Page 125 of All the Forbidden Things

“Just a pap on a bike, but they left as soon as they thought the car was empty,” Billie tells me.

“It was that prick, Spencer,” Micky again calls out.

“Fucker.”

“Everyone left your place?” Billie asks.

“Everyone except Jake. We’re gonna have a couple of beers, order takeaway, and play FIFA. I think Aaron was worried I might do something stupid and left Jake to babysit, all of which shows how little faith anyone has in my ability not to walk across the driveway and throttle someone—two someones in fact—if they’ve left Jake in charge. He can’t look after himself most of the time. Have you got me on speaker?”

“No, she hasn’t. I just have exceptional hearing,” Micky replies. “But don’t worry, I know all about the love fest going on between you two. And just a heads-up, Jakey boy has his suspicions too.”

I tilt my head and look up at the ceiling through the steam. “I’m locked in the bathroom with the shower running while I make this call just so he can’t hear me.”

“Naw, that’s sweet,” Billie responds.

“Yeah, I have my moments. So, what was the go with Mel earlier? I got sidetracked by that green beanie and forgot to ask. She looked like she’d been crying when she came out of your bedroom, and her and Kenz didn’t take their eyes off us all afternoon.”

“She suspects something’s going on between us because, apparently, you watch me constantly. If your eyes aren’t on Layla, then they’re on me.”

“I do watch you.”

I hear Micky make a gagging sound then anoomph.

“Did you just slap him?” I ask.

“Yeah, but it was a gentle slap. He’s driving.”

“Yeah, and he needs to do it safe, he has half my entire fucking world on board.”

She’s silent, and I feel like a dick. “Too much?”

“Absolutely not. It’s just been an emotional day, and I don’t wanna cry.”

“I don’t want you to cry, just want you to know how much you mean to me, and that it sucks hairy balls here without you.”

“Max, I said I don’t wanna cry, and yuk to the hairy ball sucking.”

“Sorry. Listen, Aaron wants me to be seen out and about tomorrow, you know a-business-as-usual type of front, so I’m gonna go to the label in the morning and then have lunch with Lennon, Marley, and Jake. Just wanted to give you the heads-up in case you see anything on social media.”

“Ugh, I think I’ll be avoiding social media for the next seven hundred years.”

“Bamm, that’s a big fat lie, and you know it.”

“Forty-eight hours then. I’m relying on Daniel to feed me updates and only report on the nice things being said. Oddly enough, he’s been mostly silent all afternoon.”

“Whatever works for you, but trust me on this, you need to ignore whatever’s being said. I just want you to know what I’ll be up to tomorrow while I’m missing you.”

“Okay, thank you. I’ll look out for images of my two favourite men. Jake and Marley together, yum, yum. Tell Marley I said hello.”

“Ha, she’s got bants. I’ll tell Marley to go fuck himself, that’s what I’ll tell him.”

I love this. The easy banter between us, like we’re a normal couple and the eyes of the world aren’t trained on our next move.

“Bants? What are you, twenty?”

“Welp, you know what they say, you’re only as old as the woman you feel—”

“And now we have the dad jokes. I’ll definitely start crying if you keep this up. Good job we’ve just arrived at Jay's.”