by L.H. Cosway
“I’ll make no promises, Neilio. There’s a good chance I’ll complain, and you’ll just have to sit back and endure it.” With that, she ended the call before I could tell her to quit calling me Neilio again.
I slid my laptop onto the nightstand and lay back, unable to stop thinking about the fact that Afric didn’t like to kiss. I wondered if it was a phobia or a germs thing. She had mentioned that she liked how clean I always was. Then I considered that it could be due to a bad experience and my jaw clenched instinctively. Had someone forced themselves on her? Had she gone through something awful and was now forever traumatised by the experience? For some reason, I really wanted to get to the bottom of her strange aversion.
Turning over, I clicked off the lamp and closed my eyes. Afric’s pretty lips and cute smile filled my mind as I drifted off to sleep.
Afric
It was only three p.m., and I was already impatient for my nightly video call with Neil. I’d just finished up streaming for the day and decided to go out and treat myself to some sushi at my usual haunt. Instead of taking the bus or a taxi, I decided to stretch my legs and walk since the weather was decent. I could always do with getting a little extra vitamin D since I spent way too much time indoors.
I stopped by my mailbox on my way out of the building and found several bills and one or two items addressed to Sarita. I was busy sorting through them and sticking them in my bag when a familiar raucous laugh caught my attention.
“I’m telling ya, those nuns are like bloodhounds,” the familiar voice proclaimed. “I took a girl from St. Mary’s to her Debs last week, and this one nun got all up in my face when we were dancing. She told me to leave room for Jesus. I tried to explain to her the ridiculousness of the statement. Jesus is an important man. He has far better things to be doing with his time than making sure I keep a respectable distance from the girl enthusiastically backing her arse up against me on the dancefloor.”
I smiled wide as I turned around, beaming as I took in the sight of my younger brother, Billy. His curly hair was an unruly mop, and his hazel eyes shone bright with mischief. He’d teased that he might come for a visit, but I hadn’t expected him to turn up so soon. The only luggage he had was a backpack slung over his shoulder.
Billy’s eyes caught mine, and he smiled right back, his phone held to his ear.
“Listen, bud, I better go. I’m visiting my sister in London. Yeah, I’ll give you a call as soon as I’m back home.”
He hung up and slid his phone in his pocket before opening his arms wide. I dove right into them, and he swung me around with a chuckle. “You came to visit!” I said in delight when he let me go.
“I told you to keep an eye out for me, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did, and I’m so happy you’re here. How long are you staying for?”
“Not sure yet. I only bought a one-way ticket. You know me, I like to play it fast and loose.”
“And it’s why I love you. I was just heading out to grab something to eat.”
“Perfect timing. I literally stepped off the plane an hour ago, and I’m famished.”
With that, I grinned then gave him a clip round the ear.
“Hey!” Billy exclaimed. “What was that for?”
“That was for giving cheek to a nun. Have a little respect.”
“She was the one who started it. I was only defending myself!”
I shook my head at him. These antics were typical of Billy. “I can’t believe some silly girl was crazy enough to ask you to escort her to a dance in the first place,” I said in mild amusement. “That’s just asking for trouble.”
“It was Anne-Marie O’Dwyer from around the way. Remember her?”
“Yes, I do. I didn’t think she was your type.”
“She’s not really, but I was bored enough to accept the invitation.”
“Maybe you should focus on girls your own age.”
“She’s nineteen, and I’m twenty-three. I’m hardly out snatching cradles.”
“Still, I think you need an older woman. Someone with enough spirit to handle your wildness and keep you on the straight and narrow.”
“The Straight and Narrow is what they’ve started calling the alley at the back of Hennessy’s pub,” Billy countered. “Couples do be riding in that alley like the clappers on a Saturday night, so if that’s the sort of place you think I should be frequenting—"
“Don’t be cute,” I interrupted. “You know what I meant.”
“I do, but it’s far more fun to be wilfully obtuse.”
I shook my head at him, grinning as I replied, “They should’ve called it Pump Alley instead.”
Billy gave a hoot of laughter as we reached the restaurant, pulling open the door before motioning me in. We managed to snag my favourite table by the window, and I realised it was the exact same spot where I shared that first lunch with Neil and Michaela. I thought about our discussion last night. I’d been in high spirits complaining about the lack of a sex scene in North and South when I’d blurted out my dislike of kissing and history of break-ups. It wasn’t something I generally went around telling people, mainly because it was none of their business. But the more I thought about the way Neil had looked at me with a mixture of surprise and sympathy, the more I regretted my confession.
I didn’t want him feeling sorry for me because there was nothing to feel sorry about. It wasn’t that I’d always hated kissing; experiences had simply moulded me in such a way that my stomach now turned at the idea of locking lips with anyone. I wasn’t traumatised, okay? I just didn’t enjoy it. I could still have a full and active sex life minus the kissing.
“So,” I said to Billy after we’d both given our orders to the waiter. “How’s everyone back home? It’s been a while since I last chatted with Mam and Dad on the phone.”
“Hmm, let me see,” Billy replied, rubbing his chin. “Ryan’s busy with the wife and kids, as per usual. Maura works every hour God sends. Sharon and her partner just got approved for a mortgage. Patrick is still single and living his best bachelor life. The twins’ restaurant is doing well, and as you know, Helen is still at home with Mam and Dad. I’m not sure she’ll ever move out, but they like having her there all the same.”
“Well, if she’s happy and they’re happy, then there isn’t really anything wrong with it,” I said, thinking of my older sister. She was twenty-seven and suffered from severe anxiety, which meant she’d shied away from many of life’s milestones in favour of staying at home with our parents. She found solace in the repetition of the familiar, and that was fine by me. Whatever keeps you sane.
“And what about you? Where have you been living? Have you been working at all?” I asked, bringing my attention back to Billy.
“Ah, you know me. I’m a piece of driftwood floating down the stream,” he replied, making flowing motions with his hands. “I go where life’s crazy path decides to take me. I did a stint at Electric Picnic over the summer, but right now, I’m in between gigs.”
I pursed my lips, studying him more closely. “So, you aren’t living anywhere in particular?”
“I’ve been sleeping on friends’ couches mostly. But sure, it’s grand. I always have a room at Mam and Dad’s that I can go back to if worse comes to worst.”
“You can’t couch surf forever, though. Why don’t you think about moving over here? We can find you a job and a room to rent. It’ll be great. That way, we can see each other all the time.” It’d also give me the chance to keep an eye on him. Billy had a reckless streak, and the rest of my family were often too busy with their own lives to realise when he needed help.
“You know, that doesn’t sound half bad. I do love this city.”
“London’s a great place to live. There’s always something happening here. I think you’d fit right in.”
“Okay, I’ll think about it,” Billy agreed just as our food arrived. He dug into his sushi rolls while I was distracted by my phone vibrating with a message.
I ope
ned it up, my mouth shaping into a smile when I saw Neil had sent another selfie. It appeared to have been taken next to the steps leading down into a subway station. Neil smiled confidently into the camera, and for a second, something warm and fuzzy filled my chest. He looked so … well, he looked hot in a professional, office clerk sort of way. Neil wore his usual buttoned-up shirt and glasses, but there was something in his eyes, a comfort in his own skin that wasn’t always present. I only got glimpses of it from time to time, like when that bloke bumped into me outside the gaming sphere and he’d chased him down. Or later, when he’d slid his arm around my waist and confidently informed Dev he’d been keeping me busy. The memory sent a rush of butterflies through me.
I typed out a reply.
Afric: Wow, you really knocked it out of the park with that one, Neil. Seriously, I have no notes.
Afric: NO NOTES.
Neil: Honestly? This isn’t some elaborate ruse to lull me into a false sense of confidence before you tear me down?
Afric: I promise there’s no ruse. You look great! I’m a proud mama bear.
I hit send before I had the chance to read it back. Oh, God … Did I really just type … “mama bear?” Who says that? I spent several moments freaking out before I snapped myself out of it. I wasn’t the type to second guess myself. And it wasn’t like I was texting someone who’d sneer at me. This was just Neil. I’d spent the last few nights in my PJs stuffing my face in front of my laptop screen with him while watching a period romance.
Neil: Pretty sure that’s not possible since I’m several years older than you ;-)
I chewed my lip, deciding to double down instead of admitting embarrassment.
Afric: It is possible. I birthed you from an insecure little babe into the confident selfie-taking professional you are today.
Neil: The image of you birthing me has left me feeling rather uncomfortable …
I grinned as I read this message.
Afric: Stop picturing it then, ya big perv!
Neil: You’re the one who created the picture in the first place!
Afric: I planted the idea. You’re the one who took the time to visualise it.
Neil: This is such a weird conversation.
Afric: I know. And you’re welcome.
Afric: And I meant what I said. It’s a great photo of you :-)
Neil: Thanks. I’m glad my selfie-taking has finally passed muster.
“What are you smiling about?” Billy questioned. “More to the point, who are you texting with?”
I put my phone down and glanced at my brother. “I’m texting my friend, Neil. He’s in New York at the moment for work.”
Billy tilted his head. “Neil? Neil? I don’t recall you mentioning a Neil before.”
“He’s a new friend,” I said as I plucked up a sushi roll before dipping it in some soy sauce.
Billy waggled his eyebrows. “A special friend?”
I smirked. “No, he’s just a regular friend. But I love talking to him. He’s so prim and proper, so easy to rile. I have great fun teasing him.”
“Interesting,” Billy said with a knowing little smile.
“What’s interesting?”
“You fancy him.”
“No, I don’t,” I said, then paused to think about it. “Well, I do think he’s cute and handsome, but not in a way that makes me want to jump into bed with him. Besides, he’s besotted with this bitch called Annabelle, so—”
“A bitch called Annabelle,” Billy mused. “It gets better. You definitely fancy him.”
“I haven’t finished talking, have I? I called her a bitch because she works in a gym and makes fun of overweight people when they’re working out. I went to her gym on one of those free day passes and saw her doing it with my own two eyes.”
Billy laughed loudly. “My god, you have it bad. What were you playing at going to her place of work? Were you spying?”
“Well, yes, but it’s not what you think. You know my friend Michaela who works for the Running on Air TV show?”
Billy nodded, still with that annoying smile on his face.
“Neil and Michaela work together. That’s how I met him. At first, he found me annoying and I found him dull, but when we got to know each other better, we both changed our minds. Well, I changed my mind. Neil might still find me annoying, but he suffers it because I’m helping him out.”
“How are you helping him?”
“I’m helping him to become more confident, and that has a lot to do with Annabelle. I can’t tell you all the details because it’s Neil’s business, but Annabelle doesn’t actually know Neil’s true identity. He’s been catfishing her. I promised him I’d help him come clean to Annabelle, but the more I learn about her, the more I don’t think she’s right for him.”
“Are you sure this Neil fella’s a good bloke? Catfishing is a bit shady, especially in this day and age.”
“Like I said, I can’t tell you all the details, but if you knew how it all came about, you’d actually feel sorry for him. He didn’t intentionally set out to catfish her. It’s complicated. And I think he was a little lonely at the time. But the person he’s pretending to be is the exact opposite of Neil, which makes things even worse. If Annabelle is the vain, narcissistic type I suspect she is, then she could break Neil’s heart when she sees the real him.”
Billy took a sip of his drink. “Poor bloke.”
“I have a plan, though. I’m going to try and set him up with someone else before he ever gets the chance to meet Annabelle.”
Billy’s smirk re-emerged. “And would this someone else happen to be you?”
I rolled my eyes. “No, I’m not setting him up with me. I already told you I don’t fancy him. I’m going to find him a nice, kind, pretty lady. Someone who will appreciate what a gem he is.”
“Sure, sure,” Billy said, clearly not believing me for a second.
I frowned as I focused on my food. Did I fancy Neil? Was that why I felt so passionate about keeping him away from Annabelle? I mean, I did think he was handsome, and as had already been established, he had a fantastic backside that I enjoyed ogling. But it wasn’t just how he looked. I liked Neil’s personality on a fundamental level. I looked forward to talking to him at the end of each day, hearing his opinions and takes on things, and arguing with him when I disagreed.
Even sitting here now, it was hours until our video call, and I was already wishing those hours away. Had chatting and watching period dramas with Neil somehow become the highlight of my day?
Ah, hell, maybe Billy was onto something after all.
9.
Neil
A soft, delicate hand ran down my bare stomach, and my gut swam with desire. She laughed softly, and it vibrated through me, lighting me up from the inside out. Her hand went lower, taking me fully into her grasp. I turned over, and a flash of blue hair filled my vision. I threw my head back as she fisted me, pumping once, twice …
When I glanced at her again, her hair was no longer blue, but blonde, and now she was lowering herself down my body, tugging at the waistband of my jeans …
I woke on a gasp, blinking at the clock on the bedside dresser. It read 6:07 a.m. My alarm normally went off at 6:30 a.m., but I’d woken early, probably due to the intensity of the dream I’d just had. One part of me wished to go back to it, but another part wished to avoid it altogether. The woman in my dream had held a striking resemblance to …
No, I refused to delve too deeply into whatever that meant. It was just a silly dream. Nothing to be concerned about.
Climbing out of bed, I headed straight for the shower, setting the water temperature to slightly cooler than normal. It did the trick to temper the heat that had been burning under the surface of my skin. Once out of the shower, I dressed, checked my agenda for the day, then set off to start work. I had a busy schedule to contend with, but I welcomed it since it allowed me to avoid analysing my unexpectedly erotic dream.
Later on, I’d just finished grabbing lu
nches for the cast when my phone rang with a call from my sister. “Hello, Rosie,” I answered.
“Hey, thought I’d give you a bell, check how things are going over there,” she replied.
“Things are good. The filming is on schedule, and no one’s managed to injure themselves too badly so far,” I said before taking a sip from my coffee as I leaned back against a wall. I’d been on my feet all day, and this was the first chance I’d had to grab some caffeine.
“That’s great to hear. I’m at work, too. We’re just about to close up for the day,” Rosie said. “I’m nervous because I had the wild idea to set up a book club and the first meeting is later this week. I’m worried nobody will turn up.”
“I’m sure people will show. Book clubs are hugely popular these days,” I said to reassure her. “What book are you going to be discussing?”
I heard Rosie blow out a breath on the other end of the line. “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Do you think it’s too quirky for a first pick?”
“No way. That’s a great book and it has a fantastic twist. People love twists. You chose well.”
“I hope so. The head librarian, Noleen, will be only too thrilled to shove the failure in my face if it isn’t a success.”
“I didn’t realise working in a library could be so cutthroat,” I said just as I spotted Callum headed my way.
Rosie sighed. “You have no idea. Listen, I better go, but I’ll call again later in the week. Grandma’s been wanting me to set up a video call. She misses you. She always does whenever you have to travel for work.”
“Well, tell her I miss her, too. And let me know when you want to do the video call. I’ll make sure I’m available.”
“Will do! Talk soon,” Rosie said.
I hung up just as Callum reached me. He had sunglasses on, so I couldn’t tell what kind of mood he was in. We were currently camped out in one of the many city parks we’d been filming in. Right now, everybody was having lunch, though Callum was always the fastest eater of the bunch.
“Neil, I was hoping to have a word with you,” he said, and my stomach lurched. A sense of dread set in as I imagined he’d discovered my online relationship with Annabelle and was about to tell me I was fired.
