CHAPTER TWELVE
The morning chatter in the tradesman’s café zoned Rory out.
The Tuesday-Thursday girl smiled at him from behind the counter while he gave their order. She was pretty cute, and she kept giving him the come-on. He’d been thinking of asking her out on a date. Then Sky had happened.
Once the order was in, he looked away from Tuesday-Thursday girl and glanced out the window. He didn’t see the people on the street outside though, he saw Sky. Her smile filled his mind, the sound of her laughter too. How had she done this? She’d made him crazy, not fit to think about much else but her. The mischief in her eyes alone was powerful enough to trigger his sex drive, let alone when she moved in against him with a beckoning look in those eyes.
He admitted it to himself now, and it brought about a pressing concern.
Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he scrolled through his contacts until he got to Draco’s number. Then he paused and gave it some serious thought. Ever since their run in with Jackson, it’d been preying on his mind. Draco should know he wasn’t just ‘hanging out’ with Sky.
How was he going to explain it though? And how would Draco react?
He’d always been weird about the attraction between them, as if he couldn’t completely shake off the family angle, even though he was the one who mocked it more openly than the rest of them. His favorite thing was to tell their parents he didn’t subscribe to their Brady Bunch set up. So why did it grate on him when his sister was with Rory? Maybe Draco had an issue with Sky seeing a computer hacker, ex or not. The idea ticked Rory off, and he hit dial.
They hadn’t been in touch for a while, not properly, and not since they’d moved out of the one room dive they used to share. The guilt about Sean’s arrest weighed heavily on them both, but they’d dealt with it in different ways. Rory channeled his energies towards his love of motorbikes and his new job as a mechanic. Draco moved out of the city for a dull-as-ditchwater job dismantling computers for recycling. Recently, though, Draco’s Facebook status had been updated, for the first time in months. Draco was back in London, for a job, apparently.
“Rory?” Draco sounded tense. “What can I do for you? Is Sky okay?”
“Yes, she’s fine. I saw her home. Look, can we meet? There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“News about Sean?”
Draco sounded hopeful, and Rory’s gut tightened. It created tension between them, amongst other things. “No, nothing new there. Sorry to say he’s going to have to serve the full sentence. It’s Jackson, in part, I want to discuss what I intend to do, get you on board. And there’s something else, but I’d rather meet face-to-face. Are you back in London full time?”
“I am. Shall I come down to the workshop at the close of business?”
“Sounds good.”
* * * *
“What’s with the suit?” Rory said when Draco strolled in later that evening.
He couldn’t help but ask. He’d noticed it the other night, but there hadn’t been time to ask. Today Draco was wearing an even flashier number. Blue three piece suit, with a crisp white shirt, blue tie.
Draco glanced around, waved over at George. He’d visited a couple of times when Rory first got started there, but not recently. “I got a job in the city.”
“Seriously?” Rory was impressed. Then a doubt hit him. Was he still hacking? If he was, it still didn’t explain the suit, although Rory wasn’t totally convinced Draco would stick to the pact they’d made when Sean was arrested.
Rory wiped his hands on a rag and stood up. “I’d offer to shake hands but I wouldn’t want to muss up your snazzy outfit.”
“Yeah, well I’m not sure I want to shake hands.” Draco eyeballed him meaningfully.
Rory ignored it. “What is it you’re doing?”
Draco shoved his hands in his pockets. “It’s pretty new, and to be honest I’m still a bit wary, don’t know if I’ll last.”
Rory was curious. “We could go get a drink you can tell me all about it.”
“Actually I can’t stay long. Got a business meeting soon.”
“A business meeting in the evening?”
“Well, I suppose it might be called a date.”
“Sounds like a cushy job to me.”
“I wish. At the minute I’m wondering what the hell I got into.”
Rory frowned. “You haven’t been hacking?”
“No, I haven’t,” Draco replied, quickly. “Well, not really.” He pushed his fingers through his hair and looked a little uneasy. “Anyway, enough about me. What was it you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Jackson. I intend to destroy the tool kit.”
“Why you asking me?”
“I just want to be sure you don’t need it.”
“No, this job is different.”
Again Rory’s curiosity hooked, but Draco didn’t look as if he wanted to talk about it. “I thought maybe Sean would need it, but he doesn’t need the temptation when he comes out. Last time I mentioned it he said no, and I was relieved.”
“Figures. So what are you waiting for?”
“I need to handle it right.” He went on to run his idea past Draco.
Draco broke into a grin. “I like it. Smart move.”
Relieved Rory nodded. “Your sister pointed out I had to do it in front of Jackson or it would never end.” Shit. He’d mentioned Sky already.
Draco eyeballed him in that way of his, then smirked. “Clever girl. She’s turned out even smarter than I expected, and I always knew she’d be canny.”
Rory refrained from commenting. He didn’t need Draco to get his back up again. “Did you know she’s in London, before we met that night?”
“Yes.” He shrugged. “Facebook.”
“Right.” Tension hung between them. Rory pressed on. “Well, we bumped into each other and it was entirely by chance.”
Draco pursed his lips but didn’t respond, so Rory carried on.
“She’s working as a barista on Paddington station and she’s trying to get a place in Art College next term. She’s pretty much alone in the city. I thought you might want to get in touch with her.” Rory added the last grudgingly. It was danger limitation he was doing here. He didn’t want Draco to find out about him and Sky from anyone else.
“Sure.” Draco pulled his phone from his pocket. “Text me the number.”
“I will, but there’s something else you should know.”
Draco looked up from his phone expectantly.
Rory tried to find the words, glancing away and back again as he considered the best way to break the news.
“You’re seeing her, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Did she come to London to find you?”
Rory frowned. “No. She came for college. But we’re seeing each other and I wanted you to hear it from me.”
Draco sighed “You two were magnets. It was bound to happen eventually.”
“You knew?”
“It’d be hard not to. You always had the serious hots for each other.”
“I want you to know I respect her, I’ll look after her. I’d prefer it if we had your approval.”
Draco stared at him, eyes overcast. “I doubt there’s a lot I could do if I didn’t approve. Sky’s a stubborn, headstrong girl.”
Rory laughed. “That’s the truth.”
Draco gave him a warning glance.
“She needs to get into college,” Rory added, quickly, “make something of her dreams.”
“I’ll help if I can. Tell her to let me know what she needs.”
Rory nodded. “If we both back her, it’ll happen.”
The suggestion seemed to ease Draco’s mood. He looked at his watch. “I’m going to have to get going, don’t want to disappoint my new boss.”
Rory’s curiosity rose. He’d said it might be a date. “The new boss is a woman?”
“Not quite. The new boss is a guy. It’s his daughter who approached me about the job. I’m meeting her this evening.” He was about to walk away, but turned back. “Hey, if I need you to help me out with something, would you?”
“I take it you don’t mean with the woman?”
Draco cracked a smile, finally. “No. The lady I can handle.”
“Sounds interesting.”
“It could be.” There was a spark there in Draco’s eyes.
Rory shrugged. “As long as you’re agreeable about me seeing Sky, I’m at you’re service.”
Draco lifted his chin, hooded eyes inscrutable. “You’ll take good care of her?”
“I won’t ever hurt her, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Draco nodded, then strode off at a pace.