Page 64 of Trusting the Fall
“I thought you only liked family calling you that?” Astrid asks.
“Yeah, Leif Axel,” Thyra says with a dig to my ribs that she knows damn well tickles me. I squirm away with a high-pitched squeal that I quickly cover with a grunt.
“You’ll pay for that, Thyra Rayna.”
“Ha! My names mean thunder and queen. I fucking own that shit.”
I pull her into me once again, this time burying her head under my armpit, making her gag before I push past her to get closer to Claire at the same time my mother does.
“You’re very beautiful,” says Mum. “I hope my Leif has been looking after you.”
Claire’s short hair is tied up in a wild ponytail on top of her head.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen her hair pulled back off her face, and it’s entirely mesmerising. A soft pink scarf is tied around her blonde tendrils, the tanned skin of her neck on display, making me want to dive right into the space and inhale.
A pretty pink blush paints Claire’s cheeks, and she offers my mother a tight-lipped smile.
“Yes. He’s been very good,” she says before turning to me. “Umm, I was going to email Westley later to see how the cabinetry is going. I don’t want to go down to the salon until it’s all finished.”
“We just need to get the locker station finished in the staffroom, and then all the doors go on tomorrow. The electrician and plumber will be there to finish what they need on Wednesday.”
“Have you seen it?” she asks, but my mind short-circuits for a moment while I take in how cute she looks in her denim overalls. A Rolling Stones T-shirt underneath and pastel pink sneakers on her feet.
Thyra nudges an arm into my ribs, shattering the stupor.
“Yeah, it’s looking great.” I nod. “The chandeliers were delivered late Friday, as well. I opened the boxes and had a peek. Mostly, to make sure they weren’t damaged.” I shrug.
It was mostly to make sure they were up to my girl’s standard, but no one here needs to know that.
“How long until your project is finished?” Mum asks.
“We do handover on Friday,” I say, swallowing down the bile that threatens to come up. Ignoring the way it reminds me that my time with Claire is almost up. The time to convince her we could be something worth not giving up on.
“Maybe Leif will let me have a sticky beak and see it before he hands it over to you.”
“I’m having a launch party in a few weeks. You’re welcome to come. Leif and Tristan will be there. I mean, I think they will. Umm, will you be there?”
“I’ll be there, Bo—” I suck back the nickname before it can pass, “Uh, Claire. Of course I will.”
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Project Update
They weren’t bad, although I particularly liked the pink mosaic flowers. Told you there’s no such thing as too much pink. How does it feel to know I was right?
Hmm, most daring thing I’ve done for someone’s attention. I was at a karaoke bar and took my bra off right before I got on stage to sing Pony. FYI, I can’t sing. At all.
CLAIRE.
PS. What’s your favourite sexual position?
28
“Ileftsomechowmein in the fridge for you for dinner,” Lex says as she walks out of the bathroom in a pretty blue dress.
Her bright red hair is curled and pulled back in a high ponytail, a deep red painting her lips.
