Page 79 of Charlie Sunshine
I squeeze his hand. “Unlike you and Max.”
“Me and Max?” He shakes his head, a startled expression on his face. “We were done and finished a very long time ago.”
I don’t know what happened because Felix has never said, but Misha said he was devastated at the end of the relationship. I tried to be angry with Max out of loyalty to Felix, but that stopped when he called round to the flat to ask my advice on getting Felix back and I had to tell him that he was dating someone new. There was no covering up the heartbreak written all over Max’s face.
“Does Max know that it’s finished?” I ask cautiously.
“Judging by the amount of arses he’s fallen into since, I think he’s fairly cognizant of the fact.”
“Really? And he wouldn’t have you back if you clicked your fingers?”
“There’s about as much chance of me clicking my fingers for him as there was of Dorothy getting home by clicking her shoes, which, by the way, never matched her outfit.”
“Doesn’t gingham go with sparkles?” I ask, and he shoots me a pitying look.
“Are you actually gay, Charlie, or just pretending?”
I nudge him. “I’ll get Misha to corroborate my statement. And just for the record.” I lean close. “Max hasn’t taken his eyes off you all night, so you just keep on telling me that you’re both over it.”
“He might not be, but I certainly am. I’m not looking for a way back to Max. That’s never going to happen.”
“Maybeyou’renot, but what happens if he’s keeping that path tidy for you to walk back on?”
“Then he should go back to journalism. That brand of gardening was never his forte.”
Misha comes up next to me and slings his arm over my shoulder. He’s warm as toast, and I can smell the scent of his aftershave. “Alright?” he asks, nuzzling into my ear.
I shudder slightly, and Felix laughs before walking off to join Jesse and Zeb.
“Well, that went well,” he says. I look at him in query. “Our debut as lovers.”
I shake my head. “We were greeted with piss-taking and a mass pay-out of bets on when we fucked. Zeb is currently on the phone allaying his accountant Sheila’s concern that the odds had changed.”
He shrugs. “Could have been worse.”
“You should have that on your headstone, Misha.”
“I will, along with the words ‘Why, in the name of God, did he make me do a charity walk?’”
His laughter is loud as I pinch him. He pulls me tight to his side and the rest of my walk is spent wrapped in his warmth.
The next morning we stand on the pavement outside the wedding shop where we’re meeting Misha’s mum and sisters to see his mum’s wedding dress and try on our suits.
“Okay,” I say. “How much are we telling them, Misha?”
He looks at me queryingly. He can’t speak as I’ve interrupted him while he was trying to stuff an entire chocolate croissant into his mouth.
“I mean, how are we telling them that we’re together?” I tap my mouth. “Maybe it’s best to say nothing. I don’t want over-expectation to ruin what we’ve only just started, and let’s face it, the parents have been shipping us since we both announced that we were gay.” I nod. “We’ll just say nothing and that way no one gets upset if we split up.” He frowns, and I squeeze his arm. “Not that that’s going to happen.” I blow out a breath. “Okay, I’m pleased with that decision. Good chat. Thank you.”
He swallows his croissant with difficulty. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Yes, that’s what I mean. Thanks for the chat,” I say vaguely, smiling as I hear his snort of laughter.
The bell rings as we enter the shop, and we spot the girls immediately. Misha’s mum, Jackie, is looking at a rack of hats. Anya is sitting curled up on one of the sofas with her legs resting over Teddy’s lap. Teddy is sitting comfortably with her nose buried deep in a book.
They look up at the sound of the bell and immediately greet us. Jackie hurries over. “Thanks for meeting us on a Saturday,” she says. “I know you’re busy.”
“It’s my Saturday off,” I say, hugging her. “And you know Misha doesn’t do a lot of work, so you’re not interrupting anything for him either.”
