Page 18 of Game Changer

“I’d love to. I don’t have anything to go home for anyway. Good lord that sounded pathetic, didn’t it? I’m a lonely cat lady without a cat.”

The sad thing is it’s true. We both lead exciting work lives but at the end of the day all we are is alone. And living so far apart means we don’t even have each other anymore either.

“Come with me,” he says, taking my hand and pulling me back in through the huge front door.

I follow him giggling at his enthusiasm, loving is hand on mine and reeling at the feelings it’s invoking in me.

“Where are you taking me?”

“You’ll see.”

We take the labyrinth of corridors and turn so many corners that I don’t think I could find my way back if I tried. He stops us at a door that creates a dead end at the end of a corridor.

“Okay close your eyes.”

“Is this a dungeon or something? Should I be worried?”

“Close your bloody eyes woman. God you’re still as impatient as ever.”

I do as I’m told, and he opens the door, tugging my hand to take me over the threshold.

“Okay open them.”

I open my eyes and my jaw almost hits the floor. The room slopes down from the door and there are plush pairs of seats in four rows all the way down. On the wall at the far end is the biggest screen I’ve ever seen in a home. The thing that makes my smile wider is the fact that the screen is displaying with the Netflix logo.

“A cinema? Buckie your parents have a cinema in their house.”

“Of course they do. They like to watch their insanely handsome and talented son working his magic on the screen.”

I roll my eyes at him. “You better watch, or your head won’t fit out the door.”

He laughs and his eyes sparkle. “How do you fancy a lazy day of watching Netflix and binging on junk food? Like we used to.”

I take a stuttered breath.Like we used to.I’d love nothing more than to be like we used to be, but if this means I get to spend more time with my friend then so be it.

“I’d love nothing more. What do your parents have in the way of junk food?”

“Nothing. They’re clean eating freaks these days. Mum is trying to live as long as she can, so she doesn’t keep junk food in the house anymore. Much to my dad’s dismay.”

“Last night’s dinner was very tasty. I thought she was hiding a chef in the basement. And when she told me how low in calories it was, I wanted to steal her to cook for me.”

“Apart from seeing you and my parents, my mum’s cooking is one of the best things about coming home. So, will we order in some rubbish food?”

“You’re on.”

“Okay you get some blankets from the box under the screen, and I’ll go and order us some goodies.”

He gives me a kiss on the head and goes off whistling to himself. I touch where he kissed me and let out a long sigh. How am I supposed to stop myself falling at his feet when he does things like that? I can’t complain, he’s only doing what he’s always done with me but now it feels different. I had been going through life all those years ago thinking what we were doing was okay. That neither of us had anything to lose. I didn’t realise I had been falling in love with him until he announced he was leaving. And that was when it hit me like a ton of bricks. I’ve never felt like that about anyone before, nor have I since. It worries me that I might never have that with anyone else, that I’ll always hold Buckie as the gold standard. I know no one else will measure up to him. I know in my heart I won’t allow anyone else to. This is a dilemma I didn’t count on, and if even headstrong me can’t work out what to do, then I am snookered.

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