Page 56 of The Moon Also Rises
“My place?”
“Oh, cherry tomatoes, is that not what you meant? I thought maybe we could come and see your place too. I bet you have it all set up beautifully. You always had the best Pinterest boards,” Lionel says. “But if we’re imposing…”
“My place is fine,” I say through gritted teeth, and am not at all surprised when swallowing is a little cumbersome. Looks like I’ll be spending this evening running around with my feather duster and hoover, which won’t aggravate my allergies at all.
Fucking brilliant.
“Fabulous! I’m going to text my husband right now!” Lionel gives a little squeal that I choose to find adorable rather than letting it push me over the edge.
“I’ll be in touch,” I say. Giving Lionel’s forearm a quick squeeze, we say goodbye and I hurriedly head to the lifts.
I’m relieved when nobody else joins me in the lift to the fifth floor so I am able to frown and tut and groan as much as I wish. Inside my brain, questions pinball at an alarming speed. Should I just not mention it to Rami? I could turn the dinner into an excuse to explain how Rami and I broke up? They would feel sorry for me and offer me lots of muscled manly hugs and encourage me to drink copious amounts of wine… and I would end the evening drunk and feeling like an even bigger piece of shit than I currently do. No, that won’t work. It’s possible if I do mention it to Rami that he will already have plans, so he won’t be able to come. That way I’m not lying to anybody. That would certainly make me feel better, and then I could explain perhaps that Rami and I are having problems and that I don’t want to talk about it. It would plant a seed that I could grow to eventually tell Lionel and Luigi that we’ve broken up. Yes, that seems like the safest way to proceed and get out of this mess. But what if Rami is free? What if Rami wants to come to dinner? What if Rami wants to pretend once again that we are… boyfriends?
What if Rami wants to kiss me again?
The doors of the lift pull open and I’m thankfully shaken out of this brief dream-like state where I remember how freshly sweet Rami had tasted and how perfectly innocent our kisses were. I’ve not kissed a man without it leading to more in years, decades possibly. I’d forgotten it was even possible. I’d certainly forgotten how lovely it could be.
But I will forget again, I decide as I march out of the lift and past banks of desks belonging to other employees, and towards my office. No,ouroffice.
“Everything okay?” Sharon asks as I approach her desk. “You look like you’re really thinking about something and that can’t be good for your fairy brain.”
“Isn’t it time you made the tea?” I snap back.
Sharon tilts her head to one side. “I suppose I can do that, as long as you ignore the fact I’ll be leaving work at three-thirty today. Kate got us all tickets to the early evening showing of the new Marvel movie and I need to get there early to do our Venom make-up.”
“You are the strangest pair of senior citizen lesbians.” I narrow my eyes at her.
“And with today’s outfit choice you confirm once again that you are a perpetual disappointment to the gay community,” she bites back and I couldn’t love her more for it.
“Ha! You can talk wearing that shirt.” I lean closer after eyeing up her red and white plaid blouse. “And one sugar today, please. I need it. Stirred anti-clockwise, remember.”
“Diva.” She rolls her eyes at me.
“Lumberjack.” I blow her a kiss as I open my office door and walk in.
Much to my agitation, Rami is back on the floor with those damn magazines, but at least he’s not kneeling. I’ve only just recovered from having him on his knees in front of me.
“Look, I’ve organised yourBBC Travelmagazines. All in chronological order. Most recent on the top. Now just theHomes & Gardensto go…” He rises so he’s up on his knees and again his face is far too level with a part of my anatomy I really don’t want to be aware of right now.
“Rami, you really—” I begin but when I catch his eyes, those cursed shimmering puddles of ethereal silver, I stop and change direction completely. “What are you doing tomorrow evening?”
“Tomorrow? I… I don’t have plans.”
Shit.
I move to sit back at my desk so there’s more distance between us. To my greater relief, Rami also stands up.
“Lionel wants us all to have dinner together. At my place.”
Rami frowns. “Why aren’t they on their honeymoon?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” I wave my hand around. “Because Luigi has to save the House of Gucci from the apocalypse or something. They leave on Saturday.”
“Do you… Doyouwant us all to have dinner?” Rami leans back to sit on the table, facing me.
I try to contain my sigh but fail. “I would like to make the most of this new favour I find myself in with Lionel. I have missed his company and it would be good to get to know Luigi better now I don’t want to poke his eyes out with a pair of sharpened chopsticks.”
“So, you won’t be making sushi, then?” Rami attempts a joke and it’s hardly of quality but still I produce a courteous laugh.
