Honey and Spice | ✔️

Chapter 33

"Sorry, I . . ." He scratches his neck, distracted. "We, uh, ran out of ice cream."

The now-empty tub lies in his lap. I smile, putting the tub and our spoons away, and lean into him, resting my head on his shoulder. "That's fine."

In the end, the red team didn't finish the dinner service because of yet two more raw lambs and they were sent out of the kitchen. Ryder entwines our fingers together, holding my hand loosely.

"This got weird real quick," he says quietly.

"Yeah."

He chuckles. "Hell's Kitchen isn't really a romantic thing to watch, right?"

"Why not? It's good for a very romantic TV-lit ice cream dinner."

He laughs again and kisses my nose. "Sure."

Ryder

At the end of the seventh episode, Nathan's fast asleep beside me.

"Aw, poor thing." I coo as I carefully wrap an arm around him.

He jolts awake from my touch. "Did I fall asleep?" he asks, adjusting his glasses. "I'm sorry!"

"Don't apologise, Nate." I kiss the top of his head and lower the volume of the TV. "Go back to sleep."

"Okay," he says, stifling a yawn.

I shift a little so he can rest his head on my lap, then I brush his hair out of his face. Nathan lets out another yawn and adjusts himself, then he's sound asleep. I keep my hand on his head, fingers stroking it lightly. All that's left is the sound of Nathan's steady breathing and the muffled voices of the chefs.

I wonder if I was in another life, would I still end up with Nathan? Damn. I don't believe in fate and destiny and all that cheesy shit, but what if this is my destiny? Is that the real reason why I couldn't jump out of the window and end my life so early? It wasn't my time yet, anyway. I wouldn't be here with Nathan sleeping with his head on my lap and his soft hair and cute laugh and steadiness and his pure soul.

My eyes suddenly snap back into focus; the 'Are You Still Watching?' Netflix notice pops up on my TV screen. I rub my eyes and yawn. God, all these existential crisis thoughts are making me tired. I wonder if that's how Nathan felt when he started talking about the universe and not mattering.

I'm about to get up and go to bed when Nathan moves, then goes still again. Should I leave him here or bring him to bed with me? But I'm sleepy and I don't think I have the strength to carry him all the way there. So I decided not to interrupt his sleep.

Slowly getting up, I put a cushion under his head and turn the TV off. He mumbles something in his sleep and turns to the other side. I watch him all curled up on my sofa - in that fucking adorable frog onesie - looking insanely precious in his sleep. My heart flutters in affection, and I lean down and plant a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight, love," I whisper.

*

Nathan crawls over me and plops himself down on my bed a long moment later, waking me up. I turn around to face him. The gentle glow of my moon lamp casts soft shadows on his face, his gold-rimmed glasses glinting in the dimly lit room. I bring him closer to me and kiss his forehead.

"Hey." I stroke his dark orange hair, smiling fondly at him.

"Hi," he says in a small voice, smiling back.

Nathan buries his head in my chest, his arm like a steel band around my waist. I press a kiss to the top of his head, messy curls tickling my face. We stay like this for a while, just listening to each other's heartbeat. Then: