Page 83 of Life After

“What things, Jen?”

“Dan’s family are…undesirable, shall we say?” Jen shook her head and sighed. “And I don’t want it to come down to it, but I have a horrible feeling it’s going to.”

“Undesirable in what way?”

“His dad and his brother are dealers. They used to supply me before I was sent down. Grace doesn’t know about it, and I still hold my hands up and admit that the drug use was solely on me, but she would hit the roof if she knew. For Dan to come across as all high and mighty, it just doesn’t sit right with me.”

“Nor me.” Jen noted how Suzanne’s jaw clenched, but she didn’t want her girlfriend to be angry. She also didn’t want her involved in this. “How dare he!”

“Babe, don’t. I don’t want to see you worked up about any of it. I bought those drugs, and that’s that.”

“I know, and I admire you for taking responsibility for it, but he has no right to say the things he does to you when his own family is in the business of drugs.” Suzanne shook her head. “This needs to change. You should be able to see Toby whenever you like.”

“Grace knows about Dan’s family in general—everyoneknows about them—but selling drugs to me? No, she doesn’t know about that. I hope she’ll never know.”

“Perhaps sheshouldknow. Or Dan should know that exposing the truth is potentially on the table, at least.” Suzanne sat back and sighed. “I don’t like any of this. I…don’t know how else to approach it. I knowa lotof people in the local council and various services around here, and I also may have threatened Dan with it, but I’d never do anything to hurt your family in any way. If it spooks him, however, I am willing to use it as a tactic in conversation.”

“I appreciate you having my back. Nobody has ever done that for me. Well, not since Ruby…”

“I’ll always have your back. I love you.” Suzanne shifted closer and rested against Jen. When their eyes met, Jen felt the love Suzanne had for her. “And as for telling him you live here, you will one day, so it’s not really a lie.”

Jen’s heart jumped at that. While she was loving every moment she spent with Suzanne, living here wasn’t something she’d allowed herself any headspace. “You don’t have to say things like that. I’d never expect you to even offer.”

“Then I’m sorry you feel that way. Once I know the time is right, Iwillbe asking you to move in with me. It just…makes sense. You’re already here every moment you can be, so it seems normal to ask you.”

“But this was your home with John.” Jen’s brows drew together. “You built a life here with him.”

“You’re right, I did.” Suzanne nodded. “And now I want to build a new life here…withyou.”

Jen’s chest swelled, her palms clammy as she brought a hand to Suzanne’s hair and grazed her nails against her scalp. “I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you, but we’re going to be happy. I know we are.”

“I love you, and no matter what, it’s always going to be you and I.”

“Right back at you, babe.” Jen dipped her head and kissed Suzanne’s temple as she whispered, “I’m incredibly lucky to have you in my life.”

Chapter 30

Jen shookher hands at her sides, waiting impatiently for her mum to open the front door. She had been so nervous leaving Suzanne’s place forty minutes ago that she had forgotten her key. Denise had called her this morning asking Jen to come over for a specific time, but she wouldn’t say what it was about. Jen didn’t like not knowing what was going on, so here she was, anxiously sweating on her mum’s doorstep.

“Jen, are you okay?” Suzanne placed a hand on the small of Jen’s back. “Are you sure she didn’t say what it was about, and are you sure you want me here with you? She didn’t invite me, baby.”

“We come as a pair. She doesn’t need to invite you.” Jen side-eyed Suzanne and regarded her with a fake smile. Not because that was a lie—Suzanne would always be welcome here—but because she had a bad feeling about this. “And no, I have no idea what this is about. Unless someone has upset her in the street. It wouldn’t be the first time it’s happened to her.”

“Did she sound upset or concerned?”

Jen shrugged. “No. She just sounded like Mum.”

“Right, then I’d say not to worry. If something had happened, I’m sure she would have given you a heads-up in some way. She probably hasn’t even realised the way it came across to you on the phone.”

Jen relaxed a little. Not much, but a tiny bit. “You’re right. If something had happened, she would have told me. I know she would.”

As Jen took Suzanne’s hand, the front door opened, and Denise smiled back at them both. “Oh, lovely! I’m glad you brought Suzanne with you!”

“I didn’t think it needed to be said,” Jen explained as she stepped inside and guided Suzanne in with her. “But now, what’s going on? I’ve been panicking since you called me this morning.”

Denise switched her gaze between Jen and Suzanne repeatedly. “Why?”

“I don’t know. You don’t usually summon me here.” Jen’s mum had summoned her many times between Ruby dying and prison calling. The difference this time was that Jen had actually shown up. She would have just turned off her phone and opened another bottle of vodka in the past. “Is everything okay?”

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