Page 48 of Next Time I Fall (Excess All Areas 2)

His balls began to tighten, a shiver ran down his spine. Fuck, he was so close.

In his daydream, Cerys lifted onto the balls of her feet and kissed him softly. And it was the wet warmth of her imaginary lips pressed to his that made him come in shuddering gasps.

Fucking hell.

He sucked in air, followed by a deep exhale to get his shit together.

Fifteen minutes later, he’d showered and was looking out over the lake. The dream had him confused. Cerys at his nan’s. Not the place he shared with Alex, not in a luxury hotel room or a private rental cottage in the middle of nowhere. His nan’s.

Because it’s home.

He ran his hand over his face, his scruff was starting to get long. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he did the time zone calculation.

It would be two in the afternoon for his nan. He found her number, grinning when she answered the video call and her face appeared.

“Thought you were all dead in a ditch somewhere,” she said, without saying hello. “It’s four days since you last called me, Jason Palmer.”

Jase grinned. “Sorry, Nan. Shit got busy. How’ve you been?”

“I’ve been spoiled, that’s what I’ve been. Look what Gerry got me.” She turned her camera so that he could see the kitchen table. A vase of stringy-looking red carnations, a bottle of cheap prosecco, and a Valentine’s Day card.

He looked down at his phone. Shit, it was Valentine’s Day. He should do something for Cerys. She wasn’t technically his Valentine yet, but maybe there was some—

“Aren’t I lucky?” His nan’s voice pierced through his thoughts.

“Yeah, if you think you’re only worth a tenner.”

“Jase. You know better than that. It’s not the cost, it’s the thought, and Gerry is on a state pension. I don’t expect him to go overboard.”

Shame hit him smack in the face. “Sorry, Nan. You’re right. That was a totally dick thing to say.”

His nan’s jaw dropped, a look of confusion on her face. “Did you just apologise? Without being prompted?”

“Yeah. I did.”

He had.

And wasn’t it the strangest fucking sensation to admit you’d been a twat?

“Well. We should have sent you off to America twenty years ago if it could teach you that.”

“For fuck’s sake, Nan. I’m not that bad.”

His nan grinned. “No, you aren’t, lad. But it’s nice to see you looking relaxed. Tell me what’s been happening.”

Jase told her about needing some time away from the band. “So, Cerys agreed to let me go with her to Jimmy’s place north of Detroit. I’ve also been writing songs.”

Her face softened. “That’s amazing, Jase.”

“Yeah. Cerys and I were talking about stuff, and the next thing she’s telling me to express my own story in music, and I think it’s helping.”

“So, what was your first song about?”

Jase paused.

Fucking waves.

“Dad. What happened. How I feel about it. Cerys was right. Writing about it helped me come to terms with it a bit.”

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