Chapter 23

"Nick," Mercury said.

Eddie detached himself and walked toward the house. He stopped when he got to Nick.

"Mercury's good," he said before disappearing inside.

Mercury stood. The last time he'd seen Nick, he'd been worried he might get a punch in the mouth. Now it was his heart that concerned him.

"You've lost weight," Mercury said.

"It's been a rough month. Shall we talk?"

They walked through the house. The kids were busy examining the treats.

"How much?" Nick said with a chuckle.

"I got a bit carried away," Mercury replied. "Story of my life."

"Nick," Hassan shouted.

Nick stopped in his tracks when he saw who was standing with Hassan.

"What is she doing here?"

"I came to talk to you," Madeline said. "I got a bit sidetracked with this young man."

Hassan beamed.

"You'd better come through as well then."

Nick led them into the office. Gavin sat at the desk that used to be Mercury's.

What a surprise. I wonder where else he's tried to muscle in.

"Hello, Gavin," Mercury said, forcing a sickly-sweet smile onto his face.

"Mercury. How nice to see you again. And surprising."

He too froze when Madeline entered the room.

"Oh…"

Mercury had told Madeline all about Gavin. Even though she was on a mission to prove she wasn't the biggest bitch in the land, she still flashed him a withering glare.

"Gavin, can you give us a minute?" Nick asked.

Gavin nodded. With an icy glare for Mercury, he left the room.

"He loves me," Mercury said to Madeline. "It's just hidden very well."

Nick snorted. "Take a seat."

Mercury sat. The chair was still warm from Gavin. Mercury managed not to grimace. Madeline took Nick's chair and he stood by the window, leaning on the sill.

"So who goes first then?" he asked, folding his arms.

"I think I'd better," Madeline said. "Nick, I owe you an apology and it's long overdue. My behaviour at the dinner party was totally unforgiveable."

Nick appraised her. "That's true."

He wasn't going to make it easy for her and neither was Mercury. It wouldn't hurt her to learn a bit of humility.

"Although this isn't an excuse, it is a reason," she continued. "Mercury's father fucked me up in ways you could never imagine. When a man is in love with drugs, there isn't any room for anyone else."

Nick exhaled. "I don't take drugs."

"I know you don't. I get it. But when I heard that you used to sell them, my mind went into overdrive. What if you tried to get Mercury into them? What if you went back to your old ways? What kind of man can get people hooked on that trash?"

Mercury looked at Nick. He appeared to be considering her words.

"For the record, I wasn't much older than some of the kids through there," he said. "I didn't think about it that deeply. I had money and was pretending at being a grown up. As for getting Mercury into drugs, he's been a mainstay on the London party scene for years. I think if he were susceptible, that would have happened by now."

It was a rare occurrence when Madeline Morrison was lost for words. This appeared to be one of them.

"For what it's worth, I accept your apology," Nick said.

She visibly relaxed. "And you'll forgive Mercury? It's not his fault he has a neurotic mother."

Nick looked at Mercury.

"I suppose I could consider it."

Mercury was convinced that they could both hear his heart hammering away in his chest.

Madeline got to her feet.

"I'd better leave you two to talk," she said. "I think Hassan wanted to show me a dance routine or something."

Nick groaned. "You don't have to."

"I want to," she said. "I've come here to understand why Mercury has been so upset. I'm already beginning to get it."

She moved toward the door.

"Madeline?" Nick said.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

She smiled and let herself out of the room. The door swung shut with a click.

"So what's your news?" Mercury asked.

"Can't you guess?"

"You're saved?"

Nick took his seat and nodded. "Thanks to your bright idea, the charity is going to buy the house. In fact, the donations are still rolling in, so there's talk of a second one. Not sure where yet but Fenella is very excited."

"That's amazing news. Congratulations."

He really meant it. The fact that Bodhi House would remain for more generations of kids made pride swell in his chest.

"I think we'll decorate," Nick continued. "I'm going to rope all the little darlings in. They can choose everything. I want this to be as much theirs as anyone's."

"That's a wonderful idea. Be careful of Hassan. I can imagine he will go with some crazy colour combinations."

Nick laughed. "Noted."

Their words appeared to have dried up. Mercury studied the face in front of him. Nick looked tired and hesitant. Mercury could well identify with that.

"What have you been doing?" Nick asked. "I saw you did a video from the community garden thing you were working on."

Mercury shrugged. "I don't seem to have the appetite for premieres and gallery openings now. Me and Lotty have redesigned the channel. There'll still be a lot of that. It keeps the money rolling in. But…"

"But?"

"I'm going to do other things too. Causes. Fund-raising. Cast my net wider than London."

Mercury looked away. Suddenly, he was shy. Where had that come from?

"Want to know something?" Nick asked.

Mercury nodded. "Of course."

"When I saw you at that bloody garden, I was so jealous."

The tiniest glimmer of hope ignited inside Mercury.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Your mother seems genuine," Nick ventured. "I appreciated the apology."

Mercury folded his arms. "The least she could do."

"Perhaps. Even so, she did it."

The emotions bubbling away inside Mercury would be held no longer. He burst into tears.

"I've missed you so fucking much," he sobbed.

Nick knelt in front of him. "Hey, come on. When I suggested to the kids that we sent the invitation, I didn't want to upset you."

"Sorry for getting emotional. It's hard. I miss laughing with you and doing things with the kids."

"Is that all?"

"Obviously not. It's been a shit month. All right?"

Taking his hand, Nick squeezed it. "Same here. I've been a grumpy bastard. Ask Eddie. He told me off the other day."

The tears seemed to have stopped. Mercury wished with all his heart that he had the courage to lean forward and kiss Nick. Yet, he froze. If he'd misread the intention, it would put the final nail in the coffin on him seeing the kids again.

"He's a special guy," Mercury replied. "A bit pissed off with me at the moment. He thinks I abandoned him."

Nick shifted. "That's my fault. I've been way too hasty. I'm always telling the kids they should settle their problems through talking. Then what do I do? Banish you from my kingdom."

"You had every right to."

"No, I didn't," Nick replied. "I acted selfishly. The last few weeks have taught me that decision impacted more than the two of us. Everyone has been so miserable. Even when we heard we were keeping the house, it felt like a hollow victory."

Mercury was confused. "So that's the only reason you wanted me to come today. To make the win mean something?"

Nick pondered for a second. "I think, if you were agreeable, I would like to forget the last month of heartache and way too many bars of chocolate and maybe start again. Just seeing you tells me I can't handle it without you."

Every night when he'd lain awake thinking about Nick and the whole mess, Mercury had never in his wildest dreams thought this might happen.

"I can confirm, Mr Campbell, that I am very agreeable."

"Very agreeable?" Nick replied. "Now that is exciting."

"I want to kiss you."

Nick got to his feet and slid his chair against the door. He sat and opened his arms. "Then why don't you?"

Mercury straddled him. All the magazines would say he should be cool and make Nick work for it but fuck that. He was a starving man faced with an all-you-can-eat buffet. He fell on Nick and gorged.

It was a kiss to end all kisses. Nick ran his hands all over Mercury's body as if he were reclaiming him. Mercury was more than happy for that. He didn't want anyone else's touch again.

When they came up for air, Nick nuzzled Mercury.

"Fuck, I've missed that," Nick said. "Let's not fall out again."

"Your wish is my command."

Mercury got up, making absolutely no attempt to hide his erection.

"You're testing my willpower," Nick said.

"Any further activities will be held in your bed at six o'clock and not before."

"I'm on shift until eight."

Mercury glanced at the clock. It was coming up to five now.

"Leave that to me."

Nick narrowed his eyes. "What are you going to do?"

"Nothing. I have a suspicion Gavin might want a few more games of ping-pong."

"I don't want to know what you've got planned," Nick said, holding his hands up. "He did the right thing informing me about the ad campaign, you know."

Mercury kissed the top of Nick's head. "I know. I know. Let me have my moment."

"Highly irregular. I suppose now you're not officially staff, I have no jurisdiction over you."

A thought struck Mercury. "Are we allowed to be here?"

"Yes. You're invited, remember."

"Phew. I'm going to have to learn all this stuff. I didn't tell you, did I? I think I'm going to volunteer. Not sure what yet. I don't want to go back to my shallow little life."

Nick stood and pulled Mercury close. "Good job I didn't erase you off the system then."

"I didn't mean here. It might put you in a difficult position."

"Mercury. If you're volunteering, you're doing it at Bodhi House. Eddie would never let me forget it."

They kissed again but it was as chaste as Mercury could manage. He'd just got his penis under control and wasn't about to wake him up again.

He wriggled out of Nick's clutches.

"One hour," he said.

In the main room, the kids were all lolling around, watching Hassan dancing. Madeline was sitting between Anna and Olena. She beamed at him.

It appeared the Bodhi House had worked its magic once more.

He saw his prey in the kitchen, reading a magazine.

"Right, you lazy lot," Mercury said, clapping his hands together and making them jump. "Ping-pong tournament starts in five minutes. Me and Mum versus Brooke and Eddie. Winner stays on. Hassan, you're umpire."

The kids scrambled to attention.

While they argued who faced the sunlight, Mercury wandered into the kitchen.

"Bringing your famous mother was a bold move," Gavin said. "What are you up to?"

"Oh, you know, this being a young person's project, I had an idea that we'd actually interact with them."

Gavin rolled his eyes and closed the magazine. "I suppose you think grassing me up to Nick will get you a place here?"

Mercury sat down opposite him. "I don't need a place. I've done my hours and let's face it, money worries aren't big on my agenda."

"Lucky you. Back to the world of celebrity then?"

"Kind of. Being here made me think. It's time I did more with my life. So, I'm going to volunteer."

Gavin straightened his back. "Oh, yes? Where?"

"This place, of course. That's why I popped in for a chat. Let's face it, we haven't got off on the right foot. Now that we'll be seeing such a lot more of each other, we should bury the hatchet."

Gavin opened and closed his mouth. No words seemed to be forthcoming.

"And just in time by the looks of it," Mercury continued. "Why don't you carry on with your reading? Me and my famous mother have got things covered."

He got up.

"If you think playing a few games with the kids will get you into Nick's pants, I highly doubt it," Gavin spluttered.

Mercury leant down so his mouth was inches from Gavin's ear. "I know how to get into those and it has nothing to do with ping-pong."

Mercury lay in the dark, listening to Nick's gentle snores. He was too fired up to sleep. Besides it was only ten o'clock. Normally his going-out time.

Everything he had wished for had come true. Shit like that didn't happen in real life.

I'm never going to drop off at this rate.

Knowing it to be an impossible mission, Mercury slid out from under the arm Nick had casually slung across Mercury's stomach.

He stole down to the lounge. After wrapping himself in a blanket, he snuggled up on the sofa and got his phone out.

In between some of the best sex of Mercury's life, they had discussed his role at Bodhi House. Nick had suggested he make a list of everything he could offer and they would form it into something to present to Fenella.

Mercury started typing. The kids had loved the social media class he'd given. Perhaps he could do more things like that. He wondered how far he would be allowed to go. Imagine if he took them to the set of his mother's next movie. Hassan would combust.

He typed it in.

"What are you doing?"

Mercury jumped. Nick stood at the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh, I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to wake you, tossing and turning."

Nick padded over. Mercury opened the blanket and he crawled inside. His body was warm as he cuddled into Mercury. God this was good.

"Who were you texting? Got a fancy man already?"

"Three actually," Mercury said. "No, I made a start on that list."

Nick kissed Mercury's chest. "You're keen."

They lay for a while, enjoying being in each other's arms.

"What time is it?" Nick asked.

"A little after ten, why?"

Nick took Mercury's phone from the table. "Why don't you take a selfie of us and post it?"

Mercury frowned. "You know what will happen then. You'll be my significant other."

"I know. I want to be your significant other. No more creeping around. If we're doing this, we're going for it."

"Giddy up, cowboy. I'm in."

Mercury unlocked his phone and took the required selfie. Plus a few more for safety. When he loaded it onto the screen, even he was amazed at how good they were together.

"Kapow," Nick said. "Another hot couple is about to be born."

Mercury giggled. "I'm not parading everything on social media."

"I know," Nick replied. "I was thinking. You've made a massive effort coming into my life. It's time I wasn't so dismissive of yours. I want to be your everything, Mercury."

God this man had a way with words that mainlined straight to Mercury's heart. He posted the photo and went to put the phone down. Nick stayed him.

"What did you write?"

"Goodnight, from me and my everything."

He dropped the phone on the floor and kissed Nick. He could melt into those kisses for the rest of his life. Mercury was absolutely determined that they would find a way to meet in the middle. Nothing stood in their way.

"Shall we go upstairs?" Nick said.

"I think we should stay there all weekend," Mercury replied.

Nick got up and held out his hand. Mercury gazed into Nick's eyes. He saw an intention in there. As if something powerful had passed between them.

Mercury took it and allowed himself to be pulled up and into Nick's arms.

"I love you," Nick said.

"And I love you too."