Page 82 of Nineteen Letters

“Weights. I usually work out most days. I use the gym I set up in the garage.” A grin tugs at her lips as she stares down at the food in front of her. “You used to love pouring the yoghurt over your muesli, but I can grab you some milk if you prefer.”

“No. The yoghurt sounds good.”

“Well, eat up. I’ll just go grab the coffee.”

I watch her through the kitchen window as I wait for the coffee to brew. There’s a sweet smile on her pretty face as she takes a slice of melon and a few strawberries off the platter, placing them on the small plate beside her cereal.

I want to pretend for the next half-hour that nothing has changed between us, and things are the way they’ve always been—her loving me just as much as I love her.

“Thank you,” she says when I place the coffee down in front of her a few minutes later. “This is delicious.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I’d be happy to make breakfast for you every day if you wanted me to.”

“That’s sweet, but I wouldn’t expect you to go to all this trouble.”

“You’re worth it,” is all I say, taking the seat opposite her.

I lather my toast in butter and strawberry jam, and when I look up I find her watching me. “What? Jam is healthy—it’s made from strawberries.”

“And a tonne of sugar too, I bet,” she says, laughing in the way that always makes me smile.

Shrugging, I take a bite. “I’ve been meaning to ask you, has Rachel said anything to you about Lucas?”

“No, why?”

“Never mind.”

“Oh my god. You can’t just say that and not tell me, Braxton!”

My smile widens. She was always nosy; I could never keep a secret from her. “It was just something Lucas said the other night.”

“What did he say?” She leans forward in her chair as she awaits my reply.

“I think something was going on between them behind our backs.”

Her eyes widen with shock. “Noway. Really? Why would you think that? Rachel hasn’t even mentioned him to me.”

“You might not have noticed, but he’s been quite aggressive towards her lately. It’s totally out of character for him. They always got on well.”

“And?”

“And, when I called him out on it the other night, he confessed to being in love with her.”

“Getout.”

The way she says that makes me chuckle. “He said she didn’t feel the same.”

“I’m going to ask her. She’s coming over for a farewell dinner tomorrow night.”

“A farewell dinner?” Her comment surprises me.

“Yes. She’s going back to New York.”

I can tell by her expression that she’s saddened by this. She always got a little low when Rachel came home for the holidays and then left again. She hated her being so far away, but she also understood that New York was where Rachel needed to be for her career.

“Don’t tell her what I told you though. Jesus, Lucas would kill me if he knew.”

“I won’t, but I’ll see what I can find out. Women have a way with things like that.”