Despite Callum’s very sexy distraction, visiting my aunt and uncle has been the recharge I didn’t know I needed. My first night here they treated me to an epic dinner at their favorite Indian food spot, and they’ve been hugging me nonstop since I arrived. Just sitting and catching up with them has helped take my mind off the stresses from back home. Spending time together is like a cuddle for my soul. I make a mental note not to let so much time pass until our next visit. Maybe next time, we’ll have enough money so that Mom can come visit too.
I reach the top of the hill and take in the view of lush green hills around me. In the distance, countless skyscrapers and the iconic London Eye mark the horizon. The half dozen people standing around me take photos and videos. I’m not the only one taking advantage of this mild and sunny spring day. Joggers and walkers scatter across the park. There are parents pushing strollers and dogs playing fetch with their owners.
I snap a few photos of the skyline, then take a selfie. I start to shove the phone back in my pocket, but an idea hits and I pause. What if I send it to Callum? A friendly text and a selfie is a harmless way to break the contact barrier without setting any expectations.
I type out a quick message and send the photo before I change my mind.
Primrose Hill is gorgeous. All of London is actually. Why on earth did you leave?
Instead of staring at my phone in eager anticipation of his response, I shove it in the back pocket of my jeans and walk back down the hill. Halfway down, it buzzes. My heart thunders when I check and see it’s a text from Callum.
CALLUM: Because the weather here is miserable. You’ve caught us on an off day when it’s sunny. You look gorgeous BTW
I bite my lip, grinning to myself as I stroll around the park.
ME: It’s hard to beat Maui’s perfect weather Also, thank you. How are you?
CALLUM: I’m stuck in a pub watching my cousin and his knobhead friends do shots before the wedding. I was hoping I could text you for the next few minutes to avoid talking to them
I laugh softly to myself, then quickly text back.
ME: Of course. And yikes, sorry to hear that
CALLUM: Having a nice time with your family?
ME: Yes. They’ve been taking me all over Camden Town. My aunt and uncle had errands to run today, so I’m checking out the Primrose Hill area on my own. Such a cool neighborhood they live in.
CALLUM: You’re not far from me. My cousin’s family rented out the Grazing Goat pub for the reception tonight. It’s in Marylebone, only a few miles away.
My hand holding the phone tingles. Now that’s a sign from heaven if I’ve ever seen one. Callum is within reach. If I want him, all I have to do is say so.
Three gray dots appear at the bottom of his most recent message, then fade away. Again they reappear. Again they fade.
The disappearing dots are an odd comfort. It’s a sign that he’s just as nervous as I am. It’s the unlikely confidence boost I need.
ME: What you said . . . Before you walked off the plane . . . Did you mean it?
It’s the best I can manage when my nerves are whirling like an out-of-control carousel. The wording of my message makes me sound like an uncertain teenager. But I don’t care; I just want an answer. Before I try anything with him, I need to know for sure what he said wasn’t a one-off or his idea of a joke.
My phone buzzes with his immediate reply.
CALLUM: Every word, Nikki
My fingers fumble to form a coherent response, but I come up with nothing. So I simply send “OK.”
If I weren’t walking the perimeter of a public park, I’d be cradling my face in my hands and groaning at how pathetic my texting game is. I fight through the embarrassment, staring with interest at a red phone booth.
When my phone buzzes this time, I’m too nervous to look at it. What in the world do I expect Callum to say when all I send him is a pathetic “OK” as my reply?