“He’sbeautiful. Fancy sharing?”
The question wasn’t as innocent as it might have been between two other friends. Jodi and Sophie had ended their romantic relationship more than a year ago. They’d fallen into bed together a few times since, sometimes with company, but that didn’t appeal to Jodi anymore. He loved Sophie with all his heart. SharingRupertthough? Fuck no. Jodi couldn’t imagine sharing him with anyone. Didn’t want to. In fact, he couldn’t imagine sharing a bed with anyone else ever again.
Like she’d heard his epiphany, Sophie smiled and patted Jodi’s arm. “It’s okay, babe. I can see how much you like him. This is the real deal, isn’t it?”
“I think so.” Heat flooded Jodi’s face. He took a gulp of hot tea, which did nothing to quell the warmth filling his chest. “Just gotta hope he feels the same.”
“How could he not?” Sophie’s smile waned with a touch of the sadness she rarely let Jodi see. “Embrace it. I’m over the moon for you, Jojo.”
* * *
Later that night found Jodi growling at his computer. Eventually, a glitch in the operating system froze the screen. He admitted defeat and shut it down, retreating to the couch with the old grey blanket that seemed to follow him around when the weather turned colder, a relic from his student days. It was tatty and holed, but combined withBlackadderon the telly, it felt like an old friend, and it wasn’t long before he fell fast asleep.
A low chuckle woke him sometime later. “You look like a Hobbit wrapped up in that.”
Jodi grumbled and pressed his face into a cushion. He’d jumped a bloody mile the first time Rupert had used the spare key and crept into the flat under the cover of darkness, but he was used to it now. Loved it. There was nothing better than waking up to Rupert’s comforting warmth beside him when he’d gone to sleep alone.
Rupert laughed again and pulled the blanket back from Jodi’s face. “Wake up for me, boyo. I want to tell you something.”
Jodi raised his head and cracked an eye open. “Mate, I already know you’re gay.”
“Very funny.” Rupert scowled briefly, but he clearly wasn’t annoyed in the slightest. In fact, he seemed happier than Jodi had ever seen him.
“That grin’s gonna split your face. Spill.”
“Indie loves you.” Rupert grinned wider. “She’s been talking about you all afternoon.”
“Really?” Jodi couldn’t name the emotion that stirred in him. He couldn’t deny he’d been a little spellbound by Indie in return. She was nothing like the children he’d come across before. No snot and whinging. No constant trips to the toilet. “What did she say?”
“It’s more what she asked.”
Jodi sat up. “Asked?”
“Yeah.” Rupert caught the blanket as it slipped from Jodi’s shoulders. “She asked me if you were my boyfriend.”
“Seriously? Where did she get that idea?”
Rupert shrugged. “I think she might’ve overheard something at home. Jen’s big on slating me to anyone who’ll listen.”
“Still?”
“Aye, but I don’t give a shit. Her big mouth’s done me a favour. I’ve wanted to tell Indie for a long time. Just didn’t know how.”
A slow grin crept over Jodi’s face. “So you told her I’m your boyfriend?”
“Er, yeah. That’s okay, right? I mean, I know we’ve never—”
Jodi silenced Rupert with a quick kiss. They’d never had that particular conversation, but their casual friendship had slipped so seamlessly into a warm, companionable relationship, there hadn’t been the need. They had much to learn about each other, but boyfriends? Fuck yeah, Jodi was having some of that. “Iamyour boyfriend.”
“Thank God for that.” Rupert’s mile-wide smile returned. “Because I told Indie everything—the Disney version, at least.”
“Wow. I don’t know what to say. That’s awesome.” And it was. Jodi didn’t have to know shit about raising kids to see how much being out to Indie meant to Rupert. “What about Jen, though? She won’t do anything shitty and try to keep Indie away from you, will she?”
“She’s going to do her nut, but there’s nothing she can do about it. The courts have already told her she can’t restrict my access to Indie because of my sexuality.”
“You told the courts you’re gay?”
Rupert nodded. “Didn’t have much choice really. Jen outed me straight from the bat. Tried to paint me as a bloody deviant. Didn’t do her much good, though. The judge took my side. First time anyone ever did that.”
