17:36SPENCERsick accident suggestions?
17:41 PHILYou pictured yourself running a 15K and laughed so hard you fell down the stairs
17:44 GEORGEYou tripped on the absurdity of your plan?
17:46ALEXDon’t lie!
17:48SPENCERthanks for nothing
17:48 SPENCERwhere’s chaz when i need him
17:50 GEORGEWhy would Charles be helpful here?
17:51 SPENCERhe’d find something he’s a novelist!
17:53PHILIs he?
Charles mentioned his story the night he helped Spencer with his ski vlog and, as usual, Spencer jumped to a straightforward conclusion. But Charles isn’t a novelist. He can’t put three sentences together.
It reads good, though. ‘He’s a novelist.’ It reads right.
He tucks the thought away to examine it later and inches back to the table, helpless with a tray.
Elsy arches an eyebrow as she reaches for the plate. ‘I won’t share that!’
‘Taking food away from me isn’t the punishment you people think it is.’
‘Who’s people?’
‘Loris.’
‘He’s French! In his case, it’s a severe threat! Call me whenever hedeems you unworthy of what he’s having for dinner.’
Charles sets the empty tray aside. ‘I’ll stack plastic containers in his flat.’
‘Good idea. You might need one soon. Catriona wants to have you over for dinner on Friday, and I’d like you to come as my boyfriend. But it’s fine if you act distant! It’ll set the stage for what’s coming. Because, yes, you will dump me. Otherwise, I’ll never hear the end of why I let someone like you go.’
‘Why can’t I dump you today? It’d be logical that I was waiting for your return from the States.’
‘True, but she’s taking me to the Royal Opera House on Saturday. I’m so looking forward to it, I don’t want to have to downplay my excitement because I’m supposed to be heartbroken. Pleeease! One more performance in front of her. And a couple of weeks before we announce it, so I can assess my post-breakup behaviour options. I’ll talk to Loris about the dinner at my place! Pleeeease!’
She raises a spoon of whipped cream, but Charles pushes it aside with a soft laugh.
‘You agreed to one last appearance as my girlfriend, so yes, of course. And Loris should be fine with it. We took him off guard yesterday, but he’s understanding. And supportive. And very hot. Which is irrelevant here but always worth mentioning.’
Elsy shakes her head, trying to look mocking but unable to conceal her tenderness. ‘God, you’re hooked bad... I wish I could actively support your fairy tale from the start, but I’ll need to petty-grieve our relationship or my friends will know something fishy is going on. I can’t tell them I was lying all along. They’d never forgive me.’
Charles glances at his phone where the conversation with his friends is still pending his participation. He’s not planning on coming clean with the guys either. Alex wouldn’t recover.
‘Another thing… Can you give me a few days’ notice before going public with Loris in Hampstead? I’d rather inform the girls first, so they’ll be able to reply “Yes, Elsy knows!” to people who get off on being the bearers of shocking news.’
Charles hums, scratching his thumb, a twinge of anxiety wringing his stomach.
Of all the pen-clicking headaches he’s been plagued by over the years, this is the one he feels the least stupid about. But being rightfully afraid doesn’t make the source of his fear less scary.
Reading him in a second, Elsy grabs his hand. ‘I understand you want to make the most of your guaranteed time with Loris, but don’t rush the general announcement.’
‘How did Divya react last night?’
