Page 49 of C is for Comfort

“So he’s coming round just for sex?”

“Basically, yes.”

She sits upright. “He’s using you.”

“What?” I shake my head. “No, he’s not.”

She gives me a ‘you’re wrong’ look, which I roll my eyes at.

“I’m having fun too,” I point out. “If I wasn’t up for daily, no-strings sex, I wouldn’t have agreed to it.”

“Then you’re a fool,” she says curtly.

“We both know where we stand. We both want the same thing. No one’s using anyone. We’re having fun, and yes, we’re being safe.”

“I’d hope so,DoctorPrice.”

She picks her mug up and cradles it in her hands. “Are you sure you’re happy with that arrangement, Spence?”

“Yes.”

It’s not that I don’t want to get to know Corey better, and I wouldn’t say no to spending more time together, but I went into our casual arrangement with eyes wide open. He needs some stress relief, and I’m more than happy to help out. If things were to getlesscasual, I wouldn’t run a mile. But I’m not going to get into any of that with my nosy sister, who clearly cares far too much about my sex life. Or rather, my non-existent love life.

“You probably haven’t met his daughter,” Emily muses.

“I have briefly.” It’s probably the wrong thing to say, but I don’t like lying to Emily.

“And?”

“And what?” I ask.

“Did you like her? Did she like you?”

“She seemed like a nice kid. Why does it matter if she likes me? Her dad and I are just screwing around. We’re not dating. We’re not picking out rings or setting a wedding date.”

I’m teasing her, obviously, but it does strike me that ‘less casual’ with Corey would also mean getting to know Lexi. Is that something I’d want? I push the thought aside. Corey and I are a million miles away from serious, and as far as I know, we’re going to stay that way. I don’t need to worry about getting to know his daughter or about whether she likes me. Yet now that my darling sister has put the idea in my head, I realise the thought of those things isn’t terrifying.

12

Corey

“But I don’t want to go,” Lexi says, stamping her foot.

I’m sure she would fold her arms if she could, but she’s still struggling with the cast on her arm.

The week was going great. Between my ‘self-care’ sessions with Spence and a good week at school, I was pretty chilled. Until nine on Saturday morning, when Caroline’s parents called, wanting to take Lexi away for the day. Caroline might have walked out on Lexi, but her parents are still very much involved in their only granddaughter’s life. Or at least, they are when it suits them.

“Grandma and Grandpa really want to see you,” I say placatingly. “You’ll have a great time with them.”

“No!”

“Maybe you should have said no?” Archie suggests.

He’s sitting at the table, eating breakfast. I glare at him because that’s the least useful thing he could say right now.

“They’re going to take you out for the day, and then you get to sleep over at their house,” I tell Lexi. “It’ll be fun.”

“No, it won’t. I want to stay with you.” She turns on the tears, sobbing her heart out.