Page 119 of Begin Again Again

“Good.”

His gaze softened. “I’m sorry for leaving you in the lurch. I mean it.”

‘That’s okay,’ formed and melted away on Beth’s tongue. She looked Byron right in the eyes. “If you’re serious about this boyfriend-girlfriend thing, we need to talk about Audrey.”

“I already talked to Audrey. I told her I was serious about you and not to contact me anymore.”

“Oh.” Beth was startled by the ease of his admission. “Um, cool?”

He shrugged. “It was a long time coming. And talking to her wasn’t really about Audrey, anyway.”

A million questions ran through Beth’s mind. But she could hear the caginess beneath his words and knew it wasn’t the right time to push. The admission was enough for now.

“Anything else?” he asked.

Beth considered his question. “No, just don’t go dark on me anymore. I’ll give you space whenever you need it, but you need to give me reassurance when I need it.”

“Sounds good.” He pulled her close, nuzzling her. “I’ve missed you, Horoscopes.”

“Are you ever going to stop calling me that, Aquarius?”

“Are you ever going to stop believing in horoscopes, Horoscopes?”

They lay there a while, staring up at Mrs J’s moulded white plaster ceiling.

“What are your New Year’s plans?” he asked as though they’d just met at a café.

“Oh, nothing too exciting,” Beth said, playing along. “What areyourplans?”

He raised himself on an elbow. “I was hoping I could see you. Maybe drive to the beach.”

“But we’re already in St Kilda?”

He scowled. “And I’ve said many, many times: St Kilda is a bay. An ugly flat bay.”

“Who knew you felt so passionately about the beach?”

“Everyone who’s ever known me.” He took her hand. “I wanna see waves. I want yellow sand and kids digging holes and those weird clear jellyfish things you step on. Wilson’s Prom. That’s a fucking beach.”

“So, what? We go on a road trip?”

“Why not?”

“Won’t all the accommodation be booked up already?”

“I’m happy to drive. Or we could sleep in the tray of the ute? I’ve got a swag.”

“Classy.”

“It’s for camping, not fucking in. Although if you wanted to…?”

Beth tugged his hair. “Yeah, that’s what I want—to get fucked in the tray of a Toyota Hilux by former AFL footballer, Byron Thomas.”

His eyes narrowed, but he smiled. “Your loss. Come on, let’s just do it?”

“Okay, but I kinda lied. I do have plans. A little bit.”

Byron raised his eyebrows.

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