Page 37 of Charlie Sunshine (Close Proximity #2)

I don’t know what happened because Felix has never said, but Misha said he was devastated at the end of the relationship.

I tried to be angry with Max out of loyalty to Felix, but that stopped when he called round to the flat to ask my advice on getting Felix back and I had to tell him that he was dating someone new.

There was no covering up the heartbreak written all over Max’s face.

“Does Max know that it’s finished?” I ask cautiously.

“Judging by the amount of arses he’s fallen into since, I think he’s fairly cognizant of the fact.”

“Really? And he wouldn’t have you back if you clicked your fingers?”

“There’s about as much chance of me clicking my fingers for him as there was of Dorothy getting home by clicking her shoes, which, by the way, never matched her outfit.”

“Doesn’t gingham go with sparkles?” I ask, and he shoots me a pitying look.

“Are you actually gay, Charlie, or just pretending?”

I nudge him. “I’ll get Misha to corroborate my statement. And just for the record.” I lean close. “Max hasn’t taken his eyes off you all night, so you just keep on telling me that you’re both over it.”

“He might not be, but I certainly am. I’m not looking for a way back to Max. That’s never going to happen.”

“Maybe you’re not, but what happens if he’s keeping that path tidy for you to walk back on? ”

“Then he should go back to journalism. That brand of gardening was never his forte.”

Misha comes up next to me and slings his arm over my shoulder. He’s warm as toast, and I can smell the scent of his aftershave. “Alright?” he asks, nuzzling into my ear.

I shudder slightly, and Felix laughs before walking off to join Jesse and Zeb.

“Well, that went well,” he says. I look at him in query. “Our debut as lovers.”

I shake my head. “We were greeted with piss-taking and a mass pay-out of bets on when we fucked. Zeb is currently on the phone allaying his accountant Sheila’s concern that the odds had changed.”

He shrugs. “Could have been worse.”

“You should have that on your headstone, Misha.”

“I will, along with the words ‘Why, in the name of God, did he make me do a charity walk?’”

His laughter is loud as I pinch him. He pulls me tight to his side and the rest of my walk is spent wrapped in his warmth.

The next morning we stand on the pavement outside the wedding shop where we’re meeting Misha’s mum and sisters to see his mum’s wedding dress and try on our suits.

“Okay,” I say. “How much are we telling them, Misha?”

He looks at me queryingly. He can’t speak as I’ve interrupted him while he was trying to stuff an entire chocolate croissant into his mouth.

“I mean, how are we telling them that we’re together?

” I tap my mouth. “Maybe it’s best to say nothing.

I don’t want over-expectation to ruin what we’ve only just started, and let’s face it, the parents have been shipping us since we both announced that we were gay.

” I nod. “We’ll just say nothing and that way no one gets upset if we split up.

” He frowns, and I squeeze his arm. “Not that that’s going to happen.

” I blow out a breath. “Okay, I’m pleased with that decision. Good chat. Thank you. ”

He swallows his croissant with difficulty. “I didn’t say anything.”

“Yes, that’s what I mean. Thanks for the chat,” I say vaguely, smiling as I hear his snort of laughter.

The bell rings as we enter the shop, and we spot the girls immediately. Misha’s mum, Jackie, is looking at a rack of hats. Anya is sitting curled up on one of the sofas with her legs resting over Teddy’s lap. Teddy is sitting comfortably with her nose buried deep in a book.

They look up at the sound of the bell and immediately greet us. Jackie hurries over. “Thanks for meeting us on a Saturday,” she says. “I know you’re busy.”

“It’s my Saturday off,” I say, hugging her. “And you know Misha doesn’t do a lot of work, so you’re not interrupting anything for him either.”

“I do a lot of work,” he says indignantly. “Which you’d know if you looked up what hedge fund managers actually do.”

Jackie pats his arm. “At least you don’t have to mow the grass at this time of the year.”

I laugh, and Misha shakes his head before going over to hug his sisters. I watch him go, idly appreciating the taut firmness of his bum. He puts an extra sway in it and shoots me a look over his shoulder. When I shake my head reprovingly, he laughs.

I look up, and Jackie is regarding me steadily with one eyebrow raised.

I blush and immediately leap into speech.

“Have they got our suits? I’m so pleased to be an usher.

I’ve never been one of those, and it always looked really glamorous at weddings when we were kids.

They were always standing outside the church laughing and drinking from hip flasks and—” I pause.

“Not that we’ll be drinking from hip flasks.

We will, of course, take it very seriously and?—”

“Charlie, what’s going on with you and Misha?”

“With Misha and me ?” My voice has gone slightly high, and I cough and clear my throat. “What do you mean?” Misha looks up, and I signal with my eyes wildly. His mouth quirks, and he stays where he is. Bastard.

Jackie shakes her head. “Don’t bullshit a bullshitter, Charlie Burroughs. What’s going on? ”

“Nothing is going on,” I squeak. “Where did you get the silly idea that something is going on?”

“From the fact that I just stood and watched you get out of Misha’s car and kiss each other.”

“Oh. Oh .” I grimace. “I thought that was reflective glass in the shop window.”

“Obviously not.”

“But there should be. Think of the fading. Of the gowns,” I say faintly.

Her mouth quirks.

“What’s up?” Misha asks, walking over.

“Your mum seems to think that we’re together,” I say with a great deal of emphasis. “I was just telling her she was wrong, but she saw us kissing and?—”

“Yeah,” he breaks in. “Charlie and I are together.” He pats me on the bum and gives his mum a kiss.

“Oh. Oh well. It’s good that we didn’t have a plan or anything,” I mutter.

Misha grins. “Know when you’re beaten,” he advises me. “We were standing outside the shop window when you laid one on me.”

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“I started to eat my croissant, and then you started talking and talking, and talking some more. You didn’t seem to need my input in that word vomit,” he says primly. “Let that be a lesson to you.”

I can’t stop my smile, and he hugs me tightly to his side, kissing my temple and nuzzling into the hair there.

Jackie gives an excited squeal and claps. “This is amazing. I’m so thrilled .”

“Why are you hugging Charlie?” Anya calls. “Are you boyfriends now?”

Teddy looks up with interest.

Misha smiles. “We are.”

The girls stare at us. “Cool,” Anya says before turning back to her phone. Teddy nods kindly at us and goes back to her book.

“Do you know what all this is telling me, Charlie?” Misha says.

“That no one is interested in our lives? ”

He shakes his head. “No. It’s telling me that at least in this tiny corner of London no one has been betting on our relationship.”

“Speak for yourself,” his mum scoffs. “I’ve had a bet with Sam, Aidan, and Kate since you were thirteen.”

“Oh my God,” I say faintly.

She hugs me. “I’m so happy,” she whispers into my ear. “ So happy.”

“Why?”

“Because no one knows him like you, Charlie.” She swallows. “No one will ever care for him like you. I know he’s safe with you.”

“He is.”

“And you’re safe with him. It’s perfect.” She turns to Misha. “Don’t fuck this up, Misha Lebedinsky.”

“ Me ?” he says indignantly. “Why would I fuck it up?”

She arches her eyebrows. “Because Charlie is the loveliest man you’ll ever meet. You won’t find anyone like him ever again. He’s also immeasurably better tempered than you.”

Misha shakes his head. “Shows what you know,” he says.

“I am better tempered,” I protest.

He pats my cheek. “Course you are, dear. Course you are.”

Jackie laughs. “Oh, this is so brilliant. We’re going to have so much fun. The girls and I will show you our outfits and then we can see the two of you in your suits.” She leans closer. “They’re serving champagne.”

Misha watches as a sales assistant wheels over a huge rack of clothing. “Oh, what a wonderful Saturday morning,” he says sourly. “That champagne had better be in a Nebuchadnezzar. It’s the only way I’ll get through this.”

“Drama queen,” I say affectionately and let him draw me into his family.