Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 116759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
It was much, much later, after we’d eaten at the pub and then ridden off our lunch by cycling back into Old Town, after Sebastian returned his hired bike and invited me to his flat for drinks with Juno before she returned to London. It was after Sebastian insisted on walking me home again but departed to work in his studio around the corner. After discovering Maddie and Sierra had gone out dancing without me but left me a bunch of voicemails demanding to know where I’d been.
I’d changed into my PJs and snuggled up in bed to do some coursework and dissertation research. As was my process so I didn’t get too overwhelmed, I switched from uni work to the romantic suspense novel I was reading that was like the Bourne Identity with more romance. An hour later, eyes heavy with exhaustion, I’d finished my book and had a quick look on socials before bed. Curiosity compelled me to search Sebastian’s pseudonym artist account.
To my utter shock, there was a new post.
It was a photograph of me by Duddingston Loch. It was a closer shot than I’d realized. A headshot. The breeze had blown a strand of hair across my face and my eyes were lit up at just the right angle by the sun, making the green in the hazel more prominent.
The caption read:
After three and a half years here, I finally found this city’s real beauty.
My heart lurched in my throat at his meaning. It was quite possibly the most spectacular compliment anyone had ever given me. It was unbelievably … romantic.
Confusion rioted through me once more.
Sebastian had to know I’d see the photograph and the caption.
Switching out of the app, I settled my phone by my bed and turned off the light. Staring up at the ceiling, I let my turmoil of emotions sort themselves out. Finally, I decided it was my own crush on Sebastian that was making me read into things. Sebastian was affectionate and complimentary as a person. He didn’t mean to be romantic. Just … sweet.
It didn’t mean anything beyond what he’d said.
Perhaps he really did find me beautiful.
That didn’t mean he was interested in anything but friendship.
After all, I found Sierra and Maddie beautiful. That didn’t mean I wanted to sleep with them.
Melancholy washed over me, and I sighed into my pillow. This whole friendship thing must be considered. I’d give it a few more weeks and if I still felt this aching longing, I’d reevaluate the situation.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
SEBASTIAN
The cab couldn’t get me to Lily’s parents’ house in Kirkliston fast enough. I was glad the airport wasn’t far from the village.
Even though it had been a mere four days, it felt like I’d been gone for longer. Maybe it was because I’d seen so much of Lily over the last few weeks. Or maybe it was because being home to see my parents’ latest craziness in action was so bloody exhausting and upsetting.
I felt like I no longer knew the people who’d raised me.
My insides churned and I tried to throw the thoughts away.
The truth was I shouldn’t have gone home for a long weekend, but my parents had insisted. Lily knew I wasn’t particularly looking forward to it and wanted to check in on me, so she’d invited me to Sunday dinner at her parents’ house upon my return. I could have said no. Probably should have, given my foul mood.
Yet, I couldn’t help my curiosity. I wanted to see where Lily grew up. I’d met her mother briefly and saw her now and then at the library, but I was interested to know more about how Lily became Lily.
The street the cab driver pulled onto was like many streets in the country. Rows of closely packed detached villas most likely timber-framed and clad with light-colored bricks. They were perhaps fifteen to twenty years old, going by the style. I knew which one was Lily’s parents’ house by the blue bicycle chained up outside. The sight of it lightened my grim mood.
After paying the driver, I grabbed my backpack and strolled up the Sawyers’ driveway. I looked around the neighborhood, imagining Lily as a little girl riding her bike up and down the street. It was a good thought. From everything she’d told me (and she’d seemed reluctant to at first because of the state of my parents’ relationship), her folks were still very much in love. She remembered a bad patch when she was little, when they seemed to fight quite a bit. But they’d gone off on holiday to the US and returned closer than ever. There had been disagreements here and there over the years, like with any couple, but none that made Lily feel like her parents would ever split. I hoped for her sake that was true because it turned out, it was shit watching your parents go through that at any age.