It’s 10 p. m. before we arrive at the cottage. I message Mum to say I’ve arrived. The cottage is as picture perfect as I imagined with its exposed beams, big stone walls and cookstove in the middle of the living room. But I can’t enjoy the cottage until I sort out Mum’s window and make sure she’s okay. Maybe I’ll even ask her to stay here. Then tomorrow, I’ll think of a plan to appease Barry’s brickslinging son.
The four of us have chosen bedrooms as far away as possible from the other couple. After seeing pilot Tristan, my hormones are on overdrive. I’m eager for an early night.
“Let’s go down to your mother’s now.” Tristan looks at me like he means business. “You won’t be able to sleep otherwise.”
“I can go myself,” I protest.
He folds his arms across his chest. “In the dark? Hell, no.” I guess I know who is boss this weekend.
We leave Charlie and Danny beside the fire and do the thirty-minute walk through the Welsh countryside to my village. It’s dark and muddy and I’m relieved Tristan demanded he accompany me.
I just wish it wasn’t so dark so I could show Tristan the stunning Welsh landscape.
Mum flings her arms around my neck before I’m through the door.
“Mum,” I say, hugging her as hard as I can, before turning her toward Tristan. “I got here as fast as I could.”
“Miss Andric.” Tristan takes her hand and brings it to his lips to kiss it. Lickarse.
“Oh, hello!” she swoons, her jaw hanging open slightly as she takes in Tristan’s broad physique. He’s wearing a blue woollen sweater that distractingly clings to his muscles and matches his eyes.
“This is Tristan, Mum,” I say sheepishly.
Her eyes shine. She seems surprisingly relaxed for having a brick through her window. “What a pleasure! I hardly ever get to meet any of Elly’s boyfriends.”
Neither do I, Mum.
“The pleasure’s all mine.” He flashes her a signature Tristan Kane smile, and she giggles breathlessly. He’s on his A game tonight. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
Tristan is ushered into the ‘good room’ by Mum who offers him tea, wine, whiskey, cakes and anything else she can find while I sort out a window fix. No wonder Tristan can’t cook with so many women fussing over him.
He tries to arrange the window repair, but I insist. He also tries to pay but that was a firm no from me. I’m not a charity case.
Mum comes into the kitchen. “I’m glad you’re happy, Elly. Tristan is so right for you. I always knew you would end up with a more mature man.”
“I like him,” I admit. “But it’s early days so don’t get too excited.” “He also thinks we look more like sisters,” she says smugly.
My smile fades as I watch her breezily retrieve a pillbox from the cupboard. “Do you still need Valium, Mum? What did the doctor say?” I look at the half empty glass of wine pointedly. “You shouldn’t be drinking wine with them.”
She chews her lip. “Stop fussing! I just need a little pick-me-up after the Barry incident.”
I frown. She’s hiding something. She puts three of the pills in her mouth and swallows them with water.
“How many did the doctor say to take a day?”
She tsks. “I told you, stop fussing.”
My eyes narrow. “Let me see them.”
I put out my hand and she reluctantly hands over the pill bottle.
I study the bottle, confused. “It doesn’t say how many to take.” My eyes snap up to hers. “Where did you get these?”
She brushes off my question with a dismissive wave. “It’s not like it’s illegal,” she says, sulking. “A friend of Collette’s gave this batch to me. I’ll pop into the doctors this week and get a new prescript-”
“You bought them from a random person?” What the hell? “You don’t know what’s in these, Mum!
They’re not necessarily safe. And Valium has to be prescribed by a doctor because it’s so addictive.”
I researched this as soon as I found out she was taking them. At least last time the doctor had prescribed them. Now it seems she’s self-medicating. “You need to stop taking these. Not unless you go back to the doctor, and he says you need them.”
I put both hands on my hips in fight mode. She turns her back to me, pretending to need something from the fridge.
“Are you listening?” I ask crossly. “I’m not leaving these with you. What if something happens? I could never forgive myself.”
With her back turned to me, her shoulders sag.
“Please stop taking these.” My voice trembles. “If you need me to visit every weekend I will, whatever it takes, but you can’t pick up drugs from random people. I’ll be sick with worry.”
My eyes tear up. “Mum!” I choke. “Look at me.”
After a brief pause, she turns around, her lips pursed together. “Fine, sweetie. I’ll go to the doc’s and get a new prescription.”
I nod and put the bottle in my pocket. “I’ll take these to the chemist and dispose of them properly.” I come back into the good room to find Tristan lying on the sofa with a glass of wine in his hand. His head dips back as his eyes close. Though he made helicopter flying look easy, he was concentrating on a million different lights and levers simultaneously, with the added pressure of playing God with our lives.
“Tristan,” I say softly, thinking he is going to spill the wine.
Our eyes meet across the room and his face splits into the sexiest smile I’ve ever seen, as if I’m the best thing he’s ever laid eyes on.
“I’ve sorted it,” he says in a lazy tone. “Your mother gave me the number of the guy who threw the brick. He won’t hassle her again.” “What?” I exclaim. “How?”
He gives a half shrug. “Easiest payout of my life. We have to go down to the local and pay his bar tab. Then he’ll leave your mum alone.”
I freeze in the middle of the room. “Seriously?”
When he smiles back, like it was no big deal, I burst into uncontrollable tears. I don’t know whether they are happy or sad tears or maybe both. It’s like a tap has been turned on. They run down my face so hard I can’t see him, but I feel him scoop me up in his strong arms, burying my face in his chest. He doesn’t ask why; he just holds me in his arms while my eyes soak his T-shirt.
And that’s when I realise I’m hopelessly and utterly in love with Tristan Kane.