Cheryl stopped grabbing. “Seriously?”
“Cross my heart.” He traced his fingers across his chest. “But if I’m right and my mum is cool about us, you’re coming to New Zealand with me next week.”
She frowned at this total non-sequitur. “What?”
“Yeah, next weekend. I’ve got that thing in Wellington, remember? The same weekend as my birthday? I said I could get you a ticket ages ago.”
“Aren’t the flights already booked?”
“Yeah, but the guy running the thing loves me. He’ll add you, no problem. Come with me. If my mum’s cool about us.”
She hesitated. It was a pretty big gamble, but if she won, she’d get exactly what she wanted—all the sex with none of the labels. Besides, Patrick was delusional. Sure, Dr Normal liked her but only as his friend. There was no way she wanted her baby superstar dating someone nine years older than him.
“Fine,” she said. “Call your mum. And I get to decide if she sounds weird. You’re not allowed to do that guy thing where you don’t hear how upset she is and pretend it’s okay.”
“No worries.” He held out his hand. “So we have a deal?”
She placed her hand in his, and as his fingers closed around hers, her body stirred. She saw him behind her, slapping her ass as he fucked her deep. ‘Scream for my cock, KitKat. Beg.’
Patrick tilted his head to the side. “You wanna go upstairs first or…?”
“No, we have a deal. Call your mother.”
He made a sad puppy face and unlocked his phone. As he lifted it to his ear, Cheryl prayed Dr Normal wouldn’t pick up. Regardless of what she thought of the matter, a huge barrier was being crossed. Patrick had judo-flipped her into a win-win situation for himself. Used her hesitation to force emotional progress, like the psychologist he was studying to be.
“Hey, Ma,” Patrick said with a grin. “How are you?”
Hate me, Cheryl thought as Patrick began the opening rites of small talk. No, don’t hate me. Like me. Disapprove. Please don’t disapprove? I’m sorry I’m so old and your son’s so hot, but he’s the one chasing here. I tried to stop this!
She paced the balcony, praying for what, she didn’t know. Then Patrick put the phone on speaker. “So, Ma, I’m gonna ask Cheryl out.”
She clenched her fists, waiting for the impact.
“Oh, how lovely,” Dr Normal said. “I knew you liked her.”
“Yeah, you and everyone else.”
Cheryl couldn’t move. Dr Normal didn’t sound angry. She didn’t even sound surprised. She’d been had. Played. Taken for a ride.
Let me on the phone, she wanted to tell Patrick. Tell your mum I’m an affair bastard and I smoke, and I slept with everyone in the Xavier College graduating class of ‘08 and a lot of ‘07. Tell her, Patrick. Let her fucking know!
“Cool,” he said. “Well, that’s about all that’s new with me. How’s the clinic?”
“One second, Youngest. I know Cheryl’s a lovely girl…”
Patrick’s triumphant grin vanished, and her stomach went into free fall.
“… but are you sure you’re ready for a long-term commitment?”
Patrick laughed. “One hundred percent.”
“Good,” Dr Normal said comfortably. “I just don’t want you to waste her time.”
Tears once again threatened to rush into Cheryl’s eyes. Dr Normal was not only being supportive, she was being nice. Maybe everything could be okay? Maybe it could be good?
“Of course, I won’t waste her time,” he said indignantly. “Why would I waste her time?”
“Because you’re twenty-three—”
