Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
‘Who’s here?’ I ask as we shuffle towards the kitchen, Jack following. Mum doesn’t answer, and instead diverts us into the dining room.
‘Everyone, darling.’
I stop at the doorway and take in the small space, and everyone quietens down and looks in my direction. Lizzy with Jason, Micky with Charlie, my dad and Nat. The first thing that comes to mind is, Mum will be in her element with all these people to faff over. The second thing I think is, What are they all doing here? I raise a wary hand in a lame hello, and then turn to Jack and give him questioning eyes.
He just smiles, takes my hand and leads me to the table, where a chair is waiting for me. Easing me down, he bends and kisses my cheek. ‘They’ve promised not to fuss over you.’
I laugh, a little nervous, and watch as Mum hands Jack an apron. He doesn’t question it, accepting it and slipping it on. ‘You’re helping Mum?’
‘Apparently.’ He shrugs and heads off to the kitchen, leaving me pretty astounded. Mum’s letting Jack help?
I look across to my dad. ‘Is she okay?’ I ask seriously. She has a way with everything. Especially in the kitchen. Her way.
‘She wants to bond with that new fella of yours.’ Dad shrugs.
Micky laughs, and I look across to find his arm draped casually around Charlie’s shoulders. ‘Poor Jack.’
Bond. She wants to bond. The notion is deeply warming, given the circumstances of them discovering everything about Jack. The fact that she’s invited him into her kitchen is a huge deal, and her way of accepting him. But visions of Mum’s panicked face when Jack fails to do things to her liking fill my mind. ‘He’ll be kicked out within ten minutes,’ I conclude.
‘Five,’ Dad counters with a grunt. ‘He’ll run out screaming in five minutes.’ He looks down at his watch, checking the time.
I laugh and relax a little, but my hurting muscles tense when Nat and Lizzy head my way, encouraging Charlie to join us. Nat brings a bottle of wine with her and pours four healthy glasses. She passes one to each of us.
Charlie is the one to toast. ‘To true love.’
I shoot her a look, and she smiles.
‘True love,’ Lizzy echoes, her eyes flicking to Jason at the other end of the table, where all the boys, bar Jack, are gathered. Dad pulls out the playing cards and declares war.
‘True love,’ I say quietly, hearing Jack in the kitchen taking instructions from Mum.
‘Whatever!’ Nat snorts, rolling her eyes as she dives head first into her wine. ‘So.’ She places her fingers on the bottom of my wine glass and encourages me to drink. ‘Tell us about this new bloke of yours.’
And just like that, I know they’re not going to drown me in sympathy. They’re not going to ask questions, dig for more information or make me feel like I’m under the spotlight. Instead, they’re going to act like the nightmare last few months never happened. They’re going to act like Jack and I are normal. Like we met under normal circumstances. Like there has been no misery and heartache. I give them thankful eyes, and they all smile in return.
Jack wanders in and places a platter of nibbles in the centre of the table, catching my eye as he sets it down just so. He smiles, and I have to force myself to swallow down the emotion that creeps up on me unexpectedly. ‘He’s perfect,’ I say quietly. ‘Handsome, kind, ambitious and encouraging.’
‘Sounds like a dream,’ Jack replies casually, attracting all the girls’ attention.
‘Hey!’ Lizzy grabs an olive from the platter and chucks it at him. ‘Girl talk. Scram!’
He holds his hands up in surrender and backs out, looking across to my dad as he goes. ‘I believe that’s six minutes’ survival time . . . so far.’
‘I have a Scotch ready when you need it, son,’ Dad says flippantly, dealing the cards out to Jason and Micky.
My heart could burst. Normal. This is all normal. This is how I’ve wanted it to be from the moment I fell for Jack, but how it couldn’t be. I wanted to share everything about the man I’d fallen for with my friends. I wanted to talk girlie about the kisses, the sex, the feelings. I wanted to tell Mum and Dad that I’d met someone who’d knocked me off my feet, and I wanted to do this. Share him with them. I wanted Mum to love him, to welcome him into her home. For him to be part of the family.
Beyond wanting Jack so desperately, I also wanted this.
Acceptance. Love. Normality.
‘I understand now,’ Lizzy says, pulling me from my reflections. I look at her in question, and she smiles, faintly but genuinely. ‘Seeing you together, I understand. Everyone does.’