Page 66 of Let Me Love You (Excess All Areas 5)

Luke bowed. “Thank you.”

“Nothing wrong with a bit of afternoon delight,” Nan said, causing Matt to spit his tea.

“Jesus, Nan,” he spluttered.

“What? You act like I’ve never had sex in the daytime before.”

Jase covered his ears. “Don’t say another word, Nan.”

Nan chuckled as Ben bent down to kiss her cheek. “I’m happy for you and Chaya, love. I really am.”

“Thanks, Nan. And me too.” He stood and grabbed his guitar. “One of you is taking her home, right? Or should I do it now?”

All four of the band nodded some version of agreement.

He drove home, parked his car, and then walked to the garage. Chaya thought she’d done a deal with the owner, but Ben had told him to just quote her fifty quid and tell him the real balance, and to tell her he couldn’t fit her before Ben got back. On a whim, once he’d collected the car, he pulled up at a flower shop and bought her a bunch of flowers. He didn’t know what the hell they were, but they were in shades of pale pink and sage, which she loved. The woman in the shop kindly sat them in a bag of water.

When he pulled up outside the hospital, she was talking to friends. When she saw her car, she smiled, and if he’d not already been sat down, it would have knocked him on his arse.

“Hey,” she said, climbing into the passenger seat. “Oh my gosh, these are so pretty.” She held the flowers to her nose and sniffed deeply.

“Was just thinking the same thing about you.”

“What I look is exhausted.” Chaya grinned over the top of the flowers. She’d gone from the aircraft to the hospital via a quick pitstop at home to nap for an hour and shower. “Thanks for coming to get me. It saves me from taking the bus. Was it still the fifty pounds I’d paid him?”

“It was,” Ben said, suddenly feeling the childish urge to cross his fingers. Instead, he leaned over the console and kissed her softly. “And now you can make Amber’s birthday drinks.”

“Brilliant. Thank you,” she said, glancing at the time as he pulled out of the hospital. “I’m almost too tired to go. But she’s my favourite nurse. I bet I’m home in bed an hour after I leave. Are you sure you didn’t mind getting the car for me? You’re a bit like a glorified taxi driver.”

Ben grinned as he navigated his way to her apartment building. He’d walk home from there. The band would probably laugh if they knew he’d left just so he could spend the drive with her. “I don’t mind. You were working and it was easy to do. Plus, I get to see you.”

“That is incredibly sweet. As are the flowers.”

“It was worth it just to kiss you.”

And it always would be.

“Hey, Nan,” Chaya said as Nan opened the door the following day.

“Chaya, love.” Nan gestured toward the living room. “I’m so happy for you and Ben.”

“Thanks, Nan. It’s been a journey for sure. I’m on my way home from synagogue because it’s Shavuot today, but I just wanted to check in on you.”

“Happy Shavuot, assuming it’s the kind of thing you put happy in front of. I was just answering messages on the social media thingy that Willow set up for me. Apparently, I’m now hashtaggoldenagerand hashtagsfNan, which is short for Sad Fridays’ Nan. It’s all a bit confusing. I accidentally went live when I put my phone on the bedside table to go to bed the other night and left people with the view of my ceiling and it still got several thousand views. People will, quite literally, watch anything. Can I make you a cup of tea?”

“I’d love one.”

Chaya followed Nan into the kitchen, noting the weakness still on her left side. It continued when she reached her arm up to get two cups from the cupboard. The action was slow and laboured, but Chaya was happy to see she wasn’t favouring her left side by not using it. Strength and mobility would come.

She pulled out a chair at the small kitchen table. “Are you still seeing the physiotherapist?”

Nan flicked the kettle on and puttered about getting teabags and milk ready. “Ben didn’t want me having to go to the hospital for it and was upset it was only weekly. He found me a person who comes to my home every day. He’s a torturous bastard called Jamal. Brutal on the limbs, but easy on the eyes.” Nan chuckled, and Chaya couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’ll make more progress if you do your exercises daily.”

“He’s good fun. His mum lives over in Heaton Moor, near the cinema. And he’s given me a couple of videos of chair workouts and stretches and things. He has a laugh with me and says things likegetting snatchedand that I’ll beshredded by summer.” Nan looked down at her waistline and grabbed a roll around her stomach. “He’s got his work cut out for him.”

It was so like Ben to find someone who would have fun with Nan and tease her a little to make her smile. “It certainly makes physio easier if you enjoy it.”

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