Page 28 of Love You Like That (Excess All Areas 4)

“Imaginary lives. Definitely.”

“As I thought.” He leaned back in the chair. “I think I’m going to read the book too. Perhaps Ben should, you know, if you’re into that kind of thing, Chaya.” He grinned at his brother who stuck two fingers up at him.

“Go fuck yourself,” Ben said.

Alex chuckled. “I might well do that depending on how hot this book is later.”

The idea brought heat to Zoe’s cheeks. The idea of Alex, with his hand on his…

Just eat your chicken and don’t look straight at him.

Luke lumbered down the stairs and placed his hands on the edge of the table. “Any chance any of you girls could stay on the bus with Willow tonight?”

Zoe lost track of the conversation because almost immediately the others at the table turned to face Luke.

She picked up pieces.

Something wrong.

Willow not feeling too great.

“I’ll stay with her,” Zoe said.

“Are you sure?” Luke asked, relief etched on his face.

“Yeah. It’s not a problem. I saw Birmingham. Chaya and Iz just got in and should see the show.”

Words were exchanged. Too many to keep up with. Too much noise for her hearing aids to differentiate who was speaking and what they were saying.

Zoe tipped her plate into the black bin bag, and quietly took her glass upstairs. She grabbed her book and wandered into Willow’s room. “I heard you need some quiet company.”

Willow smiled and lifted her book. One that by the cover was about pregnancy. “Honestly, I need Luke to stop fussing like an old woman. I simply said I was tired and might skip tonight. He heard, “Oh my god, she’s about to give birth and in pain.” Feel free to go to the gig. I might even fall asleep.”

Zoe climbed onto the bed. “Can I join you, anyway? I need some quiet.” And some time away from Alex to get her raging libido that had suddenly woken up under control.

Willow patted the pillow next to her. “Be my guest.”

Relief flooded her as she slipped her hearing aids off. The silence almost made her weep. Leaning her head back against the headboard, she opened her book and started to read.

Picking imaginary characters over real rock stars might seem odd to some.

But to Zoe, it was perfect.

Half-asleep, Alex glanced at his phone, sitting in the pocket on the wall of his bunk. Two in the morning. The gentle sway of the bus usually lured him to sleep, but not this morning.

For some reason, he couldn’t sleep. He kept replaying Zoe arguing with Rich. It pissed him off. Rich was a dick…appropriate name. Alex didn’t give a shit that the two of them disagreed about the equipment set-up. Opinions were opinions.

But it was how Rich had deliberately muttered shit about Zoe with her standing right there because he knew she wouldn’t be able to hear him. He had a deep suspicion some of it may have been ableist bullshit, but he hadn’t caught all of it and couldn’t prove it.

One thing was for certain, he was going to watch out for it.

And then there was the dinner conversation. Ben had told him on the way into the arena how he felt like shit for making fun of Chaya’s signing. But the reality was, he deserved to. And Alex felt like shit because he hadn’t even noticed she’d disappeared until it was time to leave for the gig and Luke told him Zoe was upstairs reading with Willow.

By the time he climbed on the bus, Zoe had been asleep next to Willow. Not wanting to wake either of them, Luke was currently asleep in the bunk beneath Ben.

Footsteps padded past his curtained bunk and disappeared down the stairs. Toilet break he figured. He poked his head out and thanks to the small nightlight in the bedroom, realised it was Zoe who’d gone downstairs.

When Zoe didn’t reappear, he slipped out of his bunk, tugged a hoodie on over his joggers, and wandered down the steps to the lower level. There he found Zoe on the sofa, staring out of the window, nursing a cup of tea.

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