Cock & Bull - Laura Barnard Page 0,80

a picnic basket, handing me a can of vodka, lime and soda. I’m pleased to see its chilled; nice.

He gets himself a bottle of Peroni. Then he takes out two takeaway bags.

‘You got a takeaway?’ I ask on a laugh.

‘I had to go to my support group first so I picked this up after. Figured we deserved a feast.’ He grins, taking out a burger and chips for us each.

I grab the burger and munch into it eagerly. ‘Oh my god, it’s SO good!’

I haven’t had a greasy burger in years.

He raises his eyebrows. ‘Alright there, lady. I didn’t realise how much you loved hamburgers.’

I laugh, covering my mouth so he can’t see what a big greedy pig I am.

‘I just haven’t had any kind of takeaway in so long.’ He smiles at me like I’m adorable. ‘Did I ever tell you our parents raised us vegans?’

He snorts a laugh, covering it with his mouth. ‘No! Jesus.’

‘Yep,’ I nod, ‘obviously we rebelled when we were teenagers. The first time Ella ate beef she chucked up everywhere.’

He points to the burger. ‘Eating here.’

‘Sorry.’ I grimace.

‘So you didn’t want to carry it on?’ he asks, seeming genuinely interested.

I chew my burger more so I can talk. ‘The sad truth is, that once I had a taste of dairy and meat there was no going back. And I mean, I shouldn’t be eating them at all. I was brought up going to rally’s and protests against them.’

‘All the while sneaking off for a yoghurt, you rebel.’ He chuckles.

‘Exactly. See, I can be the crazy one,’ I joke. ‘Ella is still vegetarian. Well, except when she’s ridiculously drunk. If she smells bacon when she’s inebriated she’s eating it, no matter how much you try and pull it off her.’

He snorts a laugh. ‘You know I don’t eat pork?’

‘Really? Why?’ I don’t think I know any meat eaters that don’t like the taste of bacon.

He shrugs. ‘My mum was actually Jewish. Not orthodox or anything, especially since she married my dad, but it’s one thing I’ve kept up. To sort of honour her. I know that sounds weird.’

I shake my head. ‘It really doesn’t. In fact, someone refusing something as tasty as bacon is a real testament to their love.’

He does that weird smile again. Like he thinks I’m cute. Or ridiculous, who knows.

‘That’s why you have the Jewish star tattoo,’ I muse out loud. He nods. ‘Kind of ironic, seen as Jews aren’t supposed to have tats.’

‘I’m nothing if not full of contradictions.’ He grins. ‘That’s also why I have the butterfly.’ He looks down at it fondly. ‘My ma used to always tell me that people who had passed came back to visit their loved ones as butterflies.’

I smile. He’s so cute.

‘I know that sounds stupid, but remember I was young.’

I shake my head. ‘It doesn’t sound stupid at all. Remember who you’re talking to here. Reincarnation is not a surprising thing to believe in.’

He scoots closer. ‘If you look really closely at the wings there’s a little D in there.’

I look closely and finally find it hidden away.

‘Her name was Deborah.’ I look up to see him smiling shyly. God he can be adorable.

I need to change the subject. Things have gotten too serious.

‘But what about the sausages you cooked us?’ I blurt out.

‘They’re Quorn. I knew you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.’

I laugh. ‘Suki sure did though.’

We laugh together, finishing the food in no time. Especially with me shovelling it down my throat like a heifer. Way to appear sexy.

‘Well, to think I thought you were a lady.’ He snorts, balling up the fast food wrappers and throwing them into the picnic hamper.

I try not to smile. ‘Yeah, yeah. You just caught me when I was hungry.’

‘Didn’t realise you hadn’t eaten in twelve years.’ He chuckles.

I throw my empty can at him. He gets another one out for me.

‘Trying to get me drunk?’ I joke. There’s that nervous excited bubbling in my stomach again.

‘Maybe.’ His eyes light up with that mischief I’ve come to love so much. Dammit, there I go with the love word. I am not going to fall in love with Clooney.

I take a large sip. ‘So, can I tell you why I was so upset with you the other day?’

It’s been eating away at me. He rolls his eyes. ‘Oh god, we’re going to re-hash this again are we?’

I smile to let him know I’m not in a mood. ‘Unlike you, I like to talk