Page 38 of Heart Match

I close my eyes to enjoy the warm water running through my hand and down my face. I direct my thoughts to how warm Luc’s body felt against mine, how our bodies fit and moulded each other as we slept.

‘I’ll give Beatrice a call soon,’ she says, now checking the wrinkles on her face. Once she’s done, she checks my cabinet and goes on and on about the anti-ageing products I’m currently using—she’s a dermatologist.

I finish my shower and go pick lingerie and something casual to wear. Almost every Sunday Nate and I meet at our parents’ house for brunch, late lunch or tea in the afternoon. Sometimes, dinner. Today it’s late lunch and tea afterwards. I skipped last week because I was too stressed about presenting my new collection on Monday. So much stress for nothing, really.

I drive with Mum, considering I don’t have a car despite Dad’s constant insistence that I get one. But I mean, a car in London when I mostly work from home doesn’t really make any sense. So whenever I need to go to their place I ride with Nate or take an Uber.

My parents live outside the city, in a mansion they bought when Dad’s business picked up when I was about five. Before that we lived in my current flat. They still keep it as an investment, among several other flats across London. Dad works in construction, so he knows the real estate market well and buys properties that seem attractive.

After Josh, Mum convinced Dad I needed to have my own place and that our old flat would be ideal. Dad didn’t really get why I needed to move, we never told him what really happened between me and Josh, if he knew, he’d probably have killed him or died of a heart attack himself. So once the previous tenants left, I moved in. Besides, Josh had never been to this flat. He wouldn’t find me easily.

I don’t have many memories of the time I lived in my current flat with them as a child. But I know they were always close to the Warners. And I also remember Mrs. Thompson, when she was younger and her husband was still alive. She used to give me and Nate lollipops, and sometimes she would even babysit us.

The big house is where I spent the rest of my childhood and my teenage years. It was nice growing up out of London. We had enough space to play, to throw big parties, to have our dogs, to have all our friends over. Nowadays it seems empty and quiet, except for when the Golden Retriever family we have are barking at and running after the birds in the garden, or Dad turns on one of his cars’ engines to find out some sort of problem.

I’m greeted by Zeus and Athena—our Golden Retrievers—in the garden, which takes quite a while, at least until I’ve given them enough attention for them to find the next interesting thing. Then I finally manage to get inside the house.

‘Hey, Dad,’ I say as I come into the living room to find him sitting on his favourite chair, a leather brown one by the window, reading newspaper with black framed glasses on and watching TV at the same time.

‘Hello, love,’ he smiles and holds his arms wide open to me. ‘You’re skinnier than the last time.’ There goes his worry that I don’t eat enough.

‘Dad. No, I’m not,’ I roll my eyes at him. I sit on his lap and give him a kiss on the cheek. I haven’t stopped greeting him this way even though I’m twenty-six, it has always been like that. We have always been close.

‘What are you watching?’ I ask.

‘Wimbledon,’ he says.

‘Hmm. Tennis?’

‘Yes. I’m hoping Moretti will kick Papadakis’ ass,’ he says. I have no idea what he’s talking about.

‘Boring,’ I say, standing up. ‘I’ll go check what’s for lunch.’

#

Before Nate arrives and lunch is served, I text Naomi and Lexi on our group chat.

Today at 1:04 pm

Me: You guys, I’m alive, ok?

Me: There was no need to call my mum, she showed up in my place and was freaking out.

Lexi: Oh my God, Livvy. Where were you?

Me: Slept at home, woke up and went for a run then had breakfast at Fresh Me Up …

Naomi: Why didn’t you reply to our texts or answer our calls?

Before I get angry because everyone sometimes treats me like I’m a helpless lost child and to avoid further discussions, I swallow my pride and text again.

Me: Sorry guys. Won’t happen again. Thanks for worrying about me, but everything’s fine.

Lexi: Where are you now?

Me: Family lunch

Lexi: Call us later then.

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