Page 23 of Heal You (The Study You #3)

One week later…

Yawning as she stood behind the bar, Morgan’s shoulders slumped when she allowed the tiredness she felt to hit her.

The bar had been packed last night—a hen party had practically owned the place until Morgan had to insist they leave because it was closing time—but by having them here, she had hit her weekly target in terms of takings in one night.

Jan had texted to see if Morgan was around, but she’d sadly had to let her down.

It wasn’t something she planned to make a habit of, but there would be times when Morgan just didn’t have a second to stop and chat.

Last night had been one of those times. Still, it hadn’t all been bad.

Jan was heading over now before the bar opened in an hour, so Morgan would apologise, and then they could move on.

As she took her espresso from below the spout of the coffee machine, Morgan’s phone started to ring on the counter. She looked down at it and groaned. Amanda was calling, but Morgan couldn’t give her any time. While Amanda wasn’t in her head, life seemed straightforward. It had to remain that way.

A gentle knock on the window had her looking up from her phone, a huge smile plastered on Morgan’s face when Jan waved back at her.

Morgan lowered her cup, rounded the counter, and rushed towards the door.

She quickly let Jan in, pressing her to the door as she locked up again and smiled into a kiss.

Jan’s hands found Morgan’s hips, her handbag falling from her shoulder as they deepened the kiss.

They moaned in unison, and then Morgan drew back. “Hi. It’s nice to see you.”

Jan ran her tongue across her bottom lip. “Mm. It would seem so.”

“Coffee? I’ve just made myself one.”

“God, yes. The coffee at the hotel is terrible.” Morgan couldn’t fathom why Jan was still staying there. Then again, she didn’t suppose she had anywhere else to go unless Jan took Gillian up on her offer. For some reason, Jan was dead set against that idea. “Your coffee is so much better.”

“Then have a seat, and I’ll get that sorted for you.”

As Morgan pushed off the door, she found herself unable to take her eyes off Jan. She wore light makeup today, but those eyes… Fuck, those eyes could undo Morgan right here, right now.

“What?” Jan asked, frowning.

“You’re gorgeous.” Morgan dipped her head and kissed Jan again, aware that they didn’t have time to get too hot and bothered. Morgan had to work the bar alone until five this evening, and then she had to pack. “God, I wish we had more time.”

“I’m not going anywhere. We have all the time in the world.” Jan reached out and caressed Morgan’s cheek, her perfume reminding Morgan of the nights they’d spent together so far. “Relax.”

“I…won’t be here next week,” Morgan said as she took Jan’s hand and guided her further inside the bar. “I’ve been so preoccupied with this place, and then you came out of nowhere, and well…we both know what happened there. I completely forgot to tell you.”

“Going anywhere nice?”

“The Canary Islands. Gran Canaria, to be specific.” Morgan sighed and got to work on Jan’s coffee. “I go for a week every year before the summer season starts. It’s too hot for me once summer arrives over there.”

“Oh.” Jan sounded disappointed, but Morgan understood. She was even more disappointed. “Well, I’m sure you need the break.”

“Now that you’re here, I’d be happy to take a weeklong break locked away upstairs.” Morgan glanced over her shoulder at Jan, smiling when she caught her checking out her arse. “Maybe I should just take the loss on what I’ve paid and stay here. I already know it would be worth it.”

“No. You should go and enjoy your holiday. At least one of us should relax in the sun.” Jan groaned. “Perhaps you can call me while you’re there. I’ll live vicariously through you.”

Morgan turned to Jan and placed her coffee down where she sat on the opposite side of the bar.

She waited a moment or two, wondering if the idea swimming around in her head was a possibility.

She watched Jan, the disappointment still on her face, and decided to chance her luck. “Why don’t you come with me?”

Jan’s cup froze mid-air. “I’m sorry?”

“I have a double room booked. Four star. Adult-only pool.” Morgan shrugged, trying to make light of the offer so Jan didn’t feel pressured. “You’re more than welcome to join me.”

“I shouldn’t. I have things to take care of here.”

Morgan nodded. “You do. I understand that. But…it’ll still be here when you come back, won’t it?”

Jan smiled and lowered her eyes. “It will. I just…I can’t just leave the country with you. People would wonder where the hell I am.”

“I mean, you can tell them whatever you like. You can go on holiday. It’s nobody else’s business but your own.”

“You’d be tired of me within a day.”

Morgan gave Jan a knowing look. “You’re not serious?”

“I am. I’m serious.” Jan looked away as she shook her head. “Phil couldn’t find the time for us to go on holiday. There must be a reason for that.”

“Whoa. No.” Morgan stopped in front of Jan and took her hands.

“Whatever is going through your mind right now, forget about it. If Phil couldn’t be bothered to stop working for a week so he could take his incredibly beautiful wife on holiday, that’s his problem.

” Morgan leaned in and captured Jan’s lips.

“But I’d be honoured to have you there with me. ”

“Morgan,” Jan mumbled against her lips, one hand gently pressed to her shoulder. When Morgan inched back a little, she knew she’d overstepped.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have even asked.” Morgan ran a hand through her hair and sighed. “I thought it could have been nice for you to get away. To get out from under all the shit you’re dealing with.”

“Could we really do that?” Jan asked, hope—perhaps excitement—resting in those blue eyes. “Go on holiday together?”

“Of course we could.”

“It wouldn’t seem weird?”

Morgan pondered that for a moment. She didn’t believe anything between her and Jan was weird. It was hard to feel that way when she adored spending time with this woman. “Weird how?”

“Well, I’m, what, three weeks out of a marriage.” Jan scoffed. “People are going to think I’ve lost my mind when they find out about us.”

Us . Morgan wanted to smile at that, but she didn’t know what ‘us’ meant to Jan. Was it just that they were sleeping together, or did Jan really feel that connection Morgan was clinging onto? “What exactly is it that you’re worried about them finding out?”

“That I’m sleeping with and spending a lot of time with another woman,” Jan said as she tugged on Morgan’s belt loop and pulled her between her legs. “And I wouldn’t say it’s worry that I feel. It’s more…apprehension for people’s reaction.”

“That’s completely understandable. Everything you’re feeling is valid, Jan.

” Morgan had wondered on several occasions now if people would think she’d taken advantage of the situation Jan was in, but Jan had made the first move.

Jan had insisted Morgan take her right back up the stairs again the moment she came undone in this bar two weeks ago.

None of this could be considered as taking advantage.

Not in Morgan’s eyes, anyway. “Forget about the holiday. It’s not important.

But I will be thinking about you until I see you again.

” Morgan brushed her knuckles along Jan’s jawline and smiled. “Every hour of the day.”

“God, I hate feeling like this.” Jan threw up her hands. “I hate not knowing what I’m doing with my life. Well, what little life I have left at the moment anyway.”

“Everything will become clear when it’s supposed to.” Morgan stepped back and gave Jan some space. The last thing she wanted was for Jan to feel suffocated. “You’ve got this, okay?”

Jan simply nodded and lifted her coffee again.

Silence descended over them, just the sound of Morgan prepping for another day at the bar keeping them company in this moment.

Morgan wanted to convince Jan that a trip away would be good for her, but what right did she have to do so?

Morgan didn’t believe they were at that place with one another yet. They likely never would be.

You really have to stop looking so far ahead.

This woman was still married. For all Morgan knew, Jan could change her mind and decide to try again with Phil.

It was easy to claim the answer was simple in the moment it was all happening, but Jan had every right to try to save her marriage.

Just because she had told Morgan otherwise, it didn’t guarantee a thing.

“Life,” Jan said quietly.

Morgan’s head shot up from the sink she stood at. “I’m sorry?”

“Life. I should be living my life. I should be taking what I can get whenever I can get it. Isn’t that what he’s been doing? Enjoying his life…with someone else.”

Morgan didn’t know where Jan was going with this, but she would listen and be ready with a response either way.

“I’ll come with you. To Gran Canaria. If people don’t like it, I cannot change that. It’s out of my control.”

Morgan clenched her hands at her sides and out of view of Jan. If she hadn’t just done that, she would have squealed with joy. That wasn’t a good look in front of the woman she was trying to impress. “You’re serious? You’ll come with me?”

“Why not.” Jan shrugged and slid from her stool. She stepped behind the bar, approached Morgan, and pressed her to the sink. “Do you promise to look after me?”

“You know I will.”

Jan draped her arms over Morgan’s shoulders and sighed. “Then I guess I should go back to the house and pick up everything I need.”

“I can’t believe this is happening.” Morgan laughed nervously. “I can’t believe you even exist in my world, but I definitely can’t believe I’m going to spend a week with you abroad.”

Jan winked and lowered her arms from Morgan’s shoulders, instead wrapping them around her waist. “I’ll look forward to seeing you in a bikini.”