Susanna Kearsley · @SusannaKearsley
14th Jun 2012 from Twitlonger
@rosario001 And this, from later in the same scene..
..he raised the pint of dark ale that she’d brought him as he settled back and faced me as before. ‘So.’
Breathing deep, I echoed, ‘So. It’s good to see you, Rob.’
‘It’s good to see you, too.’
‘I’m really sorry—’
‘There’s no need,’ he cut me off, and took a drink before continuing, ‘I told you at the time I understood your reasons. I still do.’
He very likely understood them better than I did myself, I thought. I cleared my throat and said, ‘I’ve been to Edinburgh this afternoon.’
Whatever else he knew, it was apparent that he hadn’t known that, because he lifted his one eyebrow in the way he always had when I’d surprised him. ‘Oh, aye?’
‘Yes. I went to visit Dr Fulton-Wallace.’
When I hesitated, not quite sure how to proceed from there, he sent me a lopsided smile. ‘Is this a twelve-step program that you’re on then? Making peace with all the people from your past?’
His tone was teasing, but I shook my head with an unnecessary force. ‘No, it isn’t. I…’ I faltered, not sure how to ask this question.
Rob said, ‘Of course I will.’
‘Will what?’
‘Come with you to Dundee.’
There was no need for him to ask if that was what I’d wanted; I had always been an open book for him to read. Too bad it didn’t work the other way around, I thought. I tried to read him now, and met a stubborn wall of static as his blue gaze levelled calmly on my own.