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I stood up, bringing the throw with me. I followed him upstairs, as my mind raced with the possibilities of what had happened to Cal in New York.

His bedroom was simple.

Floor length curtains adorned the windows, a thick grey rug on the varnished floor. His bed was up against a plain wall, white sheets lay crumpled on the mattress; an ashtray on the floor. I rolled my eyes; some things don’t change.

Then again, the image of a naked Cal smoking in bed... Yum.

I crawled into the bed as tiredness overtook me. Cal slid into bed beside me and kissed my head before he exhaled.

“I can’t tell you how much I've missed you.”

I smiled in response as my eyes closed, our fingers laced together.

Chapter Twenty Four

GRETCHEN

The next morning was Saturday.

I turned over to see the empty bed beside me, as an ice-like grip took hold of my heart.

Where is Cal?

I looked around the room and spotted a pile of clothes strewn over an armchair in the corner. I made my way over to it, slipping Cal’sRamonest-shirt on that only just covered my butt. As I walked out of the door, I was hit by the delicious smell of bacon cooking. I hadn’t even realized how hungry I was as I hurried down the stairs.

Cal was beside the stove, wearing just grey bottoms as he frowned at the pan with concentration. I took pleasure in watching him whilst he was unaware I was there.

He looked fucking delicious. Suddenly, I wasn’t hungry for the bacon.

He turned his head to me, as an enormous smile broke over his face. “Morning, you,” he opened his arms out, and I slipped into them.

“I could get used to this,” I murmured, kissing his mouth.

“There’s orange juice in the fridge, help yourself,” he nodded at the fridge as I took the juice out, searching in the cupboards for the glasses.

The first cupboard had nothing in at all, the second one had three plates and some mugs. I frowned and went to open the third and final cupboard.

“Yeah, it’s right at the back baby, whatever you are looking for,” Cal watched me hungrily, as the t-shirt raised up to give him a wonderful view of my naked self.

I rolled my eyes and instructed him to find the glasses himself, as I made my way to a stool by the kitchen bar.

How did he get this house? Who does it belong to?

I gazed around it, imagining that it was ours.

I remembered my phone on the side and leaned over to grab it. My parents had texted me asking how I was today and if I had fun.

Oh, if they only knew, I smirked to myself.

Cal slid a bacon sandwich over to me and I thanked him as I took a bite.

“So, do you have any plans today?” He leaned on the counter before taking a bite of his own sandwich.

“No, do you?” As I responded, crumbs of bread escaped from my mouth, and he laughed, shaking his head.

“I wondered if you wanted to go to LA?” He said it so casually my mouth dropped open.

LA?! That’s over two thousand miles away.