Page 58 of Someone Like You

He’d held Philonceand his arms had felt empty and purposeless ever since.

Groaning inwardly, he lifted the bottle to his lips and drained the remaining beer, then draped his arm over his eyes, groaning again, this time out loud.

He was too old to pine for love.

Twenty-something-year-old Ian had been convinced he’d be married by now. He preferred girls back then, simply because they were more mature and more interesting to talk to than boys, but he’d never envisioned himself growing out of fancying both like everyone had always said he would, as if they knew him better than he knew himself.‘Just admit you’re gay’and‘You only like guys’cause it’s trendy nowadays’sat on top of an extremely high pile of bullshit he’d had to put up with, growing up in Glasgow. He didn’t care much now: his skin had grown thick and so had his confidence, while his ability to get along with people had proportionately thinned.

He was a loner to the bone, happy to be by himself.

Unless the alternative was being with Phil.

“Daddy’s in big trouble, Kibbsy,” he sighed as his arm slid off his face, dropping the bottle to smooth Kibble’s ears down her head. “He’s goin’ to have his stupid heart broken because of a bloody Yank. Can you believe it?”

Kibble blinked, offering a sympathetic trill and a headbutt that filled his nose with fur.

“Thanks, doll,” he sputtered, plucking fluff out of his mouth. “Knew you’d get it.” He kissed her nose and got a content purr in return.

At half-time he picked up his phone. The notification of a text from Abigail made his stomach churn.

You’d better not have done anything stupid, Handsome,he thought as he opened the text.

Abigail

Hey, big man

It’d been sent less than half an hour ago.

Ian was distracted by a second by her profile picture: dark red blazer, black glasses, arms crossed, subtle smile radiating confidence. A perfect balance of pretty and professional. One could have easily guessed her strong-willed character just by looking at that photo. A lesser man than Phil would’ve found her intimidating, if not emasculating. Then again, a woman like Abigail wouldn’t have given a lesser man the time of day. They were made for each other.

You

Hey

Everything alright?

Abigail

I was just wondering if you’d noticed any change in Phil’s mood recently?

Ian’s jaw clenched.

Abigail

He was doing well but he seems distant these days

I’m scared he’s having a relapse… I don’t know what to do, he won’t talk to me

Sorry for messaging you. I’m just worried

This was the kind of partner anyone deserved: attentive without being intrusive, one who’d rather worry in silence than force the truth out of you, even to their own detriment.

You

Don’t apologise

It’s probably just a phase, let him be

Here’s something that will make you feel better: he joined my gym, he’s been going in regularly

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