Loving You Too Long

Haisley glanced at her watch. It was already 15 minutes past the scheduled time Gilbert had promised her. Today, Gilbert had promised to introduce her to some of his friends from Indonesia. They were planning to organize their weekend getaway together. And now, Haisley was waiting for him to pick her up, but he hadn’t shown up yet.

Should she go to the meeting place by herself? After all, Haisley knew where Gilbert had arranged to meet his friends. But she was a bit hesitant. She was sociable, but when it came to dealing with men, she kept a bit of distance.

She would wait for another ten minutes, she decided inwardly. Haisley chose to watch a movie on her phone while waiting.

A tap on her shoulder made her look up. A chubby man was looking her way, nodding his head in the direction where a yellow sports car was parked not far from her. Gilbert waved at her with a broad smile on his face. After thanking the chubby man who had approached her, Haisley finally ran over and got into the passenger seat on Gilbert’s right.

“Sorry, I’m late,” he said with a wide grin. He stepped on the gas and began driving at a moderate speed.

“Can you at least give an excuse?” Haisley said sarcastically.

“Your Prince suddenly dumped a pile of work on me. So, well, instead of being a disobedient little brother, I just obeyed,” he said without feeling the slightest bit guilty. Gilbert didn’t specify what task it was, and Haisley didn’t want to know if it involved his business affairs.

“Have your friends been informed?” she asked again. Gilbert nodded.

About ten minutes into their journey, they arrived at a bustling café filled with young people who, upon closer inspection, weren’t much older than Haisley. Gilbert walked toward the crowd seated at a tall square table surrounded by several chairs. It appeared to be three tables put together specifically for this meeting. Haisley only recognized one of Gilbert’s friends, Steven, who was now waving at her warmly and gesturing for her to sit in the empty chair next to him. Given Haisley’s petite frame, it was a bit challenging to sit on such a high chair. She had to use the footrest, holding Steven’s hand for support.

“I didn’t know you were here,” Haisley said, because Gilbert had previously mentioned that this meeting was specifically for Indonesian students.

“Coincidentally, Gilbert and I have a project together, so he invited me along. You know, photography,” Steven said, met with a nod from Haisley. Yes, he knew that Gilbert was very fond of the world of photography. That was also the reason for his late return when Nathan was sick a week ago.

The waiter placed drinks in front of Haisley that he hadn’t ordered before. But he knew that Gilbert had ordered it for him. A glass of iced cappuccino with vanilla ice cream filling the rim of the glass and a beef burger with mozzarella cheese that looked tempting.

“So, any suggestions on where we should go this weekend?” Gilbert asked bluntly. Haisley had heard many arguments from Gilbert’s friends. Some suggested just taking a stroll in the city park around Oxford, others invited them to a museum, and there were those who suggested camping.

Haisley wasn’t really interested. If he could be honest, he wasn’t a travel enthusiast. He wasn’t a fan of rare or old items found in museums. And he didn’t really like the hot beach weather either. But he did like the cold mountain air. However, at the thought of ‘hiking’, his desire vanished.

Yes, Haisley was a lazy type. Just look at the food in front of him. Junk food. Wasn’t that one of the foods lazy people liked? Although he could cook, he couldn’t be considered a bad cook.

“Alright. I’ve looked up some references on the internet. I think Polperro in Cornwall will be our choice. It’s quite far, but at least the place is beautiful. What do you think?” That was Gilbert’s suggestion. Haisley saw some of his friends starting to search for the destination on social media, and after feeling satisfied with Gilbert’s suggestion, they nodded. After that, they discussed the vehicle they would use for the approximately four-hour journey.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Three hours later, after all decisions had been made, Haisley and Gilbert returned to their home and entered through the connecting door from the garage to the kitchen. As usual, Haisley grabbed a drink from the fridge, and Gilbert chose to sit at the bar table and reached for the nearest cookie jar. “What about accommodation?” Haisley asked again, continuing the conversation he hadn’t really paid attention to before.

“We can rent one of the fishermen’s cottages. But afterward, I want to camp at one of its coves. Of course, after getting permission from the locals,” Gilbert replied casually, playing with his phone.

“What should I bring?” Haisley was a little confused; this was her first trip after settling down for almost three months.

“Sunblock, definitely. For the rest, just pack your essentials if you’re planning to go to the beach. The vibe won’t be much different from the beaches in Indonesia,” Gilbert replied. Haisley nodded in response. Neither of them noticed Nathan, who had actually been sitting in front of the turned-off TV since earlier.

“Planning a vacation, hmm,” he mumbled, surprising Gilbert and Haisley.

“Since when have you been there?” Gilbert turned his chair, now facing his brother completely.

“Since before you entered the kitchen,” Nathan answered casually. “So, where are you planning to go for the vacation?” he asked, now standing and casually approaching the kitchen, a movement that still made Haisley’s heart race. He was wearing a white V-neck cashmere sweater with matching sweatpants, making him look like an angel without wings in Haisley’s eyes. Not to mention his still damp hair after a shower and his polished face from shaving, making Haisley’s hands itch to touch him.

Haisley shook her head slightly to dispel her fascination. She had to play hard to get, just like her initial plan.

“One of the provinces in the southwest,” Gilbert replied, turning his chair again and reaching for his cookie jar.

“That’s quite far from here, G,” Nathan murmured, leaning against the kitchen wall.

“Yes, indeed. If it’s close, it wouldn’t be called traveling,” he continued. “Oh, H, are you inviting anyone else? The kids asked for the right headcount.” Gilbert seemed to be replying to a message on his phone.

“Who?”

“I don’t know, Demian, maybe? Aren’t you two getting close?” Gilbert could see Nathan tense out of the corner of his eye. He hoped Haisley understood his hint.

“Oh, come on, G. How could I possibly invite Demian while Steven is there? Do you think I’m crazy?” Haisley replied. Gilbert smiled at his friend’s response and was relieved that the girl understood his code.

“Why not, H? Come on, before wedding bells start ringing, having one or two lovers isn’t a bad idea.” Gilbert put his phone aside this time and chose to observe his sister’s reaction. “You could sneak out with one of them when the others are already asleep. A fun three-day, two-night adventure, isn’t it, Princess?”

Gilbert wanted to laugh so hard when he saw his sister, who had been casually leaning with both hands in her pockets, now standing with her arms folded across her chest. Her shoulders looked tense, and her eyes stared sharply at Haisley, who was now standing, playing with her fingers on the rim of the glass, and biting her slightly reddened lower lip. Nathan didn’t notice Gilbert, who kept watching his sister’s expression through the reflection in the fridge.

“No. I don’t think so,” Haisley replied firmly.

“Why?” Gilbert asked, sounding sad.

Haisley looked at him with a teasing gaze. “I just want Steven, for three days and two nights,” she said then. “At least let me focus on him without having to sneak around like a mistress afraid of getting caught by her lover, G.”

Gilbert raised both his hands above his head, appearing defeated. “Fine, do what you want. Three days and two nights, Princess. Indulge yourself with Steven. Explore everything you want to explore, don’t miss anything,” he said, winking. He was aware that his sister’s body on the other side of the room was getting tenser.

“Of course, my dear Gilbert. I won’t miss a thing,” Haisley replied, winking back at Gilbert. “Well, I guess I should go bikini shopping too, shouldn’t I?” Gilbert nodded. “What color do you think he would like?”

Gilbert stroked his chin with his right hand, which rested on his left hand. His eyes observed Haisley carefully. “I think red and black would suit you, Princess,” he answered after observing for a few moments. “Choose something sexy, okay?”

“Of course, I will,” Haisley replied. Haisley turned around and washed her glass before placing it back in the cabinet. Meanwhile, Gilbert closed his cookie jar and tidied it up again.

Haisley wrapped her arm around Gilbert’s waist with her right hand, her backpack in her left hand. They walked side by side towards the stairs leading to their room on the second floor without paying attention to Nathan.

“Do you think I should order online?” Haisley asked as they climbed the stairs.

“No need. I know a swimwear store that sells sexy bikinis here,” Gilbert answered, which was then met with a nod from Haisley. Then their conversation faded as they walked further away.

Nathan remained frozen in his spot, attempting to calm the sudden surge of anger upon hearing the names Demian and Steven. Especially when Gilbert mentioned the three-day, two-night trip and the bikini. The beach, of course, they would go there if Gilbert suggested Haisley wear a bikini. But which beach were they heading to? When were they leaving? And with whom?

Nathan walked into his office and quickly powered up his laptop. Southwest province. That’s what Gilbert had mentioned earlier. And where they would go, while there were several beaches in that area. Nathan didn’t mean to disrupt their vacation plans. It’s just that he had to look out for Haisley. He couldn’t let Gilbert exert a bad influence on the girl. After all, Haisley’s parents had entrusted her to his care.

Yes, that was the only reason Nathan delved into finding out where those two kids planned to go. No other reason. Especially not one involving the word ‘jealousy.’