The Neighbour

SIXTEEN

"Yet?" I ask.

She backtracks. "Shit."

I'm so confused.

"Look, Sloan is right. He has so much love inside. I doubt he even knows it's there."

I nod, struggling to swallow.

"I see that in you too," she admits.

"Really?"

I like that.

"Yes. Really."

"Okay."

"Don't waste it on pricks like Josh."

I smile.

"Give it to Freddie, instead."

Sloan returns, momentarily halting our conversation. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing much. Nic just giving me a pep talk."

"She's great at giving those," she insists.

"Speaking of which, have you told him yet?"

"Not yet."

"Told who what?" I ask.

"James,' explains Sloan. "I've found the perfect wedding venue."

"Oh?"

"It's over budget."

"Oh."

"And in Paris," adds Nic.

I smirk. "Can I see it?"

I'm shown the most romantic setting I've ever seen and fall in love with it straight away.

"You have to get married there!" I proclaim.

"Right?" agrees Sloan, practically gushing. "I'm just worried about cost. We had the house renovated this year and..."

"You're making up excuses again," accuses Nic.

Sloan relents. "Ugh. I know."

I reach across the table and offer her my hand, Nic doing much the same.

"You'll figure it out," I assure.

"Thanks, girls," she says, looking between us both. "I'm lucky I've got friends like you."

Nic and I smile.

"Who knows. Maybe we'll be doing this again soon for you and Freddie."

Nic tenses, unsure what to say or do. She quickly cuts hers gaze across to me, ready to apologise with her eyes. To silently excuse her friend for—once again—getting ahead of herself. But I don't let her. Instead, I stare her dead in the eye and —in a way I hope shows her I listened to her previous pep talk—reply.

"Maybe."

***

I set up camp outside Freddie's door, determined to speak to him before the day ends. After leaving Nic and Sloan, I tried knocking only to find his apartment empty. I remember him saying something about working today and trialling Charlotte at nursery. If that's the case, it can't be a late shift and he should be finishing up any minute now. I plan what I'm going to say over and over again in my head, rehearsing every last sentence. I keep my excuses to the minimum and lay it on thick with the apology. I even practice what I should do with my hands, not wanting to appear nervous in my execution.

"Ana?"

His voice cuts through my thouoghts.

"Hi."

He's wearing his police uniform and it does unimaginable things to me. The way each muscle stretches the material leaves very little to the imagination. His thick arms are on show, reminding me of last night when he used them to hold onto the headboard while fucking me. His stance is strong. Powerful. And having Charlotte strapped to his chest is certainly not helping me concentrate.