Page 56 of The Beast's Heart

“Nothing’s wrong,” I say, too chipper.

“Is it The Beast?” Zane presses. “Is he mistreating you?” He sounds ready to take him on if he is.

“No, no. He’s… great. He’s great.”

“Oooh.” I silently curse at the brightness in Zane’s voice. “Oh, this is a far better problem than I expected.”

I hear Sebastian in the background. Zane answers him, “Jonathan’s got a crush on The Beast.”

“I do not!” Every atom of my being is cringing.

“Hold on,” Zane says. “I’m putting you on speaker.”

“Hey, Jonathan,” Sebastian says a moment later. “I apologize for my husband. I can go if you want?” His South African accent is still as thick as Zane’s American one.

“Hi, Sebastian. How are you?”

“Don’t ask,” Zane says, before he can answer. “We’re discussingyouat the moment.”

“That sounds… suspicious.”

Sebastian sighs. “I’m fine.”

Zane adds, “He’s riddled with guilt because he quit the NHS and now there’s a pandemic.”

“I need todosomething.”

“And I won’t let him volunteer for the government’s bullshit Bring Back Staff program until they can keep him safe or at least, you know, offer him PPE. Now, let’s get back to the juicy stuff. You and The Beast.”

My stuff hardly matters. There’s a whole pandemic going on out there. “Can’t you do something that doesn’t put you at risk?”

“I’m a doctor.”

“Oy! Focus!” I hear Zane clicking his fingers. “The Beast.”

“The Beast,” Sebastian agrees. “Tell us everything.”

I draw a deep breath and let it out slowly. “There isn’t aneverythingto tell. He’s just not what I expected.”

“Go on…” Zane prompts.

“I don’t know.” I can feel a blush creeping up my neck. “I thought that he was cold and selfish. But it turns out he’s the opposite. He really cares about making a difference. He’s warm and funny and thoughtful and— I’m sure it’s the isolation. Please help me get my head straight.”

“Sounds like getting your headstraightis the opposite of what needs to happen,” Zane says. “Sounds like you need to bang.”

I roll my eyes. “Zane…”

“You’re all isolated up there, can’t be that much to do. What’s the problem?”

“We’re not all built like you, babe,” Sebastian cuts in. “Maybe Jonathan wants something more meaningful.”

“Pfft, no he doesn’t. Jonathan’s an intellectual. He doesn’t believe in squishy things like love.”

I did tell him that once. How is Zane to know that it’s what I told myself as comfort, because the big romantic Hollywood love was all I’d ever wanted and I’d never come close to finding it? I wanted a Heathcliff who’d go wild at the thought of losing me. I wanted The Notebook, I wanted Casablanca, I wanted Pride and Prejudice. But Adam has already had his great love story and it wasn’t with me.And now he hasGeoff.

I scoff. “This is exactly why I didn’t want to say anything.”

Zane sighs. “Okay, you’re right, it’s a terrible idea.”

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