Chasing the Browns

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty One

When I woke up, I realised that I wasn’t at home.

I hadn’t even realised that I was asleep.

Where was I?

I sat bolt upright in the bed, swathed in soft, warm, white sheets. The room was familiar. It took me a second to place the sweet smell in the sheets with the person they belonged to.

It was Nick’s bedroom.

I briefly remembered the last time I’d been there; it had been the day that the rain had flooded the roads, so Jack had taken me home to his.

I remembered the way he’d dived for me, to stop me from falling down the stairs when I’d stumbled. I remembered the way his body had felt against mine, and the way our eyes had locked…

I heard someone coming up the stairs. I quickly shot back down again, burying one side of my face in the pillow and closing my eyes.

When Nick entered the room, holding the phone I’d thought was lost, curiosity got the better of me and I opened my eyes, just enough to see what was in front of me without looking like I was awake.

He stepped in front of me, placing a mug of hot chocolate on the bedside table.

I remembered the first time he’d made me a hot chocolate, and how he’d gotten it exactly right. And the time that Jack had made me a perfect hot chocolate, and I’d said, ‘Is it me, or does everyone know just how I like my hot chocolate?’ and he’d replied, saying, ‘Nah, it’s not you. Nick told me you like it that way.’

It was difficult to keep my eyes barely open, especially when I could feel an eyelash in my eye, but I stayed that way, waiting for Nick to do something.

All he did was stare. He leant back against the wall in front of me and stared at me. His hands were in his pockets, head tilted to the side, and his blonde hair fell over his eyes. Overall, it gave him a sort of pensive look.

Then he started towards me, his expression blank. He leant over me, and he was so close I could feel his breath tickling my ear. It was all I could do to stay still. I felt his soft lips against my ear as he gently kissed it, and when he pulled back, my eyes were wide open and he realised that I was awake.

He reared back. ‘You’re awake,’ he gasped.

I sat up a little, leaning back on my elbows. ‘Yeah,’ I said, smiling a little at his surprise. ‘How did I get here?’

He tilted his head. ‘I carried you.’

My eyes widened and I sat up a little straighter. ‘All the way here?’

He shrugged. ‘Jack wouldn’t let me use his car. He was out with Dad.’

I frowned. Nowadays, Jack was always doing something with his dad, whether they were taking a small business trip or doing some admin work. I had the feeling that he’d suspected what I felt for Nick, and now he was upset and avoiding me.

I pang of guilt hit me. ‘I’m sorry.’

He smiled, sitting next to me on the bed. ‘Don’t be. You…I don’t even know, Lea. How are you feeling now? You were a total wreck last night.’

I cringed. ‘I can’t remember much of it.’

He raised his eyebrows a little. ‘I don’t think you want to.’

There was a short silence as I thought of something to say. Eventually, I couldn’t come up with anything except, ‘Thank you.’

He smiled shyly, staring at his lap as he tugged at his sleeves. That was a habit I’d thought that he’d stopped sometime ago. I’d only ever seen him tug on his sleeves when he was angry – usually at me – but he was in more of a modest state now.