Imperfectly Beautiful (Jordan Knight Fanfic, Liadan #3)

Calls and Cocoas

-NATALIE-

"I really thought we had a connection, Brown Eyes."

I chewed my bottom lip as I perched on top of the closed toilet seat in the powder bathroom in the back of Uncle Jon's house and pulled my knees up to my chin.

"We do, Heath," I said earnestly. "I really like you."

"Okay, so then why haven't you been coming to see me?" he questioned. "It's been forever. I keep asking and it feels like you're avoiding me."

"I told you, I've had family stuff," I tugged at my shoelaces. "I haven't been able to get away."

"You haven't been able to or you haven't wanted to?" he scoffed.

I tucked my hair behind my ears and tilted my head up towards the ceiling. Over the past week I'd been so busy with the play and helping to babysit Grace and Nicky that I hadn't had time to steal away and meet up with Heath. Even if I had, the fact that Rebecca and Layne were already hanging around at the theater to help volunteer meant that I didn't have any excuse to sneak off anyway. I'd missed him and wanted to see him, but it simply hadn't been feasible.

"I haven't been able to," I said as I followed the crown molding around the ceiling with my eyes. "I had obligations."

"Well, I have obligations too, Natalie," he said, agitated. "But I make you a priority. I've missed work for you."

"I didn't know you did that," I softened.

"Yeah because you weren't supposed to know. I didn't do it to make you feel bad or something, I did it because I care about you and I like seeing my girl."

I felt a blush come to my cheeks, "I'm your girl?"

"Well, I thought you were, but now I don't know. It doesn't seem like you care about me the way I care about you."

"I do, Heath," I said quickly. "I care about you too."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah, of course I do."

"So does that mean you're gonna prove it to me?"

"Prove it?" I asked. "Prove it how?"

"Come see me, Brown Eyes," he asked. "Or tell me where you are and I'll come to you. I miss you."

"I miss you too," I ran my fingers through my hair. "But I can't come see you. I've got another family thing. They'll notice if I'm gone."

"So what? I'm just supposed to keep waiting and waiting? I know they're not going to let you get away on Christmas. At this rate we won't see each other for almost a month and I'll forget what you look like."

"No, you won't," I giggled.

"Yes, I will," he groaned. "I'm going to forget all the little details I love so much about you."

I chuckled, "Then it'll just be a nice surprise next time you see me again."

"I suppose," he sighed. "Or, you know, you could send me a picture of your sexy self."

I bit my lip, "Heath, we talked about that."

"We did," he said. "And I don't see the big deal. You look amazing, Brown Eyes."

"So you do remember what I look like," I shifted on the toilet seat as my hips started to go numb.

"I do, but a refresher wouldn't hurt either," he said. "I mean, you're my girl, I like looking at you. I don't think that's a crime. I just want something special for me to admire you, baby. You should be comfortable in your skin—it's beautiful. You don't have to hide from me."