Page 117 of Begin Again Again

“So, what is this place? And why does it smell like a fancy grandma?”

Beth giggled. She and Byron were cuddling naked on Mrs J’s couch. That probably violated the housesitting clause, but she’d use the steam cleaner on it. Besides, Mrs J hadn’t specifically said she couldn’t have boys over. Or fuck them on her couch.

“It’s a housesitting gig,” she told Byron. “I applied online. I get to stay here until next year.”

“That’s less than twenty-one hours away…”

“Oh my god, you’re right!” Beth gasped. “I can’t believe 2020 is finally going to be over.”

“Yeah, it’s a bit of a relief, hey?”

Considering he didn’t like talking COVID, Beth had expected Byron to disengage. She smiled. “It’s been strange. Picked up toward the end though.”

He kissed the corner of her mouth. “So, you’ve got this place all next year?”

“Oh no, no way. It’s only until February. Then posh grandma is coming back from Perth.”

“Do you know her or something?”

“Nah, it’s a thing, doing paid housesitting gigs.”

“You’re getting paid to stay here?”

“Only fifty bucks a week, but no rent obviously. And this is a nice house.”

“Yeah, it is.” Byron shifted slightly. “Do you think we’re almost ready for talking?”

Beth grimaced. She wasn’t sure why, but she didn’t want to do this.

“How about we start easy?” Byron suggested. “So how come you moved out so fast? Is everything okay with Lara?”

Beth winced. She’d forgotten how perceptive Byron could be. “There wasn’t a fight or anything, but she wasn’t happy I moved out. We’re kinda not speaking right now.”

His brow furrowed. “Why?”

She sighed. “It’s been a long time coming, but I think Lara was in denial about me leaving. To be fair, I wasn’t taking it too seriously, but after Christmas, I had a…change of heart, I guess.”

“Because of me?”

“Youmighthave been a contributing factor… Anyway, I stopped fucking around and decided to make a move. I wasn’t having any luck with share houses, so I decided to try housesitting for a while. I didn’t think there’d be a big market for it with COVID and everything but there’s still gigs going.” She gestured around at the house. “Two suitcases later and I’m as well established here as I was at Lara’s.”

“Huh.” Byron stretched his arms over his head. “I’m jealous.”

“Because I’m functionally homeless?”

“Because you can go anywhere.”

“Anywhere in Australia. That needs a housesitter.”

He smiled. “You like it here.”

“I do,” she admitted. “I like having my own space and setting my own schedule. I just wish Lara and I were in a better place.”

“I’m sure you did the right thing. You always do the right thing.”

She frowned. It certainly didn’t feel like she always did the right thing. “What do you mean?”

“You have good instincts. You made the right call getting off the piss and finishing your podcast…” He flashed her a smile. “Letting me see what a dickhead I was being…”

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