I know from past conversations that Rory and Kit were raised by a single mother. No dad on the scene. Wasn’t there something about a grand family house being left to a dog’s charity, too?
‘It’s not so silly. Especially given their mother’s death. I suppose, being the older twin—’
‘But he’s not. Rory is.’
‘Oh, I thought with that dynamic... ’
‘Rory’s older by fifteen minutes, but Kit’s the bigger twin. Apparently.’ Her words are so heavy with meaning; even if I hadn’t already had it pressed into my hand, I’d still know she was talking about his dick
‘I-I wouldn’t know about that.’ Much. I wouldn’t knowmuchabout that. It’s a shame we weren’t acquainted properly, really.
‘Not for me. I don’t think I could cope if Rory was any bigger—’
‘Please, unless I come across Randy’s dick in a professional capacity, Ido notwant to hear about it.’
‘Come across it?’ Fin repeats with a giggle, though her intonation issonot the same. ‘I’d know lots about that.’
I send her an exasperated look. Amused, but exasperated. ‘In a professional capacity, sweets. As in, he pushes you too far one day, and in retaliation, you lopped the thing off.’
‘No way. I wouldn’t! It’s too darned beautiful to be in a pickle jar.’
‘I wouldn’t be pickling it. I’d be attempting to sew it back on.’ What kind of conversation are we having here? ‘In thishypotheticalscenario, at least.’
‘All the same, it would be a crime to nature.’
‘Speaking of which.’ I exhale heavily. ‘Do you really think Kit’s gay?’
She seems to waver as she pulls one leg under her bottom. Something I couldn’t do because they’re too bloody long. ‘So Rory says. And why, pray tell, would you ask?’
‘Wipe that smile off your face. It’s called a general enquiry.’
‘It’s hardly polite. Oh, you’re going red!’
‘I am not. Why would I be if, as you say, he’s gay?’
‘Because it’s a waste to straight women everywhere? Other than Rory’s say-so, I can’t say I know. I mean, it’s not like I’ve seen him with another man myself.’
‘Wouldn’t that be something,’ I respond sort of wistfully, propping my elbow on the table and my head in my hand. ‘Live in action, Kit and—’
‘Hey, no man-on-man pornomovies-for-onefeaturing my future brother in law, thanks.’
‘Like you haven’t thought about it.’
‘I haven’t, though I do have thoughts... ’ Her brow quirks like a question mark, her words hanging in the air.
‘Out with them, then.’
‘Well, there was this one time. We were out for dinner and the looks between the waitress and him. Well, I’m pretty sure my water glass started to steam.’How odd. My insides feel twisty, but it can’t be jealousy, can it? It’s hardly like she saw him kissing someone at the end of a hallway. With his hand in someone’s underwear.
‘And then, last night at the club, I could’ve sworn he was getting... intimate with someone near the ladies. I mean, it was at the end of a badly lit passageway, and I couldn’t see or anything, but there was just something that makes me think he was with a girl.’
‘A girl? Really?’
‘Yeah. I can’t see him being into tiny tinks.’ She hides her smile behind her coffee cup.
‘Did you tell Rory?’
‘Absolutely not,’ she says, laughing. ‘He’s like a dog with a bone. Poor Kit would never get a moment of peace.’
