“Ask me if I’m gay, and I’ll break your neck.”
I laugh and take the mug of coffee he’s finally made. “Looks like I’m not the only one to question.”
“No, my sweet little girl has. My whole adult life has been about Texas, and although I wouldn’t have had it any other way, she’s at a stage in her life where she doesn’t need me to parent her. I’m looking forward to…how do I put it?”
“Shagging around?”
He chuckles. “Something like that.”
“You’re doing it backward, you know?”
“Play and then settle? I know, but I knocked up a groupie, so I had that situation to deal with first.” He shrugs and grins.
I love how open and lighthearted he and Texas are about what happened.
“No one around to teach you rule one about wrapping up…which I’m thankful for.”
“You’re welcome. I did it all for you,” he says dryly. “How are you going to propose? You’d better make it good.”
“I’m not sure yet. It’ll be good. I could write it on a napkin, and she’d still cry.”
My girl can get a bit emotional when it comes to us. And when she’s hungry. Or tired. Or her favourite program ends on a cliffhanger. Or Netflix doesn’t have the next series to her latest obsession.
“The summerhouse,” he says. “Do you remember the first time Texas and I met you, and you gave us that CD?”
I nod.
“Well, after I listened to it, Texas stole it. Every day, all summer, she would be out there, with the doors open, playing your album. It was on repeat. When I found out about you and Texas, she told me that Paris wasn’t the start for her. I realise now what she wasn’t telling me. It was back that summer, two years ago, when she fell in love.”
Fuck me, I love her.
“The summerhouse?” I clear my throat.
Jesus, the things that girl does to me.
My throat is lodged, and I feel like I could fucking cry. But I won’t because that would be humiliating in front of Mark.
“I can make it easier and not be here. Will wants to let off some steam in Dublin before Australia.”
Translation: Will wants to sleep with Irish chicks.
“Thanks for not being a wanker about this.”
He laughs and sits on a stool, finally comfortable and over the shock of me wanting his daughter forever. “Thank you for never breaking her heart.”
It’s a threat and one that is completely unnecessary because the only thing I would never do for that girl is hurt her.
I dip my head. “You got it.”
TEXAS
MONDAY, AUGUST 10
OXFORD, ENGLAND
“What do I get for the rock star who has it all?” I ask Milo and Cooper.
We’re out shopping for Kitt’s twenty-third birthday, which is in three days, and none of us have a single clue. I’m so grateful that I get to spend his birthday with him before he goes to rock Australia. I’d hate to be separated on special occasions.
So far, Coop is the only one suggesting things to get, but as you can imagine, it’s all highly inappropriate.
“Sex coupon?” Milo says.
I roll my eyes because that was obviously coming at some point.
“He can have sex with me anytime he likes. He doesn’t need a coupon.”
“Oh!” Coop says, slamming his hand down on the table in the café.
Great, we’ve managed a few minutes alone, and now, he’s drawing attention to us.
It’s not that bad here. We’re in a fucking expensive coffee shop where a drink costs about the same as the rent for a one-bed flat, but that does mean people aren’t all over us.
“You could get him a coupon for sex with someone else.”
I can, what?
Milo and I look at him, waiting for that to sink in and for him to realise what he’s just said.
Cooper stares back.
“Really, Coop? You think I’m giving my boyfriend something that’ll grant him a shag with another woman? And do you think Kitt would even want that?”
Because he wouldn’t.
Despite having hundreds of women willing to do anything with him or to him, I know categorically that he would never stray. He loves passionately, and he’s fiercely loyal. Kitt would never risk my heart and our relationship for anything.
He puts me above a career he’s wanted since childhood.
“All right, just thinking of ideas.” He mouths, Wow, as if I’ve said something ridiculous.
“Can we get back on track, please?” I put my head in my hands.
This is hard. I want his birthday to be perfect, I want to show him how much he means to me, but I don’t know how. Since we started our relationship, Kitt has gotten real good at the romance thing, but I’m still lacking in that department.
“Why is this stressing you out so much, Tex?” Milo asks. “Kitt doesn’t want things. You’ve given him everything by being with him.”
Coop’s eyes are back on me. “Wrap yourself up for his birthday.”
I ignore the pervert and reply to Milo, “He’s always going that extra mile for me. I want to do the same for him. If I’m all he wants, how do I give him more than that?”