“No one’s been able to get a hold of Archie,” Char says, her eyes landing on me. “Troy’s gone over to yours and sent Trish home. He’s got Tank with him, he’ll bring him by later.”
“Great, thanks.” I take a sip of my coffee without really tasting it. “So, what do we do now? Do we make a statement, or?”
“Kasia’s on her way over,” Char says quickly. “She has it all worked out.”
“But don’t worry, alright?” Jordan gives me a smile. “This is going to be news for a day and then the next scandal will happen and everything will be forgotten.”
Char snaps a scowl in his direction and Jordan looks at me with alarm.
“I mean, not that this is scandalous, I didn’t mean-”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s alright.” Dom gets to his feet with a sigh. “It is a bloody scandal, isn’t it.”
We all fall silent, and Char and Jordan glance at each other before they quickly excuse themselves to go to the other room. I don’t look up at Dom, feeling like he’s about to run off or something. He just called our relationship scandalous. I know he’s not entirely wrong, but it stings all the same.
He crouches down in front of me, and notches his fingers under my chin.
“I didn’t mean that,” he says softly, and presses a kiss to my lips. “I’m being an arsehole. I’m sorry.”
“I guess we’re both struggling with having that picture bandied around online.”
Dom huffs out a breath through gritted teeth. “It’s my bloody fault. If I hadn’t gone to clobber Hardcastle, he’d have had no reason to go stalking you.”
“He’s been stalking me for years.” I put my coffee down and take Dom’s face in my hands. “I don’t regret this either. I don’t. So we get ourselves a bit of a name for a few weeks, so what? It’ll be fine, right?”
“Of course it will.” Dom gathers me in his arms and presses a kiss to my hair. “It’ll all be OK.”
The doorbell rings, and Char rushes out of her hiding place to let Kasia into the flat. She strides in, looking impeccable in alight pink pencil skirt and cream silk blouse, not a hair out of place.
“Coffee?” Char offers, and Kasia shakes her head.
“Thank you, no.” She fishes a binder that perfectly matches the dusty pink of her skirt out of her handbag, and lays it out on the counter. Her gaze lands on Dom and I, and she raises her eyebrows. “Good morning. Have fun in Paris?”
My cheeks burn, and I drop my eyes to my lap. I’ve always liked Kasia, but she has such a stern demeanour that having her look at me like this right now feels like being told off by my mum.
“Kasia, I want you to know-” Dom begins, but Kasia holds up a hand and cuts him off.
“First of all,” she begins, “this is none of my business. What happens between two adults? Not my business. I like and respect you both. That has not changed.”
“Thank you,” I reply softly, and her lips twitch into a brief smile.
“Now. The damage control.” Kasia looks down at the open binder. “Obviously we cannot stop the spread of rumours and the picture, it is the internet and it is a hellscape. So put that out of your minds. What people will say is out of our hands.”
“Do we make a statement?” Dom asks.
“A statement?” Kasia shrugs. “A statement about what? This?” A French manicured fingernail zigzags through the air as she gestures between us. “What good would that do? You can’t deny it, because it’s in the papers, and the way you’re holding her hand tells me you wouldn’t want to anyway.”
Dom and I both glance down at our joined hands, and I blush even more.
“You just went to Paris together, we have pictures of you there too, so people are going to start putting two and two together on their own.” Kasia inhales deeply through her nose and exhales in a sigh. “No, a statement is what guilty peopledo when they have done something wrong. You two have done nothing wrong. Something a little rash, perhaps. Even a little taboo? But not wrong.”
Dom squeezes my hand, and I squeeze back.
I take a deep breath, and look up at Kasia. “So what do we do?”
Kasia lifts a perfectly arched eyebrow. “Nothing, darling. Maybe not go home for a while, maybe stay here?” She looks askance at Char, who eagerly nods. “Other than that, nothing. You are not the first couple who have been revealed publicly in this way, and you won’t be the last. Until there are further developments, there is no point in saying anything.”
“And what about Archie?” Dom asks, his jaw setting back into that hard line.
