‘Why don’t you come and meet me in Thailand?’ I sit up straighter.
‘Have you booked your ticket?’
‘Not yet, but I’m going to get Marty onto it.’
As a travel agent, Marty has been sorting out my flights for me for years. It might be a dying profession, but she has a lot of loyal clients.
‘What dates are you looking at?’ Elliot asks.
‘I can be flexible around you.’
He shakes his head. ‘I won’t know until much nearer the time if I can get away.’
‘That’s okay. I can book mine and, if you can join me, we can get you a last-minute deal.’
‘That might work.’ He smiles and I’m overcome with the most intense desire to climb onto his lap and hug the hell out of him.
‘I miss you,’ I say.
‘I miss you too,’ he replies, his blue eyes softening. ‘How’s it all going with the book?’
I tell him where I’m at.
‘That was nice of him,’ he says about Charlie taking me to Lansallos yesterday.
‘He’s a nice guy,’ I reply. ‘You’d like him.’ I suddenly feel nervous, but I force myself to continue. ‘It was funny last night... We were talking about how we both missed hugging – he misses his wife and I miss you. We ended up giving each other one.’
‘Oi, oi!’ he exclaims, playfully.
‘A hug, I mean.’
He smiles. ‘I should hope that’s all it was.’
I blush and he shakes his head good-naturedly at me.
‘You know I don’t mind you being touchy-feely, if that’s what you’re worried about.’ He knows me so well. ‘As long as there’s nothing more to it,’ he adds. ‘I doubt he’ll be looking for a replacement any time soon.’
I wince. ‘God, no. It hasn’t even been a year since Nicki died. Anyway, can you imagine how creepy it would be if he took a liking to her ghostwriter?’
‘Very creepy,’ he agrees with a shudder.
It’s the same word Charlie used last night.
‘How are you getting on with his rugrat?’ Elliot asks, pursing his lips.
I shrug. ‘She’s actually very sweet.’
‘You better not be getting all broody on me, Bridgie...’ He says it like a warning, but he’s only teasing.
I laugh. ‘No chance of that.’
‘Phew.’
This is one of the reasons Elliot and I are such a good fit. He wants children as much as I do.
Which is not at all.
I know it’s a taboo subject, which is why I hate people asking me about it. It’s one of the most divisive topics of conversation out there. Most parents don’t understand – they think people who choose not to have kids are just selfish, but this makes me quite angry. It’s nobody’s business but mine. I never take it for granted that Elliot and I are on the same page. So many couples break up over the decision about whether or not to have kids. I know, because I’ve been there, and it hasn’t always been a clean-cut ‘for’ or ‘against’.
