Extraits

— Je t’ai aussi vu nu, Kyle, fit remarquer Patrick en faisant un pas de plus. Avec ça en tête, tu pourrais porter un sac poubelle que je te trouverais toujours magnifique.

— Regarde en haut.

Patrick leva les yeux et vit des branches nues qui s’étendaient et se tendaient vers le ciel bleu clair de l’hiver. Des grappes sphériques sombres y étaient suspendues, comme d’étranges babioles.

— Est-ce que c’est… ?

— Oui. Du gui, répondit Kyle en haussant les sourcils, comme pour le défier.

Patrick avait voulu une excuse, l’univers lui en avait donné une. Comblant l’écart entre eux, il entoura la joue de Kyle d’une main gantée et s’arrêta une seconde, lui offrant une chance de s’éloigner si ce n’était pas ce qu’il voulait. Mais Kyle n’alla nulle part.

Leurs lèvres se rencontrèrent, froides et sèches. C’était timide, doux, et un peu gênant quand leurs nez se heurtèrent. Kyle laissa échapper un rire tranquille, son souffle formant un nuage dans l’air glacé. Puis il pencha la tête, saisit l’écharpe de Patrick à deux mains et le tira plus près, approfondissant le baiser...

“It used to be a pigsty,” she explained. “My son’s been converting it for me. Said I could make money on it if I rented it out to tourists. He reckoned it wouldn’t matter that it was small. Tiny houses are all the rage now apparently. Makes no sense to me.” She pulled out a bunch of keys and unlocked the door, stepping inside with Dex following. “All the electrics and plumbing are done, but there’s no Wi-Fi yet. It still needs some painting doing and will eventually have more furniture—a table and a coffee table, and some more storage for clothing.”

Patrick had to stoop to get through the entrance, as did Kyle—although not quite as much—and when he straightened up he looked around, impressed.

Clever design had turned the small space into something that was perfect for two people, as long as they didn’t mind being in close proximity. The single-storey building was basically one large room with a doorway at one end that Patrick presumed must lead to a bathroom. Near that door there was a compact built-in kitchen unit with a microwave, kettle, and toaster on the counter and a fridge beneath it next to a cupboard.

The bed was a platform built into the roof space at the end opposite the kitchen. It was accessed by a sturdy wooden ladder. There was barely enough space to sit up in it. It was cosy, but wouldn’t suit anyone who was at all claustrophobic. And whoever was on the inner side of it wouldn’t be able to get out without disturbing the other person.

A comfy-looking brown leather sofa was placed along one wall with a television opposite on a stand, and a couple of upright wooden chairs stood at the kitchen end, looking rather lonely without a table. There was no other furniture, not even a coffee table to put a drink down on. The walls were still bare plaster, and the floor rough concrete. Patrick shivered as he imagined how it would feel under bare feet. He was glad to see there was a gas fire for heating. It was freezing in there at the moment but a small space like this would warm up quickly.

“I like what you’ve done with the place,” he said. “It’s going to be fantastic once it’s finished.”

“I daresay. If you like that sort of thing.” Mrs Wilcox sounded unimpressed. “I don’t see why anyone who can afford to pay for a nice hotel room would want to pay for what my son says I should charge for this place. But I’m not going to complain if it brings me in some extra money.”

Turning to Kyle, Patrick asked, “Are you okay for us to stay here?”

“Do I have a choice?” Kyle shrugged.

“Not unless you want to sleep in your car—or want to take Mike up on his offer of a sofa. I think this is preferable.”