Page 129 of Joker in the Pack

“What do you eat?” I asked.

He wandered over to me and shrugged. “Mostly takeaways. Or I eat out. Or I get something at work.”

“Can we buy some proper food?”

“You’ll cook?” He grinned like a kid on Christmas Day.

His kitchen was a chef’s dream. Stainless steel and granite with every appliance you could imagine. Everything except the microwave was spotless. Had the rest of the kitchen ever been used?

“I’d love to. Why did you buy such a fancy kitchen if you don’t like cooking?”

“I hired a decorator, and she told me all of this stuff was essential, but I think she got carried away.”

“Then I’ll christen it for you.”

He nuzzled my neck. “Fancy christening the rug in the lounge later too?”

I turned and kissed him.

“Is that a yes?” he asked when we broke apart.

“That’s a yes.”

He looked towards the lounge, then sighed. “We’d better go to the supermarket first.”

“There might be a small problem with that. I don’t have any clothes left. You shredded my last outfit.”

“Shit, I’m sorry. Actually, I’m not.” He loosened the belt on the bathrobe I’d borrowed and slid his arms around my naked waist. “I’ll get you more clothes.”

It turned out Janelle did more than just Nye’s paperwork. She turned up an hour later with her hands full of expensive-looking paper carrier bags and held them out to me.

“Nice one, girl. I had this week in the pool.”

“Sorry, the what?”

“The betting pool for when you and Nye did the deed. Luther nearly always wins these things, but he went for next month.”

“Excuse me? You were gambling on my love life?”

“Not gambling, honey. Nye was a sure thing. I saw the way he looked at you.”

“I don’t believe this.”

Nye walked into the hallway, shirtless, and I put my hands on my hips.

“Your colleagues have been wagering on us,” I told him.

“Did you win?” he asked Janelle.

“Thirty quid.”

He held his hand up for a high five. “Donuts tomorrow?”

“Krispy Kreme. Don’t worry, Olivia. Nye’ll save you one.”

Oh, that was all right, then.

Once Janelle had departed, Nye took my hand as we walked to Waitrose. Going shopping together seemed like such a normal thing to do, though my life was anything but. How many other people on that London street had narrowly escaped death the night before?

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