CHAPTER Seven
Nellie
There’s a knock on my bedroom door before it slowly opens and Ainsley creeps in. Daylight beams through the gaps in my curtains, but my room is still fairly dark.
“Morning. Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. I wasn’t sure if you came home alone.” Her eyes dart around my room, looking for evidence of someone else.
I yawn. “You didn’t wake me. I was just relaxing for a few more minutes. Why wouldn’t I come home alone?” I cringe, thinking about the new potential man in my life.
“There are some fancy keys downstairs. Unless we’ve won the lottery or you’ve taken up grand theft auto, the silver car outside is an anomaly. Explain yourself.” Her brow arches up like she’s accusing me of lying.
I laugh. “There’s no parent in this house, so I don’t need to.”
She frowns for a second before coming to sit on my bed. “That’s why I came in. I’ve had a missed call from a withheld number. Do you think it might’ve been Mum?” She shows me her phone.
One missed call, no details for the person who wanted to contact her. “It’s hard to know if there’s no voicemail message. If it was her, she’ll try again, but don’t get your hopes up. I hate seeing you disappointed.” I check my own phone, but I don’t have any missed calls.
“Her room was the first one I looked in when I saw the keys.” She frowns, and sadness fills her expression.
I give her a hug, trying to comfort her troubled mind. “The car belongs to a friend. After my shift at Sweet Cocktails, I drove him home, then he said I could borrow his car until today because he knows mine is on the fritz.”
“A guy.” She strokes her chin, clearly happy my friend is male.
“Whatever you’re thinking is not right.” I push my lips together disapprovingly.
“You’ve no idea what’s going on in my head. Is he good-looking?” She grins cheekily.
My first thought is to deny everything. If I do, it could be the start of a cluster of white lies. That’s my mum’s character flaw, not mine. Even though I don’t want to admit my attraction to Christopher, I won’t deny it. “Yes.” I point my finger at her. “He’s not going to be my boyfriend, though, so don’t act weird when he comes.”
“Since when do I show you up?”
“I just mean don’t think his visit means anything more than it does.”
She grins at me like she doesn’t believe a word I’m saying. “Do you want me to see if Lila is free? I could get out of your hair?”
My face heats, but luckily, I don’t have to answer her straight away. My phone chimes, distracting us from the conversation. Both of us grab for it. I’ve got the advantage because I’m closer to it having just checked for a call from my mum. Swiping it up, I open my social media app to find a message from Christopher. Ainsley leans in so far her head is practically covering the screen.
“His PM doesn’t suggest friendzone. ‘Morning beautiful’,” she says reading his message aloud.
“He’s being polite.” Butterflies start in my stomach, but I don’t let on how happy I am from his message.
“Click on his profile. I want a closer look at his face.” She tries to touch the screen, but I move my phone.
“How about you let me read my own messages.” I give her the stern eye.
“Where would the fun be in that?”
I pull the phone to my chest. “Maybe you should go to Lila’s house while he picks his car up. That way, you won’t embarrass me.” I’m trying to convince myself nothing will happen with Christopher, but I’m failing. If I’m alone when he comes, it might lead to other things, and I’d like to have the option. Plus, I don’t want Ainsley to get her hopes up any higher.
“I was going anyway. I just love winding you up.” She laughs again.
Faking distaste, I softly punch her in the shoulder. “Uncool.”
“Make me a promise.”
My eyebrows pull together in a frown. “Sure. What do you want me to swear?”
“You work loads and take care of me. Remember, you have your own life too. If a chance to have a little fun occurs, I want you to grab it. If that’s with Christopher or another way, I want you to consider it.”
It’s touching that my sister is worried about me having fun. I don’t have much of a social life and maybe I should consider letting my hair down. “Thanks for looking out for me. We only have each other, and sometimes I need your advice. Go have fun with your friend and maybe I’ll take some me time.”
She gives me a pointed look. “Thanks. Promise me you mean it?”
“I can do something for me. It might be a facemask or a long soak in the tub, but I’ll make it good.”
“Okay. When was the last time you went out and had fun?”
I scratch the side of my neck. “Like one time I had a really good time?” My mind is blank. Ainsley nods. This shouldn’t be so hard. “Watching you win the silver in the last gymnastic competition.”
Ainsley shakes her head. “That was for me and doesn’t count.”
“Fine. If I get a chance to take Christopher’s car out again, I’ll let it rip on the motorway, or if he gives me the come-to-bed eyes, I’ll let him mess up my sheets.”
“Ew. Too much information.” She covers her face with her hands, making me chuckle. She kinda asked for that. Fun that I can have with Christopher isn’t going to be movie trips or posh dinners. It would be animal attraction and, if I’m lucky, late-night sleepovers.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to gross you out. You should know Christopher isn’t the settling down type, though. That’s why I said you were getting the wrong idea.”
“So, he’s a fuckboy?”
“Ainsley! Where did you hear that term?”
“It was on the front of one of your eBooks on your tablet.”
My eyes widen. “Stay off my reading list.”
“It was a mistake, I swear.” She holds her hands up.
My phone chimes again with a message from Christopher. It’s taking you a while to reply and I can see you’ve read my PM. Should I be worried about my car?
Ainsley reads the message over the top of my phone. This time I don’t wait to reply. Your car is fine. We had a great night together. ;)
“And that’s my queue to leave. I’ll be home for tea.” Ainsley climbs off the bed and makes her exit.
Christopher: I’m intrigued. Are there any pictures of what you got up to?
Me: Maybe next time. When are you going to pick her up?
Christopher: Who says my car’s a girl? I’ll set off in an hour. Where is your car? Do you want me to take a look at it? I know a little about engines and might be able to help.
Me: I thought all cars were female. Mine’s next to yours. It would be great if you could have a look at the old girl.
Christopher: I’ll see you soon. Xx
My belly fills with excitement in anticipation of his arrival. I run my hand through my hair before climbing out of bed. Looking in the mirror, it’s obvious a comb-through isn’t going to cut it. I jump in the shower, ready for Christopher’s imminent arrival.