Page 61 of King of Hearts
Chapter Thirty
Arna
“Yes, Queeny, dinner is still on. I told you this alre–” Nan cut me off obviously not interested in an interruption to her monologue.
With the phone clenched between my shoulder and ear, I picked up another garment from the floor. I was exhausted and attempting to tidy what some would call a bedroom, and others may refer to as a pigsty, was the last thing I wanted to be doing. There were clothes everywhere and given it was well into Winter and I still had shorts laying around, it was reflective of the last time I spent time in my room. Most of my free time was now spent at Andy’s with even a few outfits stashed there for mornings when he distracted me, leaving me no time to sneak back home before work.
“Yes, I assume he will be there and –” Again, she interposed and I sighed inwardly, listening to her ramble on about how she had told every person she knew that Andy was coming to dinner and while this wasn’t about her, “she would wring his neck if he didn’t turn up.”
“Nan, we’ll see you tonight. Okay?” I clarified, positioning a jacket on a coat hanger and placing it into the wardrobe.
“Also, I’ll know if he was a schmuck last night just by looking at him,” she said, “And bring some wine would you, love?”
“I have no doubt,” I huffed. “See you soon.”
Ending the call, I took a steadying breath as The Killers resumed playing at an obnoxious volume. When I was stressed, I cleaned and I couldn’t clean unless the music was obscenely loud. Loud enough to drown out the myriad of thoughts running through my mind. Loud enough to overpower the requests from Paul for me to turn it down and loud enough that I could scream the lyrics to whatever song was pumping through without worrying about anything else.
Although, while I was again starting to see the hideously brown carpet lining the floor of my bedroom, the cathartic ritual wasn’t filling my soul like it usually would. Pausing, I sat on my bed and turned the music down so I could scroll my phone.
“Finally.” I heard Paul call from the living room. “Do you need anything?”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the small smile from forming on my face as I called back, “No, thanks though.”
He knocked on my door this morning, no longer than three minutes after my phone notified me there were images of Andy online, making me wonder if he also activated similar alerts. Since then, he had checked in hourly to ask if I needed a drink - no, food - no, a hug - definitely not, or someone to speak to - also no. He meant well and it was nice not to feel alone, but he wasn’t who I needed right now. I tried calling Marls but was met with her voicemail, another unanswered call from my missing-in-action bestie. The only other person I wanted to speak with was on a flight and while I didn’t realise I missed his calls until after his plane took off, a phone conversation wouldn’t suffice this time.
It had only been thirty minutes since his flight departed and I was doing my best not to jump to conclusions. Was the woman in the photos beautiful – absolutely. Did it look as though Andy and her were acquainted in a way that would make his claim of exclusivity absolute bullshit – yes. But working in the industry, I also knew that while a picture spoke a thousand words, they misinterpreted situations and I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. If anything, this made me realise just how much I liked him and how upsetting it would be if there was more to this encounter than I hoped.
Looking at the photos again, I focused on the images from the fundraiser instead. Andy stood behind me as I glanced up at him, a smile lining my side profile. Jack and Jay were both laughing, as was Andy, but what I loved most about the picture was how his entire face was alight with mirth. When we first met, I was never privy to that side of him. The side where he was youthful, happy and free. Where he enjoyed the little things in life without the need to remain guarded. In only a few short months, his barriers were falling, evident in the way he silently reached for me as often as I did him. It was with that knowledge I finished the mission that was tidying this shit hole before I showered and dressed for what was sure to be an interesting afternoon.
Just before 10:00am I heard from Andy, with a promise to explain and an apology that he would be with the team for the next few hours. It was after two o’clock when his name next filled my screen and I couldn’t ignore the way my heart leapt in my chest or the butterflies dancing in my stomach as I opened the message. I didn’t answer any of the texts he sent before he left and our brief conversation after he landed didn’t mention these either. A heated exchange via phone was not at all what I was about. If he had something to say, we were going to do it in person where we could properly interpret tone and honesty. I was too old for miscommunication and I was certain he felt the same, which was why I replied saying I was ready and would see him soon.
“Oh, you’re heading out.” Paul turned from his computer, clearly shocked that I was leaving.
“Yeah, heading over to Andy’s before dinner with my folks tonight.” I didn’t usually give him too many details, but since the images were released, he was the only person who had genuinely checked in on me and for that I was grateful.
“You know you’re hot as balls, right?” I scrunched my face in disgust, worried where he was going with this. “What I mean is, you deserve the best, Arns.” I felt my shoulders sag in relief that he wasn’t trying to come onto me like so many times before. Walking towards where he sat at the dining table on his computer, I leant down and kissed him on the cheek, shocking both of us.
“Thank you, Paul. You’re a goodfriend.” I emphasised the final part knowing he would misinterpret the act if I didn’t make it clear. “I appreciate it. Also, how is yourHuntress?” I asked, remembering his online potential date and needing to distract him so he didn’t read into my innocent affection.
“She’s okay. We still chat every day.”
I grinned as his cheeks flushed. He liked her. “Ask her out for dinner. She wouldn’t spend so much time talking to you if she didn’t like you, Paul.”
He coughed awkwardly before I heard him banging his keyboard almost aggressively. Prior to closing the front door I turned, noticing him wear a bigger smile than I had ever seen.
Stepping outside, I laughed quietly to myself as I walked to the waiting car.
I rushed into the foyer, shaking the cool breeze from my bones as I greeted Graham with a brief wave. Heading straight to the lift, I pushed the button just as the doors opened revealing Andy. His familiar face as harrowing as it was cathartic with the anguish hidden under the Hearts cap he still wore.
“Hey.” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Hey.” He breathed, stepping aside to let me pass. The frown lines between his brows were prominent and I wanted to wrap myself around him, wipe the lines of tension from his forehead and replace them with kisses – but first we needed to talk. I needed him to put my worries at ease just as much as I wanted to do the same for him.
The lift began to climb as we stared at each other. Neither of us spoke or moved despite the magnetic pull that begged me to reach for him. I kept my purse in front of me, the smallest of barriers to stop whatever this was which was both drawing me to him and keeping us apart like a centripetal force. His chest rose and fell, his weighted breathing matching my own as I tilted my head slightly and really looked at him. He was tired. His eyes were red and the smile I’d become accustomed to long gone.
Tentatively, I reached up and cupped his face in my hand. His eyes closed and he let out the smallest of breaths as he leant into my touch – but when the doors parted a minute later, he straightened and the moment was gone.
I followed him into his apartment and the familiar woodsy smell was nearly enough to bring me to my knees. I loved this place so much. It smelt purely of him. It was the fresh scent of evergreen and I grabbed hold of the wall for a split second to balance myself, ready for whatever came next.
