Page 55 of The Best Number

“Of course he is.” Tom gives her a wink. Once she releases him, he moves round to place Tom’s dad's drink down.

“Here you go, sir.”

“It’s Russell. You can call me Russell,” he insists as he shakes Tom’s hand.

I’m watching all these interactions with butterflies in my tummy. Jack’s parents already know Tom and seem really friendly with him. But what will they make of me? A third member of their relationship.

“Cassidy?” I turn and see that Sandra, Jack’s mum, is standing right in front of me, looking at me warmly.

“Yes, hello.” I give the same awkward wave I did earlier and can feel my whole body cringe.Why am I so frigging awkward?

“I’m Sandra, Jack’s Mum. It’s lovely to meet you, honey. How do you feel about hugs?”

“I’m good with hugs.”

Jack laughs as she gives me a gentle squeeze.

“Mum’s very touchy-feely. She can’t help herself.”

“That must be where you get it from,” I snark back before clapping a hand over my mouth. Perhaps this isn’t the time and place for our usual banter.

Russell, Jack’s dad, gives a deep laugh and everyone joins in. It helps calm me and we all sit, even Tom.

“So you guys are all together?” Sandra asks me, her pitch raising with interest. “How long have you been dating?”

I watch her face carefully, looking for any signs of unease or judgement, but I can’t see any. Either this woman is an amazing actress or Jack was right and she just takes these things in her stride.

“About three or four months,” I reply hesitantly, looking to Jack for confirmation, and he nods.

“But you’ve known each other longer than that. I remember Jack talking about you when you first moved in. He said you’d had a bad break up and looked like you needed a friend. He knows what that's like.”

“Mum, don’t pry.”

“I’m not. I’m just happy to see you happy, Jack. I might not understand the dynamics of this relationship, but I trust you to know what you want. And I’m so glad you’ve found it after that disastrous engagement.” As she says it, she lays a hand on his knee and gives him a sad smile.

“We don’t need to get into that just now, Mum,” he mutters.

Tom and Russell chat about the bar to change the subject, and I begin to feel more at ease. Sandra is asking Jack about work as I sip on the last of my drink and watch them all converse.

“We know another throuple actually,” Jack’s mum states when there’s a lull in the conversation. Jack looks curious and his dad, baffled.

“Do we?” Russell asks.

“Yes, honey. Our neighbours—Libby and Nathan. They’re in a throuple.”

“Who with?” asks Russell.

“Matt. You know, the guy that has been staying with them.”

“I think he’s just the lodger, love,” Russell says with a chuckle.

“That’s how it started, but now they are all together. I think threesomes have always been a thing, but they’ve been under the radar for a long time. Didn’t I always say we should get a third, honey?” She smiles over at her husband.

Jack starts choking on his drink and Tom slaps him on the back with a massive smirk on his face.

“You kids think you can have all the fun?” Sandra teases.

“Although to be fair—I think it was because you wanted a handyman around the house rather than for sex reasons,” Russell says on a chuckle.

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