Page 10 of Away With You
Shifting in my chair, I resist the urge to pull it all up into a ponytail, thus ruining all the work we put into it. I’m always this way when anyone focuses on my hair; even if it’s just to admire it.
“There’s a lot of it to remember,” I point out. “How was Cherry’s flat farewell?”
He leans back in his chair, his long legs bumping into mine under the table. I shuffle to the side, acutely aware of how close all of him is to all of me.
“It was fun. Nicky was his grumpy self, muttering about how long it’s taken to get her to move in with him. It’s been two weeks,” he clarifies, answering my querying eyebrows. “So, that was fun. The man won everything this year, including the girl, and he’s still grumpy.”
I sigh. Watching the romance between Cherry and Nicky unfold this year has been so much fun. Like seeing a romantic comedy playing out in real life. “I think it’s cute. They are adorable together, and he clearly knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to show it. They have that sort of love, you know? You can see it through the screen; the way he looks at her…”
Nathan is grinning at me, and I break off mid-sentence, embarrassed by my ramblings. These people are his friends, not characters in the rom-com I’ve turned their lives into.
“Let me tell you.” He leans forward, and I mirror him. “It was even more fun to watch up close and personal.”
His warm breath tickles my face, and I realise how close we’ve gotten. Straightening up, I clear my throat, grateful forthe distraction of the two cups of steaming hot chocolate being placed in front of us.
“So, tell me, Katie. What have you been up to these last few years?”
I stare at him for a beat, gauging his sincerity. “I, um, studied at uni after my A levels.”
He nods, looking interested in hearing more.
“Like, a lot. A lot, a lot,” I add. “I ended up completing my PhD in cancer research, which is what I’m still working on now. In between lecturing, which is how I pay my bills.”
A proud smile unfurls on his face. “I always knew you’d do something like that. That you’d be something special.”
I snort. He thinks what I do is special? He’s a World Champion Formula 1 driver, one of only a handful in the world!
“I’m serious,” he argues. “Back at school, you were the smartest person in our year level. In the entire school. I was in awe of how your brain worked. And now you’re using it to make the world a better place. To make a difference.”
A warmth spreads through my chest as I digest his words. “Thank you, Nathan. It’s nice to hear. I don’t think I’m making much of a difference, though...science moves at a glacial pace and is chronically under-funded. But I do enjoy knowing I’m playing a small role in advancing treatment options for patients with cancer.”
His face clouds over. “Your mum?” he asks in a hushed tone.
I swallow painfully. “Yeah…”
We sink into a heavy silence, and I take a sip of my drink, scrambling to get my thoughts together.How have we landed back on my mum again?
“How’s your family?” I ask finally, needing to move the attention off me. “How’s Rosie?”
Nathan’s younger sister also went to school with us. I remember Rosie as a stunning, blond fairylike creature whoshimmered and sparkled her way through the hallways. She was friendly and beloved by everyone. Kinda like Nathan.
His gaze softens at the mention of his sister. “She’s great. Lives in London still, not too far from me.”
That must be nice. To have family close by. To have a family at all.
“And your brother?”
His lips flatten into a tight line, and I realise too late my mistake. It had been huge news a few months ago, when Nathan’s long-term girlfriend, the breathtaking Victoria, had broken up with him only to get together with his older brother George a few days later. The reporting at the time had been brutal, and I remember how heartbroken he was. How devastated he looked through it all. And now I’ve gone and brought it all up again.
“Sorry,” I say. “I shouldn’t have brought him up.”
His nostrils flare, the only outward sign that he’s bothered by it, as he waves it away. “It’s fine. All in the past. I’d rather talk about you.”
Me?I titter out a small laugh. He doesn’t realise that, in the few sentences we’ve already exchanged, we’ve already covered all of me. And then some.
I lick my dry lips, and his eyes follow the movement of my tongue. “Um, I’m pretty boring. Not too much more to share.”
He shakes his head with a wry smile. “You are the furthest thing from boring I can ever imagine.”
