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“It’s not the nineteen twenties anymore, or whatever year it was that drinking alcohol whilst breastfeeding was acceptable.” Elle calls on a laugh.
“How does she hear us?” I whisper, eyeing the open doorway to the kitchen suspiciously.
Valentine just shrugs and moves away. “She’s a special girl.”
“You’ve got a visitor.” Elle calls and Valentine grins and rushes to the door. “Not you. I’m talking to Gwen.”
The old woman huffs and stomps past me, throwing a dishrag on the side as she goes. Giggling, I step into the main area and smile at Eric, “Is it lunch time already?”
“Holy crap!” He blinks, looking me up and down. “I was expecting Casper, not the Jammerwocky.”
“The what?” I laugh, looking myself up and down.
“You know, the Jabberwocky? But with jam, because you’re covered in the stuff.”
“Hello to you too.” I grin, ducking under the counter after throwing my apron onto the side.
He cups my cheeks with his hands and gently butts his forehead against mine. I start laughing. What the hell was that? “Hey.”
“What was that?”
“A butt greet.”
“I don’t get it.” Elle shouts, though her shouting isn’t necessary. We’re no more than ten feet away from her.
“We haven’t kissed yet.” Eric says by way of explanation. It goes straight over our heads. He sighs and continues. “How else am I supposed to greet her? If I hug her, I’m covered in jam, because we all know that apron is useless when it comes to Gwen.”
“You could have just shaken her hand.” Valentine shouts from the kitchen.
Elle looks at me with wide eyes. “How the hell does she hear us?”
They really don’t know how funny they are.
I pull Eric to the nearest table and sit. My aching feet appreciate it. A loud and unattractive yawn escapes me.
“Tired?”
“Hmm.” I rest my head on my folded arms. “Exhausted. It happens when you only sleep for two hours.”
“Dillan? He was getting cranky before I left. Maybe he missed me.”
Or he sensed my mood. “Yeah, possibly.”
Eric plays with the side of my hair. It feels good until I realise he’s actually picking out sesame seeds. “Do you swim in baking ingredients back there?”
“Shut it.” I stick my tongue out at him and close my eyes for a moment. “What do you want for lunch? Tell Elle, she’ll grab it for you.”
“There goes my something special.” Eric jokes, still picking sesame seeds from my hair. “They just keep appearing!”
Peeking open one eye, I stare up at the handsome man who looks like a monkey picking bugs from its partner. Normally I’d shy away from such a ridiculous display, but right now I’m too tired. My eyes close again and unfortunately I don’t realise I’ve fallen asleep until I feel Elle stab me up the nose with a drinking straw and almost punch Eric in the face.
“Take her home, I can manage today.” Valentine says, waving her hand at Eric. “Go on, before I change my mind.”
“Thank you.”
“Go on, be in tomorrow an hour early. You can help me prep.”
“Okay.” I can sleep! Sweet happy times.
Eric leads me to his car. I laugh when he places a towel over the seat and helps me in. guarding his car from my messy clothes.
“That’s the first time you’ve helped me into a car and it wasn’t for me, it was for your car.” I point out, making his cheeks pink slightly.
“You have arms; you can open the car door yourself.” He puts the car in gear and pulls out into the street. “We’re going to my place, if that’s okay? You can shower there.”
Blink. Shower there? “I don’t really…”
“Please? You’ve never seen my place before.” When he asks so nicely, how can I say no?
It’s only a fifteen minute drive and five minutes of that was down to traffic congestion. His house is small, I can see that already, but it’s very cute – a terraced house in between two houses that don’t look to be in great condition. The painted bricks are flaking very unattractively. Eric’s house is lovely though. Either he or his landlord keep up with the work.
The inside is as expected, plain apart from the few pictures on the walls of friends and family. “Welcome to my humble abode. Follow me.”
I follow him up the steep, narrow staircase and onto the landing. We enter a bathroom and he immediately hands two large, fluffy, white bath towels to me. “I’ll fetch you something to wear. Take your time.”
“I really do need to sleep.” I say, not liking how pushy he’s being. “Maybe I should just…”
“Babe.” He cups my cheeks with his hands. “You’re fine. Have a shower. I’ll make you something to eat, give you a quick tour and then you can sleep.”
“Where?”
“I do have a bed.” His smile is full of mischief. I don’t like it much. He rolls his eyes on a sigh. “I don’t mean it like that. Go on, let me look after you this once.”
