‘Really?’
‘It’s so Greek you would think you were walking into Santorini. She’s whitewashed everything and even had old tiles flown over from Greece to complete the look.’
‘Of course she did. I wouldn’t expect anything less from her.’
I gave Andrew a sideways glance. This was new. Talking to someone about my parents as if they knew them too. I imagined this was something a real couple might do, and I liked it. So I carried on.
‘She had a statue of Poseidon made that stands at the front door.’
‘She what?’ He sounded amused.
‘It’s hideous,’ I added. ‘And very disproportionate. Remember what I was telling you about Greek and Roman sculpture? Well, this one is really a very good example of that. It has the tiniest penis!’
Andrew laughed, and the Uber driver craned his head and looked at me in shock.
‘Not that there is anything wrong with a smaller penis,’ I quickly added, in case I’d offended him and our Uber driver was indeed in possession of said smaller appendage. ‘Unless of course it’s a micro penis, which is an actual medical diagnosis. But that is very, very rare. Most men fall within the perfectly average five to six inches, but even if you’re a little outside of that, it really doesn’t—’
Andrew cleared his throat and placed a hand on my leg. ‘It’s okay. I’m sure he didn’t take offence.’
‘Should I stop talking?’ I asked.
‘I think you should,’ he confirmed.
‘Please, don’t stop on my account.’ The Uber driver smiled at me in the rear-view mirror. ‘This is by far the most interesting conversation that anyone has ever had in my Uber before.’
Andrew squeezed my leg. ‘When Pippa’s around, you’ll only ever have interesting conversations, trust me!’
‘Really?’ I turned to him, and he to me.
‘My all-time favorite conversations have been with you,’ he said in a hushed tone, too soft for the Uber driver to hear, but just loud enough for my ears. This was something that he wanted only me to hear.
His hand moved across my leg, and I gazed down at it. He’d turned it palm up, his fingers open and extended, almost as if he was expecting something to land in his hand. He wiggled his fingers at me, and that’s when I knew. I took my hand off my bag and slowly brought my fingertips down to his. We stayed like that for a while, me running the sensitive tips of my fingers over his in small circles. But when the feeling became uncomfortably ticklish and unpleasant, I slid my fingers into his. Skin against skin. My warm hand in his. Andrew let out a loud breath and my ribcage constricted around my heart.
I wanted more than his hand. I wanted his arm too. Both arms. I wanted to press my face into his chest. I wanted him to lie me down, lie on top me, so I could feel the weight of his body on mine.How heavy would he be?Heavy enough to push all the air out of my lungs? Would I survive with him on top of me, physically and emotionally?
I held Andrew’s hand for the entire drive. And didn’t let go, even when the moisture gathered between our palms.
Andrew stared slack-jawed at the statue by the front door.
‘Isn’t he exquisite?’ my mom gushed, gazing at her statue with such reverence you would have thought it was a religious icon.
I could see Andrew was holding back a smile. ‘He’s very . . . symmetrical and proportionate,’ he said, and I stifled a laugh.
‘Isn’t he?’ My mom beamed at Andrew. ‘I’m so glad you like it. Vern and Pippa absolutely hate him. But I think he really brings a special something to the entrance of the house, don’t you?’
‘Gives it a sense of grandeur,’ Andrew agreed, and my mom gasped.
‘It does!’ She looped her arm through his. ‘Since you’re so interested in sculptures, and clearly have an eye for aesthetics, you must come and have a look at my patio. The pillars are identical replicas of the Parthenon, and then I must show you my collection of ancient Greek crockery.’ And with that, my mother whisked Andrew away.
‘Looks like your mother has found an ally,’ my dad said, pulling me into a hug.
‘Seems like it.’
‘How was the flight? You very tired?’ He pulled out of the hug; my dad knew exactly how long to hug me for.
‘Exhausted. I was thinking of climbing straight into bed.’ My dad picked my bag up off the floor and started walking it, and me, up the massive marble staircase that led to the bedrooms upstairs.
‘Let’s hope she doesn’t bring out the Greek wine! Or you’ll be sleeping all alone in that bed tonight.’
