Operation Fake Relationship - Jay Northcote Page 0,39
and loyalty could be damaged irrevocably if they risked a relationship and it didn’t work out. There was far too much to lose. Somehow they had to find a way to get back to normal once they got home.
One more night, Nick promised himself. We can have just one more night, and then it will be over and everything will go back to how it was.
Nick woke to the creak of the bed as Jackson climbed out of it.
“What time is it?”
“Nearly nine,” Jackson replied. “I’ve been awake reading for a while, but I’m getting hungry. I thought I’d have a shower now if that’s okay?”
“Yeah. Course. Go for it.”
Left alone, Nick got up just long enough to open the curtains and wrinkle his nose at the slate grey sky and the rain. He fell back into bed and watched raindrops trickle down the window pane, hoping the half-arsed daylight would wake his brain up a bit. He was groggy and headachy this morning after tossing and turning for hours last night, stressing about Jackson.
Jackson didn’t seem to have had any trouble sleeping, Nick thought resentfully. Why was he the only one losing sleep over this?
Despite his uneasy thoughts, his eyelids drooped and he dozed off again, waking when Jackson returned with a towel around his waist.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” He pulled off the towel and threw it at Nick.
“Oi!” Nick sat up and whipped Jackson’s arse with the towel until Jackson grabbed it and won the ensuing tug-of-war.
They grinned at each other, and Nick’s spirits lifted. Things were going to be okay. This was Jackson. They’d been mates for too long to fuck this up.
“You getting up, lazy butt?” Jackson asked once he was dressed. “Or am I gonna have to go and forage for breakfast in your parents’ kitchen all alone?”
“I’ll get up.” Nick heaved himself out of bed, stretched and yawned, then started to put on his clothes.
The rain persisted all morning, and nobody fancied venturing out. Pete took up residence in front of the TV, Nick’s dad disappeared into his study, and his mum shut herself away to do some yoga. Nick and Jackson spent the morning helping Maria and Adrian entertain Seth, and helped Nick’s mum make lunch while Seth had a short nap.
The early part of the afternoon was more of the same. Nick was bored and restless, glad of the distraction when Seth was around. It was hard to be anxious when his nephew was so cute. He seemed to have decided Nick was his favourite person today, and made Nick read the animal book with him over and over until he got overexcited and boisterous, climbing over Nick and Jackson until they made a pile of cushions for him in the middle of the floor to climb on instead.
Finally he wore himself out and it was naptime again.
“Wave bye to Uncle Nick,” Adrian said. “Bye bye.” He waved at Nick, demonstrating.
Nick waved back, grinning at Seth. “Bye, Seth. Have a good nap.”
Seth blinked, eyes slightly glazed, and then held out a chubby hand with starfish fingers and opened and closed his fist a few times.
“Clever boy!” Maria beamed from her spot on the sofa. “And wave to Uncle Jackson too.”
Nick’s heart picked up and he glanced at Jackson. Jackson just smiled and waved to Seth, who mirrored the action again.
Once they’d gone, Nick’s gaze strayed to the window. The rain was still falling hard, but he couldn’t bear the thought of sitting around for the rest of the day. Then suddenly he remembered there was a very good reason for him to go out.
Standing, he said, “I’m going to pop out to fill the car up with petrol. It was running pretty low when we got here.”
“Can’t you do it on the way home tomorrow?” Jackson asked, brow furrowed.
“I could. But I fancy getting out. Plus there’s a shop at the petrol station.” Nick gave him a meaningful look for a second before adding, “And I’m craving some salt and vinegar crisps. Mum and Dad don’t have any.”
“Really?” Jackson sounded unconvinced.
Had he forgotten what they’d said last night? “Yes. Really.” Nick held Jackson’s gaze, eyebrows raised meaningfully.
Finally comprehension dawned on Jackson’s face. “Oh. Right.” He flashed Nick a quick smile, which filled Nick with relief. “Yeah, good idea.”
Maria gave them both a strange look and then said, “I might come along too. We’re almost out of baby wipes.”
“I can pick some up for you,” Nick said swiftly. The last thing he needed was company