Taking a few beats, I open it up to Fleur.
“Finally!” she exclaims.
“What’s happening?” I ask.
“I need your help.” Fleur pushes her way into my room. “Fell asleep hanging with Mabel?”
Shit.
“Yeah, we were watching a movie, and I passed out on the lounge.” Hopefully that is a good enough cover.
“Alright,” she replies and then launches back into her line of thought. “Sophia is coming along to MudPit today and it’s her birthday over the race weekend, so Javi and I want to organise something for her.”
“Sure, what can I help with?”
“I want it to be a surprise, so can you handle going and grabbing a cake? And then meet us there a little after we arrive so she doesn’t see it?”
“You know you could have just messaged this all to me?”
“I got paranoid I would send it to Sophia tryingnotto send it to her.”
I laugh. “I get that. What time are you lot aiming to be there at?”
“We’ll all be there at 11:00 a.m. Maybe take Mabel. You might need extra hands.”
“Sure, I’ll fill her in.”
Satisfied with my answers and agreement to help, Fleur nods, turning to leave. “Thanks! See you at MudPit!”
Pulling out my phone as I close my door to undress, I type out a message to Mabel:
You’re coming with me for a secret errand.
Sounds like fun. I’m in.
Don’t think I gave you a choicein the matter. ;)
“Gave me a choice”?
Fleur’s orders. Not mine. lol
Yup. Can’t make her mad. Meet you downstairs in an hour. x
See you then. x
This is going to be a great day. I’m looking forward to being outside with Mabel. Not that we are going to be dumb and be all over each other, but it’s nice to hang with her outside of hotel rooms. I showered and threw down some food while I returned a call from Mum. Called her as while she was out on the farm, so she could only chat for a bit. I ended up in the hotel lobby fifteen minutes before I needed to be, but I did run into Koby coming back from a run, and chatted with him for a bit. As Koby excuses himself to get an incoming call, she catches my eye.
Mabel steps out of the elevator in pink high-top Converse and black tights. She has on a white baseball tee with black sleeves, with a knot tied on her hip, so it hitches up a bit, exposing some of her stomach. Her honey brown hair in a messy bun, some hair spilling out and around her face. A stunning sight before me, completely taking my breath away.
“You okay, hotshot?” she asks as I reach her. Looking over her shoulder, she continues, “Someone you know behind me?”
“Nah, I’m good.” I attempt to shake off my speechlessness.
“Ready?” she asks, still not 100% convinced.
“Lead the way.” I gesture for her to go in front of me, and I will be content forever if I get to walk behind her for the rest of my life.
Mabel and I secure the cake and some random birthday paraphernalia; party hats, candles, and small party poppers. I sit in the back of the cab holding the cake, keeping it safe. Mabel stares out of the window, enjoying watching the lush, rural New South Wales landscape pass by, while I enjoy taking in her face, her existence. A serene look crosses her face as she absentmindedly taps her fingers on her thigh. Itching to reach over and hold her tapping hand, it took me the abrupt reminder that Fleur would kick my ass if anything happened to the cake to refocus. So, my hands stay firmly protecting the cake on my lap.
