“I’ll fall to pieces if people don’t laugh but…”
“I will.”
Kaden chuckled. “Make sure it’s at a place where I mean to be funny.”
Which made Joe laugh.
When they arrived, Kaden found the host and signed in. He was fifth on the list. Safely in the middle of the pack. The venuewas filling up quickly but they found a table at the side of the room and pulled over extra chairs for Kaden’s friends.
“Would you like a drink?” Joe asked.
“I’ll get us one.”
He’d just come back with what looked like a pina colada for Joe—yum—and a bottle of beer for himself when a group of guys descended on their table. There was a lot of hugging. Kaden seemed to have his own fan club.
“Joe, this is Euan, Danny, Ben, Mike and Lars. Guys meet Joe. Formerly known as Jalis.”
Joe shook their hands. He didn’t miss the flicker of disappointment that crossed Ben’s face.Too bad. He’s mine now.
“So you’re the gamer,” Danny said.
“I try.” Joe smiled.
“How are you finding life in the UK?” Euan asked.
“I like it.”
“What’s not to like?” Ben muttered.
“Rudeness. Litter. Traffic. Queues. And the weather,” Joe said. “Not in that order.”
They all laughed. Even Ben, which felt like a small personal victory.
Joe’s heart was beating fast but he managed to hold his own when they asked questions. Most of them were about Afghanistan, which was easier territory.
When the first act came on, they went quiet, much to Joe’s relief. Then Kaden left the table to go backstage and gave Joe a kiss before he went. Joe made sure he didn’t look at Ben.
Kaden burst onto the stage like he was late for his own life, while the spotlight tried and failed to keep up. It swung past him. He chased it. It dodged him again. The audience was already laughing.
Oh. This is on purpose.
Finally, the spotlight caught him.
Kaden wiped his forehead dramatically. “Yes, I’m here. Hello! Good evening!”
The light slid away again. Kaden followed it.
“You’re a lively lot. Great energy. Slightly concerning eye contact from the front row—yes, you. Don’t panic. But you do remind me of a hamster.”
The guy laughed.
“No, it’s a compliment. Very…prepared. Are you storing snacks in your cheeks right now? Just in case?”
More laughter.
“Good. Because I’ve had enough trouble with normal-sized hamsters.”
Kaden paced across the stage. “Pets. When you think about it, they’re basically tiny, chaotic housemates who don’t pay towards their upkeep, cost you a fortune if they fall ill, you have to wait on them hand and foot, pick up their poop and all for those few moments when they’re cute and not biting you or licking their backside. Is that enough compensation for the stress they cause? You pay, what—twenty quid for a hamster? Bargain compared to dogs and cats, especially dogs. Then you spend three hundred pounds on what can only be described as the London Underground for Hamsters. Tubes everywhere.”
