Short Stack - Lily Morton Page 0,114

stairs dressed in jeans and a navy and white striped T-shirt. Gideon’s out on the drive talking to Julian. The estate agent is leaning against the car in an expensive-looking navy suit. The paintwork of the car gleams in the sunshine and so do Julian’s teeth as he smiles widely at Gideon.

My other half is dressed in jeans and a black polo shirt. He’s laughing at something that Julian is saying, but as soon as I exit the house and shut the door behind me, his head turns, and he gives me the smile reserved just for me. Warm and very loving.

“Sweetheart, Julian’s got some good choices for us today.”

“I’ll look forward to it,” I say, smiling at Julian coolly.

He doesn’t return it, giving me a sneer instead. When Gideon isn’t watching or listening, Julian is totally dismissive of me. When Gideon is looking, Julian’s as friendly as if we’ve known each other for years. Unfortunately for Julian, today Gideon turns at the wrong moment, and although Julian hastens to smile, I think Gideon caught the sour expression directed at me.

“Okay, then,” Gideon says slowly. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Julian springs into motion, holding the door open so Gideon can slide into the front seat and leaving me to scramble into the back. I clip my seat belt in and catch Gid’s eye in the mirror. A frown of concentration is on his face, and he looks closely at Julian as he climbs in and starts the engine.

“Let’s get this party started,” Julian says cheerfully. “Gid, I thought we’d start in Helford. There’s a fantastic five-bedroom barn conversion there that overlooks the river.”

“Gideon,” my boyfriend says, and I look up at the slight chill in his voice.

“Sorry?” Julian flashes him a quick look.

“My name is Gideon, not Gid.”

Julian looks nonplussed, and I hastily conceal a smirk. “Sorry, Gideon,” he says quickly. “It’s just that Eli calls you that.”

“Well, Eli is my partner,” Gideon says smoothly. “Different rules.”

There’s a short, startled silence, and then Julian rallies. “Of course there are. Okay, sorry,” he says, giving Gideon a charming smile. “Gideon, it is. So, barn conversion first?”

Half an hour later we pull up outside a stone building. It’s pristine with paintwork that gleams in the sunshine. It’s also huge and has three or four outbuildings on the property.

“Barn?” I mutter to Gideon as I get out of the car. “It’s a fucking mansion for cows.”

He grimaces and looks at the house. “I suppose it’s private. And it’s definitely nice and big,” he says consideringly.

“And nice and expensive,” I say softly, going past him. “My money won’t help much with this. I could probably afford to buy one of the windows.” I look at the house. “But only the small bathroom one. And that’s if it’s not double-glazed.”

“Eli,” he sighs. “I keep saying that it doesn’t matter.”

I turn to face him, aware of Julian coming towards us. “And that’s the problem,” I say softly.

Julian reaches us before Gideon can reply. “Let’s have a look,” he says, brandishing the key.

We follow him up the stairs, and I walk behind, listening to Gid and Julian talk about the specs of the house and how much land comes with it. Apparently, it’s half of Cornwall, or at least that’s what it sounds like.

I look around. It is beautiful and peaceful, but it’s so utterly perfect in every detail, and somehow it’s just not us. Or at least not what I think Gid and I are. I don’t know, though. Maybe this is Gideon. Perhaps I don’t know him as well as I believe. I shake my head at my stupid thoughts just as Gideon stops walking.

“This isn’t right, is it?” he asks me.

“Why?”

He looks around, searching for words. “It’s just not us, love. We’re not multi garages and bidet people.”

“I’m definitely not a bidet person. My auntie had one in her house when I was five. I thought it was a posh water dispenser until my mum screamed at me.” He laughs, and I smile, filled with so much love for him that I almost can’t contain it. “No,” I say. “It’s definitely not us.”

We stand smiling at each other for a long beat until Julian stirs.

“So, not this one, then?” he says slowly. Then he pastes a smile on his face. “Well, I’ve got more.”

And he does. For the rest of the afternoon, we look at modern mansions and more barn conversions. All of them lovely. All of them in the million to