From This Moment - By Alison Chaffin Higson Page 0,15
time. There were some pictures of her which Jake had obviously taken, one of which I wouldn’t mind having a copy.
“Didn’t you take any pictures from the tram?”
“Err, no. I was too terrified to think about anything except putting my feet on the ground. I kind of buried my face in Jake’s coat and didn’t look up until he dragged me off at the top and into the restaurant.”
I tighten my arms around her, “Is it the first time you’ve been on an aerial tram?”
“I’ve been in a cable car before and that was a hair raising experience. I swore that I’d never go in one again.”
“So why did you?”
“Big Red was a lot bigger and in the end just as terrifying. But the waffles were worth the fright, I guess, not to mention the view.”
As we come to the end of her photographs, I notice she’s drifted off to sleep on me. Rona feels so good and so right against me that I don’t want to move.
Wrapping my arm around her, I sink further down into the sofa and pull her more onto my chest, falling asleep with her.
~~ Rona ~~
Starting to wake up slowly I realize I’m not in bed. Opening my eyes, I meet Jake’s eyes from across the sofa. He’s sat in one of the chairs with a look on his face that I can’t decipher. I’ve been asleep wrapped in Cade’s arms.
Cade is still asleep at this point.
Managing to extract myself without waking Cade up, I motion to Jake to follow me to the kitchen where I grab a cup of coffee. Turning to face Jake, “I didn’t realize I was so tired. I was sitting next to your father showing him the photographs and the next thing I know, well, I woke up to you looking at us.”
“Is that all it was?”
Blushing, “That’s how we ended up like that on the sofa.”
“You are attracted to him though aren’t you? I know he’s attracted to you. I’m not blind, I’ve seen the way you look at each other when you think I’m not watching, plus you both looked a bit disheveled at the airport.”
I open my mouth to speak but Jake continues, “I’m a guy and it’s kind of obvious when two people have been making out.... although I could be wrong, I’ve been wrong before.”
He looks at me; my blush is obviously showing, “No, I didn’t think so.”
Not touching the ‘making out’ comment, “Yes, I’m attracted to your father. I’m more than attracted to him. But having this attraction between us doesn’t change the fact that I’m only a year younger than you. This makes your father very uncomfortable.” On a sigh, “I’m sorry if this upsets you, but I can’t help how I feel.”
“I’m not even sure upset is how I feel right now. He’s been alone for a very long time, he deserves some happiness.” He turns away from me and starts to head over to the stairs, then he turns back, “Please don’t break his heart, I know what that feels like.”
“I won’t,” I whisper.
After Jake disappears upstairs, I take two coffees into the lounge and place them on the coffee table. Taking a seat opposite Cade, I see him watching me.
“How long have you been awake?”
“Long enough, I was about to come to your rescue when Jake left.”
“How would you feel about ‘us’ if Jake, Anna and Beth accepted me?”
“How I feel about you will never change and will probably only get stronger the longer we’re together. But my family isn’t the only problem.” He looks away, “I have twenty-one years on you, so when you’re forty I’ll be sixty one. I don’t want to leave you a widow when you’re so young.”
Looking back at me he notices the tears running down my face. Moving over, he crouches down in front of me, at the same time I move forward. He wraps his arms around my waist. I wrap my arms around his shoulders. The embrace ends quickly as we hear Jake moving around upstairs.
“Will you be okay?” he asks me as he moves away. I just nod my head, not really believing I will be.
“We’ve been invited to Anna’s for dinner this evening. I hope you don’t mind?”
I wipe my face, “No, that’s fine.” Taking a deep breath, “I love you Cade and I’d rather use what time we both have left together than apart. No one knows what the future holds or how long or short it will