The Grand Pact (The Grand Men #1)(75)

“I slipped getting in the boat. My phone went with me.”

“Right. Let’s get you boys warmed up.” She holds out her phone as she turns to walk away. “Call Nina and let her know you’re okay, please.”

I take the phone and call Nina. She doesn’t make a big deal about it, but I know she would’ve been worried when they couldn’t get hold of me. Part of me is pissed at Lucy for worrying them, but she wasn’t to know. It probably sounded bad from her point of view.

I shower and change into some old sweatpants and a tee, then I go and find Ellis. He is in the kitchen, sitting on the kitchen island with a chocolate-covered spoon.

Walking past him and my mum, I dip my finger in the cake mix she is spreading and kiss her cheek. “Thank you for sorting Ellis.”

“You have to be more careful of your language around him,” she tells me, not deviating from her task. “He’s advanced for his age, and you need to remember that.”

“I was going down, Mum. And Mase has said worse for sure.” I walk to the Rayburn and place my phone on top of a tea towel. “Will this dry it out?”

Mum peers over her shoulder, a frown marring her already wrinkled face. “It might. You could try rice if not.”

I nod, checking the cupboards for snacks. “Shall we go watch a film, Ell?” I ask Ellis, knowing his dad hates the nickname. “You can pick today.”

“Yes!”

“Can I borrow your phone, Mum? I need to call Luce back.”

“It’s wherever you left it,” she tells me, watching as I leave the kitchen with Ellis in my arms. She wants to ask questions, but I don’t let her.

I take Ellis to the cinema room and settle him on the oversized sofa. “What do you want to watch today?”

He shrugs. “Don’t know.”

“There must be something you want to watch?” He looks up at me dazed, and I can tell he’s tired. “How about we have a look through, see what there is?”

He nods and scoots up the sofa as I sit down. We end up settling on Spiderman, and for the first thirty minutes, the little guy is glued to the screen. Then his head bops, and he climbs into my lap.

I lay us down, letting him sprawl out over my chest.

“Auntie Lucy’s in York,” he tells me, pointing at the TV.

“She is.” I smile, feeling proud of how smart he is.

“She doesn’t pick me up on Thursday anymore.”

“No, but she misses you lots, and it won’t be for long, and she will come home again.”

“We used to go for secrets.”

“Go for secrets?” I frown.

“At the ice cream shop.”

I chuckle, hugging his precious frame tighter. I could listen to his jumbled words all day.

“Does she go for secrets without me now?”

“No! She would never. It’s your thing, bud.”

He seems to accept that and snuggles deeper into me, his little hands fisting my tee tight at my sides. My own eyes start to grow heavy, and by the time he’s asleep on me, I’m drifting off, too.





“Elliot. Elliot.” I feel a hand on my shoulder. “Ell.”

My eyes open to find my mum standing at the back of the sofa. A warm smile slides over her face, and she nods at Ellis. “Such a sweet little angel.” I see her eyes grow shiny, and I know she is thinking about Ellis’s grandmother—her best friend.

“What time is it?” I ask.

“Just gone three. Your phone’s working.” She passes it to me, and I thank her. “Don’t let him sleep much longer, or he won’t sleep tonight.”

I nod, letting Ellis’s warmth, along with the sleepy haze I’m in wrap around me.

Afternoon naps are the shit.

I unlock my phone and breathe a sigh of relief to see it working.

Elliot: Hey beautiful.

Princess: Hi

Elliot: I’m at mum and dads, with a sleeping Ellis on me. Wanna know what’s missing?

Princess: ??

Elliot: You.

I see three dots bounce, then stop, then start again. My brows draw in as I wait.

Elliot: Outta your head

Princess: Can I ask you a question?

Elliot: Always

Princess: I’m sorry I’m asking this. You know I never question you and I feel so stupid over it.

Her next message comes straight in.

Princess: Did you go home with Harriet last night?

My stomach bottoms out, making Ellis on my chest feel like a lead weight.

“What?”

I go to type, and my phone flashes off.

“Shit!”

Where the hell is this coming from?

Why would she think that?

My throat feels too tight, and I lie stoic on the sofa, my annoyance growing by the second.

She thinks I slept with Harriet.

I snigger, chewing on my lip. Of all the people who could label me, and after everything that’s happened over the last month.

Surely she knows.

Needing to speak to her, I slowly sit up and ease Ellis awake before taking him to see my mum.

She takes him and smooths down his back as she watches me closely. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing. Just something I need to sort out.”