'She has a job here, apparently.'
Really?' I asked suspiciously. 'How do you know?'
'She works for my publisher.'
'And you haven't been seeing her''
'Definitely not!'
'Cross your heart, hope to die?'
He held up his hand.
'Scout's honour.'
'Okay,' I said slowly, 'I believe you.'
I tapped my lips.
'I don't come inside until I get one right here.'
He smiled and took me in his arms. We kissed very tenderly and I shivered.
'Consequat est laborum,' said Friday, joining in with the hug.
We walked into the house and I put Friday on the floor. His sharp eyes scanned the house for anything he could pull on top of himself.
'Thursday?'
'Yes?'
'Let's just say for reasons of convenience that I was eradicated.'
'Yuh?'
'Then everything that happened since the last time we parted outside the SpecOps building didn't really happen?'
I hugged him tightly.
'It did happen, Land. It shouldn't have, but it did.'
'Then the pain I felt was real?'
'Yes. I felt it too.'
'Then I missed you getting bulgy – got any pictures, by the way?'
'I don't think so. But play your cards right and I may show you the stretch marks.'
'I can hardly wait.'
He kissed me again and stared at Friday while an inane grin spread across his face.
'Thursday?'
'What?'
'I have a son!'