She grinned at his abruptness. Jonny was direct. Not impatient, but he didn’t see problems, just solutions and forged his way to them. She told the bartender what she wanted and accepted the drink, listening to the list of items Jonny was apparently going to devour.
“You’ll need to find a way to burn all of that off later else you’ll be getting fat.” He’d ordered pretty much half the menu, and it was pub food.
“I’ll burn it off. You can help me if you like?”
She couldn’t help but laugh. He looked like a playful puppy, only an overly tall one with biceps she didn’t think she could wrap both hands around, or maybe just. “How do you suggest I’d do that?”
He eyed her. “Don’t be dirty; I was thinking of a bike ride with you. Or just stopping you from injuring yourself. I think that’s how I ended up beefing up in the first place – the strength that was needed to stop you from ending up in hospital.”
“That’s not true.”
“You sure about that?”
“Which part?” She put her hand on top of his, at first fairly forcefully, like you would messing with a friend, but then she slid her fingers in between his, turning the touch soft.
“You were definitely being dirty.”
“Maybe. But how would that be appropriate?” The switch between them should’ve been weird, friends to something else so swiftly, but it didn’t feel weird. The sparks were there. From both of them.
“Who said anything about being appropriate?” He carried their drinks over to a table that had just been vacated. “Although movie night might have to be.”
“I didn’t assume anything different. What are you planning on watching?”
He shifted up, gesturing for her to sit down next to him rather than opposite. “It’s Harry’s choice, so probably something with dinosaurs. Sadie will be asleep before it finishes and Charlie will want to go to bed because he’ll be shattered from karate this morning and this afternoon at Milo’s. Don’t feel obligated to join in. You don’t have to be at home on a Saturday night with three kids.”
His arm rested behind her, his fingers falling onto her shoulder. She relaxed back and inched a little closer to him. There would be someone in the pub who knew them, but it was unlikely they’d think twice about them being together, and if word got back, they’d play it down.
“I’m good with being at home on a Saturday. I left my wild child days behind about seven years ago when I started teaching. Having to plan on a Sunday wasn’t good when you had a hangover from hell. Besides, I like your kids. They’re more fun than Sorrell and Keren are at the moment.” She started to tell him about Sorrell that morning, her grumpiness at everyone.
“I’d like to say poor Zack but we’ve all put up with him being grumpy it’s time he realised how it felt. How about I get a sitter for next Saturday and we go out to Leeds?” His fingers had found her hair and were now playing with the strands, slowing teasing.
“Are you off shift?”
He nodded. “Finish Friday afternoon for four days. I have the interview on Monday though.”
“So it is more than a rumour?”
“Yeah, although I’m not saying much about it. I was asked to apply and even if I hadn’t been, I would’ve wanted a shot. It’s a pay increase and more responsibility, but even better than that, it’s almost nine to five with some on call commitments. I won’t need as much child care and I can spend more time with the children at weekends and the evenings. Just things like taking Charlie to football practice most weeks and doing a regular shift for the search team.” He lifted his drink with his free hand, spying their food as it came over. “Thank god for that. I’m starving.”
“Do you think you’ll get it?” she said once the bartender had gone.
“I think I have a good chance. I was asked if I wanted to put an application in and when I hadn’t a week later, they followed it up. But it’s like with anything else, it’ll come down to the interview and who else goes for it. Will’s after my job though.” He picked up an onion ring and crunched it.
“Share.” She didn’t wait for a response, simply diving into the pile of them.
“I thought I was being greedy ordering these?”
“I totally agree with your choices. You ordered just enough for us to share. Besides, I might need some energy for later. Watching movies is tiring.”
His grin was pure filth. She liked it.
They talked.It was something they had always been good at, discussing what was going on around them without the conversation ever feeling forced. Rayah laughed and teased her way through lunch, wondering how to broach what they were thinking about doing, because this wasn’t dating in the normal sense. It couldn’t be.
They were drinking coffee when a quietness fell between them, the unspoken words palpable.
“How does this change us?” Rayah said, bracing herself for Jonny to change his mind. She needed to give him an opportunity to back out, just in case.
“I don’t think it has to.”
