Page 21 of In the Same Boat

‘So, trying to find your mum a boyfriend, eh?’ Nico asks.

‘Yes, well, sort of,’ I reply. ‘She’s been alone since my stepdad died, and I’m not sure she knows what she wants to do next. She decided to downsize, so she sold her house, and while she’s figuring out what she wants to do next, she’s living with me.’

‘Ah,’ he says simply. ‘Say no more. Living with my dad again isn’t working out for me either.’

There aren’t many people my age who understand what an odd situation this is to be in.

‘It’s not that I don’t love her, or love having her around,’ I insist.

‘It’s just that having your parent around, 24/7…’ he continues.

‘It’s like being watched all the time,’ I say, finishing the thought. ‘And no matter how old you are, or how grown-up, they still see you as a kid.’

‘A kid who needs advice,’ he replies. ‘I get it. But, ironically, it’s my dad who needs the help. Hence tonight.’

I look over at them again. They do seem to be getting on well – too well, perhaps. I mean, what do we even know about this guy?

‘So, does your dad meet many women this way?’ I ask.

Nico frowns.

‘No – does your mum?’

‘No. She didn’t know she was coming. I had to trick her here.’

‘It’s my dad’s first time too – but I didn’t trick him. That’s not very nice,’ he points out.

‘Well, my mum is a nice lady, she’s not used to picking people up in bars.’

I don’t mean to suggest his dad is the type, but it does sound that way, just a little, if you want it to.

‘But… you are? So that’s why you brought her?’ he replies.

Okay, so he’s chosen to take it the wrong way.

‘I do just fine without picking people up in bars,’ I say confidently.

‘Popular, eh?’

His cheeky smile makes me want to punch him.

‘You can cut that out,’ I insist.

‘What?’ he replies innocently.

‘That neggy flirting. It might work for lads in their twenties, but I was never a fan, and you might be the youngest man here, but you’re too old for that nonsense.’

He laughs at me.

‘What?’

‘You think I’m flirting with you?’ he asks. He waits a few seconds for the embarrassment to start to take hold of me. ‘I’m not flirting with you.’

Shit. I didn’t mean that I thought he was into me, just that his charm offensive was, well, offensive. I need to try to regain some cool, to walk it back, to make sure he knows that I didn’t think he was interested in me, because I worry that somehow he might misinterpret it to think I’m interested in him, because I’m not, I’m really not. I’d sooner shag the guy who thought I was a ‘lady plumber’.

I glance over at my mum again, hoping to find her subtly giving me a signal that she wants to leave, but she’s far too engrossed in Hank.

‘Give them some privacy,’ Nico tells me.