“You may need to sleep on the sofa. Gareth has his son staying and he’s been using your old room.”
I tried not to let my face give away what I was thinking. Gareth was Mum’s boyfriend and his son was a pain in the backside. He was a few years younger than me and single, which was unfortunate as a girlfriend might mean he’d stop making lecherous comments about how good it could be with a step-sister.
It was also another kick in the teeth that despite having flown a few thousand miles and been away for three weeks, my mother was never going to put the red carpet out when Gareth was somehow involved.
“I might find a hotel then.”
“Aren’t you staying at Callum’s?”
“She can share with me.” Robert grinned showing teeth that looked like he needed a rapid scale and polish from the dentist.
“I’ll pass on that.”
“Bring your bag through and I’ll make a cup of tea for us all.”
I figured I’d be better with whisky.
My phone rang as the kettle boiled, Seph’s number flashing up. I fumbled to answer it, ignoring a comment made by Gareth about other things being more important than seeing my mum now I was going to be a big TV star.
“Seph?”
“It isn’t Seph, it’s me.” Callum’s voice was crushed velvet. “My phone died about three days ago and can’t be resurrected. I just landed and found Seph.”
“Were you delayed?”
“Six hours. It could’ve been worse. I’m sorry. I should’ve emailed you from someone else’s but I figured I’d surprise you at the airport. That plan didn’t work. Where are you?”
“At my mum’s. Is everything okay?”
“Just shattered. Shall we pick you up on the way or do you want more time there?”
I peered into the room where Mum was sitting next to Gareth, watching a game show. The evening would continue like this, with Robert making the odd crude comment that my mother and Gareth would pretend he hadn’t said.
“Pick me up. Jonah…”
“I got your email. My phone lost the plot when I tried to reply. We’ll talk. Seph’s on his way to you now. I need to see you.” The velvet wrapped around me.
“Good. I need you too.”
Need. This was how it felt. I hadn’t needed anyone in so long. Needing him felt decadent and lush, as if he was an expensive drug that was too expensive for me to get addicted to.
We ended the call and I headed into the living room, hearing them shouting answers at the TV.
“I’m going to stay at Callum’s.”
“Oh.” My mum’s head flipped round. “Are you sure? You’ve only just got here and I was going to cook beef for dinner.”
I smiled. “I’m positive. I haven’t seen Callum for three weeks and we need to catch up. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Robert’s eyes landed on me. “So you are seeing that prick?”
“I am.”
He shook his head and looked away, rearranging what was probably a small cock in his tracksuit bottoms that were never used for exercise.
“Good luck with that.”
I didn’t think I was going to need it.
