Accidentally in Love by Belinda Missen

Author:Belinda Missen [Missen, Belinda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2020-08-07T17:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

‘Katharine, this is amazing!’

Lainey looks up and around as she twirls across the ground floor, delighting in the sound of her heels clacking against the floorboards. I won’t lie, the echo does have a solidly fancy note to it. Having made good on her promise to visit this weekend (even if I’d written it off as excited ramblings), she’d called from the car park just before ten o’clock.

Bleary-eyed and having slept through my alarm, I peer down at her from the upstairs window. She looks like she’s stepped out of a country club magazine shoot, with knee-high boots and billowing hair. I race downstairs in my pyjamas and wrap her up in a hug. Until the moment I see her on the back step, clutching coffee cups and beaming a smile up at me, I hadn’t realised just how much I’d missed her company.

In the time since I moved, we’ve chatted on the phone and have been burning up the messages more than usual as I learn how to update my website, but it’s never quite the same as a tight hug or the total belly laugh that face-to-face physicality can bring.

‘Thank you,’ I say, hiding a yawn behind my hand. ‘It’s finally starting to feel like a real thing. I still need to get the darkroom set up, but that’ll be next week, I think. Or the week after.’

‘You’re going in for a darkroom?’ she asks. ‘I know you were thinking about it.’

I shrug. ‘Yeah. There’s a room upstairs across from the flat. It’ll be another tool, whether I develop film for other people or hire the room out to photographers. Income streams and all that.’

‘Impressive.’ She retraces her steps back through the room I have earmarked as a gift shop. ‘Everything on track?’

‘So far.’ I follow her. ‘Just waiting on paperwork. Permits and stuff. Oh, and I need to sort through all the artists who’ve contacted me. And one hundred other things I’ve probably forgot about.’

‘I’m so excited. It’s looks amazing when you see the photos online, but it’s so much better in person. You must be thrilled?’

‘I really am.’ I cross my fingers as I point in the direction of the stairs. ‘Come and check out my new flat.’

‘Oh my gosh, yes.’ She darts past and takes the steps two at a time. ‘How are you finding living here? It must be strange to be back.’

‘Just be quiet,’ I caution, as if bouncing my hands will tamper the noise. ‘Adam’s—’

Not here.

What?

In his place, a note on the dining table telling me he’ll be back soon. He’s good, I’ll give him that much. I hadn’t heard him slip out, but I also hadn’t noticed he was missing when I woke up. There’s every chance he’s been gone for hours already. Not bad, considering we’re supposed to be polishing floorboards today.

I dial his number, but he doesn’t answer. I can’t help but feel a prickle of irritation start to rise.

‘So, what has it been? One week? Two? It all happened so fast.

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