Page 82 of Reflex
Xane gave her what she could only think of as a penetrating glance.Slowly, he rotated the piercing through his lip.“It’s one reason.”
“Who else has he run away from?”
Xane put the cap back on the sun cream bottle, and deposited it on the deck.Then he splayed his hand across the lower half of his face, and contemplatively drew his fingers downwards until they met on the point of his chin.“It’s more of a what than an it.And it’s not the sort of thing you can outrun.At some point you have to make peace with yourself.”
“So he’s running from himself.”
“To some extent.It’s complicated, but I think you knew that.If it was simple, then you and I wouldn’t be having this conversation.But we were talking about Ash, who swears he and Ginny are having a Danger Mouse themed wedding, so it’s beyond any of us how a big dress even fits into that.If she’s Penfold, shouldn’t she be sporting a suit?”
“Ginny could totally carry off a Dietrich-style top hat and tails look,” Rock Giant remarked, startling Alle enough with his sudden appearance to make her jump.He sprawled behind her full length on the sun lounger, wearing nothing but a pair of tiny speedos, his numerous tats glistening with sea spray.
“Absolutely, she could,” Xane agreed.“But I don’t think that’s the actual plan.”
Alle squinted at Xane.His demeanour appeared relaxed, but there was a strain of falseness to it.She glanced between him and Rock Giant.Had Xane deliberately changed the topic of their conversation back to Ash to avoid Rock Giant overhearing them talking about Spook?If so, why?Surely the rest of the band was aware of Spook’s history?
Her spine spasmed, making her jolt, as the lightning bolt realisation hit her that that wasn’t the case.
“When even is this wedding?”Rock Giant drawled, further spreading himself across the sun lounger, so that she was forced onto the very edge of it if she didn’t want to be pressed up against a shit ton of hot, wet, glistening, tattooed muscle.
Xane stood, waving her into his vacated seat, while he leaned over the railings.“Yo, Danger Mouse,” he hollered.“When are you getting hitched?”
He received a two fingered salute in response from Ash.He and Spook were chatting a short distance from the boat.Ronnie had begun climbing the ladder.Alle looked around at them and got jitters inside.How could this group of people not know one another inside out?They’d been a band forever, lived in one another’s pockets.Surely they ought to know everything about one another.What was so bad that Spook felt it necessary to keep it hidden even from his closest friends?Nay, his family?And why hadn’t Xane told the rest of them either?
Rock Giant raised his arms above his head.His arms were covered in two full sleeves worth of tats, likewise both legs from mid-thigh to hip, as well as two bands of ink, one across the top of his pecs and another just above the top of his speedos.“Xane, about tonight,” he said.“I’m gonna sit it out.It’s not really my scene.I can’t abide all that nonsense.Who the fuck wants to don a penguin suit when the sun’s out?Ronnie and I can rock up to the screening at Mace Beach instead.That’s way more my scene.”
“Whatever you want.”
“Screening?”Alle enquired, joining Xane by the railings.She wanted to ask him something, she just wasn’t sure what it was.
“The film festival is on at the minute.”
“Cannes?”
He inclined his head, which brushed the ends of his long hair over the back of her hand.
“Listen, I’ve some badges for the Lumière showing tonight.Is that something you might be interested in?It’ll mean evening dress and being photographed.The parade up the red carpet and getting snapped on the steps is part of the agreement for getting the passes.”
“You mean appear there with you and Spook?”
“And Luthor and Dani.”
“I didn’t pack an evening dress.”
Xane brushed the remark aside as if it was no big deal.“I can have some things sent to the hotel for you.That’s not an issue.What is, is whether you think it’s too soon for you to be seen together.It’s new between you.Fragile,” he ventured.“There will be questions.And journalists aren’t coy.It never crosses their minds to be tactful, and a lot of them are just downright offensive.”
“Oh,” she said.“Yes, I see.I think I probably need to speak to Spook about it.”
He nodded.“Do that.”
He turned away, but Alle touched his shoulder.Xane turned his head towards her.
“Spook told me about you.About what happened between you in the past.”
Xane turned more fully, so that they were facing.Sharp grey eyes scrutinized her as if he could read her doubts and confusion off her skin.Then all of a sudden, his expression relaxed into a smile.
“Did he now?A highly abridged version, I imagine.”
Why did the way he said that put doubt in her mind?
