Nothing Better (Than You) - English Vers.

¤ Chapter 21

As Nate stirred, she became aware of a soft touch on her hair. She slowly opened her eyes, and Julian's blurry features gradually came into focus.

"What is it?" Nate asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she shut her eyes once more. She was consumed by fatigue, the weight of her guilt over the situation with Keith having denied her a restful night's sleep.

"Wake up. We've got to get going," Julian said, still gently running his fingers through Nate's hair..

Nate's eyes narrowed slightly. "Where are we off to?" she asked, her voice still laced with sleepiness.

"We're going on an outing. It's our anniversary, and I thought it would be nice to get out and about."

"Huh? Isn't that still...?" Nate shut her eyes once more, trying to get her brain in gear. "Dunno... Maybe next week?"

"What's the big deal? It's just a date."

As Nate's eyes fluttered open, Julian bent down to kiss her forehead. He was impeccably dressed in a striped black-and-white shirt and black trousers, suggesting that their plans were more elaborate than a simple walk in the park. Nate's lips twitched into a smile as she noticed Julian's neatly trimmed hair; it was a small thing, but it brought her a surprising amount of happiness.

Nate put on a white blouse and a flowy white skirt. Julian stood by, a hint of a smile on his face as he waited for her to finish getting ready, watching as she slipped on her shoes.

"What's going on?" Nate asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"A skirt, just for me, huh?" Julian asked, a touch of amusement and surprise in his voice, as he opened the front door.

Nate trailed behind Julian to the car, looking puzzled. What was Julian on about? She'd left her phone at home on purpose, not wanting to deal with Keith's calls while she was out with Julian.

"Where are we off to?" Nate asked, turning to Julian as he navigated the roads..

"A date."

Nate gave Julian a sideways glare. "I'm serious."

"I felt bad for not letting you go, so I've organised a day out for us instead. The place is really nice, almost as nice as Edinburgh, and I think you'll love it," Julian said. "And Aunt Fanny's invited us for lunch tomorrow."

Nate's jaw dropped. "We're going to Newport? Why didn't you say so earlier? I didn't bring any spare clothes!"

"We can buy some later."

Nate's mind began to wander, and Keith was the first person who came to mind. She wished she had brought her phone with her. What if Keith tried to call or text her? What if he got even more frustrated because she wasn't responding? To avoid talking to Julian, Nate stared out the window for the rest of the trip.

They arrived in Wales after a nearly three-hour drive. Nate was blown away by the stunning view of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Julian parked the car outside a cute little cottage and gestured for Nate to follow him inside.

"I had to bring our trip forward, to be honest—it's really hard to get a booking here," Julian said.

The cottage was a charming, two-storey hideaway. The ground floor featured a comfortable living room with a sofa and TV, a well-equipped kitchen with a dining area, and a convenient toilet. Upstairs, there were two spacious bedrooms, each with a large double bed, and a stylish bathroom with a shower and a bathtub

"I'll take this one," Nate said, gesturing to the room on her right.

Julian raised an eyebrow, looking at her quizzically. "What do you mean? Are we sleeping in separate rooms or something?"