‘You mean you went for him?’
‘No, I didn’t touch him – I warned him. The daft cow thinks she’s in love, so she took his side and now I’m the bad guy. But I swear I didn’t hit him. I’d have been out of there in a few hours anyway, so I thought I might as well save myself the aggro and leave early.’
He sounded sincere, but Suzie wasn’t sure if she believed him. She knew from bitter experience how fast he could snap, and she couldn’t see him backing down if someone fronted up to him – especially someone who was supposedly treating his mum like crap.
Watching her face as the thoughts went through her mind, Rob said, ‘It wasn’t easy to walk away, but I did it, and I’m proud of myself for that. I don’t expect you to believe me, but I wanted you to know that I’ve changed – even if it’s too late to make a difference for us. Anyway . . .’ He hefted the strap of his rucksack higher on his shoulder. ‘I’ll get out of your hair and let you get back to bed. Take care, yeah?’
He tugged his collar up around his throat and walked up the path. It had started to rain while they were talking, and the wind was whipping rubbish around the road behind him as he stepped out onto the pavement and pulled the gate shut.
Shivering in the doorway, Suzie said, ‘Where are you going to sleep if you can’t go back to your mum’s?’
‘I’ll find a bench to kip on,’ Rob said, squinting at her through the raindrops clinging to his eyelashes.
‘In this?’ Suzie pulled a face. ‘Haven’t you got any friends who’ll put you up?’
‘Nah, I don’t want to be bothering anyone at this time of night.’
‘You weren’t worried about bothering me,’ she snorted.
‘Yeah, sorry about that,’ he apologized. ‘I wanted to see you, but it was selfish. I shouldn’t have come.’
Sighing, Suzie said, ‘You’re here now, and I’m awake, so you might as well come in and have a brew while you wait for this to die down.’
‘It’s all right, I’ll get something at the station,’ Rob said. ‘Thanks for caring, though.’
‘I didn’t say I cared,’ she replied, irritated to realize that she did. Then, before she knew she had even thought it, she heard herself saying, ‘And I suppose you could sleep on the sofa tonight if you’ve really got nowhere else to go.’
‘Cheers, but I don’t think that’s a very good idea,’ said Rob. ‘I don’t want you thinking I’m taking advantage of you.’
‘I offered,’ Suzie reminded him, unsure why she was trying to persuade him to stay when she ought to be glad to see the back of him.
‘I know, and I appreciate it, but I think I’d rather sleep on a bench.’
‘Charming!’ Suzie was offended and it showed.
‘I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.’ Rob chuckled. ‘Truth is, it’d be hard sleeping under the same roof, knowing I’ve blown it with you. Best I save you the aggro and me the regret, and walk away while it’s good, eh?’
‘Stop playing the bloody martyr and come in,’ Suzie said brusquely. ‘Now, before I change my mind.’
Rob tilted his head to one side. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes,’ she said, already wishing she’d kept her mouth shut. She hadn’t had sex since they’d broken up, and he had a way of getting under her skin like no man before him ever had, so she probably wouldn’t sleep a wink knowing he was in the house.
Rob put his hand on the gate latch, and a panicked voice in Suzie’s head hissed, What are you doing, you idiot? Tell him you’ve changed your mind! Quick, before—
‘OK, if you really don’t mind.’ He pushed the gate open. ‘But I’ll be gone first thing.’
‘Mmmm hmmm,’ she murmured, closing her eyes when he brushed past her and the combined scents of his aftershave and personal musk enveloped her.
About to follow him inside, she hesitated when someone called, ‘Excuse me . . .’ and she looked out across the road and saw Holly’s neighbour, Gee, climbing out of the back of a taxi.
‘How’s the girl?’ he asked, pulling his hood up and jogging over to her. ‘Sorry, I don’t know her name.’
‘It’s Holly, and she’s OK,’ Suzie told him, conscious of Rob standing in the hallway behind her, his eyes burning into her neck. Her talking to another man – especially one as good-looking as Gee was close up, with his warm eyes, his beautifully shaped mouth and chiselled cheekbones – was exactly the kind of thing that made him see red in the past. But if he dared try any of that shit on her tonight, she would kick his arse out so fast his head would spin.
‘That’s good,’ Gee said, stuffing his hands into his pockets and hunching his shoulders against the wind. ‘She was in a bit of a state when I saw her earlier. Something about her mum getting attacked?’
‘Yeah, but it wasn’t as bad as we thought. And her mum’s home now, so it’s all good.’
‘Cool. I’m glad it worked out for her.’
‘Me, too,’ Suzie said, thinking what a genuinely nice guy he was to take the time to check on Holly like this when he barely knew her.
‘Night, then,’ Gee said, smiling as he backed away. ‘Tell Holly I said hi.’
‘Will do. Night.’
Turning when he’d gone, Suzie looked at Rob and raised an eyebrow when she saw an all-too-familiar glint in his eyes. ‘What?’ she asked, staying put in the doorway in case she had to make a run for it.
The glint disappeared as fast as it had appeared, and Rob smiled, all innocence and light again.
