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‘I need us to fix it first.’
‘So, you’re in? You want to fix it?’
‘I do.’ I nod and his face lights up.
‘I don’t care how hard I’m going to have to work. I’m ready.’
‘You’re going to have to work harder than telling me that you want to “Teach me a lesson”. You know that song is about sexual domination – right?’ I point to the speakers, where Robin Thicke’s voice is softly issuing sexual threats.
‘What? No.’
We both crack up.
I pull him, fingers still intertwined, into the kitchen, where I make the coffee, check on the softened ice cream and start making our affogatos. Just as I finish, the front door crashes open and a very drunk Caleb stumbles in loudly.
‘That was fast. Heeeelllooo, Jasper.’ Caleb raises a hand, waves hello and sits on a stool at the far end of the island. ‘Mmmm, affogatos. Can I join? It’s not like I’m a third wheel. You guys are just friends, aren’t you?’
I know what he’s doing and I don’t like it.
‘Caleb, come on.’
Before Jasper can pat him on the shoulder, Caleb blocks it with the back of his hand.
‘Ariella, you don’t mind, do you? Shall we assume our normal positions?’ he asks me before diverting his attention to Jasper.
‘I normally sit here.’ He points to his seat. ‘Ariella usually sits on the counter – here.’ Caleb slaps his hand down on the workspace to the side of him and runs his fingers over it. ‘Your ex-girlfriend…girlfriend? No? Okay, yes, ex-girlfriend is not a fan of the stool.’
He narrows his eyes at me and I pray that I am mistaken about what is coming next.
‘The one thing, however, that she can sit on, quite successfully, come to think of it—’
‘Caleb, you’re drunk.’ I interrupt sharply, terrified that he might finish.
‘I’m thinking more clearly than you are. What’s he doing here? The last time I checked, you’d broken up, and now it’s all nicey-nicey?’
‘It’s none of your business.’ I clear my throat.
Caleb tilts his body in my direction and whispers, ‘You deserve each other.’
‘There’s no need to whisper, everyone can hear you,’ Jasper says, irritated. Caleb looks around, as if perplexed at where ‘everyone’ is.
‘Great. So, let’s all share our news with everyone.’
‘You should get some sleep, Caleb.’ I beg him with my eyes.
‘No chance. There’s sooooo much to catcheveryoneup on.’
‘Please, Caleb?’ I hear my voice shake as I beg again. That gets through to him.
‘Weeeellll, I suppose it is late. Keep your hands to yourself, Jasper!’ He points at Jasper before he stumbles into his room.
Jasper and I watch him as he shuts the door.
‘Wow! Does that happen often?’ Jasper asks, still staring at Caleb’s shut bedroom door.
‘Not as much nowadays. It was almost daily when I first moved in. He’ll wake up tomorrow morning as bright as a button and knock out five miles in thirty minutes.’
‘I don’t know what on earth made me think you could ever be with him.’
