Free Strictly My Husband: It's funny, it's romantic and it's got dancing - what's not to love! by Tracy Bloom Page B

what is
that
referring to?’ asked Tom. This was exactly why Tom chose to ignore most of Jerry’s texts: they often came with no explanation for whatever was going through Jerry’s mind.
    ‘Carly, of course,’ he said, slamming down Tom’s tea in front of him. ‘I have to say I’m seriously impressed, mate. Takes some balls, that does.’
    ‘What does?’
    ‘Are you serious? Moving a hot piece of stuff in like that. Under your wife’s nose. Fucking awesome. I told all the guys at the shoot about it; they literally took their deerstalkers off to you. You are a fucking legend.’ Jerry raised his mug to chink against Tom’s. Tom stared back at him.
    ‘She had nowhere to stay.’ He picked up his mug and instantly scalded his lips. ‘We’re just helping her out, that’s all.’
    ‘Well, helping her out of something is what I’d like to do.’
    ‘Jerry. Do you have to?’
    ‘Oh come on, Tom, you can’t say it hasn’t crossed your mind, seriously? She’s a babe.’
    Tom shrugged, blowing on his tea. ‘OK, she’s pretty, I guess.’
    ‘Are you real?’ replied Jerry. ‘She’s stunning, and . . . and her moves when she was dancing – oh my God – in your dining room, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven for a minute there.’
    ‘Well, I guess I’m around dancers all the time so you kind of get used to all that.’
    ‘What, the near-nakedness, the perfect bodies, the sheer . . .
bendiness
– you can’t get used to that, surely? That decaf shit must be doing something to your manhood.’
    Tom couldn’t deny that the odd exciting thought did pop into his brain every now and then but he thought he’d learnt to shove them to one side andget on with the job.
    ‘They’re just people like you and me.’
    ‘If I had a body like that I’d love myself even more than I do now.’
    ‘Not possible,’ said Tom, shaking his head.
    ‘But fair play to you, mate, for getting her in the door past Laura. Oh my God, what I would have given to see her face when you arrived home with that.’
    ‘She’s totally fine about it. Sure, she was a bit upset that I didn’t ask her first but apart from that she’s chuffed to bits with the extra money and it’s not for long anyway.’
    ‘She really thinks that?’ asked Jerry.
    ‘Yes. She’s absolutely fine. No problem with it at all.’
    ‘Not even the fact that Carly looks frighteningly like Natalie?’
    ‘She doesn’t look a bit like Natalie.’
    ‘Oh come on, Tom, she’s the image of her. Must be freaking Laura out that you’ve brought a younger version of your ex-fiancée into the marital home.’
    ‘She doesn’t look anything like her and so what if she did. Natalie’s history: you know that; Laura knows that. Don’t know why you’re even bringing her up.’
    ‘She still sending you Christmas cards?’
    ‘Yeah.’ Tom shrugged again. ‘It’s just a Christmas card.’
    ‘Does Laura know she still sends you a Christmas card?’
    ‘No. I don’t see the point in having to raise the subject of Natalie every flipping year for no reason. The card comes to work, I open it, read what she’s been up to then put it in the bin.’
    ‘Right.’ Jerry nodded. ‘Mmmmm.’
    ‘Why are you looking at me like that?’ asked Tom. ‘I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m helping someone out and you’re acting as if I’ve invited the leaders of al-Qaeda to move in.’
    Jerry shook his head and drew his breath in through his teeth. ‘This is women we’re talking about,’ he said. ‘A known terrorist moving in may have been preferable to a beautiful woman.’
    ‘You’re worrying about nothing,’ said Tom. ‘Besides, I have other hopesfor Carly.’
    Jerry’s eyes flew wide open.
    ‘Will,’ declared Tom.
    ‘Will!’
    ‘Yes, Will,’ replied Tom.
    ‘ . . . and Carly?’
    ‘Yeah.’ Tom nodded vigorously. ‘He needs a woman. I’m worried about him.’
    ‘He needs a shag is what he needs.’
    ‘Has he mentioned a girlfriend at all?’