Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Hugh emerged from the bathroom about half an hour later. His eyes were red and he looked exhausted.

"Come here," Josh said, holding his arm out.

To his relief, Hugh flopped down and soon snuggled into Josh. The bed was huge and it was like they were huddling together on a raft in a sea of stress and upset.

"I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's not only you," Hugh replied. "It's everything."

They lay awhile in silence. Josh nuzzled his nose into Hugh's curls.

"Have we had our first argument?" Josh asked.

Hugh chuckled. "I think we might have."

Yet more silence followed. This was a new experience for Josh. With Winston arguments were dramatic affairs. Pots flew. Insults were traded. Separate bedrooms usually ensued.

"How are we going to solve it?" Josh ventured.

Hugh got up so he faced Josh. He placed his hand on Josh's chest. The gesture suggesting that he wanted to work together to fix things. Josh relaxed a little.

"Whatever this is, I'm very much enjoying myself," Hugh began. "I'm not going to lie, Josh. I am developing feelings for you."

Josh went to form words when Hugh silenced him by putting his finger to his lips.

"You'll get your turn."

Hugh got himself more comfortable, sitting cross-legged. All the while maintaining some form of physical contact with Josh.

"I know we've only known each other a short time," Hugh continued. "I think you're amazing. Life is all over the fucking place at the moment and don't get me wrong, I totally get why you're nervous. The problem is, the irrational side of me feels like your dirty secret. Sometimes that takes over."

Josh flinched. That was the last thing he had wanted. Yet, he could see it from Hugh's point of view. They might have agreed to keep things quiet at first. However, feelings didn't always follow logic.

"I'll let you in on a secret," Hugh said. "I've never really had a relationship before. Sad but true. Of course, I've had more flings than you can shake a stick at. In my world it's rare to meet someone with staying power. Call it intuition or call it foolishness but I think you have that."

He stopped and bit his lip. Josh reached forward and took Hugh's hand.

"Is it my go now?" he asked.

Hugh nodded.

"When I met Winston, I was not in a good place."

"What do you mean?"

"Hey, you," Josh said quietly. "I've got the floor now. Play by your own rules."

Hugh grinned. "Fair enough. Go on."

Josh took a second to summon the courage. He very rarely spoke about this. It was as raw today as it had been all those years ago.

"I had been in a relationship with a guy called Nicolai for about three years. Boy was I in love. He was a model who worked on one of my first collections and we hit it off."

Nicolai's beautiful face came into his mind. When they'd been together, Josh would watch him sleep and marvel that someone so gorgeous would be with him.

"The label was on the up and I bought Queens Crescent," Josh continued. "I thought I had a charmed life. Three years later and Helga approached me to buy half the shop. The Olympics were in London, it was such a time of hope. I went for it and so glad I did. Nicolai was doing a shoot in Vegas and due home in a couple of days."

His heart pounded. Hugh stroked his leg.

"I got a call from his agent in the middle of the night. I knew it was going to be about him before I even answered it," Josh said. "There'd been a car accident. Nicolai was killed instantly and some guy that he'd picked up was in intensive care."

"What the hell?"

Josh nodded. "We didn't have an open relationship. He'd cheated and died doing it."

"Fuck," Hugh said. "I'm so sorry, Josh."

Tears stung his eyes but he wanted to get to the end of the story.

"It was a shitty time. Of course, the press leapt on it. I don't blame them. It was an interesting story for five minutes. They soon backed off. Thank fuck."

Hugh nodded.

"So I threw myself into work," Josh said. "I built up the business and when Winston came into my life, I guess I wanted stability. What a joke."

Once again, silence descended on the room. Josh studied Hugh's handsome features in the lamplight. They were full of concern for him. He'd never seen that in Nicolai or Winston.

Do I dare to believe?

"The reason I told you that is I've thrown myself into relationships without stopping to think," Josh explained. "Then the whole world gets involved and there's a different kind of pressure. I quite liked living in our own little bubble. You know, letting trusted people in like Mrs W and the Prof. I don't want anyone else picking over it."

Hugh nodded. "I can understand that. I had no idea."

"Why would you? Come here."

He pulled Hugh against his body again. The scent of Hugh's oaky cologne wafting over him. Already he associated that with safety.

"Have we made up?" Josh asked.

"Oh most definitely," Hugh replied. "Thank you for telling me. That can't have been easy."

Josh squeezed him close. "Once the collection is out and your tour is on the road, we'll tell the world. In fact, I'll sit in the front row with a T-shirt saying I'm Mr Harlton .

Hugh giggled. "I'll hold you to that."

"I'm serious."

"I know."

The night sounds of Milan outside gave a sense of cosiness in their room. What had been a tense situation had rapidly morphed into one of the most loving experiences of his life. And he still had all his clothes on.

"We still have a problem," Hugh said.

"What's that?"

"Who the fuck took those pictures?"

Something had been playing on Josh's mind while Hugh had been having a bath.

"Have you considered that this might be targeted?"

"What?" Hugh said with a laugh. "Darling, I'm what's known as a cult figure. That means only a small amount of people give a fuck about me. I think it's more likely to be a bandwagon thing. You know, a shitty photographer has seen the bad shit and tries to make a quick buck. I should be flattered."

Josh didn't want to alarm Hugh but he wasn't so sure. If Hugh was too stressed to face it, Josh knew the perfect pair with the skills to get to the bottom of this mystery.

"Hey, you know what comes after an argument?" Hugh said, staring up at Josh.

"What's that?"

"Make-up sex, of course. Get 'em off."

Josh sat in the lawyer's office. Elizabeth Frinton was a stern woman with a blonde bob and suit that screamed expensive. Josh could identify good couture when he saw it. Judging by the prices she charged, he would be willing to bet she had a closet full at home.

"I've heard from your husband's lawyer," Elizabeth said. "Here is the list."

She slid a neatly typed piece of paper across her desk. Josh picked it up and read it. At the top was the flat in Nice. That wasn't a shock. Winston had made it perfectly clear he'd set his sights on that.

What came next made Josh sit up.

"He wants a quarter stake in Cut?"

Elizabeth nodded.

Josh remained absolutely stunned. Did Winston think that he would simply give that to him?

He studied the list further. Winston had filled it with items from the house. Some things that Josh had got way before Winston came on the scene.

"What's the alternative?" he asked.

"The cash equivalent," Elizabeth replied.

Josh frowned. He wasn't badly off yet this could be a huge amount of money.

"I don't have that to hand."

She shrugged. "Unless you sell the house."

Josh gripped onto the chair. "Sell Queens Crescent? I…I can't."

"I will fight this as best I can. Without a pre-nuptial, he is entitled to make a claim like this. I fear you're going to have some difficult decisions to make in the coming days, Mr Winterton."

He needed to get out of there. Winston had broadsided him and he needed time to think.

What the fuck was he going to do?