PART 4
Half an hour later, after she had calmed down, Andrew managed to convince her to go to his apartment.
“Here, this might be too big, but it's better than nothing,” he said, handing her a pair of his sweatpants. “I left a towel on the couch. Change into this and get warm. I’ll make you some tea and turn on the heat.”
Diana sat on the couch, towel in hand, as Andrew returned with a tray holding two cups of tea and a playful smile.
“Why are you smiling?” she asked, noticing his grin.
“I don’t know,” he replied, setting the tray on the table. “You just look so cute in oversized clothes.”
Carefully making sure the tea wasn’t too hot, Andrew placed the cup in her cold, trembling hands.
“Your hands are freezing, and your hair is still wet. Drink the tea while I dry your hair,” he said, pulling her gently toward the couch and sitting her down.
“You don’t have to…” Diana murmured, her face flushing as Andrew sat behind her, towel in hand.
“I don’t want you to catch a cold,” he added, gently rubbing her hair with the towel. “Don’t worry.”
The room was quiet, the only sound being the rhythmic motion of the towel drying her hair. Andrew hesitated to ask what was on his mind, but he couldn’t ignore the need to understand.
"Things didn’t go well with Mike, did they?" he asked quietly.
Diana didn’t answer with words. Instead, her tears answered for her, streaming down her face once more. Andrew felt a deep sense of helplessness, knowing that no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t heal her broken heart. He continued drying her hair, letting her cry until she had no more tears left.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“Thank you for everything, Andrew,” Diana said, setting her empty cup down on the tray minutes later.
“I’ve always enjoyed helping pretty girls,” he teased, sitting a few inches away from her.
“Are you flirting with me?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Who knows?” he chuckled as their eyes met.
"You have a beautiful view," Diana commented, looking out at the large windows in the living room.
“I know,” Andrew replied, his gaze still fixed on her.
A quiet, intense moment passed between them. Their eyes locked, and slowly, they began to lean closer, their lips just millimeters apart. But just as their lips were about to meet, Andrew stopped, gently placing his finger on her lips.
“I wouldn’t be a good person if I kissed you while you’re feeling like this. Besides, we both know those lips don’t want to kiss me,” Andrew said softly.
Diana looked away, blushing at his words.
“Don’t be embarrassed. For now, I’ll respect my friend, but if he messes things up with you again, I won’t hesitate to win you over,” he said with a playful grin.
“That doesn’t matter now… I’m leaving the country first thing tomorrow morning,” Diana responded, her gaze shifting to the window. “It’s stopped raining. I should go. Thanks again, Andrew.”
Moments later, at the door, Diana stood with a bittersweet smile.
“If I seem indifferent, it’s not because I don’t care that you’re leaving. It’s because I’m sure that wherever you go, our lucky charm will bring us back together,” Andrew said, stepping closer to place a gentle kiss on her forehead.
The gesture left Diana flustered and unsure of how to react. She awkwardly waved goodbye as she made her way to the elevator. Once she was out of sight, Andrew’ warm expression hardened. He closed the door with purpose and immediately reached for his phone, dialing Mike's number once again. Still no answer. Frustrated, he dialed another number.
“Hey, Johnny. Have you heard from Mike?”
“Not since the trip. Why?”
“No reason, just trying to find him. Let me know if you hear anything.”
“I’ll ask Oscar if he knows anything.”
“Thanks,” Andrew said, hanging up. He grabbed a jacket from the entryway and stormed out of the apartment. “If you’ve messed things up with Diana again, Mike, I swear I’ll kill you with my own hands.”