Page 117 of Untether

Time to close. ‘So… it’s best if I don’t sleep on my own. I was thinking I could sleep in your mum’s bed with her, because she’s kind of old like a mummy, and she can cuddle me if I get upset in the night.’

Aida lifts her face and gives me her bestyou’re never getting laid againglare. The boys’ eyes are round as saucers, and I have the feeling a small part of them suspects they’re being played. I maintain my expression of vulnerable sincerity with difficulty.

‘But only daddies sleep in bed with mummies,’ Pip points out.

I am so incredibly proud of myself in this moment for withstanding the solid gold temptation to make a Daddy joke. Happily, Aida saves me.

‘We’ve talked about this, right?’ she asks them. ‘You know that adults can share beds with other people, not just their husbands or wives? It’s okay for them to share beds with friends as long as everyone feels comfortable and respects each other.And I know Cal respects me fully.’

The last sentence is said through gritted teeth.

‘It’s just for a night,’ I say easily. ‘We’ll be home late, we’ll fall asleep, your mummy will cuddle me if I have a bad dream, and then tomorrow morning I’ll slay you little chimps at Gorilla Tag, and you can show me which of your breakfast cereals is the most sugary.’

I sit back with a self-satisfied grin and pick up my wine.

Andthat, people, is how it’s done.

75

CAL

Because my ugly mate is marrying a seriously elegant woman, it’s no surprise to me that Belle has found a characteristically elegant solution to preempt any potential conflict between the Catholic extremists and the sex maniacs at their engagement party.

The wedding will be a whole other story.

Belle’s very old, very frail grandma will be in attendance, and it’s been agreed that she will turn up for the first hour or two, before Belle’s parents whisk her and other family members off for a fancy dinner at some stuffy restaurant on Jermyn Street. This leaves the more debauched invitees to arrive fashionably late with little to no overlap.

Genius.

Aida and I do it the other way around, with a sushi supper first. By the time we rock up at the Mandarin Oriental for the party, the oldies and the more God-fearing of the invitees have moved on and Belle and Rafe’s friends are pouring in.

A glance around tells me there’s a good mix of City types and Alchemy members and friends of ours from uni, as wellas glamorous twenty-somethings who are undoubtedly here for the bride-to-be.

A few weeks ago, I’d have been in my fucking element. Now, I give them the most cursory once-over before turning my attention back to my ravishing date.

We find the happy couple chatting with Zach and Maddy and some other dark-haired guy I can’t place. It makes sense that they would have turned up early—Maddy and Belle have been friends for donkey’s years, and Zach is, unlike me, socially acceptable enough to manage any social situation with aplomb.

‘Well, don’t you look gorgeous?’ I drawl, taking Belle in. She’s radiant in a long, floaty dress of palest pink that’s tasteful and elegant while also showing off her slender figure. I kiss her on both cheeks. ‘Congratulations, darling. He’s a lucky man.’

She shoots me a wide, genuine smile. She’s so sweet. ‘Thanks for coming. And I’m so happy he brought you! You were so amazing onGordon Kay!’ The last part she aims at Aida and accompanies it with a little squeak of excitement.

I think I was pretty amazing onGordon Kaytoo, given how many times the camera panned to me in the audience, but I’m not even bothered, because my girl has earned the spotlight far more fully than I have. I can tell I’ve been dismissed. I side-step so Belle and Maddy can swoop in and commandeer Aida’s attention and presumably gush over what each other is wearing.

‘Meet Belle’s brother, Dex,’ Rafe says, gesturing to the other guy. ‘Dex, Cal is one of my oldest friends from school, and he runs Alchemy with me and Zach.’

Of course. I see it now. His hair colour is a lot darker than Belle’s, but they share the same golden skin tone and striking eyes—green-gold, for want of a better description.

I hold out my hand. ‘Good to meet you, mate.’

We shake.

‘Good to meet you, too,’ he says, grinning. I may be straight, but I have the unfortunate tendency to size up everyone I meet as a potential Alchemy member, and, on looks alone, this guy would be a shoe-in. He’s broad around the shoulders and lean everywhere else—an ex-rower, maybe? He’s also wearing a very fucking nice suit.

‘I hear you’re thinking about moving back—is that right?’ I ask him.

‘I was just talking about that with these guys,’ he says, gesturing to Rafe and Zach. ‘Goldman has offered me a promotion, running the Cash business for Equities in London in about six months’ time, when the current head retires.’

‘Wow.’ I hold up my flute and clink his, impressed. ‘That’s a big job.’

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