wet kiss, right on the cheek.
“I love you, Rick,” he said, and my heart thumped.
Rick stayed put, snaked his arm around Carl’s waist before Carl let him go.
“Urgh,” he protested, wiping his cheek. But his eyes were sparkling, they said so much.
I waited until the door closed behind him before I went to speak, but Carl cut me off.
“You don’t need to say anything,” he said. “I was wrong to put you under pressure. There is nothing to talk about, nothing you need to say.”
“But