Page 1 of The Good Neighbour

CHAPTER ONE

The camera pointed at Josh Winterton. No matter how many times he’d been in this position in the last year, he never got used to it. Josh wasn’t a vain man but whenever he had to speak to that lens, he spent longer shaving his head and plucking his eyebrows. He had on a fuchsia pink shirt that contrasted with his dark brown skin. It had taken quite some time before he’d got it right.

“Do I look okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, fine,” Winston replied without glancing up from his phone.

Josh sighed.

“Josh,” Winston said, finally raising his head. “We’ve been married for three years. I think I know what you look like.”

Winston had always been the spitting image of his Irish mother. His pale skin and blond hair were set off by sharp green eyes. Today he had paired a blue shirt with faded jeans, which worked perfectly.

When they’d got together, Josh had helped to pick out Winston’s outfits. Nowadays, he never got asked. Still, it gave him heart that Winston had learnt some tips from him. Gonewere the band T-shirts and cargo shorts. Josh thanked his blessings for that every day.

As a fashion designer, most of his friends called on him for advice if they were attending a function or red carpet. A lot of the time they would beg for something from the boutique he part owned. Yet, Winston had soon stopped wanting him to help.

“I guess you’re right,” Josh said. “Are you nearly ready? Madeline’s expecting us any minute.”

Winston stood back from the camera and frowned. That expression reminded Josh of when they’d first met. He’d organised a pre-show of his latest women’s wear collection and Winston had been hired to make a fly-on-the-wall documentary for some of the fashion buyers. It was in the days before everyone simply watched from their phones, no matter where they were in the world.

Winston had asked Josh if he minded being filmed. When Josh accepted, Winston had said it was a good thing as he was too handsome to say no.

The rest became history.

“Okay, rolling,” Winston said. “First question. Tell the people what happened today?”

Josh smiled. “You were given the all-clear.”

Almost a year ago to the day, Winston had been diagnosed with testicular cancer. Words that had brought both their lives crashing down.

“That’s right. How do you think I’ve been coping with things?”

“Amazingly. You’ve been so brave,” Josh replied. “Mind you, we’re lucky that we were both able to stop working to focus totally on getting you well again.”

Winston sighed. “This film isn’t about you, Josh.”

“Sorry.”

“Are you happy that I don’t have to have chemo?”

Josh nodded. “I’m so relieved but either way we would have faced it together.”

Winston flicked a switch on the camera and glared at Josh. “Would it kill you to talk about me for one second? Fucking hell.”

“I’m sorry. You did ask. What am I supposed to say? Maybe you should give me a script then I won’t upset you.”

Winston had a face like thunder. “Forget it. If you can’t say something authentic about me, what is the point?”

He seized the tripod and collapsed it.

“No, wait,” Josh said. “We’ll shoot it again. Give me a chance. I know what to say now.”

“I said forget it.”

Winston unscrewed the camera and banged it down on the kitchen cabinet, making Josh jump.

“As usual, it’s too bloody much to ask you to do anything.”