Page 59 of Fool Me Twice
Zig slipped an arm around Si’s waist.“That wasn’t so bad, was it?You okay?”
“No.I mean, yeah, that could have gone worse.I’m okay.”
“I don’t wanna come between you and your mate,” Zig said, the words like knives in his chest.Because hedidn’t, but he was a selfish bastard and he didn’t want Si to leave him, either.
“You ain’t gonna,” Si said firmly.“He’ll come around.”
Zig wished he could be so sure.
Si would have liked to have been as certain as he’d made himself sound that his and Adam’s friendship wasn’t broken, or at least in serious need of repair.Zig had been due at work soon after they’d all met in town, so Si had been left to go back to the flat on his own.
He’d switched on the telly but couldn’t focus on anything.Should he give Adam a call?Build on the brief contact this afternoon?But if Adam still needed time to come to terms with him and Zig being back together, Si didn’t want to ruin things by rushing him.
He just hoped Adam didn’t need toomuchtime, that was all.Cos the longer they stayed out of touch, the easier it’d be for Adam to let it all slide.Decide he didn’t really need Si in his life, like he’d done after Si had left London all them years ago.
Bugger.Si had told himself he wasn’t going to dwell on the past.It was water under the bridge, and didn’t they say you could never cross the same river twice?Si hoped they weren’t wrong about that.
He hadn’t liked that river much.
When the phone rang, he jumped a mile.Too bloody broody by half.It was Sasha.
“All right, Sash, me love?”he asked heartily.“Didn’t see you at the Prince of Wales last night.You missed a good band.”
“Like I wanted to spend the night playing gooseberry to you and your London lover-boy.How’s that going, then?”
“It’s good.Really good.”Si couldn’t help breaking into a smile.Then his mood sobered.“Worried about Adam, though.Not sure how he’s feeling about things right now.”
“Hah.Be grateful.I’ve had him bending my ear all week about you and your bloke.”
“Yeah?What’s he been saying?”Si held his breath.
“He’s worried about you, babe.Scared you’ll get hurt again.That’s fifty percent of the time.The rest of it is all about him feeling guilty for being a terrible mate.”She paused.“Which to be fair, he was a bit, after you broke up with Zig the first time.”
Si frowned.“The first time?When do you reckon thesecondtime I break up with him’s gonna be?”
“I meant, the first time you went out with him!Jeez, don’t put words in my mouth.I hope you’ll be disgustingly happy with him and die old and wrinkly in each other’s hairy arms, okay?”
“Sorry, Sash.You’re the best.How’s things with you, anyway?Still in touch with what’s-her-face?”
“Gone a bit quiet on her end.”She sighed.“So bloody well sort things out with Adam, yeah?I need some good news in my life.”
“I’ll do me best.Promise.Maybe I’ll give him a call tonight.”
“You do that.”
When Si hung up, he noticed he’d missed a call while he’d been talking to Sasha.
It had been from Adam.Si swallowed, and hit Call.
Adam’s voice was breathless when he answered.“Si.Thanks for calling me back.”
That sounded a bit formal and had the added disadvantage of not giving Si clue one as to what Adam had been calling to say.“All right, mate?”
“Yeah, I’m good.Zig at work now?”
“Yep.”Did that mean Adam wanted to say stuff he didn’t want Zig to have any chance of hearing?Si’s heart sank.
“Cool.Fancy heading to the Isle of Avalon for a quick pint?Me and you, like the old days, yeah?”
