Page 7

DELILAH

I wake up with a start.

Someone’s saying my name in an urgent tone that sends a rush of anxiety straight through me.

‘What? What’s wrong?’ I say, fighting through my grogginess to wake up fully and deal with whatever emergency I’m being dragged into.

‘Your dad’s here,’ the voice says.

I know that voice, but I can’t quite place it. And where the hell am I? This doesn’t feel like my bedroom. It doesn’t smell like it either. I don’t use this brand of laundry detergent. It smells more like Bea.

Ah, yes. I’m in Bea’s bed. Staying in her flat. I’m reminded why when I shift my legs and my still-swollen ankle gives a throb of pain.

Ugh.

Why do I feel so rough?

Then it all comes flooding back and my body heats like I’ve stepped into a furnace.

Oh no.

What the hell did I do?

I took some of those painkillers Mum gave me, that’s what, and I think they were a bit strong.

I felt great at first, really happy and positive. Confident enough to get on with my marketing plan even, which in those moments, I suspected probably wasn’t as bad as Jonah was making out. I felt sure I could fix it, anyway.

So, I went into the office.

I’d wanted to show Jem I’m just as cool and as serious a person as my sister.

Who he’s probably in love with.

Huh.

I’m not sure why I find that so upsetting.

But discovering that photo he’d taken of her on his phone had fried my brain.

Of course, it shouldn’t be a surprise he’s in love with Bea. Most men find her incredibly attractive, but I hadn’t counted on Jem feeling that way about her too.

But when I saw him standing there by his desk in the shadows, all broad shoulders and frowny, dark-eyed glare, ready to walk out on me, something weird happened.

I suddenly forgot what I went in there for and all I could think about was him and my sister together and how protective that made me feel.

And then…

And then…

I tried to seduce Jem.

Jem.

Of all people.

To warn him off, maybe.

Hmm. I’m not exactly sure why I did it. I wanted to shake him up, I think. And get him to stop thinking about my sister as a viable partner.

And I guess the shaking-up bit worked. From what I remember, he certainly seemed pretty freaked out by my rather rash ploy.

But that doesn’t explain why he’s in bed with me.

I roll over to find him sitting up on the other side of the mattress, his dark, wavy hair a mess and the look in his eyes a bit wild.

Lordy lord. How strange it is that Jem having stubble on his jaw makes him suddenly seem sexy.

Wait. Stop. No more thoughts like that, thanks.

Because he’s definitely not thinking about how sexy I look in the mornings.

In fact, it appears, from the confusion on his face, that he’s not sure what he’s doing here either.

‘What did you say?’ I ask him, aware in the back of my brain that there’s still some emergency I need to deal with – other than finding Jem in bed with me, that is.

‘Your dad just came into the room, looking for Bea. I explained it was you in here with me and he walked out, saying he’d put the kettle on and wait for us to get up.

I get the feeling he’s not exactly pleased to find the two of us in bed together.

We’re going to have to explain he’s made a mistake.

I don’t want him thinking I’m taking advantage of…

err, things when I’m in business with your sister.

I definitely don’t need him as an enemy.

So we need to get out there and explain – this.

’ He waves his hand between us, an expression of dismay on his face.

Ugh. That’s all I need. My dad turning up right now and needing an explanation .

My bloody dad.

Bane of my life.

He’s always sticking his nose into my business and I’m sick of it. Anyway, so what if I’m in bed with Jem? It’s none of his concern.

But I guess that’s not how Jem sees it.

‘Why are you here?’ I ask him, my voice still rough with sleep. I’m a bit hazy about what happened after I was sick last night. I remember getting into bed, but I’m not sure why Jem’s here with me.

‘I didn’t want to leave you alone when you were ill. You asked me to stay, remember? I just lay down next to you for a few minutes and I must have fallen asleep.’

‘Oh. Right.’ I think I remember that now. I was pretty discombobulated last night.

We stare at each other for a second.

This is so bizarre.

‘And my dad thinks, what? That we’re a couple?’

His shrug looks stiff and awkward. ‘I guess so. Until we disabuse him of the notion.’

‘Well, tough. I’m not inclined to explain my love life to my dad,’ I say archly.

‘But this isn’t your love life,’ Jem points out. ‘I’m not your… you know… your…’

‘Lover,’ I finish for him. Apparently, it’s too icky an idea for him to voice.

‘Exactly.’

I suck in a breath. ‘So how are we going to explain this then?’ I ask.

He raises his first eyebrow of the day at me.

‘No,’ I say. ‘There’s no way I’m telling him how this really happened.

I’ve only just managed to convince him I’m not a total loser and if he finds out I took some of Mum’s meds, he’s going to do his nut.

I already have to think up a plausible excuse for why it’s me here, in Bea’s flat – not doing my job – and why Bea’s MIA. ’

‘So, what? You’re going to lie to your dad?’ he asks.

‘Got it in one,’ I confirm.

‘And how do you expect to get away with that? Surely he’s not going to believe it?’ Jem says, clearly not anticipating an affirmative answer to that.

‘He is if you back me up,’ I point out. The only way to handle this is to style it out, I’ve decided. Maybe if I go at it with enough energy, I’ll somehow manifest a positive outcome.

Okay, I know I’m reaching right now, but I’ve just woken up, I’m in pain and I’ve got nothing else to lose.

‘So, you’re asking me to pretend that we’re actually in a relationship – and what? That it’s serious?’ Jem says, his expression incredulous.

‘Well, yes, and that you’re staying here with me because of my injury,’ I say, scrabbling for an argument.

‘If he finds out Bea’s off pretending to be me and doing my job, it’s not going to reflect well on any of us, is it?

’ I say, giving him a beseeching look. ‘You included. Because you’re just as involved in this as we are now.

So, perhaps we could just make it seem like we’re together at the moment and suggest that Bea’s off doing something important, like – I don’t know – attending a good friend’s mum’s funeral in Scotland or something.

Something he won’t want to question for fear of seeming like a dick. ’

I stare at him, wondering what kind of reaction I’m going to get to this verbal incontinence and I’m surprised to see he doesn’t shake his head in refusal at me.

Instead, he seems to be considering what I’ve said.

I guess he’s concerned about this looking bad for Bea as well as himself.

‘Hmm.’

‘Hmm?’ I say, raising my eyebrows in a hopeful manner.

‘Look, it’s just going to be a bit of make-believe, for a really short amount of time.

No biggie. You don’t have to drape yourself all over me or anything.

Affection can be kept to an absolute minimum.

We’ll act like we’re one of those cool and grown-up kind of couples. ’

He huffs out a breath. ‘Yeah. Okay. I guess we could just go with that for now. But we’ll let him know we’ve “broken up” the moment a decent amount of time has passed.

’ He puts his head in his hands and rubs his face against both palms. ‘Ugh. What the hell,’ he mutters to himself, then gives a short, sharp laugh.

I’m worried for a second that he’s flipping out over this, but that concern is allayed when he turns to give me a tight smile, then blows out a long, low breath.

‘Okay. Let’s get this over with so we can get on with our day.’

There’s a tight feeling in my chest now and I realise I’m on the edge of tears. What’s that all about? I force the feeling down and nod back at him.

‘Thanks, Jem. I owe you one.’

‘You owe me more than one,’ he says, getting up off the bed and tucking his crumpled shirt into his trousers.

I tear my gaze away as he tries to neaten up his hair too before facing my father.

What is it about seeing Jem undone like this that’s making me feel so flustered?

Luckily, I don’t need to dwell on that thought because after taking one last, steadying breath, he leaves the room and a moment later, I hear him greeting my dad in the kitchen with a friendly salutation.

I know I can’t let Jem face the music on his own, so I struggle up out of bed and hobble after him, finding him and my dad facing each other across the kitchen table, three mugs of tea sitting in a row in front of them.

‘So how long’s this being going on for?’ my dad asks, looking between the two of us, his expression implacable.

Why does he always have to be so grumpy about everything? Particularly everything I do.

‘Not long,’ I say, wanting to keep things vague so we don’t trip ourselves up. ‘Jem stayed with me last night because I’ve sprained my ankle and I’m incapacitated and in a lot of pain with it. Bea said I could crash here while she’s away at a friend’s mum’s funeral in Scotland.’

My father’s brow creases. ‘She didn’t tell me about that.’

‘No, well, you’re not her keeper any more, are you,’ I point out, riled by his accusatory tone. ‘And she only found out about it at the last minute,’ I add when his scowl deepens at my insolence.

My father then does a very deliberate check of his watch. ‘And aren’t you meant to be hard at work at your new job at the hotel right now? Don’t tell me you’ve been fired already?’

My body gives a shiver of hurt as I realise he’s probably just been biding his time, waiting for me to announce I’ve lost the job he was apparently so proud of me securing. He obviously never expected me to keep it for long.

This makes me even more determined to prove him wrong.

‘I’m working from home because the hotel’s closed for a few days while we have the bed bugs bombed,’ I say wildly.