Twisted Summer (24 page)

“So it will be all done when Mum gets here?”

“Absolutely. She won’t be able to whinge about a thing.”

“Even the guest room?”

“Even the guest room.”

I plant a little kiss on his chin. “Thank you for inviting her.”

“It’s about time.”

“Huh.” I spot the pizza menu beside his paint pot on the floor, and reach to fill my eyes with cheesy goodness. “I’m totally ordering more, you know.”

He winces. “I’m not sure I can face more pizza. Is that even normal for a bloke, do you think?”

“Probably not. But you get all guilty if we can’t fit the boxes in with the recycling and that’s not especially masculine, either.” I wave the menu around before brushing my lips to his collarbone. “I need to stockpile calories. I’ll be a nervous wreck when Mum arrives.”

“It’ll be fine,” he whispers. “I promise.”

“I hope so.”

It’s been a surreal year. We moved to Canada, I flew back and forth until my paperwork was all finalised, I got two jobs. Gabe got this awesome paper published and they extended his contract at the museum. Taylor and I exchanged about ten postcards. Facebook even tells me Esmé has a girlfriend, some foxy redhead with a tattoo across her back—they look sickeningly happy and I’m so pleased for her, though we’ll never be in a place where I can tell her that.

Not that I think she needs to hear it.

I still haven’t Googled Turnip Jesus…but I’ve threatened to a few times.

“Changed my mind. I want pepperoni,” Gabe announces, brandishing his paintbrush again. “I’m going to devour it like a man.”

“
Ra ra.” I giggled. “Lord of the Man-
Or
.”

“So stop panicking and order my frickin’ meal, woman.”

“
I’ll give you
woman
.”

I’ve given him so many things in a year. Twelve months. Three hundred and sixty five days. Our apartment is our celebration, but the next step is honesty.

In two weeks, my Mum arrives.

Gabe gives my hand a squeeze. “You okay?”

“Fine,” I say. “Awesome.”

We’re going to tell her the truth.

Lucy V. Morgan is an author, editor and screenwriter from Birmingham, UK. She lives amid a graveyard of half-burned Yankee candles and is still trying to kick her dirty Pepsi habit.

You can visit her online for free stories and updates at
www.lucyvmorgan.com
.

Other Books by Lucy V. Morgan

Chairman Of The Whored

The Whored’s Prayer

Beautiful Mess