LOU
I held a frosted glass of beer to Will's lips, allowing him to drink without a straw. Beer with a straw didn't feel right to me. With some careful maneuvering, I was able to help Will with minimal dribble. Smiling, I used the pad of my thumb to wipe his chin. Will returned my smile, warming my heart. I played it cool all night, but I worried about him. The pub was packed with locals, and I knew a few of them stared when we first arrived. As the night wore on, we received less and less attention as more people hit the stage and sang their hearts out to show tunes and pop music.
"Got any more songs in you?" Will asked.
I shrugged. I wanted to sing with him, but I didn't dare it slow, Lou, I coached myself. "Maybe." I gave him a coy smile.
"We can do one together," Treena said.
I glanced at Will, and he gave me an encouraging nod, telling me with his eyes that he could manage without me. Minutes later, Treena and I stood in front of the crowd, each with a microphone. The beginning harmony of Sonny and Cher's"I Got You Babe"came through the speakers, and immediately, Treena and I flubbed the words. I giggled as I watched the screen, trying to catch up.
My eyes found Will at the back of the pub. He was watching me, his eyes shining, and I nearly melted at his smile. God, I loved that smile—his real smile. The one where his dimples showed, and it reached his beautiful green eyes. Before I could think better of it, I moved to the back of the crowd, the cordless microphone in my hand as I sang.
"And when I'm sad, you're a clown
And if I get scared, you're always around…"
Will looked up at me, the smile still on his lips as I slid into his lap.
"So let them say your hair's too long…" I ran my hand through his soft hair.
"Cause I don't care, with you I can't go wrong...
Then put your little hand in mine…"On cue, I laid my hand over his and held his hand.
"There ain't no hill or mountain we can't climb."I gazed into his eyes as I sang, wanting to convey my feelings into each lyric, infusing them with the same devotion Sonny had for Cher.
"Babe…"I grinned at him and then placed the microphone under his chin with an encouraging nod.
He hesitated momentarily, and I saw a dozen emotions flash across his face. Then, finally, his grin returned.
"I got you, babe, I got you, babe," we sang together.
When the song ended, the pub exploded in raucous applause and catcalls. A few people whistled, and a patron or two clapped Will on the shoulder in a congratulatory manner. Some even expressed envy, saying things like, "You've got a hell of a woman, mate," or "You better hold on to that one."
My smile split my face, and I know I must have looked like a grinning fool. Our waitress, Elle, took the microphone from my hand and said, "Are you going to kiss him or what?"
"Oh, what the hell," I said with a shrug and stared into Will's eyes. "Is it okay if I kiss you now, Will Traynor?" I asked.
"You better," he said.
And that's exactly what I did. As I leaned in, the noise of the pub seemed to fade, and for a moment, it was just the two of us. His lips met mine softly, a quiet promise between us. The warmth of him, the certainty of his presence, made everything else disappear. I pulled back, breathless, my heart full.
The night was almost perfect.
As we left the Blue Boar, my steps came up short in front of the door. Patrick walked in, and he wasn't alone. My eyes drifted to the woman beside him. She was taller than me and had long, thick blonde hair. Her face was made up with subtle makeup, highlighting her natural good looks. Like Patrick, she appeared fit—like she woke up every morning at five a.m. for a run. After my initial shock wore off, I recognized her from the fitness club. She worked the juice bar.
"Lou! What are you doing here?" Pat asked, and I knew he was genuinely surprised to see me out and about.
"It's karaoke night."
He laughed awkwardly, his eyes dancing between me, Treena, Nathan, and finally Will. The smile on his face dropped a fraction. "Didn't think you fancied being out in public."
He said that to me, but I knew those words were meant for Will.
"Gotta get some fresh air, mate," Will said, his voice neutral.
Patrick nodded, then glanced at his date, remembering he wasn't alone. "Lou, this is Mellie. You might remember her from the club."
I gave the woman a polite smile. "Nice to meet you."
"Same," she said, looking bored.
"Mellie's my girlfriend," Patrick said, eyes boring into mine.
I don't know what I expected to feel, but I was surprised to find that I didn't feel anything—not sadness, regret, or jealousy. Nothing. I studied tanned, fit Mellie for a moment. She was exactly the kind of girl that Patrick needed. Someone who enjoyed the things he did. Someone who cared about resting heart rates and fasted cardio. I hoped they were happy together. We all deserve a little happiness in our lives.
"Congratulations!" Treena said, breaking the awkward silence left by his announcement.
"Yeah, congrats," I added.
"Thanks. Pat, I'm going to find us a table," Mellie excused herself.
"Will, you're looking fit," Patrick said. "Been taking some of my advice."
I glanced at Will and fought the urge to kick Patrick on his shin. The nerve!
Will's expression remained neutral, but I could see the flicker of irritation in his eyes. He met Patrick's gaze with an almost unnerving calm. "Actually, I have. Good thing Clark's been around to sponge me down after."
I nearly choked on the air and bit back my laughter as Patrick turned beet red. Oh, I was going to get Will for that when we returned home.
"Oh, I—" Partick sputtered, his gaze shifting to his feet.
Treena shook her head, patting his shoulder empathetically. "We'll see you around, Pat," she said as we headed out to the cool night.
Once outside, the four of us burst into laughter. That served Patrick right after everything he did. Will was much more gracious than I would have been in his position. I looked at him with mock indignation, and we laughed again.
"Hop on, Clark," he said, motioning to his lap with his eyes. "We've got a bit of a walk back to the car, and I don't think you're going to make it in those silly heels of yours," he teased.
I looked down at my polka dot printed heels and tapped them together Wizard of Oz style. "Don't lie, you love these shoes." I grinned as I slid onto his lap again and snuggled against him.
Correction, the night turned out to be perfect after all.
A few days later, the morning sun was still low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the little patch of earth Will and I tended for weeks. The air was crisp, the scent of damp soil rising to greet me as I knelt beside our small garden bed. My fingers sifted through the dirt, searching for any signs of life. Mrs. Traynor had remarked on our experimental garden among her perfectly manicured lawn, but if she was displeased by it, she didn't say anything. I think she was happy that Will was out of the house, doing something other than brooding.
I turned the earth, and my thoughts wandered. I'd applied to The London College of Fashion and The British Academy of Fashion Design. Each school had an extensive distance learning program—perfect for my current situation. I could picture it, living in the world of fabrics, sewing machines, and runway designs, all from the comfort of my home. I know that's not the plan Will had for me. He wanted me in Paris somewhere, but I didn't want to spend a second without him. I'd get out there eventually. I hoped we'd get out there living life boldly together. Either way, if I got accepted to one of the schools, my cohort wouldn't begin until Spring. Both schools started shortly after the new years. That was four months away.
In the meantime, I had to do something about money. I know Will doesn't care if I worked or not. I still hadn't claimed the money he left me, and it was sitting in a trust somewhere, waiting for me to take it. Will hadn't mentioned it since the day we discussed his letter, and I didn't feel comfortable bringing it up again. That money was meant as a parting gift. But Will was still here, very much alive. Somehow, it didn't feel right to accept that money. More than anything, I hated feeling like I was living off Will. He would never say it—never make me feel less—but I couldn't help but wonder what he thought about me being around so much without earning my keep. I needed to find my footing. And yet, with everything going on, the timing always seemed off. Still, I needed to get a job.
As I pondered these thoughts, my heart leaped when I spotted it—a tiny green sprout poking up through the soil.
"Oh my God!" I whispered excitedly to myself. "It's actually growing!"
It wasn't much, just a small, brave purple carrot pushing through the dirt, but it felt monumental. Our first sprout. I pulled off my gloves and gingerly plucked the little sprout from its bed like it was the most precious thing I'd ever seen. I held the carrot up, admiring its tiny, fragile form, and smiled. This was progress, at least. If I could make something grow here, surely I could manage more.
My steps were light as I carried the baby carrot back into the annex. I entered the kitchen, my smile cracking my face. Nathan was by the stove, preparing Will's morning coffee, and Will was waiting, watching him intently from his place at the table.
"Look what I found," I said, my voice full of excitement as I held up the little sprout for them to see.
Nathan turned and raised an eyebrow. "Hey, you got something to grow! I was starting to think we were just watering dirt for the fun of it."
Will gave me a small smile, his eyes bright with curiosity. "Well done, Clark. That's one way to justify all those hours out there."
I grinned, crossing over to him and holding the sprout closer. " Well done to all of us. Isn't it amazing? Our first veggie."
Nathan glanced over, chuckling. "First of many, I hope. Maybe we'll even get a salad out of it eventually. Then we can get Mr. T to eat something green."
Will chuckled. "Clark will just hide them in my mashed potatoes."
I laughed, remembering the early days as Will's carer. Without thinking, I fed him his vegetables like I was feeding Tom, hiding them in his food like he was a small child. A warmth enveloped me as I remembered that day fondly.
Still smiling at the memory, I handed the carrot to Nathan, who placed it gently in a small dish. I took the opportunity to slip behind Will and ran my hands through his hair, teasing the unruly strands into something presentable.
Nathan placed a steaming cup of coffee on the table, dropped a few cubes of ice in it, and added Will's straw. I stirred the ice into the dark liquid until it melted and tested the contents, ensuring it wasn't too hot, before giving Will a sip.
"So, I've been meaning to ask you something, Mr. T. You too, Lou," Nathan said as he spooned some scrambled eggs on a plate and set it in front of us.
I sat down and began carefully feeding Will his breakfast.
"A few months ago, I planned a trip home to visit my family in Australia. I thought… well, I thought I'd be freed up to go, but with everything that's happened, obviously things have changed. I was going to cancel my trip, but my mum's been looking forward to it, and I was wondering if—"
"Go," Will said, cutting him off. "I don't want you missing out on holidays because of me. You had this trip planned months, Nathan. You should go."
"Definitely," I added, looking at Will. "I'm here. So, if you're worried about Will, I can take care of him."
"And for anything Clark can't do, we can always hire a temp from the agency."
"Are you sure?" Nathan asked, his expression unsure.
"Positive. Clark knows my routine. My parents aren't far away, and we have the agency for backup. I want you to go and have a good time with your family. You, of all people, deserve it."
"Thank you, Mr. T. That means a lot to me."
"Of course," Will said.
I smiled, pushing my nerves aside. Will was right; I knew his routine like the back of my hand. There were still some things that I didn't help with, but Will's parents were around for those tasks. There was also the temp nurse. I'd do it all myself if he'd let me, but I respected Will's privacy. He was starting to allow me into more of his private life bit by bit, and I was grateful for those small, intimate moments. We were still adjusting to our new life together, and I suspected that Nathan's absence would make us grow even closer.
Of course, I worried about my ability to properly care for him without Nathan's professional touch, but it warmed my heart knowing that Will had confidence in my abilities. That's why I loved him so much. He always saw mypotential.
"So, when is your trip?" Will asked.
"Two weeks from today."
"Alright, I'll let my mother know so we can make proper arrangements," Will said with an affable smile. He glanced at me and winked. "I guess it'll be just me and you, Clark. Think you're up for it?"
I squeezed his hand. "You bet."