What I Wish Happened

Chapter Twenty

I wake up with a warm feeling in my stomach. I flip over and lay on my back stretching out, as I looking out the window to see the Eiffel Tower standing brightly against the blue sky. I turn to look at Leo to see he's not there. I feel a frown take over my face. I sit up and pull my knees close to my chest and look around the room further. I look back at Leo's side of the bed. I see a piece of hotel stationary written on sat on the bedside table with a single blue rose. I flip and crawl to it.

Hermosa, 

I had a business call at 8:30 and didn't want to wake you, there is breakfast in the living room and Kaci and I will see you later. 

Love Leo 

P.S. you look beautiful when you're sleeping.

I smile and jump out of bed wrapping myself a robe, practically skipping into the living room, and just as Leo said there was breakfast on the table. From the layout in front of me it looks more like a buffet, fruit, pancakes, pastries, hash browns, coffee, orange juice, oatmeal, a selection of cereals, milk, jams and jellies. I grab my phone from the desk from where is was charging, and FaceTime Alexis.

"HEY HUN!" I smile and look at my freshly painted toes. "You look glowy..." "Don't say that you make it sound like I'm pregnant." She howled with laughter, the way she only does around me. "Well you never know, Leo's in Paris too, BTW that's all over socials and the run and jump has been made into a meme." I shake my head as I sit down and pop a blueberry into my mouth. "What are you eating?" I look down at my breakfast in front of me, I flip the camera. "Hungry are you?" I roll my eye and flip and camera to be facing me again. "Leo ordered me breakfast because he felt bad about sneaking out without saying goodbye." Her eyes bulged out of her head. "Why was he in your suite? And why did he sneak out? And did you two..." I cut her off before she says something I don't want to answer. "We spent all day yesterday together and he had a business call early and didn't want to wake me, and I'm not going to answer that last one." A smile comes onto my face just from speaking about him. "I'll assume that's a yes then." I smile and wink at her. She breaks into a howling laughter again. "Okay, Lex, I need to go for sound check, I'll to you later." She smiled and waved to me.

"Bye 'V'" I hang up the phone and dive into my monstrosity of a breakfast. Throughout the day I wonder around with a stupid, goofy smile on my face. People ask me and that just makes my face go even redder. Any moment I'm able to I pick up my phone and text Leo, each letter sent makes my smile grow even bigger and my cheeks get redder.

"Nova, you have 3 hours until the show, hair and makeup will be here in a hour and they want you showered and dressed." I nod and smile as the event organiser leaves my dressing room. I begin pushing outfit option across the clothing rack as I try to decide what to wear. "Don't you have people to do that for you?" I turn and see Leo, I knew it was him with out a word or a look. "I gave 'my people' the day off, because I'm nice like that." He let out deep husky laugh, my heart flutters. "Nova Louise Founders... the charitable boss." I smile at him and sit next to him on the couch. He puts his arm along the back rest behind me and turn his body to face me. His usually sexy, cocky guy smile isn't there. "Nova... I have something to tell you... Kaci and I are leaving tonight." Everything slows. My heart plummets. My smile gone. My good mood gone with it. "You're staying for the show though? Right?" He nods. Resting his hand, right at the top of my arm. "Of course Kaci refused to leave before seeing another show." I nod and force a smile, it falls as quickly as it rose. "But... Come with us..." I look up at him, waiting for more of a explanation, "...Come with us, travel with us, be with me." I open my mouth to answer him, but I don't have answer yet. "I can't just leave." I jump to my feet because one touch from Leo and I'll be packing my bags. "Nova... Please. Come with us..." He stand up, and starts to walk toward me. I back away, a safe distance. "Leo... I can't." He does a half turn and runs his hands down his face, he's frustrated. "You haven't given a valid reason." I know it true, but I can't think of a valid reason, the second the words leave his lips. "Leo... I have the tour..." a tour I would leave in a second. "I have plans in the next couple of weeks... I can't" neither are valid but there aren't any 'valid' reasons. "Nova, I can't stop thinking about you, when anything happens in my life, you are the person I want to tell, you are the person I want to see everyday, I want tell you about my day and I want more than anything for you tell me about yours, about how your shoes gave you a blister one day. I want to be with you, more than anything. I want my life whole life to be about you." I want all of the same things but all I can think about right now is that I am going to meet Mom in London next week. "Leo..." I try to think of a reply but I'm stuck. "Please, I know that I was a cocky ass but you can rely on me now. I promise you that. Please! If you really don't want to be with me, then tell me to go." I gasp, because all I want is to be with him but, I can't go. "Leo..." I shake my head because I don't know what to say... I don't want him to go, but I can't go... He steps back, repeating it until he's out the door. Until he's gone.

I walk over the sofa and lower myself down, I try to catch my breath between tears, time has slowed. I look up and grab my hoodie from the table, I wrap myself in it to cover the fact I am only wearing shorts and a bralette, I run through the building not caring, I get outside and look around, paparazzi shoot photos and crowd around me, I feel the cold icy ground under my feet, I push photographers out of the way, so I can reach the edge of the road, I cannot see any cars, or any sign of Leo, I hold my hand against my mouth to hold in my scream. Tear after tear escapes my eyes and roll down my check. He was gone again.