AN: OMG ... I really wanted to post this one on Sunday, but stupid wouldn't let me log in ... grrrrrr ...
Anyway, we're fast forwarding again ... ...
I better get tons of feedback from you guys for this one. : )
Oh, and Fein is pronounced "Finn".
~ Ready and Waiting to Fall ~
Chapter 11
Wednesday, January 23, 2008 – Fayetteville, Arkansas
Rob had disappeared off the face of the earth after Christmas. I knew it was because he was getting ready for his role in Twilight, but I couldn't help but be a little disappointed that I hadn't heard from him. We hadn't talked since before he left to go hide out in Oregon so I really missed him.
I hadn't realized how attached I'd gotten to him until the lull in our e-mails and texts.
School had started yesterday, so there wasn't a whole lot to do for my final semester of studio, but I was hanging out at the architecture school anyway. I was in the middle of a conversation with James about his big birthday outing that he was planning for Saturday night when my phone rang.
It was Rob.
"Sorry James. I have to get this," I said as I brought my phone up to my ear. "Hey you're alive!" My voice was laced with surprise.
"I am. Sorry I haven't kept in touch," He sounded like he felt bad for not.
"That's okay," I said and sat back in my chair. "You got to do what you got to do. So how's it going?"
"Not too bad," Rob answered. "I know this is really short notice, but I was thinking maybe I could come see you before we start filming." He sounded nervous to suggest it.
"You want to come see me?" I was thrilled at the thought.
"Of course I do," he stated. "So?"
"I would love for you to visit," I sighed. We had met almost a year ago already, and hadn't seen each other since. That was way too long in my opinion.
"I was thinking I could come out there Friday sometime, whatever time is better for you, and I'd have to leave Sunday because we start filming Monday."
"Really this weekend?" I bounced up and down on my chair a little. James was still standing at my desk, and I could see him looking at my questioningly. There was no way I was going to be able to concentrate on anything now for the next two days.
"Uh-huh. Is your schedule okay for that?"
"Heck yeah. We just started studio this afternoon so there isn't a lot going on yet. Studio ends on Fridays at 5:30, so you could come in after then," I smiled. "Look for flights into XNA. I doubt you'll be able to find a direct flight, but you can get here one way or another."
"I'll see what I can find and then let you know," he stated.
"Awesome," I smiled.
Friday, January 25, 2008 – Fayetteville, Arkansas
I was about to go crazy waiting to see Rob come down the escalator at the one terminal in the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. Since we had talked on Wednesday and he gave me his flight information, I had been smiling non-stop and not able to concentrate on anything else.
It could not have taken any longer for the flight to de-board. The screen had said his flight had landed about 20 minutes before and people were just making their way down the escalator to baggage claim. This place was too small for it to have taken that long.
And there he was mixed in with about 30 other people. I almost couldn't believe it. Rob smiled and waved when he saw me, and I returned the gesture. He looked so good, tired, but good, and seeing him made me more excited than I already was.
"You're actually here!" I wrapped my arms around him when he stepped off of the escalator towards me. He was just as cute as I remembered, and our e-mails, texts and phone conversations had only made him that much more attractive to me. I was hooked.
"I can't believe it," Rob said as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek. "You look exactly the same." He looked down at me, still keeping me in his embrace. I had never seen a better smile.
"You don't. What is with the hair?" I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Instead of being kind of long and floppy like it had been when we met, he now had it standing up in all different directions. "It's cute though." I shocked myself with those words.
Rob's eyes lit up at the compliment, and I just smiled back, reluctantly dropping my arms from around him. He did the same.
"Did you check any luggage?" I eyed his carry-on, which looked big enough to hold enough clothes for the day and a half he was going to be in Arkansas.
"Nah," he shook his head, readjusting the bag on his shoulder.
"Let's get out of here then." I grabbed his hand and we headed toward the sliding doors. "I parked just right out here." We walked across the three-lane drive in front of the building to the short-term parking lot. "How was your flight?"
"Well, my first flight was delayed, and then I had all of two seconds to run across the airport in Denver to catch my flight here." I could hear the frustration in his voice.
"That sucks," I sighed glancing up at him. "At least you made it though." We walked up to my Chevy Tahoe, and I hit the unlock button on the electronic key.
"Wait a second," Rob stopped, still holding onto my hand.
"What?" I looked up at him concerned that he'd forgotten something.
"This is what you drive?" He raised an eyebrow. I shrugged and shook my head. "It's huge – and you're so little." Rob looked between me and the SUV.
"Come on," I rolled my eyes and tugged on his hand. I was used to that reaction from guys when they found out what I drove. It was probably a little more shocking to Rob though, considering that in London and Europe all they drove were small "death traps" as I referred to them. "Just throw your bag in the backseat."
I opened the driver's side door as Rob walked around to the passenger side. As I got in and started the Tahoe, Rob put his bag in the back and then got in, eyeing me.
"What?" I asked as I buckled my seatbelt.
"Can you see over the wheel?" He teased and pulled on his seatbelt.
"Har-har," I shook my head. "I'd like to see you drive this."
"Hell no. I hate driving."
"That's what I thought," I turned around so I could see what was going on behind me before backing out of the spot. "Have you had dinner yet?" I glanced over at him and then back out the windshield to navigate my way out of the lot.
"I just had some little crackers on the plane."
"I'll stop and get you something when we get closer to school," I said.
"Sure," Rob replied. "How far away is your school?"
"About 30 minutes," I answered. We talked the whole way to Fayetteville. I stopped at McDonald's to get him dinner and after fighting with him to let me pay, we finally made it to the dorm I live in.
I felt kind of stupid bringing him to my dorm, but it was where I lived and it made no sense for him to stay in hotel, which I never would have allowed anyway.
"Here it is." I unlocked the main door into my dorm suite, and pulled the heavy door open, letting him step through first. My roommate and her boyfriend were on the couch, go figure. I followed Rob into the common room.
"This is Rob," I waved my hand in his direction. "Rob this is one of my roommate's Fein and her boyfriend Kevin."
"Hi," Rob smiled and nodded. They said hi back through their thick Belgium accents.
"Come on." I headed down the short hallway to the right and stuck my key in the first door on the left. Rob followed looking around. "Bathroom's there, that's my sink …" I pointed to one of the doors to our right and one of the sinks that was right behind us. "And this is my room."
I pushed the door open into the small space and stepped inside. Rob followed and dropped his bag on the ground by my desk. I turned to close the door.
"So make yourself at home." I was so happy he was here and couldn't help but put my arms around him again. He hugged me back. "Have I mentioned how nice it is to see you?"
"You haven't," Rob answered with a shake of his head. "It's nice to see you too. It has been way too long if you ask me."
"For sure," I agreed smiling up at him.
"But as much as I'd love to stand here and hug you all night, do you think I could eat my dinner?" Rob was still holding the paper sack his food was in.
"Oh, yeah, go ahead." I pulled away with a smile. Rob pulled out my desk chair and sat down. He took his burger and fries out of the bag.
"I'm actually going to get ready for bed now." It was starting to get a little late and I was tired from my lack of sleep for the past two nights. "Speaking of you have three options."
He looked up from his food.
"You can either sleep out on the couch, the floor … or squished on my little bed with me." I opened my dresser drawer to grab my pajama pants and T-shirt, and then turned to look at him.
Rob looked a little surprised by his options and answered, "Squished with you is fine."
"Okay, just no funny business," I teased and stole one of his fries, popping it into my mouth.
"Ruin all my fun Millie," he grinned back. I opened the door again and went into the bathroom.
"So what's the plan for tomorrow?" Rob asked when I was standing at the sink a couple minutes later, about to brush my teeth.
"Well tomorrow night we're hitting Dickson Street." I turned around so I could see him as I squeezed some toothpaste onto my toothbrush. "But other than that the rest of the day is free."
"Dickson Street?" He asked.
"That's where all the bars are," I answered. "I thought we'd go to Hog Haus for dinner, and then I have to make an appearance at Willy D's for James' birthday. We can stay there or hit up another place, but Willy D's is pretty cool."
"You know best." Rob smiled.
I stuck my toothbrush into my mouth and began brushing my teeth. Rob had finished eating his food by time I had finished getting ready for bed. I yawned as I walked back into my room.
"Nice picture." Rob nodded toward the frame sitting on my desk. It was one of the ones of us in London.
"Thanks." I smiled and sat on my bed. He stood up while he threw the wrappers and empty ketchup packets into the paper sack and then stuck it in the trash can under my desk. I watched as he picked up his bag and set it on the chair and unzipping it he began pulling things out of it.
"Can I take a shower?" He turned to look at me.
"No you can't Rob. I really like it when I'm about to share a bed with someone who smells." I droned, sarcastically. He really didn't smell bad at all.
"Well okay then." Rob shrugged with a chuckle and jumped onto my bed, knocking me over in the process. He cuddled up next to me. "Comfy?" Our feet were hanging off of the edge of the bed with our heads against the wall.
"Not so much." I laughed, wiggling out of his arms. "Let me get you a towel." Rob stood up when I did. He grabbed the stuff he had pulled out of his bag and followed me. I handed him a towel from the cabinet under my sink. "Need anything else?"
"I can take it from here." Rob smiled pulling open the door to the small room where the bathtub and toilet were.
"That's good to know," I nodded.
"Give me five minutes." Rob stepped into the little room, closing the door and locking it.
"Wash your hair!" I yelled through the door. I had teased him on our way home about his hair looking like he hadn't washed it in quite some time.
"Hey! I resent that!" I heard the water turn on and then turned to go back to my room. I left my bedroom door open a crack, just in case my roommate or her boyfriend came by on their way to her room.
I was pretty sure my roommate was wondering what was wrong with me because I was normally pretty quiet around her. But I was planning on enjoying the two nights and day and a half that Rob and I had together.
True to his word, Rob came back into my room five minutes later. I barely had time to crawl under the covers and get settled. He closed the door behind him and locked the top lock before setting his dirty clothes on top of his bag.
I could smell his soap as he moved around.
"Should I turn off the light?" Rob asked. I nodded, not sure why I was nervous all of a sudden. We were just going to sleep after all. He turned the lamp off that was sitting on my desk. When he lifted up the covers to get into bed, I scooted over as far as I could. This bed was definitely not made for two people.
Rob settled down next to me and pulled the covers back over us. I moved back toward him some more. My feet brushed up against his, but I didn't bother to move them. His were still warm from his shower.
"Millie?" He asked quietly.
"Yeah?" I responded in the same tone.
"Did you stick your feet in a vat of ice before climbing into bed?" I could make out his smirk in the dark.
"Oh, sorry." I moved my feet away from his, giggling quietly. "They are always freezing at night."
"You can keep them there." I stuck one foot under his feet and the other between them. They were warming up already.
"Night Robbie." I closed my eyes, breathing in and out deeply. I was so happy that we were this comfortable with each other after only being together again for a couple of hours.
"Good night Millie." Rob's hand came to my waist.
