Just Like That

Chapter 11

PETE

Monday, March 2nd

PETE: How was your first day at Sea Nest?

TINKER BELL: Good. No one said boo to me.

PETE: Good. See that it stays that way.

TINKER BELL: Sir yes sir! I think a celebratory swim is in order.

PETE: Keep your clothes on.

TINKER BELL: I’ll try my hardest…

PETE: See that you do, otherwise I’ll have to come over there and give you my hardest…

TINKER BELL: As tempting as that sounds, I’m wiped out. Night xx

Tuesday, March 3rd

PETE: Day 2 as good as Day 1?

TINKER BELL: Depends on what you mean by good. I’m exhausted. I’m starting to think they’re running off interns just by working them too hard…

PETE: No celebratory swim tonight then?

TINKER BELL: Recovery ice bath instead.

PETE: Ouch. Sounds painfully cold.

TINKER BELL: Sounds like just what I need. Night x

Wednesday, March 4th

PETE: How are the muscles pulling up?

TINKER BELL: Recovering with a study day. Classes all day. My brain is officially fried. I have no idea how I could have thought it would be clever to do an internship and study for finals. I’m an idiot.

PETE: Even idiots have their moments.

Thursday, March 5th

PETE: College or Sea Nest today?

PETE: You alive Tinker Bell?

TINKER BELL: *thumbs up*

Friday, March 6th

PETE: Did you survive your first week?

PETE: Tinker Bell?

PETE: Hey, you okay?

My fingers drum my desk, my eyes staring at the phone. I’m not an idiot. Her messages have dried up this week. Scrolling back, I read through them again, feeling like a schoolboy. This is ridiculous.

But… she went from saying goodnight with little kisses to not responding within a week. Bile rises in my throat. What if something happened to her at Sea Nest? Fucking hell. I should have pushed harder for her to turn the internship down.

Shoving out of my seat, I snatch up my phone, dropping it into my pocket and grabbing my briefcase and coat. Traffic isn’t too bad, but it still takes me longer to get to her apartment than I would like.

I get a parking space down the street a little from her building, striding along the footpath. I don’t bother with the buzzer. The door will be unlocked anyway. The neighbor from floor three is waiting for the elevator, grinning as I step into the car with her.

“You again.”

“Me again,” I growl back. She blinks in surprise, her eyes darting over my suit before they rest on my face.

“Everything okay?”

“I’m about to find out.”

“O…kay.” She throws me another look as she steps out onto her floor, but I’m too busy jabbing my thumb at the Close Doors button to pay her any attention.

One more floor and I’m at Mel’s door, hammering on it.

“Keep your hair on!” she calls through, the chain sliding off it as I stop hammering. I can breathe again - she’s still alive and sounding somewhat normal.

The door opens, and she blinks up at me, her face covered in some brown muck.

“Pete.” She sounds surprised to see me. I’m not sure why. What did she think would happen when she didn’t answer my texts?

I step inside as she steps back, closing the door and setting the chain behind me. Mel sighs, turning and walking back through to her small living room. I trail her, dropping my coat and suit jacket over the armchair as she sinks back onto the couch, picking up a large glass of red wine.

When she doesn’t speak, I sit next to her, plucking up her hand and squeezing it.

“Are you okay? Is everything okay at Sea Nest? Fuck NDAs, you can tell me.”

Mel’s eyes slide sideways to me, and she rolls them. “Sea Nest is great. Exhausting, but great. I’m learning so much.”

“So why the radio silence this week? Did I give you a disappointing orgasm on Sunday?”

Mel snickers, sighing and placing down her wine glass. “No.”

Her voice is small. Something is going on. I want to see her face. I can’t see her emotions through her mask. Standing, I fetch a cloth, wetting it in the sink, and gently take her chin in my hand, wiping her face clean.

“What’s going on, Tinker Bell? Talk to me,” I murmur.

Mel’s eyes meet mine, her lips wobbling as her eyes fill with tears. What the fuck? She blinks, and tears start spilling over. Jesus Christ.

Throwing the soiled towel on the coffee table, I gather her into my arms, pressing kisses against her hair.

“Why are you upset?”

“Your family hates me!” she wails. You have got to be kidding me. Sighing, I stroke her hair, shaking my head. Seriously? This is why she’s been distancing herself? Why she’s upset?

“Who gives a fuck what they think? They have nothing to do with us.”

Mel nods, still sobbing, so I hold her tight, dropping kisses in her hair until she stops crying. She finally lifts her head, still managing to look cute with her red splotchy cheeks.

My lips thin as they press together. Lifting her, I stride over to her bed, placing Mel there.

“Your ass doesn’t leave the bed, Tinker Bell,” I tell her firmly. She blinks up at me but nods slowly, her eyes following me as I strip off my tie.

Plucking up a hand, I use my tie to lash her wrist to the wooden headboard. There’s a small smile on her lips now as I cross to her closet, opening it and rifling through until I find a scarf. I use it to tie her other wrist to the headboard.

“This is different,” she murmurs, her eyes still following me.