The Space Between Us

91: It’s All You

“Lia?”

Amelia blinked at the sound of her name, drawing her stare away from the book in her lap and up towards Lionel who sat across from her, a slightly concerned look on his face. She had been quiet. Throughout dinner with her parents, and the flight back to Paris, she had been lost in thought, and she knew that it would only be a matter of time before he called her out on it. They were supposed to be in a good place. They had spent the previous couple of days gushing over their engagement, and she knew that he would want to know what was on her mind. She knew that he would want to try and make her feel better about whatever it was.

“Hm?” Amelia replied, trying, and failing, to appear nonchalant.

Lionel’s lips quirked slightly. “You know that you’re the worst at pretending that everything’s fine, right?” he quipped “I mean, you’ve barely turned a page in that book” he added, tipping his head towards the book in her lap.

Amelia followed his gesture, glancing at the book in her lap for a second, before she huffed out a tired laugh, closing it. “I didn’t realise that you were paying that much attention” she said.

Lionel offered her another grin, one that was less playful and more tender. “I’m always paying attention to you” he said “And that’s why I know something’s up. Is it leaving?” he asked.

Amelia’s head shake was instant. She knew that he was still worried about how she felt about being in Paris and not in Barcelona, and she didn’t want to give him any indication that her feelings had changed. Leaving had been hard. They had only spent a few days in Barcelona, but it had still felt so much like home that leaving again had been difficult, but it wasn’t what was on Amelia’s mind, and she didn’t want Lionel to think that it was. Leaving was going to be tough for a while, but it was something Amelia was prepared to go through if it meant that they were still together.

“It’s not leaving” Amelia answered “Though, I could have done without my mother crying like she was never going to see us again” she added.

Lionel huffed out a slightly sad laugh, something which faded into a moment of quiet that was broken when Amelia let out a soft sigh. “Victor told Fernando about the engagement” she announced.

Lionel blinked a couple of times in surprise. “And that’s upset you?” he asked.

Amelia shook her head. “I’m not upset” she said “I’ve just been thinking about something Nora said” she added.

“What’d she say?” Lionel asked.

Amelia was quiet for a moment, thinking about the best way to answer his question, before she reached out, gently twisting her fingers through his. “I just want you to know that I am crazy about you” she said “And that I am crazy about you because of you, not because of anything else. It is all you” she added.

“I know” Lionel replied, even despite the slightly baffled look on his face.

Amelia’s expression softened a little. “You do?” she asked.

“I know how you feel about me, Lia” Lionel said, his expression softening into a smile “I promise you that I know” he added.

He knew what she was trying to say. Even without the words, he knew that she was trying to tell him that she loved him, regardless of what had happened between her and Fernando. She was trying to tell him that her love for him was separate and real, and he wanted her to know that he already knew it. He had had his doubts. More than once, he had worried that there was a rebound-like quality to their relationship, especially since Fernando was still such a fixture in Amelia’s life, but Amelia always managed to clear his doubts. There was just something about the way they were together that had him convinced that she felt for him what he felt for her.

Amelia’s eyes searched his face for a long moment, like she couldn’t quite believe him, but when Lionel leant forwards and gently bushed his lips against her forehead, she melted into him. “I can’t wait to marry you” she murmured.

Lionel smiled into her hair. “You’re going to have to wait a while” he quipped “I think Felicity would kill me if we eloped, even if it is your second wedding” he added impishly.

Amelia offered him a roll of her eyes as she pulled away, something which made his grin grow a little. “Have you thought about it?” she asked.

“Eloping?” Lionel asked.

Amelia shook her head. “The wedding” she clarified “Have you thought about it?” she asked.

Lionel thought for a moment before he shrugged. “Not really, not yet” he said “I’ve been focussed on getting through going back to Barcelona, and telling everyone about the engagement, so I haven’t really allowed myself to think about it. Have you?” he asked.

“Nora tried to get me to try on a dress” Amelia replied.

“Did you?” Lionel asked.

Amelia shook her head. “It seemed a little premature” she said “I was tempted, though. It was beautiful” she added.

Lionel smiled a little at the thought of Amelia trying on a wedding dress. “So we’re probably not looking at a long engagement, then” he quipped.

“Is that what you want?” Amelia asked.

Lionel thought for a second before he shook his head. “No, I don’t think so” he answered.

Amelia’s eyes searched his face for a moment before she nodded her head gently. “I think I like the sound of a shorter engagement” she said “Not too short, though. I want to take my time with the planning” she added.

“Didn’t you hate wedding planning?” Lionel chirped “I remember you complaining about it a lot” he added.

Amelia shook her head, trying, and failing, to hide a flinch in her expression. “Can you promise me something?” she asked.

Lionel tilted his head. “What?” he asked.

“Don’t do that” Amelia replied “Don’t...don’t talk about my wedding to Nando. Don’t compare them, because they’re not the same. My relationship with you is not my relationship with him, and it’s not in competition with it either. Our wedding is about us, and that’s what I want it to stay about. Can we do that?” she asked.

Lionel hesitated for a second, caught off guard by the question, before he nodded his head, reaching over to squeeze her hand gently. “It’s about us” he said “And it’ll stay about us” he added.