We go insideand my brothers start opening my fridge, oblivious to the fact that they’re in my house uninvited.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m hungry,” Nick says, with his head in the fridge.
I scoff and push him out of the way. “You too?” I ask Ryan.
“Er…”
“Fine, I’ll do it,” I make a gesture for them to back off. “You can open a beer and I’ll take care of the rest.”
I setthe plates down on the counter where my brothers are waiting impatiently. I sit next to Ryan on a stool as Nick sits opposite us, on the other side. They plough into the mushroom omlette I’ve just made as I sit there with my fork in the air, stomach closed and my gaze firmly on the spot where Riley was sitting a few days ago, clinging to me.
I set the fork down and rest my elbows on the counter.
“Aren’t you gonna eat that?” Ryan asks, eyeing up my plate. I shake my head and he steals the plate out from under my nose. Nick claims his half with a fork.
“Big problems,” he comments, as I give him the eye.
“Enormous,” Ryan corrects him.
Is it possible that the only time these guys get along is when they’re in it together to take me down?
“Would you please tell me what you’re doing at my house?”
“And can you please tell us what’s up with you?” Nick replies.
I cross my arms over my chest. “You first.”
“Okay,” Ryan sighs. “I need a place to stay.”
My eyebrows shoot up.
“Let’s say that, for the time being, I’ll be around. Don’t look at me like that, it’s not definite, alright? But I need a place of my own, I can’t live with Mum and Dad, I’m not thirteen.”
I nod.
“And I can’t stay here with you.”
“Sounds about right.”
“So…”
“I need to find you a place, right?”
“I need a place too.”
“What the fuck do you two take me for, a lettings agency?”
They both stare at me.
“And I can’t see you both sharing a flat.”
“Are you kidding?” Ryan says with wide eyes.
I run my hands over my face in exasperation. Why did I make them come home? What have I done to deserve this?
“Is that all, or is there more?”
