Paul has the decency to wait until the front door clicks shut before he bursts out laughing. “Wow.” He slaps me on the shoulder and shakes his head. “Just friends, my arse. I give it a week before you’re banging.” He’s still chuckling to himself as he starts to unload the rest of my stuff.
I can’t get involved with Jerry, not when I’ve only just moved into his house. It could get all kinds of awkward. I start my new job on Monday, and I don’t need the added stress of trying to look for somewhere else to live if I fuck this up.
Friends.
That’s what we agreed to. And that’s what I’ve spent the last few weeks reminding everyone who’s hinted at anything else.
I may have conveniently forgotten how hot he is.
And now we’re going to be in each other’s pockets for the next couple of months.
Oh God, this is going to be a nightmare.
“Fuck me,I think that’s everything.” I shut the boot of my car and lean against it with a groan. We’ve been unloading my stuff for what seems like hours and my back is killing me. With Paulalready headed home for a family get-together, it’s only me and Jerry now.
He leans next to me and crosses his arms. “You okay?”
“What do you mean?”
He raises an eyebrow. “With all this.” He gestures around him. “New job, new home. It’s a lot.”
I nod in agreement. “It is... but it’s kind of exciting too.” Don’t get me wrong, part of me is panicking that this is a huge mistake, but the rest of me is cautiously optimistic that this could be the best move I’ve ever made. “I just hope I still feel that way on Monday morning.”
Jerry laughs. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. You already know the guy you’ll be working for, right?”
“Yeah, but I don’t know the rest of the team. I mean I’ve spoken to them over the phone and email, but I’m still going to be the new guy.” And I’ve always hated that part of starting a new job, but who doesn’t?
He nudges me. “Can’t be any worse than what you left behind, though.”
“Very true.” I wait for the bite of pain that usually follows when I think of Karl, but it doesn’t come. At least not as sharp as I’m used to. “Huh.”
“What’s wrong?” Jerry asks softly.
“Nothing.” It’s been my knee-jerk response when people ask me that. But that’s because it’s usually one of Karl and my mutual friends.
This is Jerry, though.
I can talk to him.
“I was just thinking... it doesn’t hurt as much as it used to. Thinking about him,” I add, although I’m pretty sure Jerry doesn’t need me to explain.
“Good.”
The wind picks up then, cool and biting, and I cross my arms with a shiver. Probably not the best idea to be outside in a T-shirt in November. The day might’ve started off mild, but it’s not anymore.
“Come on.” Jerry straightens and nods towards the house. “Let’s go inside before you freeze to death.” He grins. “I forget you’re not used to the cold weather up north.”
“I lived about a hundred miles away, not three hundred!” I grumble, but Jerry is already jogging towards his front door, laughing at the look of indignation on my face. And it hits me then, maybe more than it has at any other moment so far.
Lived.
I don’t live in Worcester anymore. I live here, for the next few months at least.
With Jerry.
That buzz of excitement I felt earlier returns with a vengeance, and I’d be lying if I said it was all for my new job and new house.
Warmth hits me as soon as we get inside, and a sigh escapes as it chases away the chill in my bones. Maybe Jerry’s right about me not being used to the cold. Not that I’m going to tell him that. I don’t know if it’s because it’s much more rural out here, but the air does seem colder. Like it’s properly winter, not a token gesture.
