Calling Me Away by Louise Bay

somewhere . . . for you and me.” His dark brown eyes were staring at me intently.
    I took a deep breath. If I hadn’t been lost in the fog of Luke and I, I probably would have seen this coming more clearly. Maybe I’d even want that second chance.
    “I don’t think I properly gave you a first chance, Richard. And that wasn’t your fault—it was entirely mine. I was unfair to you.” I needed to be honest with him. “It’s just, I’ve had feelings about someone else for a very long time.” I stared into my wine, embarrassed that I’d perhaps led him on, even though I’d truly been trying to get over Luke when we dated.
    “Luke,” he said and I cringed. Was it that obvious? I nodded.
    “But you’re not together?”
    My heart ached at his words. “No, we’re not together.”
    “Have you ever been? I mean, is it unrequited?”
    My cheeks heated. It felt wrong talking to him about this, especially as Richard had just declared he’d been crazy for me. “There was a brief . . . I really have no idea.” Luke had told me that he had feelings for me—romantic feelings—and the sex had been incredible, but I didn’t know what future there might be for us. All I knew was that I wasn’t ready to move on from him. Not yet.
    Richard’s fingers crept along my arm. “He’s a fool if he doesn’t love you.”
    “Richard . . .”
    “I mean it. I get that you’re caught up with him, but if he doesn’t get what an amazing, sexy, funny person you are, then he’s a giant idiot.”
    I closed my eyes, willing myself not to cry. He was being so kind and understanding. A huge part of me just wanted to be taken in his arms and comforted.
    “If and when you’re ready to start dating again, I’d try not to mess it up,” he continued.
    “Richard—” He was being so nice, and I didn’t know how to react.
    “Don’t say anything. Just think about it. No pressure.”
    I opened my eyes and stared at my lap.
    “Hey, don’t be sad. I wasn’t trying to induce depression.” He stroked my jaw. “Come on,” he said, jumping off the sofa. “You can help me with dinner. Maybe I can win you over with my mad chef skills. Let’s press pause on this conversation for tonight, and just have a nice evening. Agreed?”
    I smiled. It was just what he needed to say. I wanted time to process what he’d suggested. He was a good guy who wanted a second chance. I couldn’t just dismiss that, could I? But at the same time, I wasn’t ready to give up on my fairy tale.
    A pause button was exactly what the doctor called for.
     
    Luke
    “You look like my brother, but you can’t be him. He doesn’t come around here anymore,” Haven said, clearly looking through the peephole.
    “Ha bloody ha, Haven. Let me in.”
    I’d promised Haven I’d turn up to Sunday dinner this week. She’d been harassing me for days, but she’d been right. Ashleigh and I had to get through this—at least as friends—so I couldn’t avoid her anymore.
    The door swung open, but she was already halfway back down the corridor, and heading for the kitchen. “Way to make me feel welcome.”
    Jake stood at the counter, bent over what looked like a recipe book. “Hey, mate,” I said.
    He gave me a hug, his eyes bright. “It’s so good to see you. Thanks for coming. Haven’s been a wreck with all this shit going on with you and Ash.”
    My stomach dropped. I’d not thought about the impact on Haven. “I’m sorry. I just needed a bit of space.”
    “You don’t need space from me, you dickhead,” she said.
    “Not you, from Ashleigh. I didn’t want it be difficult between you two, so I thought . . . I don’t know.”
    “He’s here now, Haven. That’s the main thing,” Jake said. “It’ll be a great night.”
    “Is Ashleigh coming?” I asked. Haven had been pretty fierce when she’d told me to get over it and turn up for dinner. She’d said she was making Sunday night dinner mandatory and would tell Ashleigh the same thing.
    “Of