AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My immediate thought: what did I do? “Okay, bad time to call?”
“Yes.”
“What’s up?”
She takes a deep breath. “Because the heating wasn't working the house got too cold and now the bloody water pipes have frozen and burst!”
“Oh. Shit.”
“Yes, oh shit! My room is at the top of the house and it all poured through from the attic!” She shouts the words, alarming me. “The dickhead didn't notice until half the house was flooded and now we can't live there until it's fixed!”
I raise an eyebrow at Avery's language, glad I'm not the dickhead on the receiving end of her displeasure. “What are you going to do?”
“Enjoy the new swimming pool in my room,” she says, sarcastically. “I don't bloody know.”
“I have a house with a pool in the States. They make a great feature.”
A silence frostier and harder than the ice rink we visited a couple of nights ago follows. “You are an insensitive arsehole sometimes!”
“Whoa. Okay.”
“I just told you my room with all my possessions is flooded and you think it's funny?”
“You made the joke!”
“Forget it. I need to go and sort out somewhere to stay for a couple of days. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“I have a spare room,cariad.”
“Hang on.” Muffled shouting continues at somebody else in the room before Avery returns to our call. “I don't think that's a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“I just don't.”
I take a deep breath. “Hell, I only mean a day or two! Where are you going to sleep tonight?”
“No idea. I'll find a friend's place to crash at. I was about to call a couple of them.”
“It's 7 p.m. now. Stay with me tonight and find somewhere you're comfortable with staying long-term tomorrow.”
“I'm not sure.”
“Now you're being obstinate! I have more than one bed. I'm not asking you to share mine.”Probably best to dismiss images of Avery naked in my bed.
There’s a long pause. “Maybe one night. If that's okay with you?”
“Of course,cariad, I'd be happier to know you're not homeless.”
* * *
AVERY
“Your house was a mess,”Bryn says as he effortlessly swings my half-full rucksack into the hallway.
“I can't believe my clothes are ruined. I have one set to wear. I need to buy some more.” The shock of my evening is tapering into a surreal fog around my world. Bryn could be taking me to the moon and I don't think I'd notice where I was. Lists of things I need to do cycle my head, distracting me from any real conversation.
“Mia might have left some clothes,” Bryn suggests.
