She’ll flirt and be her usual cheerful self, but she seems to be thinking the same thing as me.
We will get there; we just need a little more time.
When we get back to the apartment, Harriet is ready with dinner. As always, it smells fantastic, and we set the table before sitting down.
We managed to complete one more interview for Lily’s assignment today, and I must say, speaking with her is refreshing.
I’ve never had a mental coach or spoken to someone professionally—never really had the urge to do so—but I know several players who do and speak powerfully about it.
Talking with Lily is making me reflect more on things connected to my performance and what matters and does not.
Knowing her so well also works in my favour, as I find it easier to open up to her than to a stranger.
When dinner is all done, Harriet heads home, and for the first time in a week, it feels natural to ask Lily to stay for a movie again.
Such a small thing, but I’ve missed it dearly.
“No fucking horror movies, then I’m leaving,” she says, making me chuckle.
After the fiasco of The Conjuring, I won’t put on a horror movie, knowing she hates them.
It was fun scaring her though, also gave me a reason to touch her.
Christ.
I’m a starved man.
Having to scare a girl to have a reason to touch her. I really need to have that conversation with Luke.
We settle into the couch and find a documentary about a murder case.
Apparently, real murder is less scary than fake murder.
After a while, Lily gets up to grab a snack and some drinks.
She comes back with her usual Coke Zero.
For me, she’s bought a glass of water with ice cubes and a Coke Zero. When she puts that down, she winks at me, which makes me chuckle.
She likes to tease me about living, but I appreciate the water, too.
I don’t miss her sitting down closer to me when she drops back down on the sofa.
It would be so easy to drag her into my lap.
Before I can think too much about it, I do just that, her head resting against my chest.
“Scared, Bennet? Need me as support for the scary documentary?”
She gazes up at me.
I bring an arm around her.
“Yeah, something like that.”
We watch the rest of the documentary, with Lily resting on my chest and me running my fingers occasionally down her arm.
It feels like the most natural embrace, having her in my lap.
