Page 150 of Pretty Mess

He flicks a piece of lint off his sleeve. “Of course.”

“There’s noof courseabout it. Why is the owner of Jack’s here? The Wickedest Man in London.”

“Because he’s also my family.” Someone calls our group, and he gives me a wicked smile. “Oh my. No time to answer your questions. What ashame.”

The next few minutes are a blur of impressions—the serious tones of the dean as he reads out our names, the feel of the wooden floorboards under my feet, and the swish of my gown as I stride towards him, the dryness of his hand as he gives me my degree, and, when I turn, the sight of Mac, Cath, and Robert getting to their feet and applauding. My eyes lock with Mac’s, and everything suddenly slows down. On his face, I see pride and something else. Something I can’t name, but that makes my heart pound.

It seems to take hours, but finally, I’m free and stepping outside the hall. I raise my face to the sun, feeling the breeze on my skin. All around me are loud conversations, squeals, and the click of cameras. It feels unreal. All those years of work, and here I am, an accountant.

I’m alone in the crowd. Julian vanished to find Fox and said he’d see me back at the flat at some point. Hearing my name, Iturn and smile as Cath throws herself into my arms. “Youdidit. I’m so proud of you, Wes.”

I hug her tightly. “Thank you for coming.”

“Are you joking? I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. Stand still. I need a photo for Tyler.”

I oblige, and she clicks away until she has a photo she’s happy with. It takes a while because she always has to take every angle until her subject dies of either hunger or boredom.

“Lovely,” she finally says. “I’ll send it to him. He won’t see it yet, but it’ll be waiting for him when he’s ready.”

“Like you?”

She cocks her head. “Yeah, I rather think I will.”

“Despite everything?”

She shrugs. “I love him, and we took vows that might have mentioned it was through the roughandthe smooth.”

I hug her again. “Let’s hope for a hell of a lot of the smooth from now on.”

“Hear, hear.” She pulls back. “Cormac and Robert have gone to get the car, but I think they really just wanted to give us a few minutes together.” She nudges me. “Jesus, he’s gorgeous, Wes. Well done, you.”

I snort. “I didn’t have much to do with that. It’s his genetics.”

“He’s a beautiful man. Those eyes and that serious face. The only time I saw him smile was when he saw you.” My stomach clenches from too many butterflies, and something must show on my face because she kisses my cheek. “And I think you hadeverythingto do with that smile.”

“Maybe. I can hope anyway.”

And I realise suddenly that Idohope. I haven’t seen him since that day in the park, because he’s been away on business, but he’s texted me every morning and evening with funny stories. We haven’t spoken, and it’s strange, but despite knowing each other’s bodies every way you possibly can, thoselittle texts have felt almost more intimate. It’s as if he’s showing me a slice of his life that he denied me before. Did he do the same for Brandon? I remember the look they exchanged and determinedly push the thought away.

“Shall we go and find them?” I say, crooking my elbow.

She slides her arm in and smiles at me. “Let’s do that. I want a photo of the two of you.”

“Oh my god, don’t start.”

She laughs, and we edge through the crowd towards the car park. I see him as we move past a group of people, and my heart starts to beat hard. He’s talking to Robert, his face creased in amusement. As if sensing my gaze, he turns, and our eyes lock. The intensity of the connection is not new, but it still manages to take my breath away.

“Jesus, he’s potent,” Cath says, fanning her face with her programme.

“Oh, do be quiet.”

She snorts, and we come up next to the two men.

“It seems we have a graduate in the house,” Robert says, clapping me on the shoulder. “Well done, Wes.”

I smile at him. “Thank you.”

He nods and turns to Cath. “May I give you a lift home, Mrs Archer?”