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pulling it on when Leanne followed him out.
    ‘Where are you going?’ she hissed, closing the door behind her so that the girls wouldn’t hear – although she wouldn’t put it past them to have their ears pressed up against the wood as she spoke.
    ‘Out,’ he replied coldly. ‘And I expect that lot to be gone by the time I get back. And I mean it.’
    ‘Don’t tell me what to do,’ she retorted childishly. ‘I’m not one of your stupid kids that you can order about. And don’t ever talk to me like that in front of my mates again, either, because it’s really embarrassing.’
    Growling, ‘Grow up,’ Terry yanked the door open and walked out.
    Running to catch it before it slammed behind him, Leanne closed it quietly. She felt like going after him and telling him what a wanker he was being, but then the whole block would know that they were arguing again and she refused to give them the satisfaction. It was bad enough that her friends had seen him acting like that after she’d spent so long telling them how fantastic he was for an older man. But if he thought she was kicking them out just because he’d told her to, he had another think coming. So, plastering a fake smile on her face, she bounced back into the living room as if nothing was wrong.
    ‘Terry all right?’ her best friend, Goldie, asked, handing her a spliff.
    ‘Fine,’ Leanne lied, taking a deep drag. ‘He’s just a bit tired, that’s all.’ Looking around then, she said, ‘What’s everyone sitting down for? I thought we were supposed to be having a party.’
    ‘You’re bad, you,’ Goldie said, chuckling softly as Leanne went to the karaoke machine to select a new song.
    ‘Do I look like I care?’ Leanne grinned, reaching for the microphone.
    Outside, Terry had just realised that he’d left his car keys in the kitchen. Telling himself that it was just as well, because he’d probably end up killing someone if he got behind the wheel while he was so wound up, he tugged his collar up and headed out of the estate on foot.
    It was impossible to walk in a straight line with the wind growing fiercer by the minute, but he put his head down and struggled on through Alexandra Park, keeping an eye out for gangs of lads on bikes. There had been a spate of muggings in the park recently, but Terry almost welcomed the thought of anyone trying to jump him. He’d probably get a good kicking, but at least he’d have had someone to vent his anger on before he went down.
    And, God , was he angry right now.
    Leanne was gorgeous and he loved her to bits, and when it was just the two of them, she was happy just to cuddle up on the couch and watch TV. But when she got around her friends she was like a spoilt kid: inconsiderate, loud, and more than capable of pressing all the right buttons to get him good and riled. Not that he’d ever dream of laying a finger on her, but he got enough aggravation off the guys at work without having to take even more off her when he got home.
    Still, he only had himself to blame. If she’d been any other girl, the lads would have slapped him on the back and congratulated him for getting himself a fit young bird. But he’d had to go and get caught up with Dave Miller’s daughter. And he really should have known better, because Dave was one of the biggest troublemakers in Manchester. Consequently, a year on, Terry was still getting shit from all sides. And, much as he loved Leanne, the way she acted around her mates, he couldn’t help but wonder why he bothered.
    Picking up four cans of beer and a pack of tobacco from the late shop on Great Western Street, Terry went back to the park and sat on a bench overlooking the dirty, rubbish-littered lake. Rolling himself a cigarette, he tore the tab off one of the cans and took a long drink. It was freezing out here, but he was determined not to go back until Leanne had had enough time to get rid of her mates. With any luck she might even be asleep and he’d escape the