Page 40 of Charlie Sunshine (Close Proximity #2)

SIXTEEN

MISHA

I slump at the bar, looking morosely at the glass of whisky in front of me and flicking a piece of confetti off my sleeve. We saw my mum and Jim off an hour ago, and the bloody stuff is everywhere. There’s a rustle of clothing, and I shake my head as Felix slides in next to me.

“I’m not exactly good company at the moment,” I warn him.

He huffs. “When were you good company? I must have missed that millisecond.”

“Well, I’m in an especially bad mood today.”

He gestures for a drink, and we sit for a few minutes in a comfortable silence watching the dancers bopping about on the dance floor.

I look at him affectionately. He’s always been my favourite cousin.

He looks so much like his mum. A tumble of dark hair and those vivid hazel eyes.

He’s small and fierce and funny, the way he’s always been.

But then, with his home life, he’s had reason to be fierce.

The record changes and everyone on the dance floor cheers as “I Will Survive” starts to play.

Felix shakes his head. “I cannot understand why a song about hating someone and being glad that they’ve left you is played at every wedding.

It’s wildly inappropriate.” He sniffs. “Rather like your mother’s attachment to my ex-boyfriend to the extent that he’s here at her wedding. ”

I look over at the big man who is the centre of attention of a laughing group. I’ve been at numerous parties with him, and it’s a very familiar sight. The man oozes charisma. “He makes her laugh.”

“Well, it’s good that he does it for someone.”

“Do you really mind him being around, Felix? I can tell everyone to stop inviting him places.”

He huffs. “No, of course I don’t mind. We’ve been over for a long time. I’ve told you this before.”

“What did he do to you?” I ask curiously. The drink must be loosening my tongue because Felix doesn’t usually divulge much. But I still remember when he came back from the weekend when he’d ended his relationship with Max, and I can clearly recall the air of devastation he’d had.

“He didn’t love me enough,” he says, and there’s a finality to the words that tells me I’ll get no more. “Which is definitely not your problem.”

I blink slowly. “What?’

“Love,” he over-enunciates loudly.

“I’m sitting right next to you, so there’s no need to shout, Felix,” I say crossly. “I haven’t gone deaf.”

“No, just stupid.” When I gape at him, he explains, “I overheard you having a row with Charlie.”

“Overheard, or stayed outside the door so you could listen?” He pastes an innocent look on his face, and I grimace at him.

“I’m surprised you didn’t buy popcorn for that epic moment,” I say sourly.

“The moment that Charlie dumped me. I know I don’t go in for long relationships.

” He coughs, and I amend my statement. “I know I don’t go in for any relationships, but this is ridiculous. ”

“Charlie hasn’t left you,” he scoffs, grabbing my glass and taking a swig of my drink.

“You obviously weren’t listening hard enough to what he said.”

He shrugs. “I listened very hard,” he says without a shred of shame. “Enough to know what the problem is.”

“Oh, and do tell me what that was, Judge Judy. ”

“You’d get nowhere with her with that sarcasm, Misha,” he observes.

“Charlie’s just worried because he saw you chatting up a good-looking bloke.

” I open my mouth to protest, and he points a warning finger at me.

“Okay, saw you being chatted up by a good-looking bloke. He was bound to be pissed off. You’ve never displayed any hint of wanting a relationship before, so why would you want one with him? ”

“Because he’s him,” I say, mystified.

“But does he know that, or does he think you’re just going with the flow?”

I pause, thinking hard. “I told him I wanted it to be just us,” I say slowly.

“Did you show him that, though?”

I suddenly remember Charlie “giving” me that song this morning, his face warm and his eyes lit up as the tender lyrics played. Then I remember the piss-taking way I’d replied. I groan. “Shit!”

“Exactly,” he says. “You’ve been flippant, haven’t you?”

“How do you know?”

He looks over at where his ex is standing, dark and handsome amongst his group of wedding guests. As usual, Max looks up, as if he’s aware of every step and movement that Felix makes. Felix just shakes his head. “It’s a family trait,” he says.

“I was flippant this morning when he tried to say something loving. It was only supposed to be for a minute, and then I was going to think of something better, but then he had a seizure, and I got occupied in looking after him.” I’m rambling, but he nods as if he understands.

“And that might be another problem, Misha.”

“What?”

“Do you know another word apart from ‘what’?”

“Not at this precise moment.”

He shrugs. “Charlie’s a very proud man. He prides himself on being positive and happy and good to people.

That means he doesn’t react well when his body lets him down.

I bet that he was uncomfortable with having a seizure in front of you.

I’d also lay odds that he took one look at that bloke you were talking to and thought you’d be happier with someone like that.

Charlie’s a caretaker by nature. He’s not comfortable when the shoe’s on the other foot. ”

“But it’s the same shoe it’s always been.”

“But you’re not the same people now,” he says patiently. “You’re boyfriends now. It’s vastly different.”

“I don’t understand any of this,” I say almost petulantly. “I love him, and he’s mine to look after. Where’s the problem in that, Felix?”

He nudges me. “Have you actually told him that?”

“Yes,” I say slowly. Then I give myself a moment to think about it. Shock blasts through me. “Oh shit,” I mutter. “I thought he knew. He knows me inside out. He should know that I love him.”

“Why should he? He’s not bloody Mystic Molly. Misha, you have to tell people what you’re feeling.” He shakes his head disapprovingly. “Your communication skills are sadly lacking. Good job you work with hedges, although Monty Don is probably better with people than you.”

I frown at him. “You’re a piss-taking prat,” I say slowly, feeling the alcohol numbing my tongue. “How did you get so wise?”

“Well, it wasn’t from setting a good example,” he says flippantly. “More learning from bad experiences.”

I look behind me and smile. “Speaking of bad experiences, I think your ex might need a hand.” I nudge him. “Don’t look now but Auntie Violet has cornered him.”

He follows my gaze and snorts. Max is standing on the dancefloor looking somewhat worried while my aunt gyrates around him with her arms in the air and her hips swaying madly to Julio Iglesias’s “Moonlight Lady.”

“She loves Julio,” I say meditatively.

Max looks imploringly at Felix, and to my astonishment, Felix immediately stands up. “Where are you going?” I ask. “You’re surely not going to rescue him, are you?”

“ No, ” he scoffs. He pats my shoulder. “I’m going to ask if the DJ has any more of Julio’s hits.” I shake my head, and he rubs my hair affectionately. “Promise me you won’t drink much more.”

I mouth the word “no” as I watch him go and then turn back determinedly to the young barman. “Another one and keep them coming,” I instruct him. He stares at me assessingly and then slides a shot glass in front of me.

Sometime later, I stir. “I’m not going to put up with this,” I say, slamming my hand down on the counter. “Ugh! What’s that?”

“Someone’s plate from the buffet,” the barman says, offering me a napkin to wipe my hand.

“Well, what’s it doing there and why have they left so much food? It’s not environmentally friendly.” I groan. “ This is what Charlie’s done to me. He’s given me a social conscience.”

“Better than the clap,” my new adviser proffers.

“You’re right, my friend,” I say, hearing the slur in my voice. “Totally right.” I slam my drink down and wonder briefly if it contained something to affect my balance because the room is spinning slightly.

“I’m gonna get my man,” I say, pointing at the barman. “He’s not getting away. Every.” I hiccup. “Every breath he takes, I’m going to be there.”

“Okay, Sting, that’s not even remotely worrying,” he offers. “But I think we should order a taxi to take you to your poor boyfriend because you’re currently pointing at a potted plant.”

I wave my hand in a regal fashion. “Order away, barman, while I compose my reconciliation speech.”

“Shit,” he mutters.

CHARLIE

I wander into the kitchen in my family home, rubbing my eyes.

Aidan looks up from the table where he’s sitting reading the paper. He shoots me a keen gaze. “You okay?”

I nod. “I’m so sorry to come here and dump everything on you.”

“You didn’t exactly dump, sweetheart. Just turned up looking heartbroken, said you’d had words with Misha, and then tried to comfort me about the whole situation.”

I wince. “I think I was more tired than I thought.”

He gets up and brushes my hair back so he can look at my face. His eyes are bright and knowing. “Well, you look a lot better now. You looked like shit earlier.”

I think of the man—Adam—at the wedding and wince again. “Great. Just what I wanted to know. I’m pretty sure that Mr Perfect didn’t end up sleeping at his dads’ house dressed in old sweats and a Mutant Ninja T-shirt.”

“That green really sets off your complexion though,” he assures me gravely. He grins as I raise my middle finger at him.

He walks over to the kettle and switches it on.

“Charlie, I’m pretty sure that Misha would fancy you if you were coming down with the flu, so get that other bloke out of your head.

” He looks back at me. “It’s no surprise that you were out of sorts.

You had a turn this morning in front of someone you’ve entered into a new relationship with, which is bound to be strange for the first few times.

Then you tried to run around all afternoon at a wedding being Mr Congeniality. ”

“I didn’t have a sash, so it doesn’t count.”