Page 134 of Not That Ridiculous

“Liam’s supposed to be coming to talk to you at lunch, which is your busy time. You could probably use me then?”

“Good point.”

The customer Jasper had been steaming milk for cleared his throat loudly. “I could use you now,” the guy said. “To bring me my latte.”

“Be right with you!” Jasper said cheerfully.

I took the customer’s payment and Jasper brought over the latte he’d made, popping the lid on the to-go cup with care before handing it over.

Part of me had been convinced that I’d have people staring at me and/or asking nosy questions all morning long, but it was still early and apparently the news hadn’t yet spread amongst my regulars.

Speaking of…

“Kevin hasn’t been in yet, has he?” I asked Jasper.

“Nope.”

“Huh. He usually…never mind.”

“What?”

“He usually comes in around this time, that’s all.”

“Even at weekends?”

“Yes.”

“Maybe he’s lying low. I wouldn’t blame him for one bit. Did you know the papers are calling him the Chipping Fairford Corpse Finder? How is he, anyway?”

“Don’t call him that, and I have no idea. I haven’t heard from him since last night.”

Jasper’s mouth dropped open.

Okay,thankyou. It wasn’t just me being weird about it. I’d had to at least consider, what with being a relationship noob, that my hurt feelings might have been unwarranted. Guess not.

“Aren’t you two…? Together?” he said cautiously.

“I thought so.” I shrugged, doing my best to make it look casual. Easy come, easy go. “Perhaps he’s rethinking it.”

“No way,” Jasper said. “He’s into you. Like. If he was any more into you, Charlie, you’d be on his dick right now.”

“That’s…sweet. A little crude. A little graphic. But sweet.”

“Maybe your phone isn’t working.”

“It’s working.”

He dug his iPhone out of his pocket and fiddled with it. My back pocket chimed. “That was me,” he said unnecessarily. “It’s working.”

“I know.”

“Maybe Kevin’s phone isn’t working.”

I sagged with relief. “His phone was in my bedroom. Scene of the crime. He probably wasn’t even allowed to take it with him. Do you think that’s it?”

It must be. Also, Kevin was only twenty-four. He probably didn’t know landlines existed. He probably had no idea where I was or how to get hold of me.

Although it was a fair bet I was in the coffee shop.

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