Chapter 42
‘Damn, we’ve missed dinner,’ was the first thing she heard him say.
How long had they been asleep for? She opened her eyes slowly and looked at him as he lay next to her, his face creased from the pillows, his hair not quite sure what to do with itself, in its usual, lollopy way.
She adored him. The tiny dimple at the end of his nose.
The big, accepting heart under those outrageously impressive pecs.
And the way her soul felt like it was attached to his by a delicate lacework of threads, some new but growing stronger, and so many still bound tightly from growing up together and that late-teen first love that had set her heart racing.
Love. Because she now knew it was that. Before they’d been thrown back together, she’d stopped believing in it. But now she’d never been surer that the wave of emotion that filled her every time she thought of him had always been love. She’d just been too afraid to admit it.
And soon enough, she would say it properly. Not same or me too. When the moment was right, she would say I love you. She still feared that once she voiced the words, she might jinx things. Like a wish you weren’t meant to share out loud in case you ruined the magic and stopped it becoming true.
‘We could order room service?’ he suggested, grabbing his glasses from the bedside table.
She smiled. And there was another reason she loved him – for his brilliant suggestions. Her stomach was rumbling and there was a whole menu of triple-cooked chip delights to consider. This wasn’t the perfect romantic moment to declare her undying love for his nose dimple.
She wriggled towards him and laid her head on his chest as they pored over the hotel’s offerings.
‘The steak and dauphinoise potatoes sound good,’ said Devan, making her belly groan even more.
‘I’ll second that. Although I’ve got a weird hankering for extra veg. I think all the good feelings and exercise are making me wholesome.’
‘I’ve got a craving for a pot of chocolate spread on the side.’ He winked at her, and she batted him lightly, guessing his intentions had nothing to do with an innocent pudding and everything to do with Nutella memories.
After Devan had called for room service, Alyssa wrapped herself in one of the hotel’s fluffy bath robes and grabbed a romance novel from a bookshelf in the corner.
She made a nest of pillows and snuggled next to Devan, enjoying the sound of him gently snoozing as she disappeared into a fictional world that sounded as out of control as hers had been, just a few months ago.
It had been years since she’d read a love story, but Devan had got her back into watching romcom movies like they used to, and she didn’t feel nearly as afraid of love anymore.
She cuddled further into Devan, luxuriating in his warmth and listening to his sleepy murmurings.
She’d had hotel stays with boyfriends before, but much like the relationships themselves, they’d been for convenience.
This was different. Lounging, feeling pampered, at ease with being herself.
This was something she could get used to.
When Devan woke, he kissed her and got up to check his phone in that reliable dad way of his.
It crossed her mind that she’d barely touched hers all day, even though social media would be talking about the less polished version of herself that had been emerging and the fact they’d announced their relationship.
She would have to add her own comments, conceding the love tasks had been working and that feelings could grow in many ways – with or without algorithms or coaches to guide you. She’d be endorsing both.
Though right then, she was happiest being in the present with Devan. She hadn’t felt compelled to check how her followers were reacting or to let anyone burst her bubble. All of that could be so fickle, and at last she had something real to call her own.
A flicker of worry danced briefly across Devan’s face as he looked at his phone screen.
She propped herself up on her elbows. ‘Everything OK?’
He exhaled sharply and closed whatever he’d been looking at, flinging his phone on top of a pile of discarded clothes. ‘Yes, absolutely. All good. Just work stuff.’
He flopped onto the bed next to her and she used a hand to gently uncrease the frown lines that weren’t quite disappearing.
‘Are you sure? You can talk to me.’ She’d treasured the way she could open up to him, and she wanted him to feel that too.
‘I do talk to you.’ He rolled to face her. ‘Though right now, we’re on a romantic spa break for two, as expertly chosen by a very clever app. So I won’t kill the mood with talk of wireframing and UX design.’
He reached for his glasses and put them on, eyeing her with mock seriousness. Which was simply cruel, because he knew she found his tech-guy look even more irresistible. She reached out and let her fingers trace his jawline and that cute, cute nose.
His eyelids fluttered softly. Those beautiful, twilight eyes, one slightly darker than the other, that he’d often felt self-conscious about but that she thought made him even more perfect. She curled into him, his arms wrapped around her, his lips pressing into her forehead.
‘Everything’s great just like this, isn’t it?’ he said, though it was more of a contented statement than a question.
‘Yes. Yes, it is.’
Was that an actual, happy tear trying to escape onto her pillow? Was she becoming the sort of person who blubbed at the sheer loveliness of things? She’d have to start carrying tissues.
Against everything she’d once thought possible, she was having an incredible weekend.
Being with Devan made everything feel like an adventure, rather than a thing to be endured for the photos.
She was actually looking forward to couples’ yoga tomorrow, and the sound bath in nature, and even that side of extra veg that would soon be winging its way to them, complete with juicy steaks and a cheeky pot of chocolate spread.
This was turning out to be her favourite love task.
After this, there would only be one more to complete.
What could it possibly be? If it was half as much fun as this, she almost couldn’t wait.
Yet, when all of this was over, there would be big decisions and so much change.
She wanted to be with Devan, but was she ready for real life to get in the way, just yet … ?