My dad clears his throat, his arm around my mum’s waist, and holds up his glass in a toast, and we all follow suit.
“Cheers,” echoes throughout the living room.
ChapterForty
VIOLET
My first few weeks of rehearsals have been exhilarating in the best possible way. I think I may have even found a potential flatmate. He’s currently living with his mum and commuting daily, which is four hours door-to-door, so I mentioned I was looking for a new flatmate and asked if he might be interested. So, he’s coming around to have a look this morning. Granted, I don’t know him that well, but I feel like I do. We hit it off on our first day—we just clicked. Hell, I’ve even spoken to his mum over the phone. She started telling me all about these conspiracy theories; it was enlightening.
Nathan didn’t come over last night because he had a marketing event he had to attend with Henry. I didn’t realise how much Nathan does, and I feel a little bad that I thought he just hung out with Henry while he was training, attended fights, and updated his social media.
I miss him, it's ridiculous, we’ve only been official for a while, and I notice his absence more than I should. But he makes me feel good, and I love spending time together, so I sure as hell am not going to feel bad about it.
I’m just getting dressed when my intercom sounds, and I rush over to answer.
“Hey, chica.”
I laugh and buzz Wayne up and then go and open the front door and wait. My mouth waters when I see him holding a drink holder with two coffees.
“Please tell me one of those is for me.”
He winks. “Of course.”
I move aside for him to enter and close the door before squeezing past for him to follow me to the kitchen. He passes me my coffee, and I inhale it before taking a sip.
“Thank you.”
He nods and glances around. “So this is where the magic happens,” he says.
Laughing, I nod. “Something like that.”
“Do you have plates? I got us almond croissants?”
I swear if he keeps this up, the room is his. I’m just pulling out two side plates when the buzzer goes again.
“Someone’s popular,” he says, pulling out the croissants as I go and answer my intercom.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Tink.”
“Hey,” I say and hold the button before hanging up and then go and open the door, leaving it ajar and returning to Wayne in the kitchen.
Reaching for my coffee again, I take a satisfying gulp and sit on the opposite stool as he slides over my croissant.
“I knew there was a reason I liked you.”
He smiles around a mouthful of pastry.
I hear the sound of the front door close, followed by the heavy sound of familiar footsteps.
Nathan enters and pauses, his eyes going from me to Wayne and then back again, his brows frowning inwardly.
“Nathan, this is Wayne.” He turns on his stool and holds out his hand for Nathan. “Wayne, Nathan,” I say, and for a split second, I think Nathan will ignore his hand, but instead, he takes it and nods.
“Hey.”
“Sorry, if I’d known you’d be here, I would have got you breakfast too,” he says, turning back to his croissant.
