Chapter 82: I miss you

Terry tells me all about Denis and what’s been happening with them since she got back home that day.

By the sounds of things, absence is definitely making the heart grow fonder in their case.

She is totally smitten. And I’m so happy and sad for her.

But it’s making me miss Natte even more, hearing her talk about missing Denis.

I’ve been away from Natte for just over half a day and it’s already hurting like a bitch. So lasting two days just doesn’t feel like a physical possibility at the moment. I feel like I’m missing one of my limbs.

But I’m going to do my very best to hold out for as long as I can, because it’s healthy for us to have time apart.

“So how was it leaving, Natte?” Terry asks, picking her wine up and taking a sip.

“Horrible. Hard. Teary.”

“You’re seeing him in two days though?”

“Yes,” I nod. I take a sip of my own wine, then put my glass down and take a deep breath. “Natte has asked me to move in with him.”

She splutters on her wine. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. He’s asked me to move to his Villa to live with him.”

“Wow,” she says. “So are you going to?”

“I don’t know,” I shrug. “It’s a lot to think about. I love living here. I love working at the resort. I love Vicky. I just don’t know.”

“You love him?”

I meet her eyes. “Like no one before. I always have.”

“Then you have your answer,” she says softly.

I drag my hands through my hair, trying to compile a coherent sentence, but nothing’s coming, except for that she’s right.

My phone starts singing on the coffee table. One quick glance at my phone tells me it’s Natte.

I haven’t heard from him all day as he’s been on his flight back to London for business. He must have just landed.

“I was gonna go call Denis anyway,” Terry smiles, getting to her feet. “Say hi to Natte for me.”

“Hey, baby,” I murmur, answering.

“Come to London. Now. Please. I’ll send the jet for you.”

“A simple, ‘I miss you, Shia’, would have done.” I start to chew on my thumbnail.

“I miss you, Shia. Too much. Now will you please come to London? I’m going nuts here without you.”

“It’s only been what seven hours.”

I’m not going to admit to him I’m going nuts without him too.

“Six, and you’re not missing me?” His voice is laced with hurt.

“I am. Like you’ll never know. Worse than I did when we were kids.”

“So why are we even doing this?”

“Because it’s healthy to spend time apart.”

“That’s just Cosmo bullshit. Shia … baby, please, I miss you so much, I can’t even begin to explain. I hate that I’m not with you right now,” he sighs. “Okay, that’s it.” He sounds suddenly alert. “I’m cancelling the business thing. If you won’t come to me then I’m coming to you.”

“You can’t do that!” I exclaim. But I love that he wants to.

“I’m the boss. I can do whatever I want.”

“Natte, the important, it’s important to you and the employees.”

“Steve and Ben can do, which means I can be with my girl until everything is sorted.”

“You’re talking crazy,” I giggle.

“The only crazy thing I’ve done was let you go earlier. I spent seven years away from you, Shia. No more. You won’t come to London then I’m coming to you.”

I trace my fingertip over a groove in the coffee table. “I never said I wouldn’t come to London.”

There’s silence down the line. I can hear his shallow breathing. “You’ll move in with me?” His voice is soft, tentative.

I take a deep breath. “Yes.”

“Baby, you have no idea how happy you’ve just made me, or how happy I’m going to make you.” I can practically feel his smile down the line.

“Natte, you already make me happy. All I need is you. I have you, I’m the happiest girl in the world.”

“When will you come?”

“Give me this week to sort things out here, and then I’m all yours for good. I just need to figure work stuff out with Vicky. Figure the flat stuff out with Darla, and tell my parents of course.”

“Your dad is going to kick my ass for taking you away from him isn’t he?”

“I’d say it’s quite likely,” I laugh.

“I’ll take his ass-kicking if it means I get you here with me … so I just have to spend this week away from you, then you're mine, for good?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. I can live with that … just,” he adds.

We spend the next few hours on the phone making plans, talking nonsense like Natte and I do, and I love it.

Eventually I hang up the phone with him, with much reluctance, but I need to sleep as pent up tiredness finally takes over.

I go to bed, thinking about how I’m going to be quitting my job and moving to London, and also that I’m going to have to find a job once I’m out there. I’m not sponging off Natte. I’ve got some savings so they should tide me over until I can get sorted with a job. I wonder if Vicky has any contacts out there? Natte is a boss, but I’m not having his influence getting me a job. I want to do this on my own.

And I fall asleep thinking of Natte, and all the amazing things we have to look forward to together.

Life doesn’t get any better than this, as it is right now.

I wake to the sound my phone ringing. It takes me a minute to grasp my bearings.

I’m in my flat. In my own bed.

I squint at the clock 4am.

Grabbing my phone off my nightstand, I see it’s Natte.

“Baby, I miss you too, but it’s 4 am.”

“Shia.”

I instantly know something is wrong by the broken sound in his voice.

“Natte, what’s wrong?” I sit up in bed, concerned, my stomach tying into a thousand knots.

“Shia, it’s–it’s my dad … he’s dead.”

My heart stops in my chest.

“Peter?” I ask, clarifying he doesn’t mean his step-dad.

“Yes.”