“I mean,” he corrected himself, “that Declan’s only receptioning – is that a word? – until he’s got his confidence back and then he’s going to do great things. He’s been talking about your physio sessions, you know. He finds it all interesting. I reckon he might start training with you and then he can work next door to you and you’ll be close all day and—”
“And we’ll sneak off into that supply cupboard?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
“Nice to know you’ve got everything all planned out for us.”
Sonny nodded, not picking up my amused irony. Declan looked thoughtful, which meant something had struck a chord. Iwondered what it was. Maybe Sonny was onto something about Declan training to be a physiotherapist. I’d talk to him about it, but not right now. I wanted to make sure our relationship was solid before talking about the future. Besides, Declan needed thinking time.
I used the tip of a tentacle to tilt Sonny’s face towards me. “So? Are you moving in with me and Declan in our cottage, then?”
The smile he gave blinded me. It was one of his radiant sunshine smiles that lit up the room in gold hues.
“Yes please. I was so sad I thought I’d cry but I’m not now. You both keep making me happy.”
“I’m so glad you’re happy.” To Declan, I asked, “How do you feel?”
He gave me a nod. “Happy. Better now I know for sure we’re all in this properly.”
I wound myself around them tighter, feeling the contours of their bodies, the way they were shaped and the way they fit together as they kissed again. I was mesmerised by the sight of them, my mates together.
A footstep outside the kitchen surprised me, and I jolted. As quickly as I could, I retracted my tentacles, yanking them back inside me.
I was only just in time.
My shirt was still rucked up and I was sure my skin still had a purple tinge when Lilian entered the kitchen.
Luckily for me, her eyes weren’t on me. They were on her son. Who was making out with Sonny.
The two of them broke apart, looking every inch the naughty schoolboys I was sure they had once been. Well, perhaps not Declan. I would lay odds that Sonny had been the ringleader in any mischief.
She stood, frozen in the doorway, and all she managed to say was a faint, “Oh.”
Declan took a step, and I saw his body sway in the particular way it did when he’d stepped too suddenly and hadn’t caught his balance yet. He took another couple of tiny steps, adjusting his posture so he was steady.
Sonny was the first to speak. He blurted out, “He’s not cheating on Erik! Declan would never do that.”
He gestured at me, and Lilian’s eyes turned to me for the first time.
I saw that information click in her brain by the way her expression changed. I was sure that, until that point, she’d actually not considered it. Her surprise had been to find her son kissing anyone, and probably especially surprised it was his childhood best friend. Though how she hadn’t known those two had it bad for each other, I don’t know.
“I… didn’t think he was. So… perhaps someone could explain to me whatwashappening.”
I really hoped Sonny wasn’t drunk enough to tell her in detail about the way Declan had been kissing him. With Sonny, there was probably a fifty/fifty chance.
Declan cleared his throat, so I stayed quiet, letting him speak.
“We’re together, Mum. Sonny and I. I-I mean Sonny and Erik and I are all together. Boyfriends.”
When Lilian frowned, I noticed distractedly that she had the same way of doing that as Declan. Then I braced myself for what would come next.
She said, “I don’t know what we’ll do. Your bed isn’t big enough for three grown men, Declan. I could see if your Dad can dismantle the one in the spare room and move it into yours.”
We all stared at her. “Excuse me?” I asked.
She looked flustered, “Perhaps I was wrong. I don’t know anything about these modern relationships. Are you all going to sleep in Declan’s room tonight?”
“Yes.” I was very firm about that. I didn’t want anyone getting any ideas about separating me from my mates.
