Chapter 26: Mon Amour

When I walk into my apartment where my cousin and best friend are, they both give me shit eating grins.

My gelled hair is standing up in fifty different directions, my button up is wrinkled, my belt is in my hand, and my zipper is undone.

"Well, well, well." Gabe says, smirking knowingly. "I see you've been busy."

"Harper walked in on us." I mutter, setting my belongings on the kitchen counter.

"She walked in on you?" Mason repeats. "Yeah, but at what stage?"

"Uh, well my fingers were inside of her." I say.

They both stare at me in silence, and then burst out laughing.

"Did you eat least go all the way?" Gabe asks through laughs.

"Yes." I say, and then I grin triumphantly. "Four times."

They start cheering loudly, clapping me violently on the back. I shove their grips off.

"Go pack your shit, horn dog." Mason snickers. "We leave at six in the morning."

"Oh fuck, I forgot to tell her." My eyes widen. I pick up my phone to call her, but when I look down at it, I realize it's not my phone.

It's Odette's.

"Shit." I say. "I-"

There's a few knocks on my door, and then Gabe opens the door to the apartment. Odette walks in.

"I did not know you were in town." She says.

"Oh, right, we're-" he cuts off. "Oh, is that a hickey?"

"What?" Her eyes widen. "Where?" She immediately uts her hand on her neck. He starts laughing.

"Just kidding, Frenchie. There's no hickey."

She glares at him, stepping around his body and walking over to me. She holds out my phone.

"Sorry." I say, taking it from her and handing her her own.

"It's okay." She says. Her eyes look me up and down and she smirks, but she doesn't comment.

"I'm going away for a few days." I say. "Like...a week."

"A week?" She repeats.

"Yes. I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you. I'm going to Hawaii with the guys."

"Okay." She says. "When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow morning." I say.

"Okay." She nods. "Well..." she hesitates, looking me up and down, her eyes lingering on my wrinkled shirt. "Well I will go. I am tired, and you should get some rest."

"I'll walk you out." I say when Mason snickers I won't why you're so tired under his breath. I shoot him a flat look, guiding her out of the apartment.

I put my arm around her and she puts her around my waist. We reach her motorcycle, and I look down at her. She steps out of my grip to stand in front of me.

"I'm going to miss you." I admit softly, looking down at her.

"I am going to miss you too." She says quietly. "Nathan?" She looks up at me, the streetlight casting glows on her face.

"Hmm?" I hum.

"Remember when we were at your parents and I was crying in the garage and I told you that I was scared to love you?"

"Yes." I say, my eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Why is she bringing this up? "Odette," I begin when I see the look on her face. She looks very serious, and it makes me nervous. Did I do something wrong? Was I too rough with her?

"I was ripped from my family as a child. I was left alone, with everyone I knew or cared about gone, and I was scared. So scared, and you came along and you starting breaking down my walls, and I let you in, and when I saw you kissing Brenda..." she looks down. "I just needed time to adjust. I'm sorry I was ignoring you for the past couple of days. I'm sorry Brenda did this, and I'm sorry for everything else, but while we were apart..." she swallows. "I am in love with you, Nathan. I think I've been for months. Probably since we were on the balcony in France, remember that?" I nod my head, listening. "And I did not realize it until today, when Harper walked in, and you were laughing into my shoulder, and...though the situation was...uh-I forgot the English word, another word for embarrassing..."

"Mortifying?" I ask. She nods.

"Yes, mortifying. Though the situation was mortifying, it was hilarious, and it was okay, because if I want to be mortified with anyone, I want it to be you...so I am sorry it took me ages to realize, but I love you, Nathan. I love you."

She smiles now, and I feel my heart warm, even though it's a big chilly outside.

I smile, putting my left hand on her cheek softly.

"I love you too, amour." I murmur. Her cheeks tinge pink, and I find myself smiling brightly.

"I am going to miss you a lot." She admits softly.

"I'm going to miss you a lot too." I whisper. I wrap my arms around her shoulder, pulling her into my chest. She wraps her arms around my waist, holding me there.

I'm not going to see this beautiful girl for a whole week.

I pull away, kissing her softly. She kisses me back slowly.

This kiss is much different from the ones earlier. This is slow, and gentle, and passionate.

After a moment, I pull away, resting my forehead against hers.

A list gust in the air makes her shiver. I reach behind me and grab her helmet. I put it on her head and flip open the mask to see her face.

"I love you." I say softly. "Drive safe, okay? Text me when you get home. I won't go to bed until I know you're in bed and safe."

"Okay." She says. "I love you too."

I kiss her nose in the helmet and flip the mask down.

She takes a moment to start her bike, and she gets on, looking at me through the helmet. After a moment, she takes the helmet off and grabs my hand, pulling me closer to her.

Sitting on the bike, she kisses me again. I kiss her back, and then she pulls away, brushing her thumb across the bruise on my cheek from Mason's punch.

"I love you." She says over the engine.

"I love you too, amour." I say.

She smiles and puts the helmet on, driving off.

I wait until she's completely out of sight and I can't hear her bike anymore to go inside.

When I walk in the apartment, Gabe and Mason are waiting.

"I'm going to marry that girl." I say seriously, grabbing my belongings off the counter and walking to my bedroom.

It's late, well past midnight, so I set my alarm and decide to shower when I wake. I change into a fresh pair of briefs and climb in bed, plugging my phone in.

I sit there and stare at it, and after fifteen minutes or so, the screen lights up.

Odeletta: I'm home

Me: Okay, I love you sweetie, goodnight

Odeletta: I love you too beau

I wonder what that means.

I type it in google translate and smile. It means handsome.

Odeletta: goodnight

Me: goodnight

Odeletta: let me know when you take off and call me when you land, okay?

Me: okay amour, goodnight

Odeletta: goodnight

I sit there and stare at her contact for a while, and then I text her again.

Me: what's french for My Love?

Her reply is almost immediate.

Odeletta: Mon Amour. Why?

Me: just wondering

I change her contact.

Mon Amour: okay then, goodnight for the 353rd time

I laugh softly.

Me: goodnight

I set my phone aside and roll over.

I can't wait to see her again.