Page 116 of Best Wrong Thing

“Nope. I’m going to cycle.”

“I forgot you’re fitness-mad.”

“Did you? Really?”

I chuckle and pull him closer. “No. I love how energetic you are.”

He loops his arms over my shoulders. “I bet you do. Don’t worry. I’ll save some energy for later.” He winks, pecks my lips, and spins away to grab his cycling helmet, waterproofs, water bottle, keys, and wallet. He packs all but the helmet into a small rucksack, then blows out a slow breath. “I’m so nervous.”

“It’s natural on your first day. As soon as you get stuck in, you’ll be fine.”

“I hope so.”

I clasp his free hand and squeeze it. “I know so.”

My phone beeps with an incoming message.

“Are you going to check that?” Archer asks.

I have a quick look at my phone. “It’s Mum making sure we’re still going to hers on Saturday for dinner.”

“That’s the plan, isn’t it?”

Much to my relief, Mum fell in love with Archer within an hour of meeting him. We moved in together shortly afterwards. Now we rent a two-bedroom apartment close to good running and cycling routes and on a bus route to the city centre, so I can easily get to work.

Another message from Mum comes through.

“She says to invite Molly.”

“I still can’t believe they get along.”

I shrug. “They’ve got at least one thing in common. Well, two, I guess.”

“Marrying and divorcing your dad?”

“Yup.”

Dad and Molly didn’t work things out. I’d like to think it’s because she took Archer’s assertion that she deserved better to heart.

Archer rubs my arm. “How do you feel about that?”

I sigh. “It’s nice Mum’s got someone to talk to about Dad besides me. I might not have much contact with Dad anymore, but I don’t want to hate him either.”

My relationship with Dad has been reduced to the odd phone call. He’s never apologised. I don’t expect him to. I don’t even need him to. He’ll never be a major part of my life again, and I’m okay with that.

“You’re too nice to hate anyone.”

“It was touch and go for a while. But I’m over it. I don’t need any validation from him. I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I wish Mum could get to the same point and move on. Part of her bitterness is realising how much of her life she wasted with him. She didn’t want to admit he wasn’t a good husband or father while she was with him.”

“If it helps, Mum doesn’t hate your dad. She’s chalked the whole thing up to bad judgement.”

“While being happy to gloat that she’s the reason we got together.”

Archer laughs. “I’m willing to give her about fifty per cent of the credit for that.”

“Fifty? Really?”

“Maybe thirty. Your dad gets thirty too.”