Never Letting Go

Chapter 16

I keep myself busy over the next few days in both work and at home. Allison moving in with me for the week wasn't such a bad thing because I have someone to chat to on the long journeys to and from work, as well as having our girly chats at home while watching various things on the TV.

Luca hasn't been in touch and I know it's because he's busy with work just like I have been. Now he's back in touch with me and got my number, I know he's not doing it deliberately. He'll be too caught up in deals, plans, and everything else he deals with to give me a second thought.

It's just now that I've got some time to myself as I change into the third designer gown in a changing room in Selfridges, that I'm letting my mind slip to thoughts of him.

I can't help but wonder where in the world he is right this very second. I know he was returning to Barcelona but he also said he was going to other places, too. Could they mean back to America or down to Australia? Or is it just somewhere else in Europe?

The possibilities are endless but I know he'll be back here before I know it.

"You found a dress you like?" Allison's voice is loud and full of happiness. It's been that way since we stepped through the doors earlier and since she found out I had been invited to the charity event I've been stressing over. It only magnified when she invited herself to be my plus one without letting me think of someone else who I may want to take. "We're losing daylight here."

I give my reflection the once over in the mirror and nod at my final choice of dress. I've had enough of shopping for dresses and trying them on. I've been doing that nonstop since finishing work at five and it's now pushing eight on Thursday night which means I've missed out on both dinner and some good TV. I'll just be happy to go home a see what's in the freezer for me to eat that's quick and will do me until the morning.

I take the dress off and put it back on its hanger, dressing quickly back into my workwear. I re-join Allison who's standing holding a bright yellow shopping bag in one hand and her mobile phone in the other.

"What'd you pick?" She asks without looking up at me. She too immersed in her phone as usual and begins to walk with me as I head to pay for my dress.

"The pale pink coloured Stella McCartney dress," I inform, handing the dress over to the sales woman.

"Oh, that was lovely." She locks her phone and slides it into her bag. "I got the navy one-shoulder number I first tried on."

"I just didn't want to wear black because that seems too safe."

I pay for the dress and accept the shopping bag with a smile. Allison links her arm with mine and we make our way to the exit.

"I know what you mean," she starts when we get outside, "because I was looking at the red dress but I didn't want to stand out too much."

"Red would have been more than standing out," I comment.

We start walking to our our left towards the bus stop.

"It would be alright to wear to something that wouldn't mean I was going to stand out."

"Like a celebrity on the red carpet of a big movie premiere."

"Exactly!" I laugh lightly and she pulls at me slightly so I move closer to her. "And I ain't no celebrity."

I open my mouth to respond but Allison pulling me in the direction of a waiting taxi across the road has me both running for my life and frowning at the same time as she laughs loudly. "I thought we were going to get the bus."