That means when Leven needs feeding, I’m the one who cooks. When he needs housing, I’m the one who shelters him. When I need to scream with frustration over how quickly I went from a solo act to a reluctant duo, he’s the one who glares so I think twice about making loud noises near a highly trained assassin.
“I’m going to work,” I tell him now and his features relax because for the next few minutes he has something to do. “Maybe you could take the next few hours off,” I suggest, an idea that has him tensing. “Or maybe not,” I concede.
Robyn, my boss, appears happy to have the mini-mountain tag along with me to the store. For the past two days, she’s enjoyed making him cups of tea and serving him biscuits. Not that he responds to her overtures of friendship with anything other than a firm grunt.
As for me, an hour into work and I’ve forgotten he’s there.
“Excuse me, miss?” A shrill voice calls out from the far end of the counter. “I demand to see the manager.”
I turn, reacting to the words a second before I recognise the voice, so my blazing glare falls on my best friend. Then it converts into a smile. “Marigold! What are you doing here?”
“Oh, you know. My mother kept hinting at the opportunities available in our largest city.” She holds up one finger as a pause, the nail polish already half flaked off and in a shade of boisterous tangerine that no citrus fruit should have to burden. With her other hand, she swipes through screens on her phone until she finds a long list which she displays to me. “Here we go. Courtesy of mother dearest. The most eligible bachelors on offer in the land.”
Scanning the names, my eyes widen. “Didn’t know your mother was so heavily into May-December romances.”
“Well, we can’t all get our perfect match the first time,” she says with a hefty sigh. “Speaking of which, how is Micah the magnificent.”
“I wouldn’t know,” I tell her, biting on the side of my thumbnail. When I’ve been lonely over the past week, I have peeked at his blinking red dot on the tracking screen, but apart from that we haven’t spoken.
I don’t know how to mend the impasse between us and every time I try to think of something, I get angry because it shouldn’t be down to me.
Or my imaginary baby.
“Woah. I don’t know what the cause is behind those expressions but please don’t send them my way,” she jokes a moment before slinging her arm across my shoulder. “Is there anything good in this store? My disposable income took a big jump this month.”
“Feel free to look around.” I glance at my phone for the time. “There’s another two hours before closing. I’m sure you can find something to waste your hard-earned income on in that time.”
“Oh,” she says, eyes widening before she smacks herself on the forehead. “Forgot to mention these.”
She pulls out a couple of tickets and spreads them in a tiny fan, grinning broadly. My mouth falls open as I read the name, Jaymes Fletcher, and my eyes bug out of my head.
“But his concert has been sold out for months. How did you…? No. Don’t tell me.” I rip them from her hands, scouring the details. Then I feel a tiny bump of disappointment. They show tomorrow’s date. “Are you sure these’re real? They’re for the wrong night.”
“Try listening to the radio for once,” Marigold says, primping her hair. “He put on an extra concert, and I was lucky enough to have a dozen willing helpers standing ready to snag a few tickets the moment they went on sale.”
“This is fantastic.” I fangirl so hard for a minute that it’s like the last month disappears. I’m back at school, sharing titbits of gossip behind the shelter of our textbooks. Trading stories like they’re gold. “How long are you staying?”
“Just till the day after tomorrow.” I feel a pang of regret that she won’t be here longer, but she nudges me with her elbow. “If it all works out okay, I’m sure Mum will be more easily persuaded to let me visit. Once she gets over her fear of hotels.”
“You’re staying in a hotel?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Rubbish. Cancel the room and save your money. I’ve got a spare bed at mine with your name on it.”
I belatedly remember it’s got Leven’s name on it at the moment. One glance in his direction and he frowns. It’s like he can read my mind.
“Or you can bunk in my room,” I amend. “The king bed can easily fit us both.”
“Such a kind offer, but I must insist on my own space.” Marigold glances over each shoulder as though her parents might be hidden nearby. Her voice drops to a whisper. “Just in case I need to bring someone home with me if you catch my drift.”
“I catch your drift all right. Be carefulyoudon’t catch chlamydia.”
She rolls her eyes. “Sure, Mum. Thanks for the warning.” Despite the sarcastic reprimand her enthusiasm doesn’t take a dive. “But you’ll have to show me the best clubs in town. You’re the only person here I know.”
I don’t have the foggiest idea, but I won’t let my unpreparedness spoil the trip for my friend. “It’s a date,” I declare. “And the least I can do since you got these tickets. How much do I owe you?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Marigold says in a breezy tone. Then adds, “But you’re paying for all my drinks and entry fees tonight.”
