Among the Stars ✔️ [Completed] [book three]

Chapter 26

Sitting at my laptop in the kitchen way before dawn, I find myself searching for any information about the little village that the house from Eve's computer is in. Photograph after photograph of breathtaking Cotswolds countryside lights up my screen in the darkness in its full glory. A little stream meanders through the centre of the village as storefronts, cafes and pubs sit alongside the flowing water. Every building, wall or bridge is made from the unmistakable Cotswolds stone, ensuring the village looks like a snapshot of a time long forgotten.

I've repeatedly tried searching houses for sale in the area surrounding the village, but the house is nowhere to be found. Sitting back heavily in my chair, I begin to nibble my thumb nail. "Why can't you get this bloody house out of your head?" I mutter rhetorically, knowing this house shouldn't even be on my radar, but it's all I've thought about since I saw it. Daniel has lived in London all his life, he is a London boy through and through. He has been very clear that he wants to stay in London for work, and has never shown any interest in moving outside of London. 

Shaking the house in the Cotswolds from my head, I search for the two houses in London that we're going to view this evening. I absentmindedly click through one impressive, perfectly posed photograph at a time. There is nothing wrong with either house, in fact they are both faultless... perfect for us... but, there is something missing...

"Earth to Lizzie!" Daniel exclaims with a wave of his hand. "Did you hear what I just said?"

I jump out of my skin at the sight of him standing before me. Suddenly I realise it's daylight. When did the sun come up? How long have I been sat here?

Daniel takes the seat opposite me with a worried expression on his newly woken face. "What's up?" He reaches across the table to take my hand while he rubs his sleepy eyes with his other hand. His soft curls fall down his forehead.

"Nothing." I say with a reassuring smile. "I just couldn't sleep."

"You were tossing and turning most of the night. Don't you like the houses we're going to view this evening?" His brow becomes deeply furrowed, with his jaw set in a firm line.

"Yeah, they are beautiful. I guess I'm just overwhelmed by the budgets a bit!" I say calmly. Daniel looks dubious, like he doesn't quite believe me. "I'm fine, honestly."

"I call bullshit." He responds before standing up. He puts the kettle on, holding a cup up towards me. I nod, and he then places tea bags in two cups.

Biting my lip I'm not sure what to say next. My mind whirls at a hundred miles an hour. "Are you certain you want to remain living in central London?" I ask, but then immediately regret it.

He pauses for a few seconds as he makes our tea. "I've never really given it much thought. London is my home, our home and I guess I always thought it would stay that way."

I nod, accepting his words because I already thought it was the case. I practically feel the Cotswolds house spread wings and fly away.

We sit in silence as we drink our tea.

"I like the smaller, white house out of the two." The words slip out of my mouth after contemplating where I would like our babies to grow up.

Daniel is transfixed by something that has come through on his phone. "Hmmm." He responds quietly.

"Everything OK?" I ask urgently, worried about whatever message he's just received.

He looks up at me and his face breaks into a huge smile that exposes his dimples. "We need to go and get dressed now."

"What? Why? I thought we were staying in?" I'm totally confused by his change of mood, considering last night he wanted us to have a lazy day before the house viewings.

"That was Eve. We're going for a drive." He says with a devilish grin as he stands up. He then leaves the room and bounds up the stairs. "Come on, else we're going to be late!" He shouts playfully from the top of the stairs.

While I jog up the stairs I feel his excitement spreading to me. "Tell me where we're going?" I pout from the top of the stairs, but continue to follow him. Daniel is already stripped down and changing his clothes by the time I enter the bedroom. He swiftly picks out a plan white T-shirt and navy blue shorts.

"You need to hurry, get changed!"  He laughs as he ignores my words before heading into the en-suite. I hear the water running before the sound of his toothbrush.

Reluctantly, I change into a sage green summer dress, not worrying anymore about hiding my bump. I then follow Daniel into the en-suite and brush my teeth while glaring at him in the mirror, but secretly enjoying his little game. Seeing him look so carefree makes my heart soar. He leaves the en-suite with a spring in his step so high he practically looks like Tigger, but he doesn't say another word. I quickly apply some light make up and decide I'm not leaving the house until I know where we're going.

I finally catch up with Daniel in the kitchen, who already has his hoodie zipped up with his car keys in his hand. He grins wholeheartedly. "You ready?"

"Not until you tell me where we're going?" I try to look annoyed by folding my arms, but my treacherous lips break into a smile.

"I told you we're going for a drive..." he marches passed me before grabbing my hand to lead me out of the house, closing the front door behind us. "... to the Cotswolds." He kisses my forehead when my jaw hits the floor. Daniel opens the passenger door to his jaguar for me to get in, but I just remain frozen, staring up at him.

"But you said you wanted to stay in London?" I mumble almost incoherently.

"I never said that..." He guides me into the car after looking at his watch. He then jogs round to his side and jumps into the driver's seat. The car roars into life. "I said I'd never given it any thought." He explains while he reverses out of our driveway.

"Oh..." I mumble quietly. "I thought you wouldn't want to look outside of London."

"As long as I'm with you, I don't really care where we live." He turns to me as he smiles softly.

"We might not like it, I mean we've only seen the front of the house. It could be really awful!" I chuckle knowing how much I've built this house up inside my head.

"Eve said there wasn't a brochure yet as the photographer isn't going until tomorrow. It's not officially on the market yet either, so she's had to pull a few strings to get this viewing. Apparently, the current owners are saying it's not in show home condition yet so they didn't want us going today." He rolls his eyes while we continue to drive out of London.

"It's a good job we're after a family home and not a show home then." I reach across and grip his hand.

"We will keep our options open with all of these houses. I know you're not an impulse buyer, so if we like any of them today, we will arrange a second viewing and then see how we feel after that." He raises his eyebrows to see if I agree, but keeps his focus on the road.

"You should never buy a house after just one viewing... that's what they say on all the property TV shows anyway. So, I agree. If we like them all or just one, we go back again before we jump into anything." I pause as we begin to hit the outskirts of London. "Thank you for this."

"You don't think I know you by now?" Daniel laughs softly. "Your entire face lit up when you saw it on Eve's computer. Maybe a bit of country living is just what we need for our family?" He shrugs. "Let's keep our options open and see how we feel after we've seen all three houses today."

I rest my hand on my belly as we race along the motorway, enjoying the sun on my face. "Aren't we grown up!" I grin childishly.

"Hey, I'm Peter Pan!" Daniel laughs. "I'll never grow up!"

- Hey guys!

What do you think of this chapter?

So, their going to see the house in the Cotswolds as well as the ones in London!

I would love to hear what you think - hope you feel that Daniel is slowly getting back to normal now he's talking to someone.

Thank you so much for still reading and please tick the little star too. T x -