“Twins?” I ask, my curiosity piqued.
“Dishwashing brothers at the steakhouse,” Pierce says.
I glance at Emma. “He did it again, didn’t he?”
“He really can’t help it,” she says with a grin. “He just cannot let me answer for myself. Now, get on with it, you two lugheads. Apologize already.”
Taking a deep breath, I say, “I’m sorry I told you to fuck off and then sicced a crowd on you.”
“Quite right. You were way out of line,” Pierce says, jamming both hands in the pockets of his chinos.
Sighing, Emma glares up at Pierce. “And…”
“And what?”
“And don’t you have something to say to Leo?” Emma asks in a tight voice.
He rolls his eyes and heaves a large sigh. “You did well there with those elderly people. You’re surprisingly good at this job.”
Emma puts one hand on her hip and gives him the look.
Glancing at her, Pierce says, “Oh, fine. I guess I owe you an apology for suggesting it would be easy to free yourself from our parents.”
“That’s very big of you, Pierce, thank you. Or should I thank Emma?”
“Are you seriously trying to push it right now?” he asks.
“Sorry, old habit,” I answer, rubbing the back of my neck. “What I meant to say is that I know you were trying to help, and I shouldn’t have gotten so angry.” Lowering my voice, I add, “Even if you were being a bit of a tosser about the whole thing.”
Pierce shakes his head. “Have you not figured out what I was trying to say at the pub?”
“That I’m not a man, and I should tell our parents to sod off.”
Shrugging, Pierce says, “True, but have you stopped to considerwhyI would say that?”
“Because you hate them and think me pathetic to allow them to pay for my life.”
“No.” He raises his voice. “Because unlike you, I know you’ve got yacht-loads of untapped potential, and it really chaps my arse to see someone with your talent and intellect waste it all.”
Oh, that’s not what I was expecting to hear. That was rather…nice actually. A little emotional even. I clear my throat, trying to regain my composure. “Well, I wouldn’t want to chap your arse. Poor Emma here will be stuck putting some sort of ointment on it,” I say with a sideways grin.
“You can try to make light of this, but deep down, you know I’m right, Leo, and it terrifies you.” He points a finger at me. “You gave up on yourself years ago, but I never have. I’ve always known that beneath this act is an extraordinary human being who’s capable of so much more.”
Well, fuck me. I don’t think I can speak at the moment.
He must know this, because he goes on. “I’m not saying it would be easy. It would be bloody hard, in fact. And probably rather terrifying at times. And you’ll likely live a very meager existence for a good, long time. And you probably will never have the same—”
“Maybe move on from that bit now,” Emma says, cutting him off.
“Good point, love, thanks,” he says, glancing at her. Looking back at me, he continues, “But in the end, it would beinfinitely better.”
But this is scary. And I don’t do scary—or hard. I don’t believe in it. I believe in smart, which is the easiest way to getting what you want. But he is right. Bollocks. “I don’t… I’ve already put in over five months. I’m not going to quit now,” I say, sounding utterly lame.
Pierce’s face falls, and the hope in his eyes is extinguished.
“Listen, Pierce,” I say, taking a couple of steps toward him, desperate to regain some of the approval from a few moments ago. “I’m going to finish this if only to prove to our father I can do it.”
“Who cares what that tosser thinks?” he scoffs. “If you’re going to finish this thing, Leo, do it for yourself. You’re the one who needs to trust you. No one else.”
