Page 82 of The Truth About You and Me
I lie back and starfish across my bed. Relishing all the aches in my muscles. I let out a little laugh, pulling up the covers over my mouth.
The door handle creaks as Jack walks back into the room. ‘My brother.’ He wiggles the phone in explanation. ‘He has some news and wants us all to go for lunch at Chadders next Friday.’ He chews the inside of his cheek, looks distracted.
‘Oh. Flicks is showingSense and Sensibility, but I’m guessing you already know the plot to that one. It’s not one of my top ten…’
‘Hmmm? Oh. Yeah. I’ve seen it actually.’
The air cools around us quickly.
‘It’s late,’ I say. Giving him an escape route.
He nods, eyes still on the phone in his hand.
‘I’ll call you a?—’
His eyes flash back up and he sits on the edge of the bed.
‘I don’t suppose Romy would let you have next week off?’
‘Oh, when I mean it’s not in my top ten, I’ll still go and watch it…’
‘No. I meant…’ He shuffles his phone between his hands, the groove between his eyes deepening like he’s thinking of what to say. ‘Do you want to come? To lunch?’
‘But I thought you were going to your parents’?’
‘I am.’
‘Oh! I… I don’t know, I mean…’ I gesture to my body with a grimace.
‘I can tell them about, you know, the germ thing. And I can be by your side, ready to bounce them.’
‘Bounce?’
‘I can be your personal bouncer.’ He pushes down on the bed, making it spring up and down. I let out a snort and he laughs. ‘You know what I mean’ – he lies back beside me, head propped up in his hand – ‘bodyguard. I can be your bodyguard.’
‘I mean, sure? If… is it not a bit too soon?’
‘I think it’s about the right time to meet the parents. And, well, the rest of them.’
‘Thewholefamily is going to be there?’ I pull the covers further up beneath my chin.
‘Yeah. George asked for a full house.’
He brushes my hair away from my forehead. ‘So what do you think? Will you be my date?’
My heart is knocking so hard against my ribcage I’m sure he can hear it too.
‘But…’ What if they see the real me? Someone weird and not good enough for the man lying beside me. ‘What if I’m not…’
‘Maggie?’ His hands are near my face. ‘Close your eyes.’
I do as he says.
‘I’m going to touch you, OK?’
I nod.
His hands settle around my jaw, his thumb stroking my cheek.
