Four Weekends & a Photograph (WAYHAUGHT)

Chapter 17

[Waverly's POV:]

It felt as though I'd known Nicole all my life. Seriously, that's how it felt. They say you know when that special someone enters your life, and boy did I know. Or, should that be girl. The effort she put into finding those strawberries told me she kind of liked me too. And, her gifts. So thoughtful. But, that's her. Sensitive and sensuous.

Our first time was special. Sitting in the café before we did what we did, nerves got to me, wanting to be with her but worried she might want someone a little more experienced in the bedroom, or rather the bathroom. She was the first person who had been that intimate with me. I assumed she knew more when it came to doing it, you know sex. God, my cheeks are burning. She's a few years older, had had at least one relationship I knew of, so of course she would have a better idea. It was obvious in Greece she knew how to make my body respond. In a way, that made it worse, but I needed to take it further, with her, especially after all the research I'd done on what to do. If anyone had seen my YouTube history I would have died. Going to an all girls' Catholic school didn't help the situation either.

She looked a little on edge when she arrived at the café. We should have gone somewhere quieter, but the thought of meeting in my student room had me pick a neutral location, somewhere we could talk first. But then, there were too many people in the café to talk openly. What was I thinking? Safety in numbers, perhaps. I couldn't even hold her hand in public.

The weekend I came out to Chrissy was a defining moment in our relationship. The pressure to keep what we were doing a secret would have been too great, and Nicole turning up in Oxford would have been too obvious. Plus, Chrissy is far too smart not to suss what would have been going on. All it took was one indiscretion at her house for Chrissy to realise there was something between us. Coming out to my parents was a completely different matter. Chrissy offered to go with me to Wallop if I ever mustered enough courage. That was sweet of her.

Nicole's father Michael seemed to take it in his stride, never mentioning our relationship. He knew about Nicole, so I assume he took it for granted we were together the first time I met him. It's easy to see where she gets her looks from, and that hair. She is so like him, although she's never shown me a photo of her mother so I can only go by Mike's appearance. She rarely talked about her mother in the early days of our relationship, or other members of her family for that matter. Only Sarah briefly and her stay in Bali. And Robin, what a character.

We met when Nicole invited me to the opening of his new play in London. By then we had been dating almost a year, the date of which I took to be the weekend we stayed at Chrissy's. That's when I asked her to be my girlfriend. Nicole considers our meeting in Greece to be the start of the relationship, which is fine as it means we get to celebrate twice. She's not a huge fan of celebrations, even her birthday. Had it not been for Wyn telling me, during our first Christmas at Wallop, she was heading to London for Nicole's birthday, I would never have known.

It hurt a little, actually it hurt a lot she kept it from me. She apologised, explaining she didn't like a fuss, and that Wynonna only knew because of a drinking game they once played at university. If Nicole had her way she wouldn't celebrate at all. I'm the opposite. Balloons, brightly wrapped gifts, cake, the works. Although, like Nicole I kept my special Christmas gift to her small and subtle. She loved it. We agreed I wouldn't join them for her birthday, which made sense, and meant we got to celebrate in private when she came to see me.

Where was I? Robin. He and Jeremy had been together a few years, the only other gay couple I knew. They seemed perfect for each other, comfortable together, relaxed about showing affection in public. It helped me get over my own insecurities about being as open with Nicole.

"Robin's invited us to the after party," Nicole mentioned, as we headed to the West End. "You'll love him. Vanderbilt. Old money, like your family. Although, most of it gone."