Page 51 of How Good It Was (Excess All Areas 3)

“Did it shake you?”

Luke paused for a moment. “Yeah. It did.” It had shaken them both. But perhaps it had also settled something between the two of them.

“Can I tell you something? Honestly?”

“Of course. What’s up?”

“It’s been harder than I thought, giving up the coke and smokes. I would never have said I was addicted, but I hadn’t realised how often I reach for ... something.”

“Do you need help?”

Did he? “I think I’m going to keep trying by myself for a bit first. I’ve not done a line in eleven days. And I’m down to a handful of cigarettes a day. Got one left in the pack I have and don’t intend to buy another.”

“Progress, mate. Progress.” Alex slapped him on the shoulder. “Why don’t you come to Nan’s for your dinner tonight? Bring Willow. Me, Ben, and Chaya are going.”

“I forgot you got Saturdays as your day for dinner with her.”

“Yeah. She won’t mind two more if you bring Willow. You’re going to have to introduce Willow to her eventually. You message Willow to let her know, I’ll call Nan. She says she can’t read without her glasses and says her arthritis makes texting hard. It’s all bullshit. She just likes chatting on video.”

Five hours later, he held Willow’s hand as they walked to Nan’s house. It had seemed the natural thing to do, walking side by side along the street. And now, it felt ... peaceful. Calming, even.

“Nan is lovely and the nosiest person on the planet. Don’t give her an inch or she’ll have your life story out of you in minutes.”

Willow looked up at him. “Is this going to be an inquisition?”

She wore a denim shirt dress, cinched at the waist, and little suede ankle boots. Her hair was in a messy bun. But her lips looked totally kissable. And those fucking eyes. All wide and bright. “Probably. I’ll help you fend her off.”

“But she’s not your Nan.”

“No, she’s the rest of the band’s. But she adopted me as her own nearly twenty years ago. Wouldn’t have got through Dad dying without her.”

Willow squeezed his hand. “I’m glad she was there for you.”

“Me too,” Luke said, lifting his hand to knock, but the door was pulled in before he had the chance.

“Eee, let me get a good look at you both. Oh, lovely. She’s lovely, Luke.”

Luke looked down at Willow and winked. “That she is.”

“Come in, Willow and put wood in th’ole. I’m Nan.”

“Put wood in th’ole?” she mouthed to Luke.

Luke grabbed the door handle. “Put the wood,” he tipped his head to the opening. “In the hole.”

“Oh, right. Yes, we can be a bit confusing to you Yanks, can’t we? Alex, step away from that chicken,” she said, without even turning to face the kitchen in her small two-up, two-down house.

“How did you even know?” Alex yelled from the kitchen.

“Because you’ve always been the same. Stealing food off my platters before I’ve put them out.”

“It’s lovely to meet you, Nan,” Willow said. “I know you’ve been such an important part of Luke’s life. He’s lucky to have had you.”

“Oh, thank you, duck. And I love your accent. We’re becoming a bilingual family. We have Cerys with her Welsh, and Zoe with her sign, and you with your American.”

Ben laughed. “I’m pretty sure that’s not what bilingual means. Bi means two. And I’m not sure an accent counts as a different language.”

Chaya laughed. “It’s close enough for Nan.”

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