I’m about to open my mouth to tell her how fucking great I think she is when she beats me to it by saying, ‘I’ve only got tonight here left then I’m heading back to Tokyo via the Studio Ghibli park before I fly home.’
I blink at her, momentarily confused by the sudden change in mood. ‘Oh, right. I can’t believe we’ve been here for nearly a week already,’ I say, turning away and running my hand over my hair.
‘Yeah, I know. The time’s gone too fast.’
The thought of her leaving is making my stomach sink.
I don’t want this to end. I want her to stay here, in my arms, in my bed until the end of time.
‘Hey. Wild idea,’ I say, turning back to catch her eye. ‘Don’t go home yet. Come travelling with me for another week. Or longer, if you like. Everywhere I’ll be staying I’ll be paying a double room rate so it makes no difference to me. I’ll also have a car to take us places so all the travel will be covered. And I’ll ask my PA to call the airline and get your flight moved by a week. She’s brilliant at getting those kind of things sorted and she’s twiddling her thumbs at the minute while I’m holidaying here.’
My heart is racing at the idea of this. I’m excited about it.
But is she?
I’m amazed how nervous I feel, waiting for her answer.
She seems to think about this for a whole minute. ‘Well, I have to admit, these last few days with you have been a hell of a lot more fun than spending them either alone or in therapy bawling my eyes out, going over and over what I did wrong in order for my relationship to implode like it did,’ she says with a wry smile.
‘Glad to have been of service,’ I manage to joke, though I’m more intent on knowing what her answer to my suggestion is.
But instead of saying ‘Yes, great idea, I’d love to’, she goes quiet again and stares, unblinking, up at the ceiling.
‘So don’t go yet,’ I prompt, unable to help myself. ‘I think we have something good going here. Something we could explore more.’
‘Lots more fun to be had?’ she says quietly, but not in the excited, accepting way I’m hoping for.
I can’t work out where her head’s at.
She’s gone frustratingly insular all of a sudden.
‘So, what do you say? Will you stay on a bit longer?’ I ask, unable to stop myself from pushing it.
Before she can answer, my phone pings with a message.
The usually upbeat note sounds ominous in the quiet room. I have a horrible feeling I know who this is going to be from, and my pulse picks up as anxiety rises through my chest.
I frown at the phone but don’t move to pick it up.
‘Go ahead, check your message. Don’t mind me,’ Chloe says, her voice tinged with concern, seeming to sense the sudden tension that’s taken over my body.
I reach across for it with a thudding heart and glance at the banner, hoping I’m wrong.
I’m not. It’s another message from Katya.
Kit, please don’t ignore me. I have something really important to discuss with you. I’m?—
Again, the rest of the banner is cut off.
Once again, the wordpregnantflashes through my mind.
Jeez, please no. Not when things have the potential right now to go further with Chloe.
In a sudden moment of clarity, it hits me that I definitely wouldn’t want to hear from Katya that she’s pregnant, but I wouldn’t mind at all if it was Chloe telling me that. In fact, I’d probably welcome it. It would be an adventure with her – of the best kind. Because she’s the best kind of person.
And I think now that fate pushed us back together for a reason.
Deciding not to look at the rest of the message, I dump my phone back on the nightstand, but Chloe is obviously suspicious about my behaviour because she looks at me quizzically.
