Merry Measure - Lily Morton Page 0,45

if doing a sad Mexican wave. However, Jack shakes his head.

“I didn’t suggest you tag along at all,” he tells Steven. “You suggested it and obviously ignored me when I replied that it was a bad idea.”

Steven waves his hand rather cavalierly and sits back in his chair. “It’s all arranged now and like I told you, I’ve spent all this money to get here. We’re all grown-ups, Jack.”

“Some more than others,” my brother says sweetly.

I bite my lip to hide my smile and Steven gives me a look that suggests he’s profoundly hoping that I die hideously.

“We should be civilised,” he says, turning to Jack who looks somewhat nauseated. “I want to maintain my relationship with Derek and Barbara.”

“I’m sure you’ll all be very happy together,” I mutter.

He slaps the table and turns to me. “Why are you getting involved, Arlo?” he hisses. “Or are you still waiting your turn for him? News flash, he thinks you’re a child. He used to laugh about you.”

I’m blindsided. Did Jack do that?

“You shut your mouth,” my brother says sharply.

We all startle when Jack’s chair screeches. He stands up and snaps, “That’s enough.”

Steven’s eyes bulge, and mine might be doing the same. I don’t think any of us have ever heard that tone from Jack.

His colour is up, and his eyes are bright with anger. “I’ve never spoken about Arlo in that way. I don’t want you to speak to Arlo like that ever again, Steven. In fact, to keep me happy, you won’t even look at him from now on.”

I abruptly imagine climbing on the table, crawling over to Jack, and kissing his face off. Would that upset the other diners?

“Well really, Jack,” Steven says, putting his hand to his chest. “I’ve never been spoken to like that before.”

“I’m absolutely sure that’s just not true,” Jack says. “The last time you paid the taxi driver with spare change to take you to Heathrow, he said a lot worse.”

Several chuckles erupt around the table.

Steven flushes. “Well, I think you’re just eaten up with missing me,” he hisses.

Jack shakes his head, looking almost bored. “I’m really not, but you can certainly think that if it makes you happy.”

“Prove it.” The words are like a gunshot.

“What?” Jack looks startled.

“Prove you’re over me. We’ll go out for the day all together. It’ll be just like old times.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” Bee mutters. “I don’t want another Louvre, and I’m sure you don’t want to run the risk of any more nuns.”

I stare at Steven. He’s suddenly so transparent to me. He wants Jack, yes, but not because he’s in love with him. I could excuse that, because at least it would mean that he saw Jack’s value and cared for him. But Steven’s body language screams thwarted. He’s angry mostly because Jack binned him.

I glance at Jack to find him staring at Steven. Then to my amazement, he looks at me and drops me a wink. “While a trip down memory lane does sound absolutely delightful, I’m going to have to decline,” he says smoothly. “You see, Arlo and I are going out for the day on our own.”

I narrowly resist saying, “Are we?” Instead, I watch as Steven swells up like a bullfrog.

“You’re doing what?” he says.

Jack smiles sweetly. “We’re going out.” He grabs his coat and holds out his hand to me. “Ready, Arlo?”

Unbidden, a huge smile spreads across my face. “You bet I am,” I say happily, and as Steven glares at us, I take Jack’s hand and let him guide me out of the breakfast room.

Eleven

Arlo

Once we’re outside the breakfast room, Jack pauses and takes a deep breath.

I eye him affectionately. “You alright there, Rocky?”

He shakes his head and smiles at me. “I really hate arguments,” he says, and there’s something in the fervency of his tone that touches my heart.

“Well, while I feel that you deserve a medal for putting Steven in his place, that really wasn’t an argument,” I tell him. “You can surely remember the great boxer-brief event in the Wright house. Now, that was an argument.”

He winces. “I’m perfectly sure that you and Tom did not need to have a tug of war over that underwear, regardless of who it belonged to, and it went way too far with the wedgie-ing at the breakfast table.”

“I’ve never heard Tom make a noise like that,” I say affectionately. “It was like a baby bird in the nest.”

He laughs, and I’m pleased to see the strain falling from his