London Falling (Falling #2)(26)

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A week later and nothing. I’ve worn a hole in the carpet in front of my desk pacing. I obsessively checked my phone for recent or missed calls, a text, an email perhaps, anything to prove I hadn’t lost her. I’d gone over that morning ad nauseam. There’s nothing I’d change save for the moment when I told her to call me. Then, I wouldn’t be feeling like a bloody idiot for the past week.

“Bugger! I can’t take it anymore!” I pulled at the strands of my hair, making an arse of myself.

“What has your willy in a wrinkle? You’ve been a bit of a prick all week.” Nathaniel’s cheery English timber broke my brooding.

“You want the truth or the twisted happenings I’ve got going on now in my head?”

Nate unbuttoned his sport coat and sat down. “Truth.” He nodded.

“You remember that woman London Kelley?”

“Course. A bloke would have to be blind to forget her.” He grinned and I sneered.

“We had a date last week.”

Nate slapped his knees and leaned forward. “Bloody wanker, that’s brill!” His smile was bright, his dimples clearly displayed. I help up a hand to hold off his congratulatory talk. His smile waned. “What?”

I sat down, sighing heavily, not knowing how to put what happened between us into the right words. We’d had the best blooming night. Enjoying one another until the wee hours of the morning before starting all over again. Then it all went downhill.

“I don’t know. We had a date. A really good time. Made it back to my place. Best bloody shag ever.” I shook my head then held it in my hands.

“Better than, you know…” I nodded into my hands. “So where’s the problem, mate?”

“I’m doing a piss poor job of explaining. She left the morning after. We had a bit of a row. God, it’s Sod’s Law.”

“The relationship area is not exactly my cup of tea brother, but I’m still not following. You had an argument after a lovely night and an even better night of bonking and you argued?”

Exasperation took hold. “I told the bird I wanted more than just a one night shag and she took off. I scared the girl and I have no idea how to fix it!”

Nathaniel tilted his head back and laughed. Loud. Heat rose in my chest and up my neck. I knew my ears were tinged red to match the fire inside my gut. “I pour my f*cking heart out to you and you laugh. Stuff it! You’re no help, brother mine!”

Charging around my desk I tried to pass the snickering hyena otherwise known as Nathaniel. He shot an arm out to stop me. “No Collier, I’m sorry. Brother, I’m sorry!” I smacked off the hold he had on my sport coat.

“You’re an arsehole!”

“Guilty! And a bugger, a wanker, a sod, a daft bastard, but you’ve caught me at a disadvantage.”

“How so?”

“I’ve not seen you knackered about a bird in ages. Since the queen-beast Claire. Excuse me if I find it a bit humorous to see your panties in a twist over a girl.”

“So, what do I do? I gave her an ultimatum. Told her I wouldn’t call her, that she had to contact me if she wanted to see me. Now it’s been a week and I’m wrecked!”

I slumped into the chair next to him. He put an arm on my shoulder. Its weight was a great comfort. Reminded me of our teen years back home. We’d spend nights sneaking out, getting pissed, seeing what type of horse-play we could get into. No matter what happened, if we got caught we always took the punishment together. Mum was ruthless with the chores and my step-father always gave us the long talk. We didn’t care. At least when we were cleaning the garage or taking out the rubbish bin, we’d sneak looks at one another and laugh it off. Life seemed easier then. Nothing but curfews, shenanigans and rugby. God, I missed those days.

“Find out a way to run into her. There’s Hank and Aspen’s wedding but that’s in four weeks.” He twisted his lips and steepled his fingers under his chin.

“Would you consider hosting a dinner party at your flat? Invite Hank and his fiancée, get her to bring London?”

Nate’s smile was huge. “Brill, mate! I’d love to have them over, cook for everyone. Of course Aspen rarely goes anywhere without Oliver. He’ll bring his boyfriend Dean and then we’ll have them invite London.”

The cloud of doom dissipated as the plan came together. This would work. She’d come to dinner, be forced to spend time with me. We could slip aside and talk, clear the air as it were.

“I’ll owe you for this, Nate.”

His grin was wide, his eyes laced with an evil glint. “Yes you will, brother mine.” He laughed sinfully.

Owing Nathaniel was like playing cards against the Devil. Only worse because he’d come back with a zinger that puts your lousy favor to shame. Last time I owed him one I was stuck on a date with a six foot two amazon woman who thought bench pressing young uni blokes was a fun pastime. The bruise on my hip lasted for weeks when the giant unexpectedly pulled me off my feet and into the air. Someone made her laugh and there I was, a crumpled heap of gangly limbs and sore bones. I was lucky not to have broken anything when my hip hit the pavement.

“So it’s settled then. How fast can you plan this and what can I do? Call a caterer?”

Nate scoffed. “I’ll cook. Besides I have this new little thing I was hoping to impress…”