I roll my eyes. “Yes, I got your stupid beer. Why couldn’t you get it?”
“I was running late and you said you were stopping for wine anyway.”
I smirk and go back into the kitchen. Somehow Brock has got into the habit of me organising him, and he even refers to me as his PA.
PA, my ass.
Natasha fills my glass and I sit next to them at the counter. Mum is cooking fried rice.
“How was your day?” I smile.
Abbie leans in. “Ben hooked up last night,” she whispers. “He must have been furious about your fight.”
“What?” My eyes flicker outside to where he is. Oh, that’s right, he was with me. “How do you know?” I whisper back. Ben and I talked about this; we don’t want anyone to know anything yet. I want to avoid another Eric disaster.
Natasha glances outside guiltily. “We called around on the way over here to see his place.”
“What’s it like?” I interrupt.
“Fucking amazing,” Abbie replies.
I smirk because I know it is. “And?”
“His mattress wasn’t even blown up,” Natasha whispers.
I frown as I try to keep a straight face. “What do you mean, blown up?” I reply as I take a quick glance outside.
“He has a blow-up mattress,” Natasha tells me.
“Where is his furniture?” I ask innocently.
“He hasn’t got any yet.”
I roll my lips as I look at Ben. His legs are wide apart, his arms folded as he stands there with his squarer than square jaw and those huge muscular shoulders and arms that scream fuck me now. Hmm. Delicious. I smirk and look back at the girls. “I don’t understand.”
“He didn’t sleep at my house because I checked late, and I didn’t hear him come home all night,” Natasha whispers. It’s getting hard to keep a straight face.
“Right.” I frown.
“And he didn’t sleep at his new house,” Abbie whispers as she widens her eyes. “You don’t have to be Einstein to work this shit out.”
“Oh…” I nod.
Mum goes out to the boys. “Can I ask someone a favour, please? The light down in the cellar needs changing and I can’t reach it.”
“I’ll do it,” Max offers.
“I can help, too,” Ben adds, and the two of them disappear around the side of the house and down the steps with Mum.
Brock comes in to put his beer in the fridge. “Did Ben pick up last night?” Natasha asks him straight out.
“No.” He frowns.
“How do you know?” Abbie asks.
Brock’s eyes flicker between us. “Because I know.” He rolls his eyes.
“How?” Natasha demands.
“Because he’s obsessed with Didge. I know he wouldn’t pick up.”
Natasha narrows her eyes. “Well, where did he sleep then?”
He shrugs and opens his beer to take a big swig. “I don’t know, but, like…” He sips again and shrugs. “He hasn’t had sex in months. He wouldn’t come all the way to Australia to pick up some random chick.”
I bite my bottom lip to stop an over the top smile from covering my face.
Joshua walks inside and stands with us. He takes a handful of chips and throws them into his mouth.
Hang on a minute. Did I hear that right? “What do you mean he hasn’t had sex in months?” I frown.
Brock frowns at Joshua. “What did he say, Stan?”
Joshua rolls his eyes, uninterested. “I don’t know, something lame.”
“When did he say this?” I ask.
“The other night when we were out. Said he only had one girl on his mind and nobody else could get the job done. Said it’s been months.” He widens his eyes at me.
A stupid, goofy grin nearly splits my face.
Brock points at Joshua. “That’s weird, but… right? It’s a job. Anyone can get it done.”
Joshua smirks. “That’s what I was thinking.”
Natasha looks at Joshua, deadpan. “Well, your jobs may never get done again.”
He winks playfully, and she rolls her eyes in disgust.
I giggle and turn to see Ben walking back through the backyard with Mum and Max. My heart skips a beat. I head out in time to hear Mum talking to Cameron.
“Cameron, who was that beautiful girl you were with at the wedding?”
“Oh, that’s April,” he tells her.
“She was gorgeous,” Mum gushes.
“Yeah, she’s nice.” He shrugs. “She’s not Mrs. Stanton.”
Joshua smirks as he walks out the backyard in time to hear his brother.
“Cameron.” I shake my head. “You’re never going to find someone good enough to be Mrs. Stanton. There’s always something wrong with them.”
He winks cheekily. “When I meet her, I’ll know.” He slaps Ben on the shoulder. “Hey, Ben?”
Ben shakes his head and I smile. His eyes flicker to me, and I feel a flutter deep in the pit of my stomach.
“Excuse me.” Ben smiles before heading inside and disappearing up the hall.
Ha, finally I can catch him alone.
I wait a few moments and then head up the hall in search of him. The bathroom door is shut so I wait in my old bedroom up the hall. A few minutes later he walks past and I reach out to grab him by the hand and pull him into the room before I shut the door.