I giggle in embarrassment. “Maybe,” I whisper. “Everyone wants their name up in lights, right?”
He laughs. “You’re an idiot,” he whispers as he kisses my forehead. I sigh happily as I kiss his broad chest and start to relax.
“I fucking adore you,” he whispers and I smile into his neck.
Who would have thought at five in the morning on a Tuesday in my mother’s house under the veil of silence I would once again hear those much needed magical words from the beautiful Joshua Stanton?
I wake to the sound of talking in the kitchen. I frown and look around. I pull myself out of bed, put my pyjamas back on and head out, and there I see it. My heart warms at the sight of Joshua sitting at the kitchen bench on a stool in his complete suit talking to Mum who is making bacon and eggs.
“How many eggs?” she asks
“Two please,” h answers as he casually flicks through the paper.
“This is my favourite start to the day ever,” I smile as I hunch my shoulders in excitement and clap my hands in front of me.
Joshua and Mum both frown at me in question.
“Having breakfast with my two favourite people of course,” I smile as I walk around to Joshua and put my arm over his shoulder and around his neck. His eyes flick to Mum.
“It’s ok,” I say.
He subtly shakes his head at me to signal silence-this is shy Joshua at his adorable best.
Mum has her back to us and Joshua reaches over and grabs my hand as he gives me a wink.
“What are you doing today?” I ask.
He raises his brows. “I’m going to go for a surf and then train at the gym, go to the hospital and then Adrian and Ben want to see me about a few things and then I suppose it’s back to work tonight.”
I nod and smile at Mum as she hands me a cup of coffee. “Why do you need to train ?” Shit, that bloody fight. I knew it.
“Tash, I train every day, you know that.”
“How long do you train for?” I ask as I take another bite of toast.
He shrugs. “Couple of hours I suppose.” Hmm, that’s why he always looks like he’s been photoshopped.
“Are you still going to the gym?” he asks as he smirks.
Of all the nerve! I widen my eyes at him. “Of course.” Not really, I can never be bothered, but I will from now on. Mental note, get to the gym today, you lazy bitch.
Mum puts our bacon and eggs onto the counter top. “Here you are, I’m going to get ready to go to the hospital. Enjoy.” She smiles and rubs Joshua’s arm as she walks past us.
Joshua’s horrified face drops to his breakfast and I giggle.
“Don’t you like bacon and eggs?” I ask.
He smiles. “Yes, of course.” He picks up his knife and fork and starts to pick at it.
I smile with my cutlery in my hands. “When was the last time you had a breakfast like that?”
He shrugs. “Probably five years ago.”
I frown. “Why?”
“I don’t like feeling like shit and how I train and what I eat determines that.”
I smile and nod. Shit, I had better find some hard-core motivation somewhere and soon.
“Can you stay here again tonight?” he asks.
I frown. “Josh, I am ok at home. I have been having these nightmares all along and even if I were here I wouldn’t wake Mum up anyway.”
His face drops. “Can you just humour me please?”
I smile and rub my hand up his leg as I remind myself he is only being over-the-top caring. “Ok,” I sigh.
“Can you humour me?” I ask.
“On what?”
“Can you not cage fight anymore?” I need to stop him from fighting Jesten if it’s the last thing that I do. It can only end badly.
He rolls his eyes as he finishes his mouthful. “Tash we are on day one.” He holds his pointer up to accentuate his point. “Can you not start your shit please? We have had this conversation before and I am not giving up something that I love just because you perceive it as dangerous.”
I smile goofily.
“What?” he asks.
“Are we on day one?”
He smirks and raises an eyebrow. “Yes.”
I smile. “So was yesterday negative one?”
He shakes his head as he breaks into a smile. “No yesterday was zero.”
I nod. “Right, so where were we a month ago?”
His eyes hold mine. “In the black hole. Now eat your breakfast.”
I smile and shovel in a mouthful of food … loving day one!
I walk into Ben’s room. “What do you want to see me about?” I ask. His nervous eyes flick to me. “I’ll ring Murph.”
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Murph, Stan’s here. Ok, see you soon.” He flips his phone shut.
I bet Max has resigned and they are telling me together. Good, I want him gone.
Adrian walks through the door with his laptop and smiles at me nervously. “Hi Stan,” he murmurs.
Adrian turns on his computer and then flicks the jug on while it boots up.
“Take a seat,” he says quietly.
“What for? Aren’t we going to the gym?” I ask.
“We’ve got a problem.” He opens an email and I read the words: ‘Contact me on mrsjones@hotmail. com or the wife gets the lot.’
Wife? I frown at the screen. “Who sent this?” I ask.
Adrian shrugs. “It was sent to the work email in LA.”
“Play,” I sigh.
He presses play and my stomach clenches. It is a vision of me and a woman. I can tell by the legs. I frown as I try to remember when this was. I sit back in my seat and run my pointer over my lip as I think. “When was this?” I ask.