Page 14 of Out of the Shadows
COSMO
I get away as fast as possible, any faster and I’ll be running. Being in such close proximity to Daniel Russo, outside of work, is… odd.
I slow my pace, because I’m not really in any kind of rush. Maybe I’ll go to The Highlander, maybe not. It’s Friday night and normally I’d be setting out the night ahead. Which pubs and clubs I’d go to, who I’d see, who I might end up fucking… but not tonight, despite what I said, because all I can think about is the man whose arms circled around my waist and stopped me from falling.
Up ahead, the lights are on in my house and I smile.
“Freddie?” I call out as I let myself in.
My best friend and former house mate wanders out of the kitchen clutching a couple of beers, one in each hand. He’s got a big smile on his face and I reckon I need that more than the lager he’s offering. I never took Freddie’s keys when he moved out to live with Elliot, the sexy silver fox I had a long ago crush on, and who’s now Freddie’s husband. I told him to keep hold of them, as my house would always be his house too. He took me at my word, and seeing him back here, I’m very glad he did.
Freddie holds out one of the bottles to me, but instead of taking it, I envelope him in my arms and rest my head on his shoulder, which is a pretty tough thing to do because he’s so tall. He’s also incredibly blond, beautiful and utterly fanciable. But that’s not us and never has been.
“You’re so snuggly.” I grin.
“Rather you didn’t snuggle, because you stink like you’ve been bathing in the run off from a brewery.”
I tilt my head and look up at him. He’s wrinkling his nose and I give an exaggerated sniff. He’s right.
I’ve not seen or spoken to Freddie for over a month. He’s a university lecturer and has been on some kind of field trip in some out of the way, remote place in Norway, part of a project his department’s running. He has absolutely no idea about my blast from the past.
“And love you too. But you’re almost right, because I’ve had beer poured down me.”
His hazel eyes widen with blatant interest, but he’s going to have to wait.
“This first,” I say, plucking the beer bottle from his grasp, “followed by a shower. Then I can reveal all.”
“Reveal good or bad?”
I don’t answer him, as I make my way to my bedroom to strip off and wash the day from me.
* * *
“God, that must have been embarrassing.” Freddie’s looking at me, all wide-eyed, from his corner of the sofa. It was always his corner and still is. It’s a sharp reminder of our lives together, and of how much I still miss him being here. I’llalwaysmiss him, us, being as we are now, with beers and a pizza delivery, and slobbing out on the sofa.
“It was a shock, got to admit. But embarrassing?” I shrug and stretch out, and land my feet in Freddie’s lap without thinking. He doesn’t even seem to notice.
“But it must have been. The guy bollocked you out in front of everybody, then gave you the boot. On the spot. You got back here with a small cardboard box with all your stuff. Not that you had much, as you weren’t there long enough to have done too much damage.”
“Thank you for the graphic reminder.” A sour edge creeps into my voice. He’s right, of course, and the memory seems to be etched on his brain as much as it is on mine.
Thing is, with a few more years’ experience under my belt, I now understand why Daniel sacked me. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t rankle, though, because I still feel the cringing embarrassment of it all, but in my more rational and thoughtful periods, which are few and far between, I get it. Kind of.
“I remember it because it was your first professional job. That’s all. Sorry.” His face is bright red, flushing his pale skin. “Not that it’s stopped you from carving out a successful career, I mean—”
“Freddie.”
“Yes?”
“Shut the fuck up, will you?”
He does just that, as his flush deepens. He doesn’t say anything for a moment, but he’s chewing hard on his lower lip. I recognise the mannerism. He’s itching to ask more. I could put him out of his misery but decide not to.
I take another slug of beer, and wait.
“So, what’s he like after all these years? Wasn’t he seriously good looking back in the day? A sexy silver fox in training.” Freddie chuckles. Silver foxes were always his thing, not really mine. Or not always. “Well?” he says, when I don’t answer straight away.
“Daniel Russo’s attractiveness, or otherwise, isn’t the issue. It’s—”
