Chapter 44

NICK

‘To what do I owe this pleasure?’ Alex asked Nick as they drove away from the rugby club ground in his car.

Nick clenched his fists to stop his hands from tingling at the smell of Alex’s damp hair and recently applied aftershave.

‘Honestly? I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I remembered who you played for and I read up about them online, and the next thing I know, I’m waving Sally off to spend the weekend with her mum and I’m on my way over to see you play a game I don’t even understand. Have I stepped over the line?’

‘I should say yes, but no, you haven’t.’

Nick was pleased to hear it. He sat and pondered his next question, trying to phrase it properly in his head before posing it.

‘This will sound really tragic but I have to ask: have you thought about me much since we saw each other last?’ He looked away and waited for Alex to reply, hoping his answer would be positive.

‘What, do you mean have I thought about you over the last eight days, eleven hours and, let me check, forty-seven minutes? Yeah, you could say I have a little.’

Both men smiled.

‘Now can I ask you something?’ Alex continued. ‘When we spoke on the phone the first time, you told me you took the Match Your DNA test even though you didn’t believe in it. So why do it?’

‘My girlfriend, well, my fiancée, wanted me to. We’re getting married soon and she wanted to reassure herself we were genuinely suited.’

Nick noticed Alex edge ever so slightly away from him when he said this, as if the news had come as an unwelcome surprise.

‘And when she found out that you were Matched with a guy …?’

‘She found it hilarious. But it was Sally who insisted I met you, which is why I made that appointment with the fake name.’

‘Why didn’t you just tell her to back off?’

‘It was important to her … I don’t really know why and I guess, even though I didn’t want to admit it, I was a little curious about you too.’

‘Most women wouldn’t have let us anywhere near each other, let alone encourage it.’

‘Sally and I have always had an honest relationship with no bullshit

… We tell each other everything.’

‘So she knows where you are right now?’

Nick averted his eyes. ‘I think you already know the answer to that.

Where does Mary think you are?’

‘Out for drinks with the rugby boys after the game. She’s not expecting me home until tonight.’

The streets of suburban Birmingham were quiet for a Saturday afternoon as Alex’s Mini Cooper made its way out towards the M6.

‘Where are we headed, then?’ asked Nick.

‘Mate, I don’t have a fucking clue.’