“I know, but at least I tried to make it work. Treated her like a fucking queen, all while she’s making digs about you, about me, and everything about us. But I’d never have cheated on her, Tam. I’d have offed myself before I did that to the mother of my kid.”
He’s come close before, to killing himself. It’s been years, but I can’t forget it. I pull him into a hug and squeeze him tight, letting my irritation bleed out of me. “It’s going to be okay. You can stay with me as long as you need.”
Sab lets me hold him. Then he backs off. “She’s not going to let me hole up here with Esme. I have to go back.”
“You need money? I can help you put a deposit down on a place.”
“With what? You’re as skint as I am.”
“You can have the annex money.”
“No.”
I’m the stubborn one, but I know Sab, and for now, there’s no changing his mind. I leave him to his foraged brunch and head upstairs to work.
It’s mid-afternoon when I blink out of an ink daze to see Bhodi leaving the annex.
He’s in running gear, which I like. But the pavements are icy as hell, a definitefuck no.
I push back from my desk and jog downstairs. Sab is on the rug in front of the log burner, playing with Esme. He shoots me a knowing look. I ignore him and dash outside barefoot. “Hey.”
Bhodi spins around, startled, and it makes his eyes impossibly brighter. Like gemstones in the fucking snow. “Hey.”
“Going running?”
“No, I just really like leggings.”
“You’re not wearing leggings.”
“I am underneath. It’s cold.”
“It’sicy. You got crampons for those pretty feet?”
He grins. “You think my feet are pretty?”
“If they’re anything like the rest of you.”
Bhodi laughs into a broad grin. “Charmer. Where’ve you been all my life?”
Waiting for you.“Be careful, okay? It’s getting dark.”
His smile fades a little. “I will, I promise. Everything all right?”
I can’t lie to him. “Sab’s having life drama. Him and the baby are holed up in my place.”
“Baby?”
“My niece. Esme. I didn’t tell you about her?”
“You might’ve done.” Bhodi blows on his hands. “I get a bit empty-headed around you.”
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
“Becauseyou’repretty, Dubois.”
I feel like a new man. All day I’ve vacillated between missing him and worrying about Sab. Now I’m ten seconds deep with him and my smile hurts my face. “Are you home tonight?”
Bhodi nods. “Unless I get called in. Everyone’s got norovirus, so it might happen if the ward loses too many of the night shift. Why?”
