Chapter Four
Jonathan
I was trying to focus on some end of the week paperwork when Theo waltzed through the front doors of Winchester & Sons, the skirts of his strawberry summer dress twirling and a beaming smile on his face.
I could practically see trouble radiating out of him, which was dangerous for my work because I already knew from past experience that he was going to try and drag me into whatever he was planning.
And while I was much better at saying no and being firm, I was not invincible.
Only Laurie possessed that power.
“Jonathan,” Theo said sweetly as he leant on the top of the high-sided reception desk and peered over at me, his cornflower-blue eyes wide and innocent.
It was a trap, of course, to lure me in and wrap me around his little finger.
Many people fell at this first hurdle, including most of Theo’s friends.
“No,” I said, barely glancing up from my screen as I focused on the forms in front of me.
“But you don’t even know what I was going to say! You can’t just say no without knowing the whole situation.”
I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose. I was too tired for this today, although it was largely self-inflicted. I’d stayed up far too late every night this week thinking about Alfie.
It was probably silly to spend so much time reminiscing about one evening that had been nothing more than conversation, but I couldn’t remember the last time I’d made that sort of connection with anyone.
I kept replaying all the things he’d said, playing each sentence over and over in my mind until I could have repeated the entire conversation verbatim.
I wished I’d remembered to ask where to find him or asked for his number. Anything to talk to him again.
I was sure Theo could find him in an instant if I told him, but then I’d have to endure all of Theo’s questions and excitement. And while I knew it came from a good place, I also didn’t want Theo asking me about Alfie every twenty seconds for the rest of the year.
“What were you going to say?” I asked as I looked up at him, noting the giddiness in his eyes.
“Did you know there’s a new ice cream shop opened near the front? It’s on the street over from Novel Tea… Saltgate!”
“No, I didn’t. I assume you’ve already been?”
“Yes! They had the most amazing strawberry and cream one.” He sighed happily, like a very contented cat. I almost expected him to start purring. “There’re loads of other ones I want to try too. We should go!”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “You’ve already had one ice cream today, do you really think Laurie will let you have another?”
“I’m thirty-three,” he said with a giggle. “Laurie can’t stop me.”
“Can’t stop you doing what?” Laurie asked, appearing out of his office with an amused look as he straightened the front of the brocaded waistcoat he was wearing. I kept meaning to ask him where he’d gotten it, because I wanted one similar.
“Nothing,” Theo said, in a sing-song voice as he turned to look at his fiancé.
“The smile on your face says something different, my love.”
“I was just telling Jonathan that there’s a new ice cream shop down on Saltgate, and since it’s so nice outside, we should all go and get some.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It looks gorgeous.”
I glanced back at my form as I listened, knowing that Laurie was trying to get Theo to admit to having been.
He undoubtedly already knew, since his office door had been ajar, and I was sure Theo knew that too.
But this was what their relationship was and since the conversation was innocent, at least from the outside, I wasn’t sure I could object.
They could do whatever they did behind closed doors when they went home. And I could go back to my little house and begin my search for Alfie again.
“Well, since it’s such a nice day, perhaps we should all go out,” Laurie said, yanking me back into the conversation. “My treat.”
“Really?” Theo asked, clapping his hands together and practically bouncing up and down.
“You don’t need to do that,” I said.
“Of course I do,” Laurie said. “We always bring you something back when we go to Novel Tea, but that’s a little harder with ice cream. And I’m pretty sure you don’t want a half-melted cup of goop, no matter how delicious it is.”
“If you’re sure…” It was true, they did always bring me back treats from Novel Tea, the coffee shop their friends Alex and Spencer owned, and I tried to do the same when possible. But this felt slightly different. Maybe because we were all going together, rather than me staying behind.
“I am. Everything will be absolutely fine if we leave for half an hour. And I’ve got my phone on me if necessary.” Laurie smiled encouragingly. “The fresh air will do us all some good. As will the ice cream.”
“Exactly,” Theo said, darting around the desk to grab my hand, gently pulling me towards him. I gave in and stood rather than letting the chair roll across the floor. “Come on, Jonathan. You can’t stay indoors forever.”
“I don’t. I go outside at least twice a day during the week.”
Theo scoffed. “Walking to work doesn’t count.”
“Really? How often do you go outside?” I asked, knowing that Theo went for about as many walks as I did and spent half his free time gaming or doing work for his MyFans.
“I’m different.”
“How?”
“I’m older than you, it doesn’t count.”
“Theo,” Laurie said firmly. “Leave poor Jonathan alone. You know perfectly well your plans for this weekend involve rotting in your gaming chair unless forced to do otherwise.”
“Yes, but—”
“No buts, you know it’s true.” Laurie walked over to the front door and opened it with one hand while pulling his keys out of his pocket with the other. “Let’s go.”
Theo’s hand was still in mine as he led me to the door, but I didn’t object.
Theo was a very tactile person, but he’d always made sure I was comfortable, and sure enough, as soon as we stepped into the warm, June sunshine, he squeezed my hand and smiled at me.
“Do you mind me holding your paw? I can hold Laurie’s instead. ”
“You’re fine,” I said. “What games are you playing this weekend?”
“I’m not sure. There’s a remaster of Radiance: Symphony of Stars that I want to try.
I never played the original but it looks super fun and I’m a sucker for vampire games.
If not there’s this new one where you run a haunted hotel.
I don’t usually play a lot of cosy games, but it looks so cute!
There’s little ghosts as guests and staff members.
The ghost chef has a giant hat! And the doorman has a giant moustache. ”
“That sounds fun, I’ve heard about the remaster of Symphony of Stars but I’ve never played the original either.”
“What about you? Got any nice plans? You don’t have another tournament until July, right?”
“Not really, and no, the next one is at the start of July in Middlesbrough,” I said as we walked along towards the centre of Heather Bay and the road that would lead us to the front, next to the sea.
“I’ll probably paint some more of the vampire knights I’ve been working on, and maybe print a couple of things since the weather is nice and my resin printer works better when it’s warm but not too hot.
And I promised my parents I’d go round for lunch on Sunday. ”
“Oh? That sounds so good! I should do a roast this weekend. Laurie!” Theo turned and looked over his shoulder at Laurie, who was walking just behind us. “I’m going to make a roast on Sunday.”
“That would be lovely, darling,” Laurie said, with that soft smile he reserved exclusively for Theo.
Ever since they’d gotten engaged at the end of May, they seemed to have become more in love than ever—if that was even possible.
Their relationship was the sort I wanted for myself but didn’t think would ever be possible to find.
I’d had precisely one boyfriend in my life and our relationship had lasted six months when we were eighteen and in our final year of high school, doing our A-levels.
We’d broken up amicably because he’d headed off to university in Lincoln and I hadn’t wanted to go that far.
We still messaged occasionally, and I suppose if I’d been my parent’s age we’d have sent each other Christmas cards.
Theo talked to me all the way and his boundless energy was almost infectious. He went on a whole tangent about ice cream and his favourite flavours and what he wanted to try from the new shop. He’d most certainly given the game away to Laurie, but I didn’t think he cared.
“Just down here,” he said as we reached the turning for the top of Saltgate. The narrow, cobbled street led down to the front: the wide path that ran parallel to the beach, which curved around like a horseshoe. “They have a board down the other end, but not here.”
“I guess not many people come this way unless they’re local,” I said. “They’re more likely to wander up from the beach.”
“True.”
I was about to ask Theo what this place looked like or what it was called, when I saw a small crowd of people outside a shop near the end of the street.
There was a bright teal sign with bold pink-and-white lettering that said Lick It!
, and I realised it had been designed to look like ice cream was melting down each letter.
There were some colourful metal tables and chairs outside on the cobbles, which had people gathered around them, and behind them were two large windows on either side of an open door that was also painted teal.
The windows had neon signs of ice cream cones being licked hanging in the middle, and I bit back a smile as I wondered how well they’d go over with some of the more conservative locals.
Just as we were about to go in, I heard Laurie’s work phone ring and, as Theo and I turned to look at him, he gestured at the door. “I’ll be two minutes, I just need to answer this. You two go ahead.”
“I’ll get you a cone,” Theo said as he pulled me into the shop. “I know what he likes if he ends up getting held up. And I’ve got my wallet too.”
“I can pay for mine,” I said as we stepped inside, my eyes immediately drawn to the bright slogan plastered above the menu behind the counter which read, I licked it so it’s mine!
“Nope, I’m getting these. And you’re not allowed to argue, you just say ‘thank you Theo’,” he said with a giggle as he let go of my hand to open his handbag. “What would you like?”
“What do they…” I trailed off as I looked down from the menu to the counter and found my gaze stuck on the man standing between them.
Alfie looked up from where he’d been putting another tub of ice cream into place, and his soft mouth curved into the charming smile that had so completely floored me last weekend I’d nearly choked.
He was wearing a pale blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the top button undone, tucked into a pair of light blue jeans with a brown belt, his honey-blond curls slightly askew.
My chest felt very tight, like breathing had suddenly become optional.
Then he opened his mouth and my name rolled off his tongue like it belonged there. “Jonathan?”