“That’s why I don’t want that apartment. Because at some point someone will move in and we’ll need more space. And a garden.”
“This is a lot of forward planning, Seph, considering you haven’t taken the same woman out on consecutive dates for how long?” Payton narrowed her eyes at him.
He looked sad. Sad Seph was a dangerous Seph. I scanned the restaurant for females who were looking over at him. The puppy-dog eyes were one of his strongest weapons in pursuit of a woman, only then they very quickly turned to bedroom eyes and then he broke hearts.
“I have been. Just not recently.”
“Hmmmm.” Payton looked back at me. “So tell us more about Jack. Vanessa is trapped with Teddy who has chicken pox and she wants me to pass on gossip. How serious are you?”
Payton was talking rapidly as usual, clearly on a mission. I glanced at Seph, who was now wearing his angelic-I-can-do-no-wrong expression, fully understanding my complete inability to discuss anything personal, mainly because I’d had pretty much no experience with anything personal for years.
“I don’t know.” It was the truth. I had no idea how to quantify such things.
“You’ve met his daughter. You’ve been staying at each other’s houses for a few months. Have you said the L word yet?” She sipped her drink and looked smug.
“Yes.”
Seph spluttered.
“Okay.” I could tell she was trying not to sound surprised. “Have you talked about your future together.”
“Not in detail.” We hadn’t. I didn’t know how and thought he might be a bit nervous of what to say. Sometimes Jack looked at me as if I was a rare species that he didn’t have the guidance for yet.
Seph leaned forward. “Is he what you want? I know that sounds like a really fucking girly question, but he’s the first person I’ve ever known you go on a date with since I’ve known you.”
“I don’t date.” Because I never had. I would have no idea what to say to someone I’d barely met if we didn’t have something already firm in common.
“Don’t you think you need to taste a few more chocolates before you pick your favourite?” Payton looked serious. “I mean, I went out with enough dickheads before I met Owen.”
“I was married twice.” I knew what a bad relationship looked like. I knew what a decent man looked like – Phillip had been a gentleman. I saw how Jackson was with Vanessa and Owen with Payton. Jack was a good man; one I wasn’t sure how I wanted to be without.
Seph sat back with his arms folded. “You’re serious about him. Does he have a sister?”
Payton swore and shook her head. “Remember, Seph.”
“Yeah, shit sorry. When’s the funeral?”
I shrugged. “Not sure. I suppose there will be the delay because of the circumstances.”
“Will Jack’s ex-wife be coming?” Seph said.
“Probably.” I hadn’t really thought about that, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it.
“How long ago did they split up?” Payton asked.
“Twelve years, I think.” My heart raced a little faster.
Seph shook his head. “A long time ago. You don’t need to be worried.”
My throat tightened.
Allergies.
“I’d best finish off in the office. Catch you later.”
I saw them catch each other’s gaze, having a conversation without words. That twin thing they did.
* * *
