“Twice?”
“Yeah, like your mum always says.”
Lexie cracked up laughing. “She was referring to things like sprouts, or black pudding. Give something another go before you say you don’t like it. She wasn’t referring to bottoming.”
“Well, it was brilliant advice. I apply it to everything.”
“I’ll tell her how inspiring she’s been for you.”
Milo narrowed his eyes at his best friend. He wasn’t sure if she was taking the piss again or being genuine. Lexie’s parents were very loving and open-minded, but there were some things they didn’t need to know. And Milo’s bedroom habits were on that list.
“Your face,” she said with a laugh.
“Remind me again why I’m friends with you.”
“Because I’m the only one who’ll call you out on your shit.”
She wasn’t wrong there. Milo could struggle to express his views on matters, as he hated confrontation. He would do something he had no interest in just to keep the peace. Lexie always saw through all of that.
“What time did you want to get to Whitehall on Saturday?” asked Milo.
“Everything kicks off at eleven, so I was thinking half ten.”
“Won’t it be packed out by then? Kieran was suggesting we get there at six.”
“Six in the morning? Is he crazy? And do what? Stand around for five hours?”
“We need to be front and centre and show our support.”
Lexie rolled her eyes. She’d always thought Kieran was a bit much. Milo just went with whatever he suggested, because it was easier than getting into a disagreement.
“So, half ten?” asked Lexie.
“Yeah, sure.”
“And you’ll tell Kieran?”
“Of course.”
“You’re so full of shit.”
Milo laughed, feeling uncomfortable about how right she was. Despite what he’d just said, if Kieran wanted him at the protest site from six o’clock in the morning, Milo would be there.
Monday morning arrived, and the usual frantic catch-up began. Milo might not work on the weekend, but the news didn’t stop happening. It wasn’t unusual for his boss, Patrick, to need his entire schedule changed because of something that had happened, and today was no exception. Milo had suggested they keep Patrick’s diary clear on a Monday morning for when this happened, but his time was in high demand. Enormous blocks of nothing in his diary were a luxury Patrick Whitaker’s schedule didn’t allow.
Milo had worked as Patrick’s PA for five years. He hadn’t been planning to pursue a career as a PA. He’d completed a creative writing degree, which had led him into the publishing industry as a PA, which was how he got his foot in the door. His first boss had been an absolute bitch, and everyone else had treated him like the office skivvy. There’d been an expectation that he’d make himself available twenty-four seven, and he’d even been ordered to fly home early from holiday once, at his own expense. That had been thefinal straw for him. He’d resigned, and as he’d worked out his notice, not a single person in the office had spoken to him for the entire month, which had been a horrific experience.
After that experience, he’d wanted a male boss. Milo didn’t tar all women with the same brush, but he’d been the only man in that company, and the way they’d treated him had left him feeling antsy. He remembered the agency that had put him forward for the role with Patrick saying the man was very particular about what he wanted and had already gone through three PAs in a year. Milo had heard that working with other gay guys you only got one of two outcomes– you became besties, like sisters, or it was handbags at dawn. Thankfully, there was a middle ground. Patrick was very easy to work with, as long as you didn’t bother him with pointless crap. He liked people to come to him with solutions, which Milo loved. The guy was a big teddy bear really, but also someone who had a stern side if you pissed him off.
“Milo, can you do some digging through the forums about this speculation on the prime minister?” asked Patrick.
“What about her?”
“There are some whispers out of Whitehall that she’s planning to step down.”
“What? But there’s less than two years until the next election?”
“She’ll want to get her golden boy a full term while he’s shiny and new but not a complete unknown, whilst the opposition are still squabbling amongst themselves.”
