Page 28 of Rock Giant

“Hey.”Nash planted a kiss on her cheek.“Sorry about earlier.You know what I’m like.”

She did.“It’s fine.I took a hike up to the standing stones for a look see.I think we should do it.”

It was like she’d struck a match inside him.“Yeah?”He positively beamed.“You wanna get all pagan with me?”

Jodi nodded, amused by his giddiness.He was all tentacle arms and smoochy cuddles while Lee tried to ignore them.“God, you’re amazing, Jo.Can’t believe how lucky I am to have you.Guys, Jo-Jo and I are gonna tie the knot.”

“We know,” they chorused.“We’ve seen the fucking rock on her finger, and you remind us at least twice a day.”

Nash scowled.He leaned into her all conspiratorially.“I say we don’t invite them.”

“Just us,” she whispered back.That shouldn’t get her in the chest, but it did.Whenever the wedding came up in conversation, he’d start rattling off names of relatives they’d have to invite, and she’d start dreaming about the two of them eloping to a beach somewhere.

“It’s a date.Midnight up at the stones.”

“Midnight?It was quarter to eleven, earlier.”

“Yes.Quarter to midnig…eleven.”

“Which is it Nash?”

“Eleven.Definitely, eleven.This is why I need you.You never forget anything.What else am I supposed to be remembering?”

She shook her head.“I don’t know.I haven’t been at any of your briefings.”

“You’d better come to the one tomorrow.Laundry.That was it.I’m completely out of pants.You should be our official girl Fri—”

“Are you the thieving wretch that stole my boxers?”Balin grabbed him by the shirt.

Nash gave him an innocent look while shaking his head and attempting to uncurl Balin’s fingers.“Probably the latest girl you banged.”

Balin pursed his lips and released him.“Better have been.”

“Any chance you could stick a load in for me?”Nash said out of the corner of his mouth to Jo.“And, guys, what do you think, should we make Jo-Jo our official Girl Friday?”

“You mean pay her to do your laundry?”Lee remarked.

“Honestly, that’s a task that requires danger money.”Jez said, droll as ever.

“Laundry and other things.For all of us, not just me.We all want her to stick around, right?”

“Aye, but she doesn’t have to play at being a domestic to do that, she can just come along for the ride.”

“But having an official role would be better, right, babe?”

A weirdly excited fizz permeated her veins.Who the heck got excited by the prospect of becoming a dogsbody?Her, apparently.But an official role, would also make her a legitimate part of the tour.Needed.Essential.Not just a hanger-on.“I don’t have to wash anyone’s underwear who’d prefer to wash their own.”

“Wouldn’t you rather just hang out?”Lee asked.

“Honestly, I’d rather earn my place.”

“Okay.”

En masse they started back towards the tour bus, only to detour part way lured by the smell of food from various stalls and tents.“Hungry?”Nash asked.Her stomach rumbled right on cue.Breakfast had been long ago and hadn’t been anything substantial.She’d opened a tin of tuna once her tent was pitched, but the cats had polished off most of that.After this, she ought to check up on them.Flugwhump, the little scoundrel, could be an escape artist.He wouldn’t wander far, and he always came back, but she didn’t want him sneaking onto someone’s tour bus and winding up far, far away.He was her favourite.Not that she had favourites.

Nash, still with his arm around her shoulders, guided her between the lines of people.“Choose whatever you fancy.Lee’s paying.”

“Why’s Lee paying?”