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‘I won’t.’
‘Oh, you will.’ I chuckle. She doesn’t snore or drool, but I have her completely convinced that she does. ‘I’ll do you a deal. We’ll get two under our belt tomorrow. I need to sleep off last night’s sofa.’
‘Deal. Goodnight, Caleb.’
She retreats to her room while I finish tidying. For no particular reason, I listen for the shower in her room to come on. As soon as I hear the pipes, I smile at her predictability. Then I catch myself at my own ridiculousness, waiting to hear her settle in.
THIRTEEN
ARIELLA
Knowing a little more about Caleb makes life in the apartment easier. After the party, I think we may have become friends. He irritatingly makes a point of reminding me to get on Swipey every day and, by the end of the first week, I’m used to checking it every evening. I hide from Caleb when I do. Left to him, I’d be out at every opportunity with the less salubrious matches and ditching the normal-sounding ones. Thankfully Caleb announces during an episode ofThe Sopranosone evening that, in anticipation of my many male visitors, he is going to get a new door with a peephole and chain put in.
‘Tim and Jack are coming over to sort it tomorrow. Normally we’re in the pub, so it seems as good a time as any.’
‘Tim from the emergency list?’
‘Yeah.’
‘He was really nice to me. I didn’t know you were friends. I just thought he was the handyman.’
‘Ha. No. Tim, Jack and I are heading to the South of France together.’
‘If you guys are giving up your Monday night in the pub, I’ll cook to say thank you; especially to Tim.’
‘You know Tim is married, right?’ Caleb asks with a suspicious tone.
‘Of course! His family sounds very sweet.’
‘Good, because I don’t want you getting any ideas…’
‘Your mind resides in the gutter, Caleb.’
‘Just checking. I’m sure the guys won’t say no to a meal, but maybe keep it simple?’
‘Steak and chips?’
‘Perfect,’ he says, giving me a friendly little shove. His phone starts to vibrate and I see him send a call from Nicole to voicemail. He’s been doing that a lot recently.
‘How’s Nicole? You guys okay?’
‘There is no “us guys”. Thanks to you, I almost ended up in a relationship with her, but I’m cooling it and pulling back for a bit to make a point.’
‘What point is that?’
‘That we shouldn’t expect anything from each other.’
‘Why don’t you talk to her, instead of ghosting her?’
‘Like you did with Jasper?’
Caleb hits where it hurts.
‘I’m going to bed.’
I get up and Caleb gently catches my arm.
‘I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that.’
