Page 100 of How To Not Need You

“How do you know to try Harper?”

“I've attended two Rewrite Club meetings. I know how this works now.”

Despite everything, a laugh almost gets out. Almost.

Ben grabs his jacket from the locker. “Come on. We will try Liv’s place first.”

“I don’t know where she lives. We always do things at mine. Also, where are you going?”

“With you.”

“No.”

“Wasn’t a question.”

“Ben, you've just worked sixty hours.”

“So have you, which is why I’m not letting you drive around Seabrook looking for your girlfriend while operating on caffeine and whatever the fuck was in that vending machine sandwich yesterday.”

“It was ham.”

“It was grey.”

“Still ham.”

“I think we can agree to disagree on that.” He pulls his jacket on. “Ok, so no address but, if Liv sent out the bat signal, Luca knows.”

I stare at him and wonder briefly if he was dropped on his head as a child. “The bat signal?”

“You know. Rewrite Club emergency.”

“That is not a thing.”

Ben gives me a look as if to say I am the idiot here. “You've met Luca. Nothing gets past him.”

Fair point, maybe in this instance I am the idiot for not considering that.

Page & Grounds is still open when we pull up.

Ben insisted on driving, which I only agreed to because somewhere between the station and the first traffic light I realised he was right. I'm fucking wrecked.

The familiar teal doors come into view through the windscreen.

For the first time since I started getting dragged into these meetings, I don't feel remotely amused by them. I’m out of the car before Ben has finished parking.

“Jake.” He shouts. I keep walking. “Mate.”

“What?” I say as I spin on my heel to face him.

“You look like you're about to kick the door in.” I glance towards the brass handles.

“I have never kicked a door in.”

“You're a firefighter, I am surprised.”

“We have tools for that.”

“I think you are missing out then. How could you have been a firefighter for so long and not kicked a door in. It was the first thing on my working checklist and deeply satisfying.”