Page 111 of How to Fix a Broken Heart
Prior to that, her love life had mainly been drunken flings followed by prolonged periods of being single where she would flit on and off match.com, not really knowing what she wanted apart from occasional no-strings sex.
The spontaneity of Nate had been just the tonic she had needed after Steady Stuart. They were opposites in every way. Nate had been working at a call centre when she had first met him, then went on to be a garage forecourt attendant, a delivery man and recently a pot washer promoted to sous-chef at a restaurant in Putney. He paid his way – well, a two-thirds-to-one-third ratio on the rent, as she earned more than him. Their once-regular holidays together now consisted of Nate going away on some kind of annual mountain-biking holiday with his mates, whilst she’d have a spa break with the girls. Then, as Nate respected that his girl preferred sitting on a quiet quay or beach and painting to partaking in the more energetic pursuits that he enjoyed, together they would have the odd weekend or week somewhere picturesque and hot. So, with compromise, everything had been ticking along nicely. Until Mandy had announced her upcoming nuptials, that was.
Vic got into bed and plumped up her top pillow. Nate was already in and fiddling about with his iPod. He didn’t move or look at her as he spoke. ‘We used to always have a shower together on a Sunday night.’
Vic snuggled into his side and kissed him on the cheek. ‘I know. I’m sorry I’ve been so preoccupied lately.’
‘I do sometimes wonder if you still love me,’ Nate replied solemnly.
Vic sat up abruptly and propped herself up on her elbow. ‘Where’s all this come from?’
Nate continued with his music search. Victoria put her hand over the screen, and he batted away her hand, frowning. ‘Vic, stop it.’
‘Boo, look at me.’ Victoria’s voice had softened.
Nate turned to face her and gave one of his sexy lopsided smiles that still made her heart skip a beat. ‘What’s up, my little Sharpie?’
She gave him a quick peck on the lips. ‘It’s not that I don’t love you, Boo. You know I do.’
‘Are you trying to convince yourself of that, or me?’ Vic stayed silent as he continued. ‘I tell you what, let’s promise that after Mandy’s hen weekend, we make more time for us. OK?’
Vic nodded.
‘A date night at least once a month, and we start having our Sunday showers again.’ He began to tickle her. ‘Or how about we cut out the middleman and have a Sunday shag right now?’
Vic squealed and wriggled away from him. ‘Oh, baby. I told you. I’m knackered and it’s day one of coming on and…’
‘It’s OK, I can wait.’ Nate kissed her nose. ‘But be warned: it’ll be the longest shower you’ve ever had. Or saying that, maybe the quickest.’ He laughed aloud. ‘Come on, let’s get some sleep.’
Vic snuggled back down under the covers and held Nate tightly to her, covering his back with butterfly kisses as she did so. There was no doubt she loved him – but in what capacity? She realised too that on top of worrying about her relationship and family troubles, she couldn’t shake the niggling discontent that her conversation with Jake about not fulfilling her potential as an artist had fuelled. And she had no idea how she was going to address any of it.
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