‘Yeah.’ I faked nonchalance, really badly. ‘I mean, look at what you’ve put me through. I definitely deserve a fucking diamond out of this shit-show.’
He reached his huge arm around my back and tugged me down to the bed, and you don’t need to know the rest.
Now he stands there, holding my cousin’s baby in his big arms like he was born to be a father, and kisses me back. ‘I’m a pretty simple guy, baby. I need a lot less than you’d think. You, a couple o’ these’—he rocks Charlotte-or-Emily in his arms—‘and a nice car. Sunshine. That’s about it.’
When we sit down for lunch in Charles and Laura’s stunning garden, it’s that reference to sunshine that’s at the forefront of my mind, just like it has been since Josh brought it up last week.
‘When do you guys wrap up filming?’ Miles helps himself to some rice salad with one hand, his other arm resting on the back of Saoirse’s chair.
‘August.’ I look at Josh, who has his hand on my thigh under the table. I love how he always wants to have one of hisbody parts touching one of mine. Obviously, I have some favourite touching-body-part combinations, but I’ll take anything. ‘It’ll be sad, but it means Josh and I get a couple of weeks in the South of France.’
‘Nice.’ Miles passes the bowl to Saoirse. ‘Whereabouts?’
‘Cap d’Antibes first, where we met.’ Josh squeezes my thigh. ‘Well, we met in Cannes, obviously, but it’s a little crazy around there. Then we’ll head down the coast. Right, baby?’
‘And do you both have projects lined up for when you finish?’ Mum asks. Despite Josh’s fears, she and Dad have both been thrilled to see me and Josh so happy together, and because they’re lovely, gracious people who watched us on Gordon Kay, they can put his past wrongs to their daughter behind them.
I catch Josh’s eye again, and he gives me a smile I recognise as hopeful. Encouraging.
‘Actually, we’re both going to be working on the same movie,’ I tell the table. ‘We can’t tell you exactly what it is just yet, but we’ll be doing the main characters’ voices for a new Disney/Pixar movie.’
The D-word has little Bea piping up. ‘Disney? LikeEncanto?’
Josh leans forward to grin across the table at her. ‘Yeah, likeEncanto, butbetter. And guess what?’
She beams at him. ‘What?’
‘I get to play the baddy! Grrr!’
She shrieks in delight, and I roll my eyes.
‘It’s true. Excellent casting.’
‘Congratulations, guys. Will you need to be in California for that?’ Dad asks.
I squeeze Josh’s hand under the table. ‘Yep. But I thought it might be time to check out Josh’s new pad in Santa Monica. And it’s about time I did a movie in Hollywood, anyway. I’ve been avoiding it for the past five years.’ Imock-glare at the person I’ve been avoiding, who has the good grace to look ashamed. ‘It makes sense for me to give it a whirl. Josh thinks the sunshine will be good for me.’
‘I don’t want to take her away from you,’ he says, ‘but it’s a really great, healthy lifestyle out there. Lots of fresh air, runs on the beach, outdoor living.’
‘Sounds just like London,’ Dad quips, and we all laugh.
‘Will you put the house up for rent?’ Mum asks. ‘Or sell it?’
‘No. We’ll hold on to it. It makes sense to have a London base. And I have an excellent house sitter.’
I smile at Nora, who’s sandwiched between Bea and Theo. I can admit without being creepy that my cousin is ridiculously attractive. He has the same dark hair and eyes as Miles, but unlike Miles, who never has a hair out of place, Theo has that sexy, bed-head thing going on and a permanent naughty grin.
As he lounges in his chair, his hand caresses Nora’s bare shoulder, and the contrast between his relaxed posture and hers is hilarious. She looks like someone’s stuck a rod up her arse. I can’t tell if it’s because she’s trapped deep in a lie, or repulsed by Theo’s touch, or turned on by it. I’d put good money on the latter.
‘Thanks for letting me house-sit your obscenely gorgeous house,’ she says, ‘even if you’re stealing Olive away from me.’
‘By the time they go, darling, we might be ready to move in together.’ Theo fingers Nora’s strap and drops a lazy, open-mouthed kiss on her shoulder. I’m pretty sure he just used tongue. ‘You know, take the next step in ourrelationship.’
Theo is a piece of work. I focus very hard on not pissing myself with laughter as Nora looks like she’s simultaneously holding back both an orgasm and a desire to punch Theo in the face. Her jaw tenses, but her eyelashes flutter involuntarily.Josh is shaking silently beside me, and I nudge him with my elbow to behave.
‘I wouldn’t hold my breath,darling,’ Nora hisses.
‘I’m so jealous you’ll be spending the winter in California,’ Saoirse says. ‘I hate the cold!’
