Page 22 of The Loneliest Number (The Thirst Trap #3)

Chapter twenty-one

Abby

M y alarm wakes me the next morning. I roll over to switch it off before it wakes my bedfellow.

Although she sleeps like the dead, and she had a later night than I did, so she probably won’t be conscious any time soon.

I shuffle out of bed and over to the tiny bathroom that’s the second room in my bedsit.

“Where’s your key?” I’d hissed at her as I opened it.

“Dunno.” A shrug was all I got back before she slammed her way into the bathroom.

She huffed around for ages, and I knew there was no point trying to get any sense out of her, so I didn’t try. But it had been a while until I’d got to sleep.

I brush my teeth and towel dry my hair after a quick shower. And then creep back out to pull on some jeans and a t-shirt. I look around at my usually organised flat in dismay. My mother really is like a hurricane when she decides to blow through. I just hope it won’t be for long this time.

I’m surprised she’s not asked for a loan yet, having been here four days already. She must really need somewhere to stay. Or need a lot of money and is working her way up to asking me. I shake my head as she snores in my bed, splayed out like a starfish in the middle.

It’s been at least a year since she last came by, looking for a loan.

I’d given her a couple of hundred quid and seen her on her way.

Each time she makes an appearance, she looks just a bit older and takes longer to get out of bed in the morning.

Not really a surprise when she’s been drinking and smoking her way to an early grave since before I was born.

Checking her handbag, I find my spare key in there. Lazy mare woke me up because she couldn’t be arsed getting it out of her bag. I blow out a sigh as I pick up my jacket and bag and head out of the door.

I regret not pushing for the building tour first, but Cam suggested we start with brunch at a café near The Juniper.

Saff and Cam are sitting at one of the outside picnic benches as I approach.

Cam has his back to me, but Saff spots me and gives me a wave.

They look cute together, her all curvy with those red curls and him being built like a brick shithouse.

I wonder why they keep it casual and don’t have a steady relationship.

They clearly get on well and enjoy fucking each other.

But, on the other hand, I’m grateful that their casual relationship has given me the opportunity to have that amazing night with them in Glasgow and all the nights I’ve had with Cam since.

There’s something different about Cam that has me coming back to him on repeat.

He makes me want more. Even if I don’t know what more looks like.

“Hey,” I call as I approach. “Have you guys ordered?” I stand to the side of the bench.

“Just drinks. We were waiting for you to get food,” Cam says.

I perch on the end of Saff’s bench and pull a menu over to look. “If you decide what you want, I’ll order it with my drink when I go in.”

“It’s my treat,” Cam says, looking ready to start a fight.

“Actually,” Saff’s tone is as sweet as the smile plastered on her face. “It’s my treat. You wouldn’t let me contribute to dinner last night, so I’m paying.”

Cam huffs in annoyance, but he doesn’t argue, which makes me think he’s heard that tone before. I let loose a chuckle. He frowns at me. “What?”

“I’m just wondering if there’s ever been three more stubborn people sitting together for brunch?”

“Probably not,” Saff says, leaning closer to lay her head on my shoulder. I love her tactile nature and all the shit she gives Cam is fun, too. She lowers her tone to a whisper to add, “I’ve got plenty of tricks to win him over, though, if you want me to share.”

Cam groans in despair, clearly having heard her.

“I’d like that, thank you Saff.”

“You’re welcome.” She lifts her head off my shoulder, giving me a peck on the cheek before tapping the menu. “What are you having?”

“I’ll have a full English, please. Eggs fried, white bread. And a cup of tea.” I say with a grin.

“Ha, pretty much the same order as Cam. Except his eggs are poached, he has granary and a coffee,” Saff tells me with delight. “But where the hell do you put it?” she asks me with curiosity.

I shrug. “I tend to work it off at the gym and at work. I’m usually ravenous.”

“So’s he. You make a fine pair,” she says before heading inside to place our order.

A pair? Huh. I wait for the usual sense of ick to come, but it doesn’t. I don’t mind being paired with Cam. There’s a contentment to being in his presence.

I swing my legs round and tuck them under the bench, my feet brushing Cam’s shins as I move.

“Alright?” he asks, a brow raised. “Everything okay with the family stuff?”

I sigh, my shoulders heaving. “Yeah, for now.” I look over his shoulder, watching people bustling around on this busy Saturday morning. “My mum’s in town,” I say.

“And that causes you stress?”

“What makes you ask that?” He’s not wrong, but I’m curious as to why he thinks that.

“You sounded stressed last night when you mentioned family stuff, and you look tired.” He pulls an apologetic wince. “I hate telling people they look tired, but you’ve got smudges under your eyes that I’ve not seen before.”

“God, Cam, did anyone tell you what an absolute charmer you are?” I ask with a grin.

“Sorry, hen.” He sounds so earnest.

“It’s all good. I don’t think she’ll be here much longer. She just needs somewhere to stay for a few days or a loan. I can’t work out which one it is this time. And then she’ll flit away again. I did well to go a whole year without seeing her.”

His brows raise in surprise. “You’re not close, I take it?”

“Nah, she’s got her own problems, and even when I was a kid, those problems were always more important than me.

” I shrug. “I’m over it now. And I think it did me good.

I’ve learnt not to rely on anyone but myself.

” His face scrunches like he’s having trouble putting together pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. An Abby-shaped puzzle.

“Do you have other family?” he asks.

“An aunt and uncle and a couple of cousins. They live down South. My grandparents are gone. What about you?” I deflect, not wanting to dwell on my family circumstances.

“I’m fairly close to my parents. They live on Skye. I haven’t seen them since I’ve been down here working, but we keep in touch. I was also close with my grandmother, who left me The Juniper when she passed away about six months ago.”

“I’m sorry for your loss. Your family must mean a lot to you. You sound close-knit.” I murmur.

“Yeah and that’s what makes The Juniper such a family mystery–it was some random guy no-one’s ever heard of that left it to her, and we don’t know why.”

“I remember you mentioning that when I found out you owned it. You’re not tempted to do some detective work?” I ask, even more interested in the building now that I know there’s a mystery attached to it.

I’m about to ask him what he knows when Saff drops onto the bench beside me with a huff. “Sorry guys, it was manic in there. They said it’s up to an half-hour wait for food. I went with it because I assumed we are all in need of sustenance.”

“It’ll be worth the wait, I promise. The food is decent here,” I tell them before turning back to Cam. “So what exactly do you know about the building then?”

“That it had been boarded up for a few years. My Gran never visited it that we know of. It was managed by a legal firm, and when my lawyer looked into it, the guy in charge of the account died a couple of years ago.”

“Have you told her about the letter?” Saffy asks, her eyes sparkling.

“What letter?” I interrogate Cam, desperate to know more.

He laughs at my eagerness. “I’ve got it with my paperwork at The Juniper, you can read it. It’s from this William guy, gifting it to Gran.”

“It reads like it’s some kind of love story,” Saff says with a sigh. “Some kind of forbidden love, and he had to leave, but he gave her the building so she had a way to support herself.”

“We don’t know that, Saff. The letter is pretty vague. And the dates don’t match up for that.” His brows knit together as he stares into the distance.

“Which is why we need to read between the lines. People don’t just give other people buildings, Cam. Especially ones as grand as The Juniper. There has to be some real emotion at the heart of this.”

“Maybe,” he says, but his voice sounds certain in his disagreement.

“My friend, Cass, would love this story. She’s an author, and she loves stuff like this.”

“Oooh, what kind of books does she write?” Saff asks.

“The dirtiest, smuttiest romance I’ve ever read,” I tell her with a grin. “It’s amazing.”

“I love romance. What’s her name?”

“Cassidy Connor.”

“Oh my god, I’ve read her stuff. She wrote that amazing MMF book last year,” she exclaims, excitement sparkling in her gaze.

“She did. And she’s in a throuple in real life. With the two guys that helped her research that book.” I use my fingers to air-quote ‘research’ with a waggle of my brows, which sets Saffy off into giggles.

“Is that Tom’s Cass? Tom’s in a throuple?” Cam asks with interest.

“Yes, they’re so fricking cute together. Have you met Jack?” I ask him.

“No, although I should have realised because he mentioned them both when we were chatting.”

Saff’s tapping away on her phone and holds up her screen to show me. “Look how many of her books I have on my Kindle app.”

“I can get you an introduction if you like? She loves meeting her readers. I bet she’d be happy to chat books and sign some paperbacks for you.”

“That would be amazing. And I love her even more now I know she’s in a poly relationship. That’s so cool.”

We’re all stuffed from our brunch when we waddle over to The Juniper. Cam unlocks the front door, locking it behind us once we’ve all stepped in. He reaches over to a counter just by the door and hands over two hard hats.

“This is a building site, ladies. On your best behaviour, please. What I say goes. Okay?”

“Ooooh, I love your stern brunch daddy tone, Cam,” Saff coos at him, patting his chest and fluttering her eyelashes, causing me to giggle.

He rolls his eyes as he places a hat directly on her head, a little firmer than necessary, before passing me mine.

“Let me just get my camera out, and I can shoot while we walk.” Saff slides the backpack from Cam’s shoulder and sets it on the counter. She pulls out a massive camera and fits a lens before wandering around the entranceway, snapping photos.

“Saff offered to take some progress shots for me while we look round,” Cam tells me. He grabs up a folder from the counter and rifles through it before passing something over. “Here’s the letter.”

“Oh, wow.” I take it carefully, aware of the age of the paper from its yellowed tone.

“Oh, wow,” I repeat myself once I’ve read the letter twice. I trace my pointer finger over the type. “I think Saff is right. This has to be some kind of forbidden love story. Your Gran never mentioned it?”

“Not to me, no,” Cam says, grazing his fingers over his bearded chin. “And my parents didn’t seem to know anything, either.”

“Did your Gran have any friends or other relatives who knew her around the time of this letter?” I ask, my mind whirling with possibilities.

“I’ve got a Great Aunt on Skye. Perhaps I’ll check with her.”

“This building has always held a fascination for me, Cam. And this letter just sparks my curiosity even more. I’d love to know when you hear back.”

He tilts his head to the side for a moment before he says, “Come to Skye with me. You can ask her yourself. I’m well overdue a visit to my parents, and you said you always wanted to go.”

“Oh, I couldn’t,” I tell him, disappointed that I can’t take him up on this offer.

“Why not?” he asks.

“I wouldn’t want to intrude on your family. And I’m probably going to be a bit strapped for cash once my mum leaves.”

“You wouldn’t be intruding. They’ve got a guest house we should be able to use. And it would be my treat.” His response comes so quickly, it’s like he was expecting my resistance. It would be a fun adventure to try and solve the puzzle of this building, plus I’d get to spend more time with Cam.

“How do you get to Skye?” I ask him. The thought of meeting Cam’s family is terrifying, but there’s also an underlying excitement swirling in my gut at the thought of visiting his homeland and seeing him in that environment.

“Best way from here is probably a flight up to Glasgow and then drive.”

“How long is the drive?” I ask, knowing Skye is a fair way up the coast.

“Five hours, give or take.” My jaw drops open.

He chuckles at my reaction. “There’s loads of scenery to admire and I enjoy the drive.”

“Okay, maybe then. If I can make it work with shifts. And I’ll buy my flight.” Please let it work out.

“We’ll see.”

“Can I go up the stairs, Cam?” Saff shouts across.

“Wait for us,” he replies, plucking the letter from my hand and tucking it back in the file before tugging me along with him to where Saff awaits us at the stairs.

Is it just the possibility of solving the mystery of this building that causes the excitement of a trip to Skye? Or is it this man?