�We have to move.� June mumbled against his arm. One of her legs was resting comfortably between his, nudging at his thighs, warm and soft. Her arms spread across his chest and her hair fragrant beneath his chin. He dropped his head to kiss her head. �Let�s not go.�
�We have to. They�ll wonder where you are.�
�No they won�t � they never do.�
�Don�t say that, they care for you, you can�t help living so far apart.� She lifted her head up to look at him. �We can spend next Saturday in bed all day.� She grinned, kissed him briefly and disentangled herself from his body. He watched as she climbed out of bed, found clothing to cover herself and stumbled across to the bathroom. �I�ll take first shower.� She said as she disappeared. Once again the feeling rose in his stomach, hope, anticipation, comfort, excitement, fear � love. All over again, he thanked whatever had brought them to this point and closed his eyes again settling back to listen to her in shower.
* *
�June, we�ll be late.� Jim looked at his watch again as he entered their room. �I�ve packed the car we�re ready to go. Oh and I�ve rung Susan and told her we�ll be staying over tonight � hope that�s ok, we can drive back Sunday afternoon.� He stopped short as she emerged from the bathroom.
�But where will we sleep?� She fiddled with her earrings.
�You look so��
�Don�t say anything horrid or gushing.�
�Amazing, wonderfully amazing.�
�Now that�s gushing and sickly � you�ll make me paranoid.� She looked down at herself, brushing at her dress. �First time I�ve worn it, bought it then never found the occasion. Pink has always been a favourite but couldn�t quite carry it off.�
�Yes you can.� He smiled admiringly. �I�ll be proud to dance with you��
�Oh no!� She raised her hand. �No dancing, no hand holding or long looks remember. I�m there as a friend. Don�t force me into family testing-me-out session quite yet.� She grabbed her bag.
�We�ll sleep in separate rooms at my sister�s house, if you�re worried about gossip then I�ll stay across town at a B and B.� He held the door open for her.
�You�re just so funny aren�t you...� She mumbled as she passed him.
* *
The service was painfully short and informal, which pleased June immensely. Of course Jim watched all teary eyed and happy at the sight of his young cousin getting married. He hardly knew the girl standing next to him and he hadn�t even known about their relationship, but that didn�t seem to matter as he watched them exchange vows. Then again he always had been a bit of a romantic � bit of a let down when you�re a young man dating, love isn�t all you�re led to believe it is. He reached out to squeeze June�s hand then curled his fingers up as he remembered her warning.
Of course she had met them simply enough. Shook hands and exchanged polite hellos, admiring glances from his old neighbours at the prospect of seeing eternal bachelor Jim stepping out of his car with a woman. But he had done as requested, �this is my friend June, we�ve worked together for almost twenty years now�� certainly no false signals in that were there? He didn�t want to think about that anyway, he wanted to enjoy the day and not permanently stress over the implications of bringing her here.
* *
By the evening she had won the praise of almost every family member there. Sitting comfortably between his uncle and father she was laughing as she sipped on her champagne. That was the June he liked the best, the one who had greeted him on his first day at the station, the one who stole his tea then complained it was too sweet. That smile, that laugh, that mischievous glint in her eye. She had it now as his aging father twirled her over the dance floor. She didn�t even seem to mind that he was making a fool of himself as he spun her around. In fact the smile on her face was a glorious sight.
�So you�re trying to tell me she�s just a friend.� His mother�s unmistakeable whispered tone next to his ear. She moved to squeeze in next to him on the small sofa. �So tell me the truth.�
�What truth?� He sipped his orange juice.
�You expect me to believe you bring her here as a friend� after 18 years as a friend and yet you�ve never brought her to anything before.�
�I�ve never needed to before � I�ve always had a girlfriend.�
�I thought you had a girlfriend, you told your Father the other week, some mysterious woman.�
Jim looked down at the glass in his hands, swirling the juice round the sides.
�She is the mysterious woman right��
�Mum please � just leave it.�
�Alright, so you don�t say a word, I can tell when you�re lying you know, you�re my son.� Jim took a deep breath and smiled, she was right. �So she�s your friend,� Jim nodded. �And your co-worker.� He nodded again then drained his glass. �And the new lady in your life.� He stared down at his hands, at his knees, the floor. �Alright, I�ll go get you another drink.� His Mother smiled and lifted the glass from his hand. He watched as she manoeuvred her way to the bar. He looked back to the dance floor as the music stopped. June kissed his father�s cheek and made her way to the edge of the floor, he smiled at her and she waved to him. She perched herself on a stool and took a glass of wine from a nearby tray. She looked happy. His Mother handed him his drink. �Ok they�re playing the slow song, better go grab your Dad for a dance.� She rubbed his shoulder.
He watched the couples form; it became easier to notice the singletons now. It felt wrong somehow, really wrong, why the hell should he feel lonely when she was right there? Across the room, listening to the same song that he was � endless love � now there�s a lie. He glanced over at her, she smiled, warm, welcoming smile and he smiled back, for a second felt good about things. Then she quickly looked away and it dissolved again.
