THE TROUBLE WITH PAPER PLANES(48)

“Oh!”

I spun her around to face me, and her expression changed from shock to relief.

“Oh my God!” she breathed, giving me a solid smack on the arm.

“Sorry,” I lied, pulling her closer as she tried to shimmy out of my grasp.

Within milliseconds, she’d given up the struggle and melted into my arms. She pulled back slightly and stared up at me, and suddenly whatever I was going to say to her vanished.

“I’ve missed you,” I said instead.

It was the truth. The day had seemed unbearably long. But now that she was in my arms again, I felt like the whole evening stretched out in front of us. Her body sighed as she looked up at me, her eyes lit with a raging fire from within.

“I’ve missed you, too.”

Seeing that look in her eyes sent a flash of realisation roaring through me. I was through trying to figure out what was happening between us. I was over it – I didn’t care anymore. Some things just defied logic and explanation and that was just the way it was sometimes. I bent down to kiss her, pulling her even closer. She seemed to fit, our bodies blending into each other like it was second nature already.

“Ahem.”

I looked up to see Bridget standing in the doorway to the café, smiling. “Hi.”

“Hi,” I said, backing away from Maia like a teenager caught red-handed.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Its fine,” Maia said quickly, turning her back on me as she resumed her work.

I stared at the back of her head, clearing my throat and taking another step backwards. “I just came by to say hi.”

“Is that all you came by for?” Bridget smiled, winking so fast I wondered if I was seeing things.

I nodded. I had no reason to feel guilty, yet I did anyway.

“Do you want a coffee while you’re here?” she asked, still smiling, clearly enjoying my discomfort.

“No, thanks though. I was just on my way to catch up with Vinnie.”

“Ah. I see. Well, I’ll let you get on, then.”

With that, she turned and left us alone again.

I doubled over with relief and Maia tried her best to stifle a giggle.

“Jesus,” I breathed, standing up straight again. “Awkward or what?”

She grinned at me and grabbed my arm, throwing it around her shoulder as she snuggled close to me again. “She didn’t seem upset.”

No, she didn’t. I glanced down at her. There was no other way to describe it. She was glowing.

“I’m going to meet Vinnie for a beer. I’ll see you at home after work?”

“Okay.”

“I’ve got plans for us tonight, for dinner,” I added. “Think you can handle that?”

She nodded and reached up to kiss me. It was the first time she had made a move on me and it made me deliriously happy.





I SAT ACROSS FROM Vinnie in the pub, trying hard not to smile.


“Come on,” he grinned eagerly. “I’m your brother. Your only brother. You can tell me. Yes or no?”

I shook my head and took another sip of beer before putting the glass back down on the table. “Not kissing and telling.”

“Ah, so there’s been kissing! Way to go, little bro!”

I grinned back at him. “You’re acting like a two-year-old again.”

“Am not!”

I shook my head, refusing to be drawn – partly because it was fun to watch him suffer. It was rare that I had any secrets from Vinnie. Partly because I just wasn’t sure he’d get it. His courtship, if you could even call it that, with Jas, was a long, drawn-out affair. They were one of those ‘on-again, off-again’ couples for a long time, until they settled into each other. He was a confirmed bachelor, and she was headstrong. She made him fight for her, which I completely understood, knowing him as I did.

Partly because I wasn’t sure how to explain it in such a way that he would understand – I wasn’t even sure I understood it myself, yet. I only knew that I felt the need to coddle my relationship with Maia, protect it from the outside world until it was strong enough to take the scrutiny. I didn’t want anything ruining it while we were still finding our feet.

“Whatever,” he said, taking a swig of beer and feigning indifference. “I’ll get it out of you eventually. You were always shit at keeping secrets.”