by Rhian Cahill
“Hey. You all right?” Rush placed his hands on her shoulders, scrutinizing her intently with concerned blue eyes.
Forcing a smile, she said, “Oh, yes. I’ve got the rest of the day off.”
“That’s good but why the frown?”
“Nothing.” She tried to move around him except he proved to be as stubborn as a Collins.
“Nope. Not buying it.” He tipped her face up with a finger under her chin. “Talk to me. Don’t keep whatever it is running around inside that overanalyzing head of yours to yourself.”
Reena sighed. “It’s Wednesday.”
“And?”
“We’ve only got three days left, and I have to work all but one of them and that’s the day you leave, so it doesn’t count.” She loved her job, except right now she hated it. Hated that it kept her from Rush.
He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m not disappearing from your life when I go home. We’ll still see each other.”
“How?”
Rush shrugged. “I don’t know yet but I promise we’ll work it out.”
“Hey, you two. I think these are yours.”
Reena turned to see Felicity beside them, a plate of the day’s special in each hand. Felicity’s rolled ankle had turned out to be minor and she was already back at work.
“Oh. Right. I forgot. Lunch.” She smiled at Rush. “Hope you’re hungry.”
“Always hungry for food when it comes out of Sunday’s kitchen.” He ushered her the few feet to their table and pulled out her chair. “What are we having? It smells delicious.”
“Corned beef and cabbage. It’s a Collins family favorite,” Reena explained as Rush took the seat beside her and Felicity placed their meals in front of them.
They dug in and Reena thought she’d escaped the conversation she didn’t want to have. Except Rush hadn’t forgotten, and the minute he’d swallowed the last mouthful, he reached for her hand and wove their fingers together.
“We’re not a holiday fling. I know it might seem that way, with how we met and now I’m here for only a week, but I promise you we’re more than that.”
“How can you be sure?” Reena wanted to believe him. She hadn’t wished for something this much since those horrible days and months after her parents had died.
“Because spending time with you is worth any separation or distance traveled.” He leaned in closer. “I’ll work my schedule so I have four days off every second week instead of two a week. I’ll drive down or fly. Whatever is faster.”
“That sounds like a lot of effort for only a couple of days.”
“I’d do it for a couple of minutes.” He gripped the back of her head and pressed his forehead to hers. “You’re worth it, Reena. What we have is worth it. I can’t go back without knowing you want this as much as I do. I need you with me on this.”
She swallowed. Her throat tight with fear and hope and desperation so thick, she could taste it.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Rush waited for Reena’s reply. The seconds she took searching his eyes squeezed his chest and constricted his throat.
He had no idea what he’d do if she didn’t agree to continue seeing him. If she decided it was too much trouble…
He’d quit his job and move here. Money wasn’t an issue. Time was.
Except it would all be pointless if she didn’t want to be with him. His insides coiled, spiraling tighter and tighter until he couldn’t suck in a deep enough breath.
She’d taken too long. He couldn’t stand another minute of silence. “Don’t answer now. We’ve got three days.”
He closed his eyes and pressed his mouth to hers to stop any reply she might make.
He’d convince her. He would. He had to. He couldn’t accept anything less.
She cupped his cheek and spoke against his lips. “I don’t want this to end but I don’t see how we can make it work. We live in different places.”
Rush pressed his mouth to hers harder. He didn’t want to hear any of that. Not now. Right now, he wanted to spend time with Reena. Jerking away, he held her gaze with his. “Let’s not worry about it now. We’ve got the afternoon free and there’s still places I haven’t seen that you promised to take me.”
Pulling some cash from his wallet, he left more than enough to cover their meals and a decent tip, and got to his feet, tugging Reena up with him.
“Come on. I want to visit the Natty Boh shop.”
“Really? It’s kind of a joke around here,” Reena said as she trailed behind him out of Sunday’s.
“I know. Which is why I want to go there.” He grinned over his shoulder. “What do you think Mr. Collins would say if I turned up tomorrow wearing a Natty Boh shirt?”
Reena laughed, as he’d hoped she would. “He’d probably break a pint of Guinness over your head. No. Wait. He’d never waste a real beer like that.”
As they stepped out onto the street, he slipped his arm around her shoulders and tucked her against his side. She was smiling again and the creases in her forehead had vanished. He’d take that. For now. He’d worry about leaving when the time came.
Between now and Saturday morning, Rush planned to spend every second of his time in Baltimore within seeing distance of this woman. He’d do everything in his power to prove to her what they had was worth fighting for.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Rush sat at the bar nursing a beer and watching Reena move between the pub and Sunday’s. She smiled at customers, laughed at something her fellow waitress said, and looked like she was happy. But he could see the strain around her eyes, the look of sorrow in them whenever they turned his way.
They were down to a day and a half. After Reena’s early finish yesterday, they’d hit downtown Baltimore and wandered for hours with no particular destination in mind. It had been a balmy evening and they had strolled hand in hand, talking and laughing, sometimes not saying a word.
They’d eventually found a pub—not as good as Pat’s—with a beer garden to have a meal and a drink.
Then they’d gone home and had some of the hottest sex of his life. Every time with Reena was hot but there had been an edge of violence, a frantic urgency to their fucking Rush had never experienced before. He knew it stemmed from the increasing tension over his departure.
As he lay there listening to Reena’s breathing even out, knowing she’d fallen into an exhausted slumber, that same oblivion had eluded him. He’d stared up at the dark ceiling and mapped out the rest of their time together.
He didn’t like the way it made him feel as though he was manipulating her but he had to have a plan. Had to be sure every second until he left Baltimore was used to his advantage.
Today had been a lazy stay-in-bed day. He couldn’t remember ever spending time in bed with a woman and not having sex. It surprised him how much he enjoyed being snuggled up under the covers watching movies on Netflix with Reena curled into his side. They’d stayed in their warm cocoon until the last second before she had to get ready for work.
He wished they were still hidden away inside her house ignoring the world.
Except she had the dinner shift and Rush knew her well enough to know she’d never call in sick. And Pat’s was hopping; they’d have felt it if Reena hadn’t come in. Tris, the Collins who ran the bar tonight, had told him they were unusually busy due to the rumor floating around that Sky and Teagan Mitchell were in town. Apparently, that drew in local fans hoping for an impromptu performance.
Rush hadn’t made the connection between the Collins family and Sky Mitchell before Tris mention the famous singer—and his equally famous wife, who happened to be Tris’s sister. He also noticed the man hadn’t confirmed or denied the rumor.
“Want some company while you wait?” Mr. Collins clapped him on the shoulder as he took the stool beside Rush.
He grinned at the older man. “It’s your bar.”
“That it is.”
Tris appeared in front of his father. “Guinness, Po
p?”
Mr. Collins tapped the bar top. “Couldn’t convince you to make it a Jameson, could I?”
Tris arched an eyebrow, grabbed a pint glass and pulled a Guinness from the tap. Placing the perfectly poured beer in front of his father, he said, “Do I look like I have a death wish? My wife’s here tonight, you know.” He indicated the back corner of the room with a tip of his chin.
“Damn women,” Mr. Collins grumbled. “They’re all but measuring me for a coffin. I ain’t going nowhere ’til I see all them babies happy and settled like me and my Sunday were. Like you and your siblings are.”
Rush had just brought his own beer to his mouth when a boney finger was poked in his face.
“And you.”
He glanced at the Collins patriarch, wondering what the hell he had to do with anything.
“You need to make that girly happy. Give her a bunch of babies and that’ll get her settled. She needs it. Family. We all do. It’s what makes us strong. Gives us a reason to do better. And you two got nothing, so you have to make your own.”
Rush stared at the old man.
“Pop. Leave the guy alone.” Tris smiled at him apologetically before moving to serve the customer waving from the end of the bar.
“I’m right, ain’t I? You got no one.” Mr. Collins tapped the wrinkly skin beside his right eye. “I got peepers and they see more than people think. Damn fool kids thinking they know it all,” he muttered.
“I…” Rush swallowed. “What gave it away?”
Mr. Collins shrugged. “Who knows? Could be I’m just an old Irishman spouting nonsense.”
Rush chuckled. “I doubt that.” He took a sip of his beer and pondered the old man’s words. “I’m in love with her.”
“I see it.”
“Can’t say she feels the same.”
“Oh, I think she does.” Mr. Collins glanced over to where Reena was delivering a tray of food to a table at the back of the room. “She’s lost a lot that one. Had it taken when she was too young to know how to handle it. Beth helped but the scars run deep. You’ll need more than a bit of patience if you want to stick.” The man turned perceptive eyes Rush’s way. “And you want to stick, right?”
“Yeah. I want to stick.”
“Then here’s my advice.” He clapped Rush on the shoulder. “Your woman is always right, and when she isn’t, she is anyway.”
“I’m not sure she’s mine.”
“Oh, mark my words, she is.” Mr. Collins smiled. “I know what love looks like, and Sabreena’s got the look; you just gotta get past all that hurt and fear. Once you’ve done that, you’ll stick.”
Rush did something he hadn’t ever done before.
He prayed.
Prayed that an old man’s words would come true.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Reena hated the tension coiling tight in her belly. She had a headache, knew it was because she couldn’t stop thinking about Rush leaving in thirty-six hours. She’d promised him—herself—she wouldn’t worry about it, and she’d tried—really she had. But he was leaving.
“Hey.”
She smiled at Caitlyn. “Big crowd tonight.”
“Yeah. Someone started a rumor Sky and Teagan were here.”
She’d heard the gossip, and if she wasn’t so tied in knots over Rush’s imminent departure, she might be excited about the possibility.
“They’re not.” Caitlyn frowned. “We’re going to have to give them something though.”
“Is Hunter around? Maybe he’d do a few songs,” Reena suggested, scanning the crowded bar.
“Maybe.” Caitlyn pushed to her toes. “Oh, there’s Ailis, she’ll know what to do. Gotta go. Catch you later.”
Her friend disappeared into the crush and Reena headed back to Sunday’s Side. It was getting late but things didn’t appear to be slowing down. If anything, it was busier than when she’d first arrived. That was five hours ago. She was ready to go home. Climb into her bed with Rush.
She needed the reassurance of his arms around her, holding her tight, to prove he hadn’t left yet. Her eyes stung and she blinked several times, swallowed down the emotion clogging her throat.
“There you are.” Arms slipped around her waist from behind, Rush’s warmth and unique mountain scent surrounding her. “I’ve been looking for you. Needed a cuddle to get me through the next hour.”
Reena smiled. Even in the face of all her sadness, Rush made her smile. “Better?”
“No. How much longer?” He turned her in his arms and bent his mouth to her ear. “I want to get you alone so I can strip you naked and kiss you all over.”
“Rush.” Reena glanced around to be sure no one overheard him.
“Guess I’ll have to be satisfied with this for now.” He nibbled at her ear, making her giggle. “That’s better. I don’t like that frowny face you’ve got going on tonight.”
She sighed and leaned into him. “I’m missing you already and you haven’t gone yet.”
“We’ll make it work, Reena.” He squeezed her tight. “I promise you.”
With everything that she was, she wanted to believe him. Except she thought the distance and time apart would work against them. Establishing a new relationship had enough hurdles without throwing in living in different states and only being together a few days a month.
“I’ll quit my job if I have to.” Gripping her shoulders, Rush held her at arm’s length. “I’ve got some money put away. And I’m positive I could get a job easy enough.”
“You can’t quit your job. You’ve worked at Winter Lake Lodge for fifteen years.” He couldn’t be serious. It had to be a line he was throwing out there. They’d barely known each other a month and he wanted to toss his life away as though all those years didn’t matter? “No. You can’t quit your job.”
“It’s just a job. I can get another one. You’re more important. There’s nothing holding me in the mountains. I don’t have family there. Or a house.”
“No.” She shook her head. “No. We’ll work it out without you quitting.”
“Reena. A little help here,” Felicity called out behind her.
“Go. We’ll talk later.” Rush nudged her into motion. She wanted to argue but they were still slammed and it wasn’t fair for her to let Felicity down.
Reluctantly she went back to work. She ended up doing an extra hour before Mrs. Wallace shooed her out the door in spite of the still-packed pub and restaurant. Meeting Rush at the door, she took his hand and they started the walk home in silence.
Reena didn’t mind the quiet. There was nothing either of them could say to ease their minds, and right now, she was content to enjoy a late-night walk with her hand in his. There’d been plenty of nights where she’d done this trip alone and would be plenty to come in the future. For now, she’d make the most of having Rush with her.
They didn’t speak when they reached her house. Not a word was uttered as they went inside and headed for the bedroom. And when they stripped out of their clothes and climbed into bed, it was to the sound of their pounding hearts and their shallow breaths.
No words were needed to express what they were feeling. Coming together, they slid slowly into the passion they’d built over the week. When climax came, it was hot and sweet and unlike anything they’d done before.
Safe in Rush’s arms, his heart beating beneath her ear, Reena lay draped across his chest and let sleep take her.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Reena raced out of the staffroom and almost crashed into Caitlyn.
“Whoa. Where’s the fire?” her friend asked.
“I’m finished.”
“Finished setting the staffroom on fire?”
Reena laughed. “No. Finished work. I’m heading home.”
“Ah, that explains the rush.” Caitlyn chuckled. “Rushing home to Rush.”
“Funny. But yes. He’s cooking dinner.” She grinned. “I don’t want to be late.”
“Don’t let me hold you up then.�
� Caitlyn held out her arm, signaling she should go first.
“Thanks.” Reena moved past then stopped. “Oh, I wanted to thank you for last week and say how wonderful it is to have you for a friend. You changed my life when you came into it and I’ll be forever grateful.”
Caitlyn smiled and waved her off. “It goes both ways. Now get. You’ve got a hot man waiting for you.”
Reena grinned. Yes, she did. She had a very hot man at her house cooking her dinner. “Catch you later.”
She waved over her shoulder as she powerwalked out of the back of Sunday’s. Nodding and waving at a few regulars and Mrs. Wallace, she was on the street and dashing home a minute later.
Rush hadn’t told her what he’d planned, only that he’d be making them dinner tonight and needed the afternoon to get things ready. It must be some meal. Reena couldn’t wait to see what he’d prepared.
She’d had most of the day to think about their situation—her feelings—without his eyes tracking her around the room. He’d decided to stay home instead of accompanying her to work and while she’d missed him terribly, she’d been able to think.
Two things had become clear.
One—she wanted to keep seeing him.
And two—she was ninety-nine percent certain she was falling for him.
Falling so far that she was willing to try this long-distance thing. She’d already spoken to Ewan Collins about matching her shifts to Rush’s so that she could see him every second weekend. She wanted to tell Rush her plan at dinner tonight but expected she’d be blurting it out the second she got through the front door. She was so excited she doubted she’d be able to hold it in any longer than that.
God, she’d been tempted to text him the news the minute she’d finished talking to her boss.
By the time she hit her street, she was running. And laughing.
“Hey, I hope all that happiness is for me.”
Reena skidded to a stop and turned to see Rush standing on Mrs. Abbott’s porch. “What are you doing there? I thought you were cooking us dinner.”