‘Yes, very. But that’s okay. What’s wrong?’

Her mum looked to her dad. Darla felt uneasy. ‘There’s no easy way to say this but we thought you ought to hear it from us rather than someone else—’

‘Or on the internet,’ chipped in her mum. ‘I got a message from a friend of Barbara’s who’d had a Facebook thingy from a friend of his mum.’

She loved them but, boy, sometimes they were frustrating. ‘Hear what?’ she asked.

‘Patrick has been arrested,’ said her dad.

His statement threw her. She should probably seem surprised so belatedly she gasped. ‘Oh dear. But he’s nothing to do with me anymore. We split up a long time ago.’ She feared her very bad acting would give her away.

‘He tried to kidnap someone,’ blurted out her mum, her hand rushing to her mouth.

‘No, he . . . I’m sure he didn’t mean to,’ said Darla.

‘How do you accidentally kidnap someone?’ asked her dad, still looking cross.

‘I don’t know. But it’s nothing to do with me so that’s good.’ What was she saying?

‘We thought we should warn you in case he got in touch,’ said her father.

‘He might go on the run,’ said her mum, who had possibly been watching too many ITV dramas.

‘No, he’s . . .’ It was hard not to correct the mistakes in the story and fill in the blanks when she knew that the police hadn’t charged him with anything more serious than attempted theft and criminal damage so he was likely only looking at a fine. ‘I’m sure Patrick will apologise and sort everything out.’

‘The man’s a criminal, Darla. He could be capable of anything.’ Her mum leaned in with wide eyes. ‘He could hold you hostage!’

Yep, far too many ITV dramas. ‘Okay. Well, I’ll be sure to keep away from him. If he were to get in touch. Which he won’t. Because why would he?’ She was gabbling so she stopped and pulled the covers up a little higher.

‘Anyway, we thought you should know so we’ll leave you to . . . whoever.’

‘Okay, thanks. Love you both. Bye.’ Darla had never been so glad to end a call with her parents.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Ros slept the best she had for a long while and for the first time in many months when she woke up the sense of impending doom wasn’t weighing upon her. She’d not realised how much her father’s condition had been a dark shadow over her life. Thankfully now that shadow had lifted. Her father had taken a risk and it had paid off. It was an odd sense of elation even though her dad had advised caution and had gone over all the expected caveats that it was still early days on the treatment and it did not mean he was in remission or that his battle with cancer was over. But his future looked decidedly brighter, which was definitely cause for celebration.

‘Good morning,’ said Cameron, walking from the bathroom to his bedroom with a bath towel slung low on his hips and his usually bouncy hair in wet curls. Seeing him reminded her that whilst her biggest concern had been resolved it had now created another one.

‘Morning. Actually when you’re dried and dressed do you think we could have a chat?’ she asked, trying hard not to stare at his naked torso.

‘Sure, what about?’ he said, coming over. His glistening body was somewhat of a distraction.

‘It’s about the contract. Or more precisely the impact of Dad’s announcement on said contract.’

‘Okay.’ He sat down and the towel gaped open.

‘Naked!’ she squeaked. Ros quickly averted her eyes. ‘You’d best get less exposed under there with no clothes. Some clothes. Anything to cover things up.’ Apparently she’d lost the ability to form proper sentences.

‘I don’t think we should make any snap decisions but—’

There was no way Ros was going to be able to concentrate while he was wearing just a damp towel, especially one that was no longer providing proper coverage. ‘I’m sure you’d be more comfortable with clothes on. You get dressed and I’ll make us both a coffee.’

‘Okay. I’ll be back in a jiffy.’

Ros made the coffees and Cameron returned in a Cookie Monster T-shirt and flowery board shorts. She was getting used to his childish attire and now found it endearing. Perspective was an interesting thing. A little like looking at the world through a kaleidoscope so that you only saw the pretty things.

‘Thanks,’ he said, sitting down and moving his mug onto a nearby coaster. It was an added bonus that he was house-trained. ‘It’s brilliant news about your dad. I’m really stoked about it. And it explains why he’s not needed me to walk Gazza lately. He obviously has the energy to do it himself, which is a great sign.’

‘I know. I feel the same but we do need to discuss the contract. And basically it is now null and void so you are free to go, but I will of course pay you up to the original anticipated end date so you won’t be out of pocket. And thank you. You did the job beyond my expectations.’

‘Oh right.’ Cameron seemed shocked. ‘I was hoping I’d be able to stay here until the new house share is sorted.’

Ros almost slipped off the arm of the sofa in her haste to answer him. ‘Of course you can stay. Stay as long as you like. I’m not chucking you out. I just didn’t want you thinking you were stuck with the um . . . situation and with me. But we can stop this silly sham now, which will be a relief, won’t it?’ She nodded more times than was necessary to a sentence that she didn’t agree with. In the end she’d thoroughly enjoyed being in a fake relationship with Cameron.

‘Right. Because I don’t think we can just call a halt to it without letting on that it was a set-up and that would upset Barry, which I definitely don’t want to do.’

‘Nor do I. Good point. We need a credible way to end it.’

‘We do and one that won’t upset your dad.’

‘Right.’ They both thought for a moment. It was a lot harder to end a fake relationship than she’d imagined it would be. Of course she’d not had to think about how it would end because they’d envisaged that her poor dad’s demise would be the end point on a number of levels. ‘I don’t have the answer,’ she said at last.

‘Nor me.’ He sipped his coffee. ‘If you agree, how about we carry on as we are and have a think about some options for ending this in a way that doesn’t upset anyone?’

‘Excellent idea,’ said Ros, feeling slightly guilty because it meant she got to spend more time with Cameron. The thought made her happy. It also took away the pressure of having to come up with an immediate exit strategy.

‘Cool. I’m going for a run before lectures and I thought teriyaki beef salad for dinner?’

‘Sounds lovely. I’ll see you after work.’ They had settled into a routine and she was going to miss it. Coming home to an empty apartment would be a hard thing to readjust to, but readjust she would have to. At least she had Cameron in her life for a little while longer.

An impromptu lunch with Darla was a lot more appealing than it once would have been. She was starting to realise that she had lived her life to a far too rigid schedule. The early June sunshine was gentle and an added bonus as they sat in the park, ate their sandwiches and updated each other on their lives.

‘Ros, I am over the blooming moon for you and your dad. That really is the best news ever.’

‘I agree. I can’t quite believe it.’ It had felt like she had dreamed it up and yet it was real.

‘Oh, but what happens with you and Cameron now?’ asked Darla.

‘I’m afraid Cameron and I come to an end.’

‘Or . . .’ Darla looked serious for a moment. ‘We bump off Gina and you two date for real.’

‘Nice idea.’ Ros shook her head good-humouredly at her friend. ‘If not somewhat murderous. I told him this morning that he’s free from the contract but Cameron said we can’t just finish things; we need to think through a plausible and non-traumatic end to the relationship.’

‘If only life was like that,’ said Darla with a sigh.

‘Oh don’t tell me there are problems between you and Elliott.’