He fakes a smile and hands me a jar and I take it and smirk. “Thanks.”
“Bitch,” he mouths before he takes a seat at the bench to continue reading the paper. It’s Tuesday night and true to Tash’s promise I am cooking everyone dinner, Italian. This was supposed to be Cameron’s task but he has been held up at work so I’ve been roped in. Natasha is lying on the lounge watching television in her flannelette pyjamas and the girls are at the table stalking someone on Facebook.
“Oh my god, get off it, you slapper.” Abbie scowls as she looks at a picture.
Bridget laughs out loud. “Who is this skank?” she gasps.
“Who cares?” Joshua snaps as he flicks the page while rolling his eyes.
“Oh my god, Adrian, look at this picture.” Bridget holds up her phone and I walk over and take it. Apparently one of their friends’ boyfriends has been caught sleeping with this woman and they are scoping out the competition. The woman in the photo, let me rephrase that, the scrubber in this photo has taken a topless selfie in the bathroom mirror.
“Revolting.” I frown as I hand the phone back and fake a shiver.
Joshua’s eyes flick to Natasha and he watches her for a moment. He then gets up and walks upstairs while I continue to stir my pasta sauce. Two minutes later he walks into the kitchen and holds Natasha’s glasses under the tap, washes them and then dries them on his T-shirt. I watch him walk over to her and put them on her face. She smiles lovingly up at him as she sits up and he sits down and then she lies back down with her head on his lap and he puts his feet on the coffee table. No words are exchanged and he starts to play gently with her hair as they watch TV. I smile and turn back to my sauce. I want that, I want someone to get my glasses without me asking. I want the comfortable silence. I want the love that is so obvious between them. Theirs is an extraordinary bond and I’m so happy that it has happened for two of my favourite people.
“Oh no!” Bridget laughs as she sees another bad picture and the girls both erupt into laughter.
Cameron walks in and sits on the table. “Hey,” he smiles.
Everyone answers without looking at him and carries on with their business.
“Don’t anyone get excited I’m home,” Cameron grunts. “I’ve been slaving my guts out all day saving lives to keep us in the lap of luxury you are all used to.” He sighs as he lies back on the table.
I shake my head at him. “Yeah, right, because you pay for everything,” I reply flatly.
He smiles cheekily. “Wouldn’t matter if I did, nobody would appreciate it anyway,” he replies in a raised voice.
“Shut up,” Abbie scoffs and bursts into laughter again at another picture without raising her eyes to him.
I smile broadly and turn back to my sauce. How did I get here with this group of friends where four has turned into seven so easily and everyone is comfortable being completely themselves in pyjamas? I am grateful that Joshua has brought these women into my life-I adore the three of them. They are genuinely good girls… and funny. They make me laugh constantly with their stupid antics.
Cameron gets a message on his phone. “Brennan is having a party on the weekend and wants us all to go,” he announces as he reads it.
“Oh,” the girls coo as they pull an excited face to each other.
“No,” Joshua replies flatly.
“Why not?” Cameron asks.
“I’m not taking my girl to a pussy party.” Joshua shakes his head in disgust at the suggestion.
The girls giggle. “Pussy party?” Abbie gasps. “What the hell is a pussy party?”
Cameron smirks. “Pussy on a platter,” he replies as he widens his eyes in jest.
“Oh Joshua,” Natasha scoffs. “We can go. I’m not being a closet girlfriend.”
Cameron frowns. “What’s a closet girlfriend?” he asks.
“It’s a girlfriend that a guy keeps at home in the wardrobe and nobody knows she exists. He just pulls her out at bedtime for sex,” Bridget replies as she goes back to her phone.
Cameron nods, seemingly interested. “I need me one of those closet girlfriends. Where do you get them?”
I shake my head. “You already have about ten,” I reply.
I see Ben walk outside with a security guard and I go to the door.
“Dinner is about fifteen away.”
“No, I’ve eaten,” he replies. “Thanks anyway.”
“You ok man?” I ask. Ben has been noticeably absent lately.
“Yeah, just rebooting all the systems. I still can’t work out how he got past the security gates.” I nod. “I will save you some for later.”
He winks and keeps walking.
I walk back inside to see Cameron answering my phone. “Hello Nicholas.” He smiles. “It’s Cameron.” He listens for a moment. “How are you?” He laughs at something. “Yeah, I’m good.”
My eyes widen as the whole room stops still. I scratch my head uncomfortably. Fuck.
“Yes, he is right here.” Cameron smiles as he hands me the phone and then punches me so hard in the stomach that I am nearly winded.
I take the phone as I hold my stomach and walk outside to escape the listening ears. My heart thumps heavily in my chest.
“Hello,” I answer as I walk over to the pool. My mind goes back to the very first time he rang me when I was out here on the deckchair.
Silence… “Hello Adrian,” he whispers huskily.
My eyes close at the sound of his voice and I find myself unable to answer him. I don’t have it in me to be angry with him tonight.
“How are you?” he asks quietly.
“I’m ok, and you?” I ask.
“I could be better,” he replies.
Again silence.
“I want to come and see you,” he whispers.
My eyes close again. Why do I care so much about this bastard? “Why?” I ask.
“Because I miss you and me,” he pauses.
“Nick don’t, there is no point.” I sigh as I shake my head.
“Please?”
“We have nothing to say, Nick. You have stated your case. I get it.”
“Adrian please, I’m as confused as you. I can’t work this out alone.”
My anger starts to simmer and I shake my head. “You will always be confused.” I reply flatly.
“No, that’s not what I meant,” he stammers.
“That’s what you said, Nicholas.”
“You’re twisting my words,” he replies.
“And you’re twisting my fucking heart. Leave me alone,” I snap.
“No, I won’t.”
“Nicholas, stop this. Go back to writing your books and your life in France. We have been there and it didn’t work. Let’s leave it at that.”
“I will be in LA in a week,” he snaps angrily.
“Don’t bother. I won’t see you. It’s a waste of your time.”
“You will see me if I have to kidnap you,” he snaps angrily.