Chapter 15 #2
If he can’t tour because he’s lodged in his staircase, I can relax for a couple of months.
Maybe finally get a holiday. I deserve a break after all my hard work.
Although, if he runs out of money, I might be out of a job.
Gethin better write me a glowing reference now he’s talking good shit about me.
‘Oy, you two nosey buggers,’ I shout up. ‘Don’t you have anything better to do? Like sleeping or minding your own damn business?’
Here come The Shining twins again. Matching grins spread over their faces. Not as annoying this time around. Guess it’s a lot less irritating when you like both of the gruesome twosome.
‘We’re chatting,’ Cai replies.
Sure. Chatting. They’re practically drooling in anticipation of juicy gossip. I’m surprised I didn’t catch them with a glass to the door, getting the news fresh from the source.
I’m not gonna give them what they want straight away. I mould my face into a look of disappointment – my smile upside down and my eyelids half-closed – and use my fatigue to my advantage to slump my shoulders. My gaze sticks to the floor as I move to the shoe rack to dig out my trainers.
I barely get a toe in before Lucy cracks. ‘Are you not going to tell us what Gethin wanted?’
‘Oh.’ I sigh, loud and overdramatic. ‘Nothing. I guess.’
‘Seriously?’ She’s so shrill, I’m surprised the neighbours' dogs aren’t kicking off.
Her face twists in a grimace, and she’s already on her feet, thundering down the stairs.
‘Then why did he ask you to stay behind? Whatever it was, I can tell him it’s not true.
That we made up, and we’re working together now. ’
Cai jumps from his spot. ‘And I’ll back her up. Say I’ve seen it for myself.’
Someone needs to tell them I am good at my job, and I’m not always in trouble.
Jeez. Cai’s safe. It took a lot of hard fucking work to keep him safe, so that he could come home without worrying about another intrusion.
And despite all the threats popping, my mate can do what he loves and hasn’t come to any harm. That’s all because of me.
I shake off the negativity seeping into my good mood. It’s not their fault I’m always getting a bollocking.
‘Though it’s great you’d lie to him for me, mate, you don’t have to. It’s fine. I can go to the job centre tomorrow.’
‘Oh, for fuck’s sake.’ He stomps his way down the stairs. ‘I’ll fucking fire him if I—’
I wait until he’s almost past me and grab him, spinning him around to face me. ‘I’m not in trouble, mate. Gethin said I did good with everything. I’m not losing my job. I don’t have to go work as a bouncer at—’
‘Oh, what?’ He squeals like one of his fangirls and wraps his arms around me in a vice-like hug, squeezing all the air out of my lungs. ‘You’re a dickhead. I was worried about you.’
‘Don’t be too surprised it was a nice chat. Sometimes I know what I’m talking about.’
Lucy hovers behind us, her body twitching like she wants to join in on the cuddle, but professional boundaries stop her.
I’ve seen her sink into hugs from Cai before, but never initiates them herself.
It doesn’t surprise me when she settles a little out of arm’s reach and clasps her hands in front of her.
‘Does that mean you’ll be employee of the month?’ she asks.
‘Nah, there’s no way I’d beat you, Luce.’
I’m about to tease her about how visibly she relaxes, but a half-asleep Beth appears at the top of the stairs. Her hair’s a bird nest piled on top of her head, and her pyjamas have flying pigs on them. She sprawls over the bannister and yawns.
‘What’s the racket?’
‘Shit, babe. I forgot you were asleep.’ Cai releases me and hurries to her, taking the stairs two at a time. Guess I’m not number one with him, either. He lifts a hand to brush escaped tendrils of hair out of her face, but she pushes him away.
‘Stop fussing over me. I’m fine.’
‘Yeah, Cai,’ I butt in. ‘She never used to let Mam look after her when she was sick. Just because you lurve her doesn’t mean she’ll let you coddle her. Leave her alone.’
I make my way up the stairs because, despite my teasing, I haven’t checked in on her.
It’s been us versus the world since Mam died, and it’s my job to make sure she’s okay.
She’s paler than normal and purple bags hang from her eyes.
Pillow lines mark her face. Shit, she really was sleeping.
Has she lost weight? I swear she’s smaller than when I last saw her. I hold my arms out for her.
‘Sut wyt ti?’
‘Tired.’ She yawns to make her point. ‘Cai kept me up for most of the night.’
‘Oh, gross. Stop it before I puke.’ No guy wants to know what his sister gets up to with his best friend, thank you very much.
She steps into my arms. May hate being babied, but she’s always up for a cwtch with her favourite brother. I pull her close, stroking her hair.
‘I’m taking some time off work,’ she says, pulling away and sliding into Cai’s waiting arm, cuddling into his side instead.
‘All of this being in the limelight is stressful, so Chelsea has allowed me some special leave. Adding that to the tons of days off I’ve not used, and I can basically afford to come on tour with you all. ’
‘You haven’t quit to follow Cai around the country then?’ It’s half-joking, but I do need to know. If she’s coming away with us, I might need extra staff to watch her.
‘Absolutely not.’
‘No way I’d ask her to do that, mate,’ Cai adds.
‘‘Exactly,’ Beth replies, ‘but I wanna stay close. All this weird stuff going on’s making it hard to concentrate anyway.’
I’m happy with that. If she’s with us, I can keep a better eye on her. It’s not like Tad will care if she’s coping with all this extra attention. Can’t rely on him to check in on her.
‘Not worried about me, are you?’ Cai teases. ‘I’m safe cos I pay Rhys a fuck ton to look after me.’
‘And he does an okay job at it.’
‘Oy!’ That’s rude.
She untangles herself from Cai’s side and stretches. ‘Okay, I’m awake now and fed up of talking about all this shit. Who fancies a glass of wine?’
Lucy’s hand’s the first in the air. Surprising. I had her pinned as an early-to-bed-to-read kind of girl. Surely nine’s way past her bedtime.
‘Excellent. I knew we’d be friends the first time I met you, Lucy.
Plus, if you’re going to be on tour with my brother and Cai, we should find out more about each other.
’ She wraps an arm around Lucy’s shoulder and steers her towards the front room.
‘Go grab a bottle of the good stuff, babe. Rhys, are there snacks?’
Cai raises his eyebrows at me but follows the girls like a puppy. Sucker. Even if who he’s in love with changes as quickly as the UK’s number one song, he’s way too loyal to whoever’s his current fixation.
I suppress a yawn. I could turn the invite down and go back to my flat. My body aches, my head pounds – not helped by the amount of carbs and coffee I’m running on. But the chance to spend more time with everyone’s too hard to resist. What can I say? I like people.
Well, I like Cai and my sister, and I’m warming to Lucy. There’s a tiny part of me that’d like to get to know her better.
For tour reasons, of course.
‘There’s leftover pizza,’ I offer, hurrying after them and blinking to remove the grit from my eyes. Sleep can wait. I deserve a little celebrating.