The One Awakened: Book 1 in The One Trilogy (7 page)

I flash my eyes and raise my eyebrows in encouragement at that last snippet;
Seb and I lurve Chinese
and I hope that this will maybe sway him in Leo’s favour.
“It’s early days anyway. His name is Leo. He’s the manager of the Osten Bank near Elysium, and he’s taken control of my business accounts and loan management.” Taking a bite of pizza I laugh, as I struggle to stop the mozzarella cheese dangling from my chin.
 

Very sexy!

“He’s been a major asset to me in obtaining the funds I needed to boost the business.”
“Clearly the best reason to date him then,” his deep voice adds, sarcastically.

I look up at that droll comment and can clearly see that the information I’ve just provided him with has not gone down well.
 

He isn’t laughing along with me. In fact his jaw is clenched in tension and he is staring at me intently, as if considering what to say next. He’s probably just feeling protective of Finn and I, in the brotherly manner he has always portrayed. I can understand that he wouldn’t want to see me rush into anything too soon. I decide to flip the switch.
 

“What about you? Anyone tempt Britain’s most eligible bachelor?”
 

He watches me for an age, as though he’s deciphering the words over and over and then with an upturned mouth barks, harshly. “Don’t change the subject Lulu. So when do I get to meet this Leo?” He practically orders it; struggling over Leo’s name.
Hang on a minute, why does it seem like he’s angry all of a sudden? He’s not my father and who was changing the subject; me or him?

“Tomorrow night actually; if you want to? He’s coming to meet up with us for drinks, for Suzie’s birthday. You coming?” I add graciously, placing my drink back onto the side-table.
“Yeah I’ll see you there. Gino already invited me,” he shrugs and makes to stand up. “Right I’d better be off, I’m shattered and I’ve got to go sort my shit out.”

Why do men always use the term
‘sorting their shit out’
as an excuse to escape you? This is just code for
‘I need to be on my own now, crash on the sofa with a beer and kill someone on the playstation’.
I’ve got news for all you men - women have cracked the code!

“Yeah it’ll be nice to be back in my own bed again. Think I’ve only slept in it a handful of times since I moved into the new-build.” He refers to his relatively new, but gorgeous home, a perfect example for the Silver Construction portfolio.
 

Wait - hasn’t he been luxuriating in a beautiful new build hotel, in Dubai of late? Life was
really
hard for some. Why has the mood changed so suddenly? It’s rapidly become uncomfortable and I just want to get back to comfortable - just normal time with my mate.
 

“So you’re off then? That was quick. Glad I could supply you with some home-cooking, or at least a ready meal. It
really
is great to see you again Seb; I’ve missed you - rather a lot actually.”

I smile up at him sheepishly, annoyed with myself for admitting my weakness. This would have been normal before - common practice between us, to admit our feelings and be open with one another.
Gazing down at my face, his eyes scanning my face thoughtfully, it appears as though he wants to say something.
 

“You look good Lu. Really good.”
 

Hmmm -
 
you do too!

“I missed that twitchy little snub nose of yours.”

My fingers fly up to it, instinctively. What?

We lock eyes and his are narrowed and intense as he thrusts his hands into his cargo pockets. His body language is stiff, cool and appraising but finally he moves towards me, leaning in - I presume, to kiss my cheek - finally - normality between us at last! I can smell his scent - pure male, and feel the heat coming off his body. But I’m left hanging and feeling stupid, when he quickly changes his mind and gives me a fumbling shoulder slap instead.
 

“We’ll catch up more tomorrow yeah?”
 

His eyes focus on my lips and I moisten them instinctively, only holding his attention further. Then with my mute nod he’s gone. How strange? What was the
bro pat
all about?
 

Men are so bloody weird.
 

I’d never understand them truly but what I do know is that something over the past hour and half has changed; no scrap that - everything has changed, between two best friends. I feel strange, sad, discombobulated, excited - all rolled into one, but have a strong sensation that something special is on the cards and God knows I am seriously long overdue a little
special
in my life.
 

Sliding into the car, I click my phone into its holder, and ease my seatbelt around my torso, before placing both hands on the steering wheel in front of me. I grip until my knuckles go white.
 

OK then. What had that all been about?

I hadn’t seen her in nine, no ten, months?
 

She looked good. Really good. Fuck - didn’t just look good, she looked hot!

She was dating again - already? Why hadn’t someone mentioned that to me?

I start the engine, and pulling away, flick a quick last glance at the terrace on Rose Avenue, home to my mate from Uni - my friend of ten years, Lucia Myers. I shake my head in annoyance. Time apart hadn’t changed anything. No. I’m wrong; time apart
had
changed things - it had been like seeing her again for the first time. All I’d wanted to do was take her right there and then.

 
I still want her - now more than ever - and the chemistry between us had been clear today. Like someone had flicked a switch. I felt it, like electricity; knew she felt it too, just like that night all those years ago. A night both of us had buried and forgotten. Instead we’d forged an amazing friendship with the obvious spark between us lying disconnected, all this time.

I visualise her face, at the moment she’d seen me, her gorgeous green eyes, quickly sparking with lime, liquid gold and heat as she looked at me when I’d arrived. She’d definitely felt it too. I am sure of that. She was ready. It was time to take her before she was lost to me again. I’d given her the chance to heal after that prick had walked all over her and left her to pick up the pieces but she’d proven that she had the strength to pull through and be
my
Lulu again. And that little man - he was a corker, a real credit to her; yeah there was no doubt about it, my Godson is a total dude.

I run a hand over my newly cut hair, questions buzzing around inside it, annoyingly. The problem is, I want her but do I want more than that?
 

Can I do the long haul? Ten-years ago? No. I hadn’t been ready for it - but now?
Maybe
. Maybe now, I could do the pipe and slippers thing. Lucia is the only woman who had ever made me consider more than a quick fuck. The only woman I’d ever wanted to share my mind and body and life with.

Would it ruin our friendship?
 

Am I doing my usual ‘chasing after the one thing I can’t have’?
 

This time I have to try, or spend the next ten years living with regret. I can’t miss out on this opportunity again.

Later, whilst I dutifully coat myself in St Tropez self-tanning mousse for tomorrow’s night out, I ponder why I suddenly can’t stop thinking about Sebastian, and not just as a friend. I hate the fact that for some reason, things between us aren’t
OK
. In general, my life is pretty good. I feel great about myself for the first time in months. My social life is excellent. I have great single girlfriends (a must when you are in the single market) and my career is firing on all cylinders. And then there’s Leo. - I’d met him a few weeks earlier, and am due to have our second date tomorrow night. He is available and harmless - perfect to use as the
in-between rebound guy
, for a summer-fling.
 

Would he take me to wild sexual heights though? I’m not so sure.
 

Sebastian could (I’m sure of it) - argghh! Why am I now thinking about my best friend in that way?
 

I need to seriously get some bedroom action soon or I’m going to embarrass myself big-time! Thank goodness Meg was having her
‘wild ride’
sex toy party in the near future.

Sebastian has always been a major part of my life and as Finn’s Godfather; he had been an amazing role model for him in his early years. But deep down, I knew that it had been the break-up when he had shown his true support. He had been my rock then, truly incredible.
Niall had walked out only days before without warning, and without setting in place a plan of action for Finn or our finances. I’d been made redundant on the Friday from my part-time design and marketing position, and to add insult to injury whilst serving up Sunday dinner two days later, Niall had informed me that he was
going
. It turned out he wasn’t going to see his mate Mark, who lived a few streets away as I’d first thought, but in actual fact, was leaving me, and our two year old son, for pastures new, or ‘vadge’s new’ as Abby crudely coined it. All, just as I was about to serve up a roast chicken dinner with gorgeous fluffy homemade
bloody
Yorkshire puddings!