The Deal

8- Breakfast

When Neil woke up, he found the bed empty. He groaned before turning around, reaching for his phone at the nightstand. Once he saw the time, he sighed before closing his eyes again. It was only six in the morning. Which meant JJ was most likely still in the flat.

His eyes snapped open when he heard a door slam shut. Slowly, he got out of bed but by the time he made it to door, he saw JJ walking towards him. "Hey," she whispered. "I'm sorry I woke you." Scratching the back of his neck, he shook his head. As he passed her, he kissed the top of her head. "You alright?" she asked as he entered the bathroom.

"Yeah I'm good. You're leaving quite early, don't you want some breakfast first?"

"I need to get home and have a shower. Sex gets your hair quite sweaty and so does your boyfriend's fingers in your hair."

"Sorry," he mumbled after taking the toothbrush out his mouth. "How about while you have a shower, I make you some breakfast here and then you can eat before you go." He returned to brushing his teeth and JJ shook her head. Rolling his eyes, he turned to the sink and spat. "Even if it's fucking cornflakes then so be it."

"Neil, you don't have to feed me breakfast."

"And JJ, I'm not letting my girlfriend go to work early in the morning and then work the whole say without eating. So what do you want? I'm gonna make a good fry up for me so you can oogle my food and eat your cereal unless I should make you some too?" She watched him raise his eyebrows.

JJ shook her head with a laugh. "You might as well then." She leaned up for a kiss.

"Don't take too long, otherwise I might finish it all," he whispered before meeting her lips. He felt her smile into the kiss and pulled her in.

"I'll be back in twenty minutes."

Neil heard the front door close. He opened the fridge door, glancing over the ingredients he would need for making breakfast. When he had dumped everything on the counter, he heard his phone ring from his room. It was his sister.

"Yes Le?" he asked as she entered the kitchen again. "How can I help you this fine morning?" He opened his laptop on the kitchen table and selected a random playlist.

"Wow, isn't someone in a good mood today," she said. "Just wanted to know if you are planning on keeping Lara here again."

"Are you basically trying to get rid of my daughter, Le?" He placed the phone down on top of the microwave before getting out the chopping board.

"Quite the opposite really. I tell you, that girl can talk more sense into my kids than I can. You know what?" he hummed as he started cutting the mushrooms. "She was cleaning away the toys yesterday and without a word spoken, my kids started helping her. I tell them ten times and they never listen."

"That's my girl," he said with a laugh. "If only she kept her clothes clean like that. But yeah, I am planning on picking her up today. I've got a file that needs to be handed in by two. I might then pick up Lara from you and we'll go and see if Jay is available for a coffee or something." It stayed silent on the phone for a minute. Neil frowned as he put the mushrooms into the browned butter. "Hello?"

"Yeah I'm still here. I'm just lost for words, Neil."

"Why?"

"You really like this girl don't you? Like really, really like her?"

"I do. So if you're planning to take the piss out of me or-"

"No, no, no. I mean to be honest I did call to do that but Neil- I have seen you go out with women for like two months, sometimes even three before they even get to see Lara. And I know you, you would not let Lara get close to her unless you knew she was special. Now I really want to meet her."