“I just assumed we would continue living here.”
“You can do that if you want but it was only supposed to be temporary, until you got back on your feet. Think it over, there’s no rush for a decision.”
Amy stood again and paced in a small circle, thinking of her options. She had always planned to renovate this place but now her design choices were moot. The idea of building her own place was tempting, and the land her parents had purchased was beautiful. Her mind flashed back to the blueprints she had seen in Laura’s office. The charming design of Laura’s personal cabin with the kid’s bicycle leaning against the porch. Her mind wondered to visions of her and Laura sitting on a porch swing in the late afternoon sun, Aaron playing by the woods. Maybe a dog running around. The thought was very appealing.
She stopped pacing and faced her mother who had a slight smirk on her face, as if she could read Amy’s mind. “If I do take it, and I do mean if, I’ll pay for it.”
“No,” Martha said forcefully.
“Yes,” Amy replied just as stern. “If you’re going to be staying here you’ll need the money. You don’t have that much in savings and your investments could go south at any point. I still have most of the money from selling my own house, so I can afford it.”
Martha drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Your father won’t be happy if you insist on paying for it.”
“Well, he’ll get over it. You both have been more than generous with Aaron and I over the last six years. I won’t take more from you.”
“You’re just as stubborn as your father.”
“So, you know there is no point arguing.”
“I guess not.” Martha shook her head and then stood, leaning in to hug Amy tightly. “I’m going to check on your father.”
Amy watched her leave then she fell back onto the bed, a heavy breath escaping her lungs as she did so. Apparently, she was now a land owner. Her mind buzzed with thoughts and ideas of how she wanted the finished house to look. She couldn’t wait to pick Laura’s brain about it all.
Laura.
What an amazing night they had shared. Never in a million years did she think she would allow another woman to touch her, and Laura had been amazing. Just thinking about it got her all excited again.
She pulled her phone out of her pocket and searched for Laura’s number, hoping she would catch her before her client meeting. “Hey,” she said when the call connected.
“Hi. How are you?”
“Missing you.” Amy could hear sounds in the background and deduced Laura was probably in a cafe. “Can’t wait for you to get back.”
“One more day and I’ll be home,” Laura promised. Her voice dropped to a whisper as she said, “I can’t wait to have my mouth on you again.”
“Laura, my mum is in the house. You can’t be talking to me about that stuff while she’s here.”
“No chance of phone sex then?”
“God no. But I’ll make it up to you.”
“You better. How’s Aaron?”
Amy rolled over to her side and squeezed her thighs together to help relieve the pressure in her groin. Who knew just hearing Laura’s voice could turn her on so much? She tried to concentrate on Laura’s question. “He’s not happy that school is starting Monday.”
“I assume he still hates the idea of having you teaching there?”
“Yep. Would it be terrible of me to wear a t-shirt with his picture on it declaring my love for him?”
“Only if you want him in therapy for the next ten years. I have to go, the client just walked in.”
“Knock ‘um dead, sweetheart.”
“Oh, I plan too. I love you, bye.”
“Goodbye, Laura.” Once the call disconnected Amy threw her arm over her face. She still hadn’t told Laura she loved her, not in actual words. Of course, she had said she was falling in love with her and that she had strong feelings for her, but she had never actually told her straight out she loved her. But she did. Whole heartedly. The last few months had been wonderful, despite her father’s stroke, and she couldn’t wait to tell her about the land and the plans she had for building a new home for Aaron and her, and, hopefully, Laura would someday live with them too.
Chapter Twenty-One
Laura threw her overnight bag into the back seat of her car with her laptop and portfolio, and then climbed in to the front seat. She couldn’t wait to get back to Bournemouth, back to Amy. Her birthday had been amazing. Spending the night with her was everything she had hoped for. After her client meeting yesterday evening, she had gone back to her hotel, ordered a bottle of wine, and tried to relax in the tub. Images of making love to Amy flitted through her mind and she couldn’t stop herself from touching her most intimate parts wishing it were Amy with her. They had been so compatible, and Amy had turned out to be insatiable. Laura had concerns that Amy might have been unsure of them together, that thoughts of Julia might plague her, but she hadn’t, Amy had been fully in the moment with her and it had been the best night of Laura’s life.
Thoughts of them together kept Laura company as she headed out of London and onto the motorway that would lead her home. Three hours later, as the afternoon sun began its descent in the sky, she was only half hour away from reaching her destination. She idly wondered about going to Amy’s house, just to see her. Laura had said she would call when she got back but a phone call wasn’t enough for her, she wanted to see her, to kiss her, hopefully pick up from where they left off two nights ago.
With her new plan in her mind, she touched the control on the steering wheel that would activate the voice call command. She pulled off the motorway onto the duel carriageway and spoke to the hands free. “Call, Amy,” she said as she glanced to her right just in time to see a white van barreling toward her. Her eyes went wide at the realisation the van was going to hit her. She yanked hard on the steering wheel, trying to avoid the collision, but the van was going too fast. She caught a glimpse of frightened eyes staring at her from the driver of the van, a split-second later she heard the unmistakable sound of metal hitting metal.
Her arm screamed in pain at the impact, her head hit her side window, and then she was spinning. The world tilted as she was spun in a circle and for a few moments she feared she would throw up. A moment later the spinning stopped.
Something wet and sticky dripped down her forehead and into her eye. She tried to wipe it away, but she couldn’t move. Her stomach protested once, then twice, and then her tuna salad from lunch made a reappearance. The retching made her ribs hurt and she wondered if she broke a few ribs in the crash.
Blinking her eyes to clear the blood, she tried to focus on her surroundings. As she tilted her head to the left, stars danced behind her eyes and her vision dimmed, then her world went black.
#
“I’m really worried,” Amy said to Martha as she flung her mobile phone onto the kitchen counter. Laura should have been home hours ago. It was eight o’clock at night and they had made plans for Laura to call at four that afternoon, when she was supposed to be home.
“I’m sure she’s fine” Martha placed her hand onto Amy’s shoulder. “Her battery probably died.”
“She was supposed to be home hours ago. What if something bad has happened?” Amy couldn’t stop the worry in her voice. She shrugged her mother’s hand off her shoulder and paced the kitchen, her gut doing somersaults. She just knew something was wrong.
“Honey, you’re worrying over nothing.”
“You don’t know that,” she roared. “God, I don’t even know who to call. She has no family.”
“What about her friends? Craig? Billy?”
Before Amy could reply her mobile rang from the counter. “That’s mine,” she said as she rushed over to the phone, snatching it up. With shaking hands, she fumbled trying to swipe to answer the call.
“Hello? Laura?” she said hurriedly.
“Is this Amy Barton?” a deep male voice asked.
“Speaking.”
Amy didn’t hear any more. She dropped the phone as her gaze swam and before she knew it she was lying on the kitchen floor, her mother calling her name. “Amy! Amy? I’m sorry my daughter has fainted,” she heard her mother say. “Can you hold on a second? Amy?”
Amy opened her eyes; her mother was crouching down beside her with Amy’s mobile in one hand while the other rested on her arm. “Mum? What happened?” The worry in Martha’s eyes wasn’t hard to miss.
“You fainted. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It was just the shock. Is he still on the phone?”
“Yes, here you go,” Martha said, passing her the phone back.
“Hello?”
“Are you okay, Ms. Barton?” the doctor asked.
“I’m fine now. What’s happened?”
“Ms. Reynolds was involved in a collision. She wasn’t too seriously injured. We’re treating her for a broken arm and she’s just gone up for a CT scan to check for concussion. A few bumps and bruises but she’ll be fine.”
She thought that about Julia. Now wasn’t the time to be thinking about her, Amy had to get to Laura. The fear of losing her was quickly overpowering her and she had to get to the hospital as soon as she could. No way would she lose another woman she loved.
“Where are you did you say? Saint John’s?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Amy hung up the phone and grabbed her keys from the kitchen sideboard.
“Is she okay?” Martha asked, sympathy in her eyes.
“Car accident. He said she’ll be fine, but I need to get there.”
“Okay. I’ll call a neighbour and see if they can watch Jim and Aaron.”
Amy stopped her mother reaching for her own phone. “No, it’s okay. I can drive.”
“Amy you just fainted,” she pointed out angrily.
“I’m okay now. It just brought up Julia’s accident. I promise I’m fine to drive.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” she assured. Nothing was going to stop her from getting to Laura as soon as she could.
Martha drew in a breath, shaking her head. Amy could see her struggling with letting her go by herself. “Call me when you know how she is.”
Amy kissed her cheek. “I will. See you soon.” She practically ran out the front door and to her car. It took her three attempts to get her key in the ignition and she stalled twice trying to pull away. Her body trembled with adrenalin, her pulse beating so fast she feared she’d faint again. She took a few deep breaths trying to calm herself and mercifully it worked. She pulled away from the house without incident and pointed the car toward the hospital ten miles away.
#
“I keep telling you, I’m fine,” Laura said to the nurse who was busy checking her blood pressure for the millionth time. Apart from a dull ache in her arm under the freshly applied plaster cast and a headache that wouldn’t quit, she felt okay. She had been here for nearly four hours and the wait to be discharged was driving her crazy. She wanted to leave, she wanted to go to Amy. Laura had asked the doctor to call her, but she hadn’t seen him since. She had no idea if Amy had been told or if she was on her way.
“As soon as the doctors has had a chance to look at the scans himself, we’ll let him decide.”
Laura rolled her eyes. She knew her own body. If she thought there was anything serious going on inside her she would say. “This is stupid. I need to get going.”
The nurse folded her arms across her ample chest and blew out an exacerbated breath. Her patience obviously wearing thin. “You’re very lucky, you know this right?”
“Yes, I’m sorry.” Laura sunk back into the uncomfortable bed. “But can you please just hurry this up?”
Shaking her head, the nurse said, “I’ll do my best.”
The curtain being pulled aside caught Laura’s attention as did Amy’s gaze which zeroed in on hers.
“Laura?” Amy asked, fear evident in her tone.
“Amy, hi.” Amy looked like hell. Her normally bright eyes were dull as her gaze flittered over Laura’s body and she could see her tremble as she wrung her hands together.
“They called me and told me what happened. Are you okay?”
“Better now you’re here.” She lifted her uninjured arm and stretched her hand toward Amy. “Come here.”
Amy shook her head, remaining where she was at the bottom of the bed. “Hang on. How bad is it?”
Laura dropped her arm, Amy’s distance stung but she knew she was most likely afraid and just wanted all the details first. “My arm is the worst of it. I have a killer headache but otherwise I’m just walking wounded.” Laura’s eyes went wide as Amy suddenly burst into tears.
“Oh God Laura, I was so scared.”
“Hey, I promise, I’m okay.”
Amy waved her hand in the air, mumbling, “I need to get some air. I’ll be back in minute.”
Laura watched her go, helpless to go after her as the nurse was still fussing over checking her vital signs. Laura wasn’t an idiot, she knew her car accident was bringing back bad memories of Julia. The devastation that had brought still lingered within Amy and all Laura wanted to do was go find her and tell her everything was okay.
The sandy haired doctor Laura had seen when she first arrived came in a moment later. After quickly scanning her chart he informed her the CT scan was clear and she was free to go. The nurse helped her change out of the drab hospital gown and back into her bloodied clothes, clothes Laura would throw away once she was home as she didn’t think the blood and debris from the crash would wash out easily.
She was about to pull the curtain back when Amy appeared before her again. “Amy?” Amy seemed to have gathered herself together very well. All traces of her earlier emotions were gone. Her eyes were clear, and she stood rock steady.
“Have they discharged you?” Amy asked.
“Yeah. I have a list of precautions and symptoms to look out for incase I have a concussion, but they said the scans were clear. I’m ready to go home.” She took a step forward, intent on holding Amy, but Amy stepped back out of reach then turned on her heel and strode away. Laura let out a sigh. Amy was throwing up walls again and it crushed Laura to know she might not be able to breach them this time.
She followed Amy out into the carpark, trying not to wince as her pulse throbbed hard in all the places her body hurt. She settled into the passenger seat of Amy’s car and stayed silent as Amy drove them toward Laura’s home. The tension was thick, and Laura couldn’t stand it a moment longer.
“Sweetheart, you’re starting to worry me. You haven’t said a word since we left the hospital.” She watched as Amy gripped the steering wheel tighter.
“Tell me what happened,” Amy said.
Laura sighed. “I had just pulled off the motorway and some stupid van driver came tearing round a bend. He side swiped me and spun the car. He hit the driver’s door which bent inwards and broke my arm. It was over in a flash.” She glanced at her, dismayed when Amy gave no indication she had heard what she said. “Amy, please talk to me. What’s going on?” Amy was quiet for a minute and Laura could see her warring with her thoughts.
“I was so scared. For a moment it was six years ago, and the police had called to tell me about Julia.” Amy pulled the car up into Laura’s parking spot and switched off the engine. Turning in her seat to look at her she said, “I can’t do this, Laura. I thought I could, but I can’t.”
“Do what?” Laura asked, already knowing the answer but wanting Amy to say it out loud.
“Be with you.” Tears gathered then rolled down Amy’s cheeks. “Losing Julia almost broke me, I wouldn’t survive it again if anything happened to you. I can’t always be waiting for the phone call to tell me you’ve died.”
“I’m going to die at some point, hopeful
ly not for another sixty years, but it will happen. As will you. You can’t shut out all the good times we could have on a maybe something bad might happen.”
Amy shook her head. “I’m not strong enough. I can’t be with you but I’m not strong enough to walk away.”
“I’ll make it easier for you then.” Laura wasn’t going to beg. She had spent the last few months trying to convince Amy life was worth living and she thought she finally had. They had made love and Laura knew Amy was the one, but she couldn’t keep pushing her love onto her. She had made a promise to herself that if Amy didn’t want her she would walk away. And that is what she would do.
She grasped the door handle and opened the door. “Goodbye, Amy.” She stepped out of the car gingerly and then leaned back in, her heart breaking at the sight of Amy so distraught. “You can’t hide from life trying to escape death. They go hand in hand. I love you.” She closed the door and limped up to her front door, not looking back. It wasn’t until she escaped inside her small foyer that her own tears fell. She slunk back against the door then slid down the paneling until she sat on the wooden floor, knees drawn to her chest, ignoring the pain in her thigh.
A few moments later a rapid knock vibrated through the door. She stood and grasped the handle, pulling it open and seeing a frazzled Amy standing on the other side. “Amy?”
“I got halfway down the road when I realised what an idiot I am. You were right. I am hiding from life. I spent six years hiding from it and I refused to let anyone in. But you didn’t let me hide. You forced your way into my heart and made me believe in love again. You made me believe I could be happy again. And you make me happy Laura. I want to travel the world with you. I want to raise Aaron with you. I want a chance at a happy life with you, no matter how long that may be.” Amy took a step closer, cupping Laura’s cheeks with her cold hands. “I love you, Laura, and I don’t ever want to let you go.”
Laura was floored. She hadn’t expected to see Amy ever again. She couldn’t believe her ears at all Amy had professed. She loves me! She pulled her close, holding her as tightly as she could with her arm in plaster. “I love you, too,” she whispered.
A New Beginning Page 15