When New York and London Collide

Chapter 31

Chase Kennedy

Ella was disappointed that she didn't get to see Celine when she got discharged, so I promised that I would try my best to set up another meeting. Even though I knew it would be hard, Celine might no longer be in New York. She could very well be in a plane sitting first class on the way across the Atlantic Ocean this very moment.

I managed to get Celine's number from Ella but I hesitated contacting her. It's only been three days since she found out, so she probably didn't want to see anyone either. Though I told myself that I'd reach out in a few days, at least make sure she was okay. I don't know why I cared to that extent, but I didn't give a fuck. I needed to make sure she was fine, or it would eat away at me.

It was now getting late, I'd tucked Ella in, and I thought about getting to bed too until the doorbell rang.

"Who could it be this late?" I groaned and checked the clock. Walking over, I came face to face with the last person I thought I'd see. Though I'd I said I wasn't at least a little happy, I'd be lying.

"Trouble," I nodded. She crossed her arms and her face was all sweaty, her hair sticking to her back. She looked like a piece of work, even sweating and panting.

"Chase. Does your house have to be so bloody far? It took me forever to find it without a car. And the metro wasn't exactly the most helpful. Did you know I was chased by a stray dog on the way? Yeah, I had to run. And with near zero stamina you can imagine how that went," she ranted. I was surprised at how much she could talk when she was supposedly tired from all that running. I pulled her in by her wrist and closed the door. It was cold out and I didn't want her to stand outside getting sick.

"I get the picture trouble. What's going on?" I walked to the kitchen and poured her some water. She had just ran and talked so much I was sure she was dehydrated by now. As expected, she gulped down the entire glass in one mouth and set it back on the counter before taking a seat.

"I have no friends in New York, and I figured you kind of count as a friend." She confessed. I laughed at where we were at in our relationship now. A month ago she would probably rather jump into a tank full of bloodthirsty sharks than willingly step into my home. Now, she called me her friend. And I was happy about it too. What a weird way life works.

"Honoured that you think of me as a friend, horrified that you dropped by without a word. I could've dressed up," I joked. I wanted to keep the atmosphere as light hearted as possible. I still wasn't sure if she was okay, or at least kind of over the whole Liam situation. The best thing I could do now was make her feel comfortable.

"It's okay, I always knew you didn't have the best taste." She shrugged. I pretended to be hurt with a hand over my chest at her remark.

"Untrue. You just haven't seen me in a ridiculously good outfit yet," I rebuffed.

"Okay well I'll be waiting for that day," she laughed. It felt wrong, but every small thing she did made my heart swell in ways I never thought possible. Her light delicate laugh that was so soft yet so capable of filling the entire room and her warm smile that felt like it could brighten even the darkest of days, every thing attracted me to her, like she was a magnetic force I couldn't stay away from.

"Hey!" I heard. I didn't realised I'd blanked out for a second. I returned my focus back and she told me about what she had been doing the past few days after I asked how she was doing. I could feel my heart crack a little when she told me about her going to the bar after she broke up. But the crack mended slowly when I realised how comfortable she was in telling me something so vulnerable.

"You're sure you're okay?" I asked. She nodded and fidgeted with the glass in her hand, her teeth biting into her bottom lip. I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable, so I left it at that. The last thing I wanted was for her to cry. Not because I couldn't handle it physically, but emotionally. I knew from my reaction at the hospital, that if she so much as shed a tear, I would silently break along with her.

"Okay, enough about sad stuff, I'm here for a reason." She said, forcing a smile, pulling out a familiar looking invite. I had one too, it was an invitation to one of my friends wedding. Liam was the chef for their after party, which I assumed is why Celine had an invite. They were still together then.

"I need you to go to this wedding with me." She said plainly. I widened my eyes, shocked that she would even want to go to the wedding after everything that happened. I thought she'd want to stay far away from Liam, not go to a place that she knew he would be at.

"Liam will be there." I said and I watched her take a deep breath. She was still hurt, but that was understandable. It wasn't an easy thing to get over.

"I know. That's why I need to go." She explained. She wanted to show him that she was doing fine without him, that she wasn't going to let him affect her in the slightest. I was worried though, that the sight of Liam would only bring back bouts of pain that she'd been trying to suppress.

"Are you sure?" I asked. I wasn't going to talk her out of it, but I needed to make sure this was something she really wanted to do, and was comfortable with.

"I'm sure." She breathed out, so I agreed. If this is what she needed to get over him, I'd do it in a heartbeat. She smiled in thanks before grabbing her bag.

"Where are you going?" I asked, holding her wrist. For some reason, I didn't want her to leave yet. She told me that she didn't want to disturb me anymore and that I was probably tired anyway.

Fuck being tired, I was never tired when I was with her. And that has been applicable since the first day I met her.

"No way trouble. You went through all that to leave so soon?" She looked around, and finally said, "I mean I've always wanted a house tour."

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"And that's my room," I finished off. We'd visited nearly all the rooms, and in every one Celine had something to say about the decor, of course. She pointed towards the room across the hall of mine and asked me about it. I never let anyone inside; it was like my personal secret and haven.

"Come on, please!" She looked at me with adorable puppy eyes I just couldn't say no.

Reluctantly, I opened the door and expected her to laugh in my face. Not many men, at least among my friends, thought that this was cool even in the slightest. And a small part of me was afraid Celine would have the same reaction I assumed all my friends would have if they saw this room.

Instead, she held the biggest smile I had ever seen on her face that I swore it could light up the room.

That's when I knew, the flutter of my heart when she smiled so widely, that I was well and truly fucked.