Tom shakes his head. ‘He’s doing better than me.’
Shit. My legs have turned to jelly. Reaching out I try to steady myself on the arm of the chair. Oh, God, what the hell does that mean? Rory has outperformed the challenge and is now onto his fifteenth shag. I don’t need to hear this. Putting my hands over my ears I pull a grimace at Tom and make my way towards the bedroom. The last thing I need to know is that my ex-boyfriend has turned into a sex maniac.
Once inside the bedroom I shut the door and crouch at the end of the bed. My heart is thumping away inside my rib cage. Why did I let Felix manipulate me? If I’d stayed in Brighton, I would be none the wiser about Rory’s crusade to shag as many women as physically possible. I also wouldn’t have met Tom with his stressful topics of conversation. My fingers are itching. It’s at times like these I wish I carried around something with me to sew. Although judging by how I am feeling it would probably be another version of angry sewing. A little whimper at my feet makes me spot a small dark shape. It’s Baxter. Lifting him onto my lap I stroke his head. To my surprise he lovingly licks my chin before snuggling into me. A warm feeling spreads over my chest as I smile down at Baxter. If I hadn’t come all this way Baxter and I would still be enemies. I do need to discuss the Rory situation with someone. Taking out my phone I text Lizzie to see if she is still awake.Help!
Lizzie replies almost immediately.Rory’s come back with two women instead of one?
Rolling my eyes, I type back.No.
Rory’s come back with a man?
I let out a heavy sigh.Still no sign of Rory, but his flatmate has just told me about their Sleep with Ten Women Challenge, and he says Rory is doing the best.
There’s a pause. Lizzie replies.Bill wants to know whether Rory and his flatmate are having a thirty something crisis and have gone back to behaving like irresponsible students because this sort of challenge was something he did when he was in university.
Apparently it is a way to get over your ex-girlfriend. After sleeping with ten different women, you forget about your ex-girlfriend.
Lizzie pauses with her reply. I get the feeling all my answers are being relayed to Bill.
Bill says you should find out Rory’s score. I think you should forget about it and come home on the earliest train.
The thought of seeing Rory’s score makes me feel sick.I don’t want to know how many girls he’s slept with.Felix is stirring. He’s rolled over and is now hugging his ballet shoes on his other side. I have an urge to tell Lizzie about Felix’s dancing.Felix told me earlier that he has a secret love of ballet and I have seen him dance. OMG – he’s amazing. He told me tonight RORY used to take him to BALLET lessons instead of football. Can you believe that?
There is a lengthy wait for Lizzie’s reply.OMGand a series of shocked faced emojis.
When I heard all this, I started to believe in Rory again. He’s even bought Felix some beautiful ballet shoes for Christmas and there’s an adorable tag which says that he’s so proud of him. That’s the sort of partner I want in my life. Someone who loves and supports Felix as much as I do. All my trust has been destroyed by his stupid challenge.
Her response is quick. Bill is emotional now after hearing about the ballet shoes gift. He says if Rory’s score is less than five shags you should make an exception and take him back.
I send back a series of eye-roll emojis.
Bill also says the fact Rory is doing the challenge means you are still on his mind.
Crawling back into bed, clutching Baxter and my phone, I sigh at Bill’s opinion.
Lizzie texts to say,Bill says you are both technically still single. Sorry, Ems, I think I might evict Bill from this flat for his controversial views – just say the word.
With a sigh I text back,Bill can stay. Speak in the morning x
Baxter has curled up on my pillow, so I decide to follow his lead and do the same. Before I close my eyes, I send a little prayer into the darkness.‘Please God, can Rory’s challenge score not be more than ten women as I don’t think I am strong enough to hear that sort of news.’
CHAPTER31
RORY
Aporter is wheeling me down for a CT scan. According to the nurse who came to take my blood pressure and take some blood it has been a busy night in A&E. The porter parks my chair in a corridor facing a row of closed doors with flashing yellow and red lights on them. I am behind another wheelchair. ‘Wait here and they’ll come and get you. Once you are finished they will buzz me and I’ll wheel you back.’
The guy in the chair in front of me turns around to say hello. He looks of a similar age to me with brown curly hair and a matching beard. ‘You look like you’re having as much fun as me tonight,’ he says, with a grin.
‘Yep, you can say that again.’
We both give each other knowing nods. ‘What are you getting scanned?’ I ask.
‘My knee.’ The man rolls his eyes. ‘Me and my boy were playing football in the living room, and he did a phenomenal tackle which sent my knee one way and the rest of my leg the other.’
‘Ouch.’
The man grimaces. ‘I fell through the coffee table too, which my partner wasn’t happy about. She was more concerned about her broken coffee table than my injured state.’ He raises his bandaged hand.
