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."
"We were," she agrees after her laughter has died down. "However, I booked a taxi while I was waiting on you so we're getting a taxi home."
"Nash?" The middle-aged male taxi driver asks when we approach.
"Yip."
The male nods and prepares to move off as we get in the back of the taxi. I make myself comfy at the furthest away side of the seats, putting my shopping back down at my feet and placing my bag on my lap.
"Leslie Park Road in Croydon," Allison instructs as we merge into the traffic.
I look at Allison who smiles to herself and looks out the window at her side of the car. She's content and I can't help but think about the bill that's going to be at the end of this journey. I don't have the money in cash to pay for this taxi ride and after doing this journey by taxi once before but from a different part of London on a night out, I swore to myself I wouldn't do it again because it was that expensive.
I pull my phone out my bag and send a quick text to Allison without speaking up. I don't want to sound worried about money but seeing as I just paid an insane amount of money on a dress I will only wear once from my savings, I can't afford to pay for unnecessary things like a taxi ride.
To: ALLISON NASH
How are we going to pay for this taxi when we get to mine? xx
I wait for Allison's response, watching her as she reaches into her bag and pulls out her phone. She looks at me after reading the text and rolls her eyes before responding.
From: ALLISON NASH
My treat ;) You can buy lunch and dinner tomorrow to make up for it xx
I shake my head as I read the text.
I knew there was a catch somewhere and that's just it. I don't mind buying lunch and dinner tomorrow because I know adding the two of them up will come to a lot less than what this bill will come to.
I don't quite know what time it is in the morning. All I'm aware of is my phone ringing and vibrating away on the nightstand next to me and I reach for it as quick as I can so it doesn't disturb Allison who's sleeping away in the next room.
I squint my eyes as I look at the screen and the unfamiliar number on the screen. I almost don't want to answer it but I do so whoever it is phoning me at this ridiculous hour can get an earful of my anger at being woken up.
"Hello," I answer, my voice groggy and sleep filled. I'm not fully alert and fall back onto my back with my phone held loosely to my ear.
"I woke you up, didn't I?"
I know that voice anywhere even though I'm still half asleep.
"Of course you did, Luca." I respond. I rub my eyes and blink a few times. "It's just gone-" I look round at the digital clock next to my bed at the red numbers that are shining away. "-three in the morning here. Why are you calling me at three in the morning?"
"I forgot the time difference. It's only ten at night where I am."
My eyes drift closed and I snuggle deeper under the duvet once more. "And where are you now? I thought you were in Barcelona."
"I was," he says. For all I can't see him, I know he's nodding away in agreement. "I was only there for an hour or two before flying to New York."
My eyes open at the sound of his new location for work.
He's in New York. That's further away than what I thought he'd actually be. I thought he'd only be somewhere in Europe which isn't that far from me. I didn't think he'd be away back to his home in a different part of the world from where I am.
"I thought-"
"Business wrapped earlier in Barcelona than I expected and I had an impromptu meeting in New York that couldn't wait." He fills me in on his travels easily. Almost like it's to put my mind at ease and to assure me that I'm not far from his thoughts no matter where he is in the world. "If everything goes to plan over the coming days, I should be back in London before the weekend's over."
I turn in the bed. "You don't need to rush back here."
"I know I don't have to, but I have some important things to deal with when I get back."
"You sure do get about, Mr. Madden."
I can feel myself begin to drift off once more, my grip on my phone growing slacker and slacker with every passing second.
"I'm a businessman, Miss. Fletcher. It's what I do."
"So you keep saying," I yawn.
"I'm sorry I woke you up," he says sweetly. I hum lightly which has him chuckling slightly. "I'll let you get back to sleep, Kaylee. I'll speak to you soon."
"Alright," I murmur.
"Night, Kaylee."
"Goodnight."
I let Luca end the call from his end and throw my phone onto the bottom of my bed. I snuggle deeper under the duvet and drift back off to sleep.