AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Fantastic. Okay, that’s everything done. Steve is free to go home.”
“Excellent, thanks again,” Nick smiles. “Have a wonderful afternoon.”
“And you.”
“Darling, you were absolutely magnificent,” I gush when we’re alone in the corridor. “I honestly don’t know how you get away with it!”
Nick laughs conceitedly. “Thank you, but let’s not get too comfortable. Remember, we’re not quite out of the woods yet. We’ve still got to get past all those nurses. Let’s save the celebrations for when we’re back in the car.”
I nod excitedly.God, I love him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Imagination
Sometime around six, Nick guns the Jag back into our street and parks across the road from my house. The recent shower has calmed to a drizzle, dotting the windscreen with miniscule specks of water. I sigh with relief.Thank heaven that’s over.
My father unclips his seatbelt. “Home sweet home,” he laughs. “Hey Nick, are you sure you don’t want to come inside for a coffee? We’ve still got loads of stuff to talk about. Did I ever tell you about the time I met Sai Baba?”
“Thanks, but I’ll have to decline,” Nick replies. “I’ve got an early start tomorrow, so I really should be heading home. But we’ll definitely catch up soon. Your stories about India are fascinating.”
“Trust me, you haven’t heard the half of it. There’s stuff that’s happened to me that will make your hair stand on end!”
I smile and shake my head. It’s been a crazy, crazy drive. Ever since we left the hospital, my father has behaved like a problem child. He’s talked non-stop without once taking a breath, and keeps fidgeting and laughing to himself, like there’s some private joke we’re not in on. At one point, he even leaned out the window and challenged another driver to a race, before Nick intervened. Ar first, I’d found Dad’s wild behaviour amusing, but now the joke has worn thin and I just want him to shut up. He’s starting to give me a headache.
“Okay,” I sigh. “I guess we’d better be going. Oh, Nick, what’s the plan for tomorrow?”
“I’ll pick you up after work and we’ll take it from there,” he smiles.
“Great!”
“Have you done your Christmas shopping yet?” Dad asks.
I slap my hand across my forehead. “Oh gosh, it’s Christmas on Wednesday! I totally forgot. So much has happened, I’ve completely lost track of everything.”
“Not to worry,” Nick winks. “I’m sure we’ll sort something out. It’s Christmas; not the end of the world.”
Laughing maniacally, my father pushes open his door and jumps unceremoniously onto the pavement. Mumbling to himself, he races across the street to our house.
I shoot Nick a look. “I hope to God you’re right that this wears off soon. This is utterly exhausting and I don’t know how much more I can take. He’s like the bloody Duracell Bunny.”
Nick chuckles wickedly. “Will you stop worrying? Like I said, give it a couple of hours and he’ll be back to normal, I promise. This is just a phase. It won’t last forever.” Tenderly, he strokes my cheek with his thumb, his gaze so penetrating I’m forced to avert my eyes. Then his lips find mine and he’s eating me out with an intensity that makes my head swim.
After what seems forever, I pull away, breathing pretty hard. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Definitely.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Me neither.”
I get out the car and for a second, I stand by the curb, watching Nick reverse the Jag out of the parking space. He winds down the window, waves at me, and then he’s gone.
With a happy sigh, I turn around and follow Dad back into the house.
As soon as I get inside, I run upstairs to charge my mobile. The battery’s been dead since morning and I suspect my mother has been trying to contact me. Sure enough, the moment I switch the phone on, a series of voicemails and texts appear. Without bothering to read them, I dial her number.
“Oh my gosh, I’ve been trying to get through to you for ages.”
