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“Look, I know, I should have asked first. It was totally out of order to just bring everyone home, but the silent treatment isn’t—”

Grace glared at her. “I’m not giving you the silent treatment.”

Caz raised a brow but didn’t push the point.

“The electrics went out at work and your dad sent us all home and—”

Huffing, Grace said, “You invited half the world into our home for a gangbang?”

Caz stared. “A gangbang?” She almost laughed, the idea was so ridiculous, but the look on Grace’s face told her that would be a very bad thing to do if she wanted to stay married. “We just went to the pub and then I thought that was a bit—I didn’t think you’d be impressed with me coming home late, so I made the stupid mistake of inviting them back here, and—”

“I might have said that I had no issue with you getting your needs met elsewhere when the occasion arose, but I didn’texpect you’d be bringing them home to rub it in my face,” Grace exploded. “Honestly, could you be any less subtle?”

“Woah.” Caz held her hands up. “I didn’t…I mean…nope.” She laughed nervously. “You thought Lori and Kay were… Oh my God,” she said to herself as she realised what it all looked like. “No, not at all. I would never do that to you. They were Portia and Daliah’s dates. Me and Dani—we were just having a drink.”

“Sounded like a party, Caz.” Grace had softened, but she wasn’t ready to let the anger diffuse completely.

“I know. We got some beers from the shop and then… You know what it’s like when you’ve got a nice buzz going. I just put the music on and…honestly, I thought you’d join us.” Her head dropped. “I didn’t think whether you’d had a bad day.”

“I didn’t have a bad day, but it was exhausting. I just wanted to come home, have a bath, and then cosy up on the sofa with you. Instead, I find half the pub in here,” she sighed, “and some little shits threw an egg at me.”

“Which little shits?” Caz felt her hackles rise. “I’ll go and find them and—” She was already moving towards the door.

The move threw Grace out of her anger. Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming sense of emotions, the whole thing escalating into an eruption of tears.

“Wait, Caz, don’t.”

“I’m not having them hurting you. I don’t care if it’s an egg or—” She spun around. “Grace?” Retracing her steps, Caz rushed back to the kitchen and pulled Grace closer. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know, I think it’s my hormones, I’m due on and I just wanted a bath and to relax and—”

The doorbell rang.

“Hold that thought, it’s the pizza.” Caz smiled. “Can we start this night over?”

Grace nodded. “I don’t want to fight with you.”

“Me either,” Caz said over her shoulder. She reached the door and flung it open.

A man standing there, holding out a pizza box said, “Pizza,” as though it wasn’t obvious.

“Yeah, thanks.” She took it from him and closed the door. Turning back, she found Grace holding out a bottle of lager. Their first fight was over.

Chapter Twenty-Three

June 2025

The couch was smaller than their own at home. Not as wide or long. The length wasn’t that much of an issue. Legs could bend, and feet could hang over, but with a lot less width, it meant, when Grace got comfortable, Caz had to play big spoon, because her arm had been needed around Grace’s waist to make sure she didn’t roll off.

“I could just sit in the armchair.” Grace giggled when the arm tightened its grip.

“You can’t, not after I’ve contorted myself into this position to fit you in,” Caz said half-seriously. She was squeezed up against the back of the sofa, knees bent, and her feet tucked under the cushions. Her other arm was squished underneath Grace’s cushion, her head resting on top.

“Good, because I’m quite comfortable and it feels a little chilly now the sun’s gone down.”

“More like because you’ve caught the sun today. Your shoulders are still pink.”

“It was such a nice day,” Grace said dreamily. “I can’t wait until we have a kid or two running around. We can take them to the beach and you can build sandcastles with them.”