“Yeah. After a weekend with you he probably needs a break.”
Keira chuckled at Mel’s teasing.
“I hate to burst your bubble.” Mel’s voice turned serious. “But aren’t you worried you’re going to get your heart broken when he moves back to the Scilly Isles in a few months?”
“I was. But now I’m not sure it’s going to be an issue.”
“How come?”
“Seren’s convinced he’s not going to move after all …”
Mel gave a dramatic groan. “Since when do we listen to anythingshesays … I’m telling you, that conniving wench is up to something!”
“Wow!” Keira laughed loudly. “How did you get toconniving wench?”
“It’s my protective instincts,” Mel said, a smile brightening her cheeks. “Assuming everyone is a threat is my way of looking out for you.”
“It’s kind of weird that you don’t see Noah as a threat then?”
She wrinkled her nose. “That boy’s a teddy bear. The only threat he poses is leaving and breaking your heart.”
“Seren says she’s never seen Noah so smitten with anyone and reckons he’ll decide to stay in Bristol with me.”
“I hate it when the wench talks sense,” Mel said. “I still think she’s up to something, but she also might have a point.”
Keira was distracted by her phone screen lighting up. Excitedly, she tapped into her messages, but her face fell when she saw it was her dad inviting her over for dinner. He didn’t suggest a night, just whenever she had time. Which made it difficult for her to make an excuse.
“I thought it was going to be Noah,” she said wearily. “I really wish he’d call.”
Immediately the phone began to ring and both Keira and Mel cracked up laughing.
“Don’t answer it!” Mel said with wide eyes. “Ignore him and start making more wishes … Wish for a massive bag of money and a box of gold … ooh and a baby giraffe … how cool would that be?”
“A baby giraffe?” Keira shook her head, then smiled as she answered the phone. “Missing me already?” she asked, standing to walk around the kitchen as she spoke to Noah, ignoring Mel’s quiet pleas for her to switch the call to speakerphone.
“I wanted to check if you …” He trailed off. “I should probably have thought up my casual excuse to call before I pressed dial, shouldn’t I?”
“Yes, I think you should have done. Winging it clearly isn’t your thing.”
“It’s not. I may as well get straight to the point … I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my place?”
“I spent all weekend with you,” she stated coyly.
“Yeah, I know. And I’m sure you’re sick of the sight of me, but I thought I’d check, just in case …”
“Okay, I should probably pretend to casually mull it over but I’m not that cool … I’ll be over in twenty minutes.”
“I’m sure you can make it in ten if you try,” he said cheekily.
Pushing Mel away as she tried to listen in, Keira smiled widely. “I’ll try my best.”
“Are you seriously going to ditch me when you’ve only just got back?” Mel asked, putting a hand on her hip as Keira ended the call.
“Yes.” Keira gave her a big kiss on the cheek, knowing that she didn’t really mind.
As she made a dash to Noah’s place, her stomach fluttered with anticipation. It might only have been a few hours since she’d been with him, but she was desperate to see him, nonetheless.
Plus, she only had a month to make sure his decision about staying in Bristol was a no-brainer.