Page 47 of Almost Ours

Jesus Christ. It’s like living with my parents still. I let out a sharp breath through my nose. "Yeah. I got roped into that Jack Bauer show."

“Twenty-four?”

“That’s the one.”

Brooke turns the heat down beneath the pan before scraping the eggs around it. "On your own?"

"Yeah."

"Oh? Haven’t you and Ruby been watching lots of stuff together?"

I pour the water over the teabag, watching it darken before answering. “Weren’t you out with Ruby last night?”

“Yeah.” Brooke nods. “But she left at midnight and said something about you, so I thought…”

Frowning, I look between them. "You thought what?"

Ewan smirks, his grey eyes avidly interested. “That you were alone… with Ruby.”

I glare at him "Don't fucking start any bullshit, Ewie."

He raises both hands innocently. "I’m just making sure you’re being honest."

Brooke slides the bacon onto a plate. "So, she didn’t come here?"

"No." I shrug, wrapping both hands around the mug. “She probably just went home.” Then a horrible thought occurs to me. “Wait, did you let her go home alone?”

Brooke shakes her head. “She left with her brother.”

“You’re sure?"

"Yeah. He seems a bit overprotective of her, wouldn’t let her leave without someone walking her back."

Too fucking right.

Brooke picks up the plate and brings it over to the breakfast bar. She slides one in front of Ewan, another onto the empty stool beside him and nods towards it. "Sit and eat. You're making me nervous."

“Thanks.” I carry my mug over before dropping onto the stool beside him. I've barely set it down before Ewan reaches across and pinches a rasher of bacon from my plate.

I slap his hand away, stealing the bacon back and dropping it on my plate again. "You thieving prick."

He only shrugs, reaching across again. "You snooze, you lose, mate."

“Get lost.”

“It was supposed to be mine anyway.”

“Ewie!” Brooke scolds. “You stole the last of my mum’s brown stew chicken last night. Now you’re stealing the food I made for Josh too!”

Ewan turns to her in mock outrage. “You offered me it!”

“I said you could have some.”

“And I’m saying you can have none.” I huff, shoving bacon into my mouth fast. “So shove off.”

Brooke shakes her head as she brings her own breakfast over, balancing a slice of toast on the edge of her plate before lowering herself onto the stool opposite us. She tucks one leg underneath herself, reaches for the pepper and gives it a couple of twists over her eggs. "I really like Ruby. She’s lovely."

“Yeah.” I wholeheartedly agree. "She is."