Jake, mouth full of bread, looks confused. “What?”
“Sorry. For shit-talking you about your old mates. I had no idea what I was on about. But for what it’s worth, my dad’s a piece of shit, too. Hung around just long enough to bleed my mum dry, then fucked off to do it to some other woman.”
Jake and Des look into the distance, the synchronised sympathy dance of men who hate talking to each other about anything other than what a useless prick their boss is.
“I never wanted to be like my old man,” Davis says. “Never had a real girlfriend. Never wanted one. Then I saw Cece.”
The crack in his voice makes Jake and Des wince. I want to say something, but I know better than to interrupt a man on the edge of self-awareness.
“I never had a problem with girls,” Davis says with a trace of defensiveness. “But fuck me, I have no idea what to do with Cece. I’m head over fucking heels, and she’s treating me like some kid.”
“She doesn’t see you as a kid,” Jake says. “That’s fuckin’ obvious.”
“Not to me.” Davis rubs a hand over the back of his neck. “I thought if I showed her I could handle the bar, she’d see I could handle her. Didn’t realise it’d come off looking like a controlling dick.”
“It’s not over,” Jake says quietly. “Cee didn’t give you your marching orders like Ada did with me.”
“I never had enough of a chance togetmarching orders,” Davismutters. “That’s the worst part. I finally meet someone who makes me want to try, and she hates the way I do it.”
Jake sighs. “Welcome to the club, mate. Drinks are cheap. Benefits are zero.”
“Seems about right.”
“Well, that’d be the first thing I’ve got right in a while,” Jake says. “Look… Since we’re doing apologies… Sorry for being a dick about Cece. Like I know fuck-all about women.”
“S’fine. Shouldn’t have wound you up. I’ve always hated guys who do that.”
The two of them eye each other, then relax like two pitbulls agreeing to share a backyard.
“Can I ask you something?” Davis says to Jake. “Why’d you go see Jenny Wallis? Why risk it?”
“Didn’t seem like a risk. I just didn’t think how it’d look,having coffee with Jen. Taking that fuckin’ photo.”
I give a small sniff.
“I know, Aggie, but I was fuckin’ stupid. Jenny was on the warpath about Ada’s Instagram and the reunion, and I thought having a coffee would help keep a lid on things. Had no idea she’s a full-tilt bunny-boiler.” He grimaces. “No offence.”
“Don’t you defend that slapper on account of my womanhood. I’m more pissed off that a man with your life experience couldn’t open his eyes and see what a woman like that’s capable of.”
“And maybe not pretend you don’t know what it means when a chick who sends nudes wants to have a coffee,” Davis adds.
Jake’s jaw clenches, and when he gets to his feet, I’m worried he’s about to slug Davis good and proper, but instead he reaches into his pocket. “You know what I had on me the whole time I was at that cafe with Jenny?”
He pulls out a small velvet box, snaps it open, and I catch a flash of glittering red before he turns the ring to Davis. “See?”
Davis’s mouth falls open, and Des lets out a low whistle.
I slap my palm on thetable. “Don’t be shy, Golden Boots. Give us a look.”
Jake tilts the box towards me. A massive ruby winks out of it, blood-red and surrounded by a halo of icy diamonds.
I smile. “Elongated cushion cut. Three carats at least. Is it conflict-free?”
Jake looks offended. “Of course.”
“White gold?”
“Platinum.”
