The Love Trials: Ashley

Chapter Eight

The next morning, I had a bit of a hangover and my mind was all over the place. Cathy hadn't come back for the rest of the night. Caitlin eventually called her mobile to check she was safe. However it went straight to voicemail.

"She'll be fine; she probably went for a night time shag." Amelia had told me. I hadn't told either Amelia or Caitlin about Cathy's reaction to Bradley and that had been the actual reason she had left. I couldn't understand why though. The only reason that I could think of was that she had met Bradley before, had probably been a shag together. It had maybe taken her by surprise.

I tried to shake it off the next day but it had been constantly on my mind during the night so I hadn't slept much.

Rob cooked me and Amelia pancakes. I told them both that sometime after Bradley and I had got settled into our new lives together, we would meet up.

At ten in the morning, I put my bag of clothes that I brought into the trunk of my car and then drove off.

Bradley had given me a map to follow in case I lost my way but I remembered the way well enough from my last visit so I didn't get lost.

I parked my car behind Bradley's and locked it behind me. I took my bag and walked up to the door. I hesitated. Should I knock? It seemed silly but I suppose I had to be polite. I knocked and then rang the doorbell. Bradley opened the door. He was wearing only blue silky pyjama bottoms and his chest was bare. He seemed surprised when he saw me.

"What are you knocking for?" I blushed.

"It seemed appropriate." He laughed and took my bag of clothes off me.

"Welcome home."

"That sounds nice." I smiled as I walked into the house. The smell of lavender had been sprayed everywhere.

"Well it's your home now. Which reminds me..." And he turned to a table in the hallway, scooping up a set of keys. He handed them to me.

"These are yours now."

"Thank you."

Bradley took my hand and led me into the kitchen where he made fruit smoothies. I had a strawberry and apple smoothie and Bradley had a banana one. I showered off the smell of liquor to replace with apple shampoo and shower gel. Bradley and I then watched a movie downstairs. At lunch, Bradley fixed us chicken and lettuce sandwiches. We continued to watch movies until late at night. We then had chilli con carne for dinner and went to our separate beds.

Due to being so far away from my own workplace, I had to get up earlier. Bradley had already left. He told me that today he would be busy in preparation for a huge meeting coming up on Tuesday but he loved me anyway and would see me later.

The note made me smile and I went into work happy. My day was just a normal one, finishing at four. As I drove back to my new home, I called Cathy but her phone was still off. I called Caitlin to ask if she had heard anything but of course she hadn't. I made a mental note to go visit her father at the police station if she still hadn't made contact by tomorrow night.

The house was empty when I got home. I picked out my clothes for tomorrow, made myself tuna and pasta for dinner then watched a movie. It was nine in the evening by the time Bradley came home and I was making myself a hot chocolate. He came in and kissed me on the cheek.

"Hi."

"Hi... I made you dinner. Probably needs heating up now." Bradley opened the microwave door where I had placed a plate aside for him. He frowned at it.

"No mayo right?"

"No... I don't like mayonnaise." He nodded and shut the door, set the timer and then came over to me, wrapping his arms around me.

"I'll be in my office most of the night. Don't wake me up in the morning, you hear?" I nodded.

"Sure. Good luck for your meeting."

"I'll need it." He sighed. I kissed him goodnight then took my hot chocolate upstairs to bed. As I was reading a book, I heard him walk up the stairs then up the next flight to get to his office. It was peaceful then and I went to sleep not long after.