This is the life.
Chapter Fifty-Three
WILL
Day Eighteen
‘See? I told you you’d do it,’ Sam says, lifting me up onto the kitchen counter. ‘I knew you had it in you.’
‘Sam, I’m still in shock.’
It had been impossible to catch Sam today. I caught a tan waiting for the day to end, when he could close his shop and we could head upstairs into the solace of his apartment. Itching to tell him my news, the hours went by slowly, until this moment when we could be alone together at last.
My arms around his shoulders, running a hand through his long hair. I smell apricot. He presses against me, my legs wrapping around his waist.
‘I can’t believe he found it,’ Sam says. ‘All because he wanted your desk.’
‘Can you believe he didn’t ask me first?’ I joke. ‘Guess I had no rights after being fired.’
‘I can’t believe you got fired and didn’t know about it.’
‘I can. I didn’t even get leave. Just flew here and winged it. Iknew it was coming when I didn’t turn up for literally two and a half weeks.’
Saying that out loud makes me realise how quickly my time in Athens has gone, and how fast everything has changed. Who knew that all it took was for me to go to Athens to find myself?
Most people go to Bali.
Maybe I’ll do that next.
‘But I’m afraid to ask,’ Sam says. ‘What does this mean?’
‘Elaborate.’
‘Won’t you need to be back in Cardiff? I don’t want to hold you back, but your career is going to flourish now. I don’t know if you’ve realised, but there is hardly a thriving animation team here in Athens.’
I place my finger on his lips, feeling the softness under the tip.
‘I negotiated,’ I say. ‘I can work remotely.’
Sam looks at me, confused, then his eyebrows shoot up. ‘You mean…?’
‘I’m going to apply for the nomad visa, and I’m going to move to Athens,’ I say.
Waiting for Sam has given me a lot of time to think. What’s waiting for me in Cardiff? Besides my apartment, Alice and my parents, with whom I could keep in touch with easily, there isn’t much else. It would be hard to let go of the plants, but I can work that out. I’m ready for a change and a fresh start. Athens can offer that.
Sam can offer that.
‘I’ll find a place,’ I say.
‘Are you joking? You’re staying with me.’
I move back to see him better. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes, I’m sure.’
‘Pretty big step, moving in together,’ I say, ‘We’ve only just gone official.’
‘I think you forget that before you were my boyfriend, you were my best friend.’ Sam grins. ‘It’ll be perfect. We can play the Switch all day.’
