Page 48 of Kiss Me Ever After
We found a table in the corner, and I went to the counter to order a cappuccino for Lennon, coffee for me, and a sandwich for each of us. When the server told me the price, I almost had a heart attack. And I thought the Blue Goose had been expensive. If I was going to spend time here with Lennon, I’d best start saving now. I took our drinks back to the table to find Lennon staring at her phone.
“They’ve already said no to me,” she said, gesturing in the vague direction of the place we’d just come from. “And the appointment at five has been cancelled because they’ve already found someone.” She sighed and pouted.
I can’t say I wasn’t sorry the first place hadn’t come through for her. But I did know the last viewing we had today was Lennon’s favourite on her list.
“What am I going to do if I can’t find anywhere to live?” she wailed.
“Stay in Ealynn Sands?” The words came out before I could stop them.
She fixed me with a look which told me she thought I was crazy.
“You’ve already got a far better house there. Plus friends. And… me,” I ventured.
Lennon let out a hard breath. “But I want to finish uni. I want to get my degree. I want to intern in New York.”
With those three statements, I could sense her slipping away from me.
For the rest of the afternoon, I distanced myself. Her words stung. She hadn’t even acknowledged our relationship. Was I kidding myself for thinking we could have a future?
The viewing after our impromptu lunch break went about as well as the first, although the flat was a little bigger. It seemed as soon as anyone found out she was a student, all interest faded. The next two went a little better, although they were further away from her preferred area. With the cancellation, there were only two more in the morning—assuming they didn’t get snapped up before she could see them.
“I’m tired,” she said, shortly after four o’clock. “We should probably go check into the hotel. Get some rest before dinner. You said you’d booked somewhere to eat?”
I nodded. “I hope you like it.”
“I’m sure I will.” Lennon stifled a yawn, her lack of enthusiasm apparent.
The hotel was a chain and Lennon had used some membership points or something to pay for it, meaning it hadn’t actually cost anything. They gave us cards for complimentary drinks, and we stopped at the bar on the way up to our room, getting a couple of beers.
Our room was clean, bright and spacious, much nicer than some of the flats we’d viewed today.
“Maybe you could stay here,” I joked, throwing myself on the bed.
“Seriously, Justin, do you think I could afford it?” Lennon placed her hands on her hips. “One night here would probably cost about the same as a week’s rent.”
I propped myself up on one elbow. “I didn’t mean it; I was making an observation.”
She huffed. “Well, don’t. I’m going to see if there’s a bath, I’d love a good soak.” The bathroom door banged behind her, leaving me alone.
I sank back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.
This trip wasn’t panning out how I expected.
I was losing her.
22
Lennon
Justin seemed off with me.I couldn’t put my finger on when it had happened, but he was definitely being weird. We hadn’t spoken for most of the afternoon, apart from the necessary details about where we were going or what we were doing. I’d thought a night in a hotel, away from all the stresses of home, would be good for us. It appeared to be having the opposite effect.
I ran a bath, taking advantage of the free toiletries, and sank into the perfumed water, the warmth going some way towards soothing me.
Today hadn’t gone well at all, even ignoring the issues Justin and I were having. There was only one place I really liked, but I wasn’t sure they liked me. The whole student thing was going down like a bucket of cold sick, and it scared me to think I wouldn’t find anywhere. I pinned my hopes on the two appointments in the morning.
Justin hadn’t told me where we were going for dinner. As I’d organised the hotel and travel, he said it was only fair he should sort that out. It was difficult to second guess what he’d arrange. We’d usually eat at home or grab pizzas at the pub on their two-for-one night. I’d asked what I should wear to see if I could get a hint, but he gave nothing away.
While I was in the bath, my phone rang.
