Operation Fake Relationship - Jay Northcote Page 0,46
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When Nick went downstairs, he followed the sound of conversation to the kitchen and found everyone was there aside from Pete—who was presumably still in bed. Seth was in his highchair eating a piece of toast that had been cut into fingers while the adults sat around the table. Some of them were eating, others drinking cups of tea or coffee.
“Morning, Nick.” His dad noticed him first, greeting him with a smile and a nod.
“Good morning, everyone.” Nick let his gaze flit around before settling on Jackson. Their eyes locked and Nick’s heart did a weird fluttery thing. But then Jackson looked away and the feeling was stamped out by disappointment.
Seeking distraction, Nick focused his attention on Seth who had brown smears all over his face.
“Hey, buddy. What are you eating?”
“Marmite on toast.” Adrian wrinkled his nose. “I can’t believe any son of mine could like that stuff!”
“He’s my son too,” Maria said. “He clearly got the loves-Marmite gene from me.”
“Well he definitely didn’t get it from me! It’s vile.”
Jackson chuckled, sounding like his normal self. “Ah, the great Marmite debate. I’m with you, man. It’s gross.”
“Lies. It’s delicious!” Nick joined in, relieved. This argument was familiar ground and he latched onto it, glad of the normality.
“Nah,” Jackson said. “Your taste buds must be deficient.”
Nick’s spirits lifted as they grinned at each other. “Bollocks. There’s nothing wrong with my taste buds.”
“Nick!” his mum said. “Watch your language around Seth!”
“Oh, shit. Sorry,” Nick said to Maria and Adrian, and then he clapped his hand over his mouth in horror. “Sorry again!” He grimaced. “Wow. Not swearing is really hard.”
“Don’t worry. He’s heard worse from his car seat,” Adrian said. “Especially when his mum’s driving.”
“Yeah.” Maria gave a rueful smile. “I need to work on that. At this rate his first proper word is going to be wanker.”
Everyone laughed at that, including Seth.
A little later, Maria and Adrian announced they were going out for a walk. “Anyone fancy joining us?”
It was dry today, and sun had just broken through the clouds outside. Nick wasn’t feeling very energetic, but given that he’d be sitting in a car all afternoon it would probably be nice to get out for a while. “Yeah. I’ll come.”
“Me too,” Jackson said.
“Yes, I’ll come,” Nick’s mum said. “I could do with some fresh air. Reg, what about you?”
“No. There’s something I need to get on with this morning.”
“Can’t it wait? It’s lovely outside now.”
“No. I want to get it finished.”
“Oh. Okay.” Her brow furrowed but she didn’t press him.
It was muddy after the rain, but the crisp clear air and the scent of wet leaves and earth woke Nick’s senses and lifted his spirits a little.
Adrian and Maria led the way. They were holding hands, and Seth was on Adrian’s back in a baby carrier. The sight of the three of them opened up an old familiar longing in Nick’s heart. During his string of dating disasters, Nick had kept hoping that he’d finally meet the right guy. Someone he could share his life with, someone to grow old with, someone to have a family with. But eventually he’d given up. Being single had seemed a better option than giving pieces of his soul away with every failed relationship.
He glanced at Jackson who was walking beside him, gaze fixed down on the muddy path. Maybe the right guy had been under his nose all along and Nick had been too blind to recognise him. Now he’d broken his addiction to dating wankers, he could imagine being in a relationship with Jackson. If Jackson wanted it too, then Nick really believed it could work. But Jackson had been so distant this morning, it didn’t seem likely they were on the same page.
His foot caught on a tree root and he slipped, lurching sideways and grabbing hold of Jackson as he flailed, trying to stay on his feet.
“Whoa. Careful!” Jackson said, clapping an arm around him to keep him upright.
“Sorry.” Nick flushed. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“That was close,” his mum said from behind them. “I thought you were going to end up on your back in the mud! Good catch, Jackson.”
“Yeah. Thanks.” Nick smiled.
“Any time.” Jackson lips curved in a faint echo of a smile as he drew his arm away.
Nick felt the loss of contact like a blow. His palm tingled with the urge to take Jackson’s hand, but Nick was afraid to risk it. He didn’t know what the boundaries were now and was afraid of