Page 123 of Love You Like That (Excess All Areas 4)

“You’re on tour. It’s hard to find a new place without seeing it. Why not?”

Alex kissed her cheek. “You really are the best. Ben would probably have put me up. Or me and Jase could have shared Nan’s spare room.”

“I think Nan would love that.”

“I noticed you put an extra lock on the front door,” Cerys said.

Zoe sighed. She’d debated raising the issue of the letter that she hadn’t told Alex in one of their many conversations because she knew he’d worry. “Yeah. Something weird happened and I wanted to talk to you in person about it. Don’t freak out, I got this letter. The police know. It was slipped through the letterbox. It said that the person knew who I was and used my name. So, Ivan, the contractor for the centre, popped over and fitted new window locks and safety chains on the front and back door because the landlord refused.”

Alex had tensed next to her. “You think it’s to do with your connection to us?”

Zoe shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe. Plenty of people around here know where you live. People know who I am. I figured it was just par for the course of dating you.”

“This might be a reason to get a better place,” Jase said. “Somewhere with a front garden and gate. Cameras and shit.”

“Has anything else happened?” Alex asked.

Zoe debated telling him the rest, but a successful relationship hinged on honesty. “At least twice I felt like I was being followed or watched. But don’t worry,” she added hurriedly. “I’m not stupid. I have a rape alarm. I’m not going down any dark alleys. I’ve been using your car. I’m okay.”

“How can you be okay?” Alex asked. “You’re more at risk than any of us. You can’t hear if someone creeps up on you. If someone breaks in at night. You need motion sensors connected to something like your alarm clock vibrating pad. Or a security system connected to an actual person.”

She placed a hand on his shoulder. “I can’t follow your lips when you get angry and talk fast.”

Alex’s shoulder lifted and lowered beneath her palm as he took a deep breath. “We’re talking real security this weekend.”

“We can do that.”

“Sorry,” Alex said, lifting her hand to his lips. “I hate this.”

They ate the rest of the pavlova in subdued silence, and a part of her wished she’d not told them. Then they could have gone back on tour, unworried by it all. And their reaction to it had unnerved her. Up until now, she’d been taking it in her stride. Choosing to agree with the police that it was likely nothing serious. But the fear she’d felt from Jase and Alex had scared her.

“Perhaps we should all start looking for safer places to live soon,” Jase said. “There’s that development near the primary school in Didsbury Village that has some nice big properties in it. And Cerys is going to help me find somewhere, because you’re going to live in it with me. Right, sunshine?”

Cerys looked across the table at Zoe, and Zoe nodded her head once. “It’s time,” she signed. “He loves you. And you’re staying for me. It’s the wrong reason.”

Cerys bit down on her lip. “It will take a time to find it, buy it, close, and do any renovation before we move in. Which will give Zoe time to make plans. So, yes. I’ll move in with you, Jase.”

Zoe laughed as Jase threw back his chair, raised his fist into the air and yelled, “Yes.”

The move loosened the tension that had hugged them all like a tightly wrapped blanket. Cerys shook her head, playfully. Alex laughed.

“Marry me, Cerys,” Jase blurted.

“What? No,” she said and signed. “I just agreed to move in.”

Mischief glittered in Jase’s eyes. “I knew you’d say no. It’s just… It’s taken months to get you to agree to move in. If getting you to agree to marry me takes as long, you’ll say yes in spring next year.”

“You’re playing the long game,” Zoe said.

Jase nodded. “I am. We’re going home to celebrate.” He tugged Cerys from her seat. “Thanks for dinner.”

“Take a pint of milk from the fridge for tea in the morning,” Zoe said.

When the door closed and she went to clear the pavlova away, Alex gripped her wrist. “Ah, ah. You and I need to talk. And we need to talk right now.”

There were so many emotions in his eyes. Disappointment. Frustration. Even anger.

“Why are you upset?” she asked, genuinely confused by his demeanour.

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