‘That’s probably because I’m from Sydney, and I only just moved up here recently.’
‘Ah, so you’ll need a tour guide then.’ Lindsay stares at me with a question in his eyes. ‘Can I show you around? You tell me what you like doing, and I’ll show you where to find it in Newy.’
My cheeks flush, and I fumble for what to say before Lindsay flops out an upturned hand. ‘May I please borrow your phone, Miss Josie from Sydney?’ This guy is all confidence, which I certainly don’t hate.
‘My phone?’ I parrot, even though I know where this is going. My heart steps up its pace as I give Lindsay the handset and watch him tap his number into it. When he passes the phone back to me, he grazes his fingers over mine.
‘If Zac’s cool with it, give me a call.’ He cocks his head, his eyes making a deliberate slide down and up my body. Sleazy or sexy? I can’t decide. All I know is that I seem to have scored myself a date. I’ve got zero plans to stick around this city once my contract ends, but who knows, if things went well between us, maybe Lindsay would move to Sydney for me. He’s got ‘city slicker’ written all over him.
I bite down a smile all the way home, but when I push through the front door, I nearly stumble backwards.What the …
I blink hard at the two white globes of Davide’s bare ass, unsure if I’m seeing right. He spins to face me, holding a lighter against the tip of a smudge stick of white sage.Yup, he’s definitely naked.
‘God, sorry!’ I splutter, squeezing my eyes shut. When I open them again, Davide’s casually flicking the sage smoke into the room’s corners while his hairy bits swing in my vision. Our gazes catch again, and something suggestive sparks in his eyes. I race past him and dash up the stairs before shutting my bedroom door and pressing my back to it. My gut twists as I pull out my phone, figuring out what to type to Zac. I don’t want to launch straight into:Davide’s a nudist, and I think he wants to hook up with me.
ME:Hey favourite, I swung past your place today, but you weren’t home.
Hope you’ve been having a lovely day.
Using a nickname that I haven’t given Zac for two years makes my breaths quicken. It’s not like he calls me ‘sunbeam’ anymore. But when three dots appear immediately, my shoulders loosen a little.
ZAC:What time was that? I was at the gym, then took the dog to the groomer.
ME:Oh no, you didn’t shave Bob Marley, did you??
He replies with a photo of himself holding Trouble, whose ratty dreads have been clipped into something only marginally more presentable. Zac’s amber-green eyes sparkle through the screen as he presses his smiling lips to her fur.
ME:Both looking gorgeous
Eeek, was that too much?
Zac begins typing something before the speech bubble disappears. It reappears then vanishes again, twice. I decide to rescue both him and me in one move.
ME:Do you have dinner plans? Want to come over?
I’m going to make that sheep head thing from Iceland.
ZAC:Sounds good, as long as you absolutely do not make that thing from Iceland.
Is it OK if I bring Trouble? She’s feeling needy with her new coif.
ME:Zac, trouble follows you wherever you go. Of course you can. Come in an hour or so?
And can I pls ask a favour?
ZAC:I’m sorry, I can’t babysit your kids. They are truly terribly behaved, and you should be ashamed of yourself for raising such brats.
ME:My new housemate’s being weird (already).
While you’re here, do you think you could pretend to be my boyfriend?
It can just be a verbal thing.
I promise you don’t have to kiss me.
I already regret the puke-face emoji, but it’s too late. Zac’s typing.
ZAC:No problem. What’s that tree-hugger done? Is he chanting at the full moon? Burning all the gluten? Making you crochet him a poncho?
