Page 85 of Insidious

“I love it,” I add, softer now. “You know that.”

A flicker of something crosses his face. Satisfaction.

“Do I get a reward? A kiss …” he asks.

“Don’t push your luck, buddy,” I shoot back, but I am grinning.

We built a drone once. Sat cross-legged on the floor for hours, arguing over instructions, laughing when it didn’t work the first time, celebrating like idiots when it finally lifted off, only to crash into a tree. It was … one of my favourite days.

I swallow, blinking away the sting in my eyes.

“Thank you,” I say, already opening it and pulling out the instruction booklet.

Isaac nods, relief slipping into his expression, but he doesn’t make a big deal of it.

Something almost like the before flickers into place.

***

The next few weeks whizz by. Isaac has his sessions with his therapist, and I have mine. Manon has called him a couple of times, and I heard him ask her to give me time.

When we are in bed, he whispers that she wants to come and chat, but we can do that when I am ready. I have control.

Chapter 23

Luna

The two weeks after the LEGO set seem to have passed by in a rush.

I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it never did. We settled into a routine. Isaac point-blank refused to be removed to the guest room when I suggested it under the guise of taking over the night feeds.

He fixed me with those knowing blue eyes and spelt it out.

“Not a chance in hell,” he rumbled in his increasingly tempting, grumbly voice.

I still wake up to find we have gravitated towards each other in the night. Most days, I wake up to the sensation of his morning wood poking me in the butt.

I have finally forgiven Lily for trying to play devil’s advocate. The first time she called, I didn’t even let her finish.

“I expect you to be on my side,” I told her flatly. “Even if I’m wrong. That’s what besties do.”

There was a long pause on the other end as Lily calculated her next move. Then, cautiously, “I am on your side. I’m just trying to be the voice of reason—”

I hung up.

She called back.

“Luna—”

“No,” I cut in. “I need loyalty. You are on my side. Isaac has plenty of friends to take his side. Even bloody Colin spoke for him.”

“You’re being …”

“A hormonal little bitch? I’m allowed. I have postpartum depression. See? I know big words too.”

“You’re also being unfair.”

“Also allowed.”