Dawning (Dysmorphia Series #3)

Strawberry Fields

Cole stood there looking utterly shocked, she could have taken a picture of his face there and then and written a piece to accompany this picture about how one expression could mean a hundred different things.

"You came... how did you even get into... what?"

None of what he had just said made sense, there wasn't even a question in that mashed up sentence so instead Florence just sniffed and stared up at him thankful that there wasn't a mirror in sight so she couldn't see just how terrible she looked.

"Well" she tried not to sound deranged, and failed.

"I bought a ticket for your flight... they wouldn't let me in unless I did"

She was definitely going to be put on a list somewhere at a mental hospital after this.

"You bought a ticket to my flight, then as soon as you saw me you took off like a crazy person in the other direction?"

That was about right, but she wasn't going to let him know that.

"Well, it was more like I got here and then realised that I hadn't really thought about what I was doing, upon seeing you I realised the error of my decision and no I didn't take off, I walked away in a dignified manner because I don't want to see you and I hear Spain isn't so nice this time of the year"

Florence realised too late that she sounded around five years old.

"That's a Florence answer" Cole replied bluntly.

She feigned ignorance, he didn't know her half as well as he thought he did, or maybe he knew her better than she knew herself it was debatable.

"A Florence answer manages to evade the actual question, you cook up a little backstory to cover up for the reason why your here at a strange hour with eyes definitely red from crying and an expression that shows that you are absolutely without a doubt lying"

That stopped her in her tracks, was this a character assassination or what?

Thankfully not many people were awake at this hour, let alone at the airport so she was only receiving strange looks from the occasional passenger, Florence couldn't bring herself to reply or to even meet his eye, this was so freaking humiliating.

"Well I wouldn't want you to be late... I'm sure Krystal's waiting for you so just go Cole it was a mistake me coming here and I hope you have a good time in Spain bad weather and all"

"So I'm guessing you have a whole story worked out now about me and Krystal? That we've been together this whole time?"

He was laughing, a deep belly-aching laugh and she was infuriated at him, how could he make light of what was probably the saddest thing to happen to her in a while, never mind the fact that days ago she had cancelled her own wedding.

Cole stopped laughing at the expression on her face, she wasn't laughing.

"Krystal is my friend, my good friend nothing more and nothing less"

Was she actually so wired into seeing people a certain way?

So wired that her own insecurities dating way back crept into her brain and manifested in real life?

Probably.

"So... your not with Krystal?" she had to know for sure.

"Definitely not, and your not getting married?"

"Definitely not" she replied deadpan.

"And the real reason why your here?"

She took a deep breath, because this was going to be a long speech and she needed all the air her lungs could get because right now she wasn't breathing properly, there was no logical reason why the two of them couldn't be together right here and right now, so she might as well try one last time.

"I'm here because I woke up in the middle of the night and felt utterly empty, I then realised that I was being completely stupid and irrational so I drove all the way here, sleep deprived and in my pyjamas, I then bought a ticket to Spain because I couldn't bear the thought of you going without me saying what I have to say, and that is that I don't care about our history or about what other people will say. I actually do not care people can wag their tongues and gossip all they want, I caused enough of a scandal by running away from my wedding, this isn't about anyone, not Chase, not Andrew and most definitely not Krystal from what you've just told me, this is about me coming to terms with myself and realising that... that..."

He raised his eyebrows, he was actually going to make her say it.

"That?" he prompted, and she wanted to punch that charming face of his, how funny that she'd fallen for the same face twice in completely different circumstances with two people who couldn't be any more different if they'd tried.

"I'm not saying it" she said resolutely, this wasn't the time not when she was a wreck and looked like an absolute shambles.

"Well, I think I have a flight to get on then, if there's nothing else?" Cole turned around like he was actually going to leave her and instinctively she grabbed for him.

"Wait"

It was now or never.

"I had to come find you because I cancelled my wedding half for me and half for you, the truth is I should never have left Phillipson that day, I should have never agreed to that first date with Andrew and I should never in a million years have thought I could marry him... because... bloody hell can you stop staring at me like that?"

He was looking at her expectantly and she wanted to punch him and kiss him at the same time.

"Because I love you, you infuriate me and you make me want to pull out my hair most of the time we talk to each other but I love you so please don't go to Spain because I will be depressed and I will send you sad quotes and whine and probably write a book about heartbreak, so do us all a favor and stay right here, with me"

"Well, in my time many a girl dressed in pyjamas with teddy bear's on them has professed her love for me whilst insulting me, but do you know what?"

"What?" she asked heart literally in her mouth.

He pulled her towards him so fast that she almost tumbled over.

"I've never felt the urge to tell them the same"

And then he kissed her.