Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
N athan had made the mistake of having an afternoon nap after work, and now at just past midnight, he couldn’t sleep. He sat on the couch with a peppermint tea, deciding to watch a documentary to pass some time and help him relax. He couldn’t decide whether to watch David Attenborough or Nigella Lawson. Well, Nigella wasn’t exactly a doco but it was enticing viewing, and it might inspire him in the kitchen, among other things.
While flipping through the options, he paused and checked his phone, wondering whether it was appropriate to contact Lacie yet. It’d only been a few days and he wanted to give her time to settle back home, but he was keen to connect with her again. She hadn’t contacted him either, maybe she was too busy settling back in, or maybe she wasn’t as keen.
He selected a random Nigella episode and sipped his tea, getting up to grab a biscuit a few minutes into it. As she prepared her slow roasted garlic and lemon chicken, he licked his lips and wished he had her meal in front of him, even though he’d eaten a not very Nigella-ish basic steak and mashed potato for dinner not too long ago. He thought back to the Christmas in July dinner at the Applebys’ and smiled. For someone without any family, he was certainly starting to feel like he belonged somewhere.
He eyed his phone. Ah, why not.
He opened messenger and typed:
Hey there, hope you arrived home safely. I was up late watching Nigella’s cooking show and it reminded me of your family dinner and all the delicious food.
He checked the time in Chicago… morning, so she was probably busy working.
Hi, nice to hear from you! Jet lagged but good. Oh, she’s great, you a big fan? ;)
Nathan smiled and pressed pause. Not much would interrupt his Nigella viewing but Lacie won out.
Yeah, she’s probably my second favourite celebrity. Not that I’m much into ‘celebrities’, but she’s got a special charm.
Like you , he thought.
And your first favourite celebrity?
David Attenborough :)
Of course! You’re just like a younger version of him. Maybe you’ll follow in his footsteps one day.
No one could ever replace him, but I do have some ideas for educational videos about nature.
Awesome, send them to me when ready! Gotta go, my day of work awaits! x
He smiled at the little x and his mind rushed back to their kiss. Such a shame she was now on the other side of the world. But as they’d agreed, better to be long-distance friends than nothing. The kiss would have to remain a memory, and he’d have to stop thinking about it.
He pressed play and resumed salivating over Nigella instead – well, her food – and decided to try out her chicken dish sometime soon. Maybe he could make extra and take some over to Martha as a thank you for her recent hospitality and, of course, for his ongoing employment.
He placed his phone on the coffee table and noticed a text message he’d ignored earlier, and his moment of bliss dissolved.
Hey. Saw these and thought of you. I remember you always liked them. Hope you’re having a nice evening.
With the text was a picture of some tiny flowers – lantana. Tess was the only other person he’d mentioned his favourite flower, or weed, to apart from Lacie. She hadn’t responded to his last text saying he was busy and it wasn’t the right time for a catch-up until now. He simply pressed on the message and selected the thumbs up, hoping his ex would get the message. He had many good memories with her, and she shared his love of the outdoors, but sadly, the bad memories of her deceit overtook them and he didn’t want to dig up the past. Digging up gardens and creating new ones was much more fun. He turned his phone to silent, placed his feet on the coffee table, and leaned back on the couch, taking in a deep breath and pushing out all thoughts of Tess with his exhalation. When he breathed back in, he pictured Lacie. Her pink-highlighted hair, the vibrant colours in her choice of clothing, the way she carried those flowers in the basket like it was a precious child, and… oh no, there it was again… her lips on his.
So, I know your favourite celebrity and your favourite flower (I mean, weed). Next up… what’s your favourite animal?
Lacie texted Nathan as she sat on a hard chair in the waiting room of the pathology centre early the next morning, trying to take her mind, and stomach, off the rising nausea, as she was having a fasting blood test.
Little dots moved up and down on the screen while butterflies flitted in her belly as she tried to guess what his reply would be. Dog? Too standard a response, and he didn’t appear to have one, at least, he hadn’t mentioned it. Maybe a cat. No, probably birds.
‘Next up,’ the woman in a clinical uniform said as she opened the door and the previous patient walked out.
Lacie popped her phone back in her bag and got up quickly. Too quickly. She wobbled and grasped the door frame.
‘You okay?’
‘Yep, just need to eat.’ She sat on the chair inside the small room.
‘Ah, pregnant I see,’ the woman said as she read the request form. ‘I’ll be as quick as I can.’
In a few moments her blood was drawn and she immediately grabbed a muffin from her bag and took a bite. She sat back in the waiting room for a few minutes to steady herself and raise her blood sugar, before walking to work. Her phone pinged as she stepped out into the morning sunshine.
Oh!
She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten about Nathan.
She slowed her pace to check the message that had come in during her blood test:
Hard to choose, I love them all. But I’d have to say ladybirds. Or ladybugs, but I don’t like that term, they are indeed like little birds.
And just now, he’d added:
Been fascinated with them since I was a kid, I loved how they’d crawl on my arm, and just when you try to place them somewhere else, they’d fly off. So small but powerful. They do eat some plants of course, but they’re so unique and beautiful.
Lacie stopped along the path and smiled.
OMG I love them too! But my fave would have to be cats. Boring, I know.
Not at all, cats are special creatures too. Do you have one?
Used to. Lightning passed away earlier this year. Haven’t been ready to get another one yet.
And she might not be for a while.
Sorry to hear. I don’t have one, or any other pet apart from the birds that frequent my garden, but I might commit to having a long-term pet at some stage.
They become like family. So, your fave flower is actually a weed and your fave animal is actually an insect. Let me guess, your fave food is probably not really a food?? :)
She chuckled as she continued walking, conscious not to be late for work.
Haha! Actually, you’re right. I love a lot of different foods, but when I think about it, gravy is actually my favourite.
A laugh burst from Lacie’s mouth and a man walking past her flinched as though she scared him. She slowed to type a reply:
Gravy? Well, you’re right, it is delicious, but yeah is it a food or not? Might have to ask Google!
It might be liquid but it tastes good so I’ll just call it a food. :)
Lacie pondered her favourite foods.
Am I also boring if my favourite food is chocolate? I sound like every other woman on the planet.
I’m sure not everyone likes chocolate, and how can chocolate be boring, it’s delicious!
Just not if it’s paired with gravy.
She chuckled. Nathan replied with a vomiting emoji and she laughed again. He sent another message:
This is fun. I’m going to have to think up some more questions over the coming weeks. And each question you ask me, you have to answer too, deal?
Deal.
Lacie put her phone in her bag and got out her keys, unlocking the door to her salon and looking forward to the day ahead, and what his next question might be.