Page 78 of Charlie Sunshine
“Thebook?” Misha echoes in disbelief. “Have you been betting on Charlie and me sleeping together?”
Jesse laughs. “Of course they fucking have. It’s obviously very boring in their office since I left.”
“Boring or bearable?” Felix says.
Max laughs. It’s a warm and infectious sound that fits the tall, wide-shouldered man. He has a crazy air of effervescence about him. A naughtiness that’s infectious and makes everyone smile back at him. Everyone apart from Felix, who just shoots him an enigmatic glance.
“I can’t believe you’ve been betting on my love life,” Misha says in a mournful tone. “You’re a massive bunch of dicks.” He smiles at Max. “I’m excluding you from that insult because you’ll have been out of it, not being in the office.”
Max shrugs. “I wouldn’t bother. I had you shagging by Christmas.” He frowns. “How did you last this long? Where did you get your willpower from?”
“Well, we don’t all drop our Calvin Kleins at the first sight of a man,” Felix says tartly. “Some of us wait for a bit which you really should try. Your frantically overworked privates might appreciate a rest at some point in time.”
Max’s eyes gleam at that sally and he opens his mouth to reply, but I clap my hands frantically to stop the comment.
“Okay, shall we make our way to the start line?” I say brightly, feeling like I’m working at a children’s holiday camp in Butlin’s.
Max and Felix exchange glances, but the group follow my directions and wander to where everyone is gathering.
Despite Misha’s misgivings, the walk is actually lovely. People chatter happily as we form a long line of walkers, and many wear glow sticks and funny hats. It’s a cold evening, so it’s nice to work up a glow, and London is beautiful at night, all the old buildings lit up like they’re on stage.
We pass the Tower of London and manoeuvre around the crowds that are always here day or night, rain or shine. Misha is ahead of me talking with Zeb, and I’m taking in the sights with pleasure when Felix pops up next to me. He’s wearing glow sticks around his wrists and neck, and they drop neon shards of colour over the sharp bones of his face.
“Alright, Charlie?” he asks in an interested voice.
I shoot a look at him and sigh. “Okay, ask your questions.”
“Goodness, can’t a boy ask a friend how he is?”
I eye him. “He certainly can and probably will do after he’s eviscerated every detail of that friend’s love life.”
“You know, you were a lot nicer before you met Misha.”
I laugh. “You didn’t know me before Misha.” I pause. “Although yes, I probably was.”
“So, best friends of over twenty years and now look at you.” He gives me a nudge with his sharp elbow. “All loved up in your riverside apartment with your banker.”
“We’re not loved up, Felix,” I mutter, worried that Misha will hear.
“Really?” he asks with lively interest. “You’re not shagging, then?”
“Well, yes, but… Well, that’s—” I falter.
He starts to laugh, and Max looks back instantly at the merry sound. His eyes soften, but he faces forward quickly as soon as Felix stops chuckling.
Felix grabs my arm, threading his own through it. “Charlie, you and Misha could never bejustanything.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why do you think so many people have been betting on you getting together?”
“Because they have very limited social lives.”
He laughs. “Apart from that.” I shrug, and he leans closer. “Because you’re made for each other, trite as that may sound.”
“But we might never have realised that, Felix.”
He shrugs. “I think at some point you would have done. At least this way you were both so oblivious, there was very limited pining.”
