Page 45 of Saving Ren

“Yeah?” Gabe’s head appears around the door. “There’s a clean T-shirt, jocks, a hoodie, and a pair of trackies on the bed, clean towels are on the shelf. You okay using my stuff? I can go down to Ava’s bathroom and get you some girlie shit if you’d prefer?”

“Your stuff is fine, thanks.”

“Right, I’ll leave you to it then.”

He gives me a strange little wave and leaves. Despite having very little to smile about, for some reason, I stand there grinning like a lunatic.

Chapter 15

Gabe

I don’t knowwhat that fucking wave was all about. I internally groan and shake my head as I walk out of my bedroom and head towards the kitchen.

I’m starving, and after throwing up so many times, I’m pretty sure Lauren must be too. I knock up some eggs and scramble them in a pan while toasting some bread. I just get it all dished up when she walks back into the room.

Her hair is wet and piled into a curly mess on top of her head, and she’s wearing clothes that you could probably fit another three of her in, but she finally has some colour in her cheeks and looks gorgeous standing there rolling up the sleeves on my hoodie.

I move towards her, and without asking, help her with the sleeves.

“I cleaned my teeth with my finger, I couldn’t find a spare toothbrush, but anything was better than nothing.”

I’m close enough to be able to smell the mix of my shower gel, shampoo, and toothpaste on her.

“Should’ve just used mine,” I tell her.

“I barely know you; I don’t make a habit of sticking things that belong to strangers in my mouth.” She closes her eyes, realising instantly how what she said sounded. I take a step closer but hold back from wrapping her in my arms like I want to.

“There are so many things I could say in response to that, most of them inappropriate, but now’s not the time,” I tell her.

“I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”

“You made it so fucking easy,” I lean in and say against her ear.

“I’m usually better than this, quicker comebacks. When I’m on form, I’m actually quite funny.”

“I can well believe it. Right now though, I have something else for you to stick in your mouth. How’d you like your eggs?”

“Fertilised,” she whispers. Quickly following it up with, “scrambled are also good.”

“Jesus woman,” I groan before reluctantly stepping away and steering her towards the benchtop and the unfertilised eggs on toast that await us.

“Tea or coffee?” I ask as I flip the kettle back on to boil.

“Tea please. No sugar, dash of milk, leave the teabag in.”

“Builders’ tea,” I stupidly reply.

“Yeah, it’s. . .” She gives a half-smile and shrugs.

“Sorry, didn’t think.”

“Don’t be sorry. It is what it is, no need to tiptoe around the subject. I think I’ve had all the meltdowns I’m gonna have for one day.”

I place her tea down next to her plate as she scrapes the eggs off the toast before biting into the corner.

“Have all the meltdowns you want; I think you’ve earned the right. Do you not like the eggs?”

“Essex girl, remember.” She points at herself as I sit down beside her and start eating. “Be careful what you wish for because I can meltdown to a professional standard.” She takes another bite of her toast, wincing then taping her finger on the split on her lip and checking it for blood. “And the eggs are perfect, I just didn’t want them to make the toast soggy, but maybe that was a bad idea, it might be easier to eat if it’s soft.”