Page 69 of Falling for Nicole
“Yeah, they’re cute.”
“That’s not what you used to say.” Memories of him taking the micky out of the colour of my hair and freckles fill my mind, and I can’t help but smile.
“I was an idiot.”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself.”
His lips come down on mine and his tongue sweeps into my mouth. I groan when his fingers tickle up my ribs before he grabs my breast. Feeling him harden against my stomach reminds me that we don’t have time for this, but those thoughts are soon forgotten when he tugs the cup of my bra down and starts pinching my nipple.
The second I hear the doorbell, I’m pushing him off and trying to right my clothing. I can only imagine what I look like right now. It’s not how I planned on greeting Liv.
I glance in the mirror in the hallway and groan when I catch sight of my heated cheeks and wide eyes. She’s going to take one look at us and know exactly what we were up to.
“Hey,” I sing when I pull the door open, hoping my excitement might distract her.
“Hey! You were right about the weather, it’s gorgeous.”
“Come in.”
“Aw, this place looks cute,” she says from behind me as she follows me down the small hallway that leads to the main rooms. “Oh,” she says in surprise when she sees Dec sat on the sofa, thankfully looking a lot more put together than I am. “Hi, Dec. All your grovelling worked then?” Liv laughs to herself, but Dec isn’t quite so amused. Things might be good between us, but I’m not stupid enough to think he’s forgotten what happened.
“I was wrong,” I admit. “Dec didn’t do anything, and he certainly didn’t deserve for me to treat him the way I did that weekend.” I’m hoping my admission will go towards making him properly forgive me for not trusting him.
Getting up, he makes his way over before telling us to have a good night, giving me a kiss and heading out.
I know it’s stupid, but I already miss him, knowing we’re doing our own things tonight. We’ve practically been attached at the hip the last week or so; it’ll be odd not having him here.
“Let me show you to your room. I thought we could go to the pub for dinner. It’s just the next street over.”
“Sounds perfect. Is it okay if I shower first?”
“Of course. I haven’t booked a table or anything. Take your time.”
* * *
It turns out that Liv’s called time out with her boyfriend, David, and he hasn’t taken it all too well, hence her need for a break.
She finishes off her glass of wine and glances over at me. I can see she’s hurting just from the look in his eye. “Everything was perfect. Then, we found out his brother’s an addict. His parents knew something was off, but they hadn’t realised how bad it was. He’s been stealing from their house to pay for his habit, bringing some right dodgy characters around and expecting them to put up with it. His mum’s slowly losing the plot; apparently she’s struggled with depression in the past and it seems to be dragging her under. Then his dad is walking around like nothing’s wrong. David’s taken it hard, but he won’t talk to me about it. He just hides behind a bottle of whatever he can get his hands on. He lost his job a while ago and he’s drowning. I thought I could help pull him out. I stayed in Cardiff after I graduated when what I really wanted to do was leave. I got a shitty job that just about covers our rent and bills, but I’m fed up.
“I feel awful, and it’s the guilt that’s kept me there. I keep thinking of how good it was in the beginning, you know? I keep praying we can get back there, but the longer this goes on, the more I’m beginning to realise it’s just not going to happen. His family is falling apart at the seams, and he’s no better. I can’t put my life on hold while I cling to what’s possibly an already failed relationship.”
“I’m so sorry,” I say, handing her my glass of wine when she looks like she needs it. Thankfully the waiter comes over and we order a couple more. “You’re right though. Life’s too short. You need to get out of there and do what’s best for you.”
“It’s just so hard to end it.”
“I can imagine.”
“I’ve no idea what it’ll do to him,” she admits.
“His life isn’t your responsibility though, Liv.” Since losing Mum, I’ve got a whole new outlook on life. Sometimes I worry it makes me come across like a cold hearted bitch, but my experience has taught me how short life is, and there’s no point being miserable. I’ve had my fair share of misery to know how true that is.
“I know,” she says sadly. “I just don’t want to put any more on him.”
“I understand that, really I do. But you need to worry about you. What do you want?”
“A good job that I love, and a nice place to live. But he refuses to move, so I’ve got a choice to make.”
“I think the fact that you’re sitting here right now means you’ve already made it,” I point out.
