“There’s no need for another wobble. Izabel was a mistake I’ve moved on from. But we can’t avoid her for the rest of our lives. And she’ll be at Nan’s tomorrow. We go every Sunday we aren’t working. Thought you might like to meet Izabel for the first time when there isn’t anybody else around. I actually think you’ll like her.”
Cerys buried herself back against his chest. “You said something when I first got here. Something about how being with me in Detroit was a slice of heaven and wanting it to be the same here. I guess the difference is that Detroit was this weird bubble where real life didn’t really interfere. Now we’re both back there are realities to face and stuff.”
He stroked her hair as the weight of her words struck him. She was right. That was the difference. But with her in his arms, it all felt conquerable. “I think we’re bigger than the realities, Cerys. But we don’t have to go if you’re not ready. We can cry off. Say you’re knackered or feel shitty after your flight or something.”
Cerys stepped back. “No. I think you’re right.” She reached for his hand and gripped it, squeezing his fingers. “Izabel meant something to you once, and means everything to Matt. That’s something worth respecting.”
He kissed her then, as the tap dripped, and the fridge gurgled, and dust motes floated in the light streaming through the kitchen window. He could feel the two of them tipping back in synch. Could feel the nerves about reuniting dissipate until there was just the two of them.
Dancing to silent music only they could hear.
19
Cerys glanced in the mirror. She couldn’t do anything about the bags under her eyes from flying across the Atlantic.
“I look a mess.” Cerys aimed a glum face at the camera on her phone and continued to sign. “I should have let Jase get us out of going.”
Zoe shook her head. “You look gorgeous. And you can always leave if it turns into a shit show.”
“Tempted to do that now and just skip the whole thing.”
Jase stepped into the bedroom, looking all kinds of swoony in jeans and a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up over his inked forearms. “You ready, sunshine?” he asked.
“Nearly. Just catching up with Zoe.”
He waved his palm in a semi-circle as he smiled. Just like Cerys had taught him at the cottage.
“Hey, Jase,” Zoe said.
Zoe flipped to sign. “She’s probably as nervous as you are. Think about it. You aren’t the chick who banged both brothers.”
Cerys nodded. “True. Listen. I have to go. Give me a day or two to figure out what’s going on and then I’ll come see you. Or you can come here and stay maybe. I don’t know.”
“Sounds good.” Zoe gestured her away. “Now go. Try to relax and enjoy yourself.”
“Bye, Zoe.”
Ten minutes later, they stood outside Matt’s apartment door, Jase holding on to the flowers she’d bought for Nan. “You’re breaking my fingers,” Jase said, kissing the top of her head. “I promise you, this will be fine.”
The door swung open, but neither of the participants inside acknowledged them. Izabel, with her blonde hair up in a messy bun, shoved Matt through the door. “Honestly, go,” she said. “It’ll be fine. We’ll come down to Luke’s.”
“What’s going on?” Jase asked.
“Iz has got this wild idea that—”
“I can speak for myself, Matt.” Izabel reached for Cerys’s wrist and tugged her inside and then slammed the door on Matt.
“I have a key, you know,” Matt yelled from the hall.
“Use it and I’ll donate your trainer collection to the shelter. Jase, Cerys is fine. Please don’t break the door.”
Izabel sighed. Smoothed down her dress and smiled. “Weird, I know. But . . . I wanted to meet you on my own. I didn’t want Jase or Matt or . . . shit. I’m sorry. I should have let Jase be here. I mean, I should have asked what you wanted and . . . I need to sit down because I think I’m going to faint.”
Cerys looked over to where Izabel had sunk into a chair and put her head to her knees. Izabel was as nervous and freaked out as she was. The tightness in her chest loosened. “I think that works better if you put your head between your knees.”
Izabel looked up. “Despite my best friend running a yoga studio and me having a free pass, I have the flexibility of a bookcase.”
Cerys smiled. “Hi, I’m Cerys.” She offered her hand, and Izabel took it.
“Izabel. Iz. Belle. Bella. People tend to call me whatever they want.”
“Well, no one can ever say my name right, so I totally understand that.”
A silence drifted through the room for a few moments as they sized each other up.
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t want Matt and Jase watching us when we spoke. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I should say,” Izabel said finally. “I’m not all that great with any kind of conflict. But Matt assures me you speak pretty straight. So, I guess I just want to make sure you won’t let me and Jase and, well, you know, everything, get in the way of you and I being friends. Because I literally only have my brother as family, and I would love nothing more than for you and me to get along.”
Cerys took a deep breath. “I’d like that too. I barely slept last night worrying about meeting you today. Detroit was this bubble. A window of time that I got to know Jase that isn’t reflective of his normal life.”
“It’s more normal than you think. They live in each other’s pockets. Do you have any questions you want to ask me?”
“Knowing you wanted to talk to me first says a lot about you. And I really didn’t realise it until now, but I think I needed to know you didn’t still have feelings for Jase.”
Izabel sighed. “It’s embarrassing to admit that I didn’t have feelings for him back then, either, which is completely on me. I’m sorry that makes things awkward for you. Because from what Matt tells me, and the changes I’ve seen in Jase since he got back, you’re really good for him. This should be a happy thing. Not a weird thing.”
“It’s only weird if we let it be. I’m looking forward to getting to know you, Izabel. Because Matt missed you something fierce while he was away and would talk about you endlessly.”
At that, Izabel smiled. “I missed him too. Speaking of missing them, we should go get them from my brother’s, he lives two floors below us.” She stood, straightened her dress, and Cerys was surprised when she stepped forward and hugged her. “I’m glad you are here. He’s missed you.”
Cerys grinned. “I’ve missed him too.”
When they opened the door, they found Matt and Jase in the hallway.
“Good to see you, Cerys,” Matt said, reaching for Izabel’s hand.
“Everything okay?” Jase pulled her to him.
“Everything’s fine.” She stepped onto her toes and kissed his cheek. “I promise.”
“You didn’t go to Luke’s?” Izabel asked.
Matt pressed the elevator button. “We did. No answer. Didn’t answer his phone, either.”