CHAPTER TWENTY
Hunter
Aiden
Are you two around? My brother is annoying the fuck out of me and I need space
Hunter
Yeah, sure. We’re at home. Everything okay?
Aiden
Fine, will explain when I get there
“That sounds ominous,”I said as I read Aiden’s message. “Think Jonny knows?”
“Yeah, probably,” Bailey said. He was stretched out across one section of the sofa, his feet tucked under my thighs. He’d tried to have them in my lap but his toes were getting in the way while I attempted to crochet and it was pissing annoying.
“How badly do you think we’re gonna get yelled at tomorrow?”
“Dunno. If Devon’s there, hopefully not much. Plus I don’t think Jonny’ll want to air out his brother’s sex life to the whole team. It’s more likely he’ll corner us afterwards.”
“Better leave on time then.” I put my phone down and picked up my yarn and crochet hook so I could finish the square I was working on. It was a bit crooked, but it had character. I still wasn’t sure how I was going to turn them all into a blanket because my sewing skills were non-existent, but I’d figure it out. Or I’d ask my mum.
Bailey hummed, then after a few minutes said, “Let’s go out this evening. Do something fun. Then we can take Aiden’s mind off his brother. Plus if we’re doing something—something that’s not sex—he might open up a bit. It’s always easier to talk about shit that’s bothering you if you don’t have to stare the other person in the face.”
“Okay… yeah, that makes sense. Where do you wanna go?” I wasn’t opposed to the idea. It was a good one. But I didn’t really know what there was to do that wasn’t clubs, bars, or sport related. There was the cinema, but that was it. “We could see what’s on at the Odeon?”
“Maybe. But it’s hard to talk during a movie.”
“Hmm, yeah.”
“And those seats are really small for you.”
They were and it was bloody annoying. Being tall and athletic was a nightmare when it came to public spaces. It always felt like my knees were up around my ears whenever I sat down, and sometimes my feet even went numb from being crammed into seats with no leg room. I always had to make sure we had seats in the back row too. Otherwise nobody could see over my head.
Flying was another hellscape altogether, and these days I always forked out for business or first class simply because they were the only seats I’d fit in. But it did mean I got to avoid the nightmare of flying Ryanair.
“What about mini-golf?” Bailey asked, turning his phone around to show me a website he’d pulled up. “There’s one near the uni. And they have spots free for this evening. They have a bar too.”
I grinned. “Think they’ll have a putter I can use?”
He laughed. “If not, we’ll get you a full-sized golf club.”
“Where the fuck from?”
“I don’t know! I haven’t got that far yet.” He nudged me pointedly with his foot. “Or I can find something else? Maybe bowling?”
“Nah, mini-golf sounds fun. And now I have an excuse to accuse you two of cheating.” I put my crochet down and leant over him to beg for a kiss.
“Is this a bribe? Are you trying to pay me off so I won’t notice if you cheat?” Bailey asked as he pushed himself into a seated position and brushed his lips over mine. I loved that this was something we did now. I couldn’t get enough of it.
“No, I don’t need to cheat to beat you.”
“Really?”
“Really. Because I’m amazing.”
