Page 16 of Friends with Benefits

How could they have done that to me?

‘Would you like chicken casserole or spinach pasta?’

I raise my head to the air steward and his big grin. ‘Two chicken for us, thanks.’

As I answer, knowing she would have chosen the chicken over soggy pasta, Jess sits up and lets down both our food tables. The steward passes our food and sets about getting us each a small bottle of red wine. As he moves on, I put my chocolate mousse brownie dessert on Jess’s tray. She puts her bread roll and cream cheese on mine. I’m not a huge dessert guy and she thinks uncooked cheese leaves the taste of cow leather in her mouth.

We eat in silence, watching the movie. The only thing Jess says is, ‘She is breaking my heart. I’m going to start weeping into my chicken here.’

She’s such a softie. For all her brassy exterior and the loud clothes, she’s got a huge, mushy heart. And believe me when I say, it is always in the right place. She’s honestly the best person I know. She’s not too nice – you know, the sickening kind of nice – but if she likes a person, she’ll do everything and anything for them. I know how hard her life has been, and God, I wish she’d never been dealt a shitty hand, or that I could have been there for her. But if her past has made her who she is today – wise, funny, empathetic – at least something good came of it.

‘I’m stuffed to nuts,’ she says, setting her empty wineglass down on her food tray.

‘I don’t get that. I mean, how stuffed are nuts?’

‘Must you call me out on every expression I use?’

‘No, I’m simply pointing out that it doesn’t make sense. Why would you say something that doesn’t make sense?’

She turns her lips to a pout and reaches out to my face, squeezing my cheeks between her fingers until my lips press together and I imagine I look like a fish.

‘Is this a good look for me?’ I ask.

‘Mm, you’re like a two.’

We’re both laughing as our food trays are cleared. Jess leans her head against my shoulder and starts watching Fences on my screen.

I rest my cheek against her head and breathe in her familiar scent: a sweetness I can’t describe, except to say, if I could bottle it, I would call it Just Jess.

We sit this way to the end of the movie and watch two more before we land. The exit through JFK runs smoothly, and we end up sitting in the car Drew has arranged for us right on time.

‘I’m so excited to be in New York,’ Jess says, looking out of the window like a kid: wide-eyed, jaw loose. ‘Considering all the places I’ve been, it’s kind of crazy that I haven’t been here yet.’

As I watch her, a sense of calm settles over me. I’m home. With Jess. Putting aside the reason I’ve dragged her along with me, life is A-okay at the moment.

After an hour of making small talk with the driver, while Jess has had her nose almost pinned to the window, we’re well on our way to the Hamptons. I’ve spoken to Drew to let him know we’ll be on time for dinner. I’m looking forward to seeing his new place. I’m proud of him. We came from not much at all and now he’s a named partner in a law firm, Statham Harrington, he has a great girl – she’s a Brit but we won’t count that against her – and now he has a pad in the goddamn Hamptons.

I realize I’m wearing a happy-goofy look when I notice Jess smiling at me. ‘Are you excited to see Drew?’

‘All of them.’

‘Okay, remind me. Drew. Obviously, your brother. And he’s with Becky, who I’ve spoken to on Skype. He’s a lawyer, she’s a patisserie chef. Then there’s…?’

‘Brooks. He’s been Drew’s best friend since they were kids. By default, he’s one of my best friends. He owns Brooks Adams gym, which is huge in the city. He’s with Izzy, the girl from Chelsea. She’s a fitness and nutritionist-cum-dancer, musician type.’

‘Got it.’

‘Then there’s Kit and Madge. Husband and wife. They have two kids, although I’ve no idea whether they’ll be there. Kit roomed with Drew in college and Madge got with Kit around that time. I think Edmond and his wife Amelie are going to try to make it at some point.’

‘Edmond, as in the celebrity chef who owns the restaurant Becky works in?’

‘Exactly. And Marty, who is the Statham half of my brother’s firm. They were both associates at the firm and at some point stopped competing against each other long enough to become good buddies and take over the firm together. And last, but definitely not least, is Sarah. Technically, she’s Drew’s legal secretary but I’ve only ever known her as an awesome woman and friend.’

‘Drew and Becky. Brooks and Izzy. Edmond and Amelie. Kit and Madge. Marty and Sarah.’

‘Yes, but not Marty and Sarah as in salt and pepper. Those two are single.’

She furrows her brow. ‘Who’s to say salt and pepper aren’t single?’

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