Page 54 of Best Wrong Thing

“But why are youhere? Why didn’t you call first?”

“I wanted to surprise you. I have a key.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I gave it to you for emergencies. Not to sneak into my flat while I’m showering.”

“I didn’t know you were in the shower until I got here.”

“Call first. What if I’d been busy?” What if Jacob had been here? Oh, fuck. What if he turns up while she’s here?

“You don’t look busy.”

“That’s not the point. There are boundaries, Mum, and you’ve just blown through a whole stack of them. Why do you have my phone?” I narrow my eyes. “Did you take it from my room?”

“I checked to see if you were there.”

“And my phone fell into your hand?”

She shrugs. “It’s no big deal.”

“Boundaries! I’m not a kid anymore. You can’t look through my phone.”

“Who’s J?”

I open and close my mouth a few times.

“You’ve got a lot of texts from him. I assume it’s a him.”

I can’t speak. My throat is tight.

“None of them are very chatty, though. They all seem to be hook-up texts. Is he using you?”

Oh. My. God. “I’m not having this conversation with you while I’m half-naked.” I stalk over to her, snatch my phone from her hand, and leave the room, slamming the door behind me.

I mutter angry words under my breath as I pull clothes on. Once I’m dressed, I check my phone. No new messages from Jacob, which probably means he’s not coming over. It’s not a guarantee. Sometimes he does drop by unannounced. I don’tmind when he does it. Not that he can walk into my flat. He has the code to the building, not a key. Would he want one? Would I want to give him one? I file the question away for future me to think about and send Jacob a text.

Archer: Mum’s dropped by for a chat.

Thank fuck I didn’t put him in my address book under his full name. This isn’t how I want Mum to find out Jacob and I are seeing each other. Not that Jacob wants her—or anyone else—to find out ever.

Jacob: No worries. See you soon.

Archer: At the airport, probably.

It’s amazing how fast two weeks have flown by. Mum is the queen of organising things at the last minute. She insists it’s the best way to get a bargain and save money. It’s also a great way to blindside me and everyone around us. Luckily—I think—my boss was cool about giving me the time off.

Jacob: Probably.

I change the passcode on my phone. In hindsight, using the date of my graduation probably wasn’t all that secure. I choose the date I met Jacob instead. Freud would probably have a thing or two to say about that decision.

I slip my phone into my pocket and join Mum in the sitting room. She’s made herself a coffee and is flicking through TV channels.

She switches the TV off and puts the remote on my windowsill. “You don’t drink caffeine in the evenings, do you?”

“No.”

“There was no sign you’d started packing when I went into your room.”

“That’s because I haven’t.”