‘So why don’t you ring Gareth and get him to sort it out?’ Luke said as he wiped a tired hand across his face. It was late, he was worn out and all he wanted was to go back to his bed.
‘Gareth’s gone.’
Luke rolled his eyes. This was getting tiresome. ‘I don’t understand, gone where?’
‘I think he’s staying up the coast with his other wom—’ Jed began, and then stopped, catching Luke’s confused expression. ‘Bloody hell, you didn’t know, did you?’
‘No, but I have been away nearly two years. It wasn’t going on before I left, was it?’
‘No, it started up about eighteen months ago.’
‘This just keeps getting better and better.’ Luke sliced a hand through his hair. ‘All right,’ he relented reluctantly. ‘Wait there while l get my shirt and shoes.’
There were still at least half a dozen drinkers in The Smugglers when he followed Jed into the bar. Over in the far corner by the fireplace he spotted Jordan slumped in a chair, his head propped against the wall.
‘How many has he had?’
‘Before he arrived? It’s anyone’s guess.’ Jed shrugged. ‘Since he’s been here? Well, a bit of a cocktail; beer, whisky, brandy. Got nasty when I told him he’d had enough and refused to serve him, then keeled over. Been like that ever since.’
Luke stared across to where his cousin still slouched against the wall, mouth open, snoring, oblivious to all the attention he was creating. Certainly at the moment he seemed fairly peaceful.
‘Can’t you just leave him there for the night?’ he suggested. ‘Although maybe if we could get him back to Clyffe House the staff there could look after him.’
‘Oh, laddie, you have no idea, do you?’ Jed shook his head sadly. ‘Gareth’s thrown him out. Given strict instructions to the staff there not to let him back in. Jordan’s reason for getting rat-arsed this evening is because at the moment he’s homeless. His father blames him for his mother’s arrest. I thought you might take him …’
‘Me? Oh no, Jed, that is never going to work. Jordan can’t stand the sight of me. There is no way I’m having him under my roof.’
‘Well, he can’t stay here. I don’t trust the little bastard. If he wakes up in the middle of the night he’s likely to start helping himself to more alcohol.’ Jed waved an arm towards the optics. ‘Haven’t you got a shed you could put him in?’
‘A shed? Jed, you’re a real comedian.’ Luke closed his eyes. They were going round and round in circles with Jed now stabbing in the dark, trying to find somewhere for Jordan so he could ship him safely out of his pub and away from temptation. The plain fact was there was nowhere else for Jordan to go and the publican understandably didn’t want the responsibility of having him on his premises. He’d simply have to take him. But tomorrow morning he’d tell him he’d have to find somewhere else. Not that he’d probably need to utter a word. Once Jordan came round and discovered where he was, no doubt he’d bolt straight out of the front door.
‘Right. Okay. One night only. Then he’ll have to sort himself out,’ he said to Jed, whose expression spoke of relief rather than being pleased he’d won the argument. The publican motioned to two of the fishermen leaning on the bar. ‘Give us a hand to get Jordan up to Luke’s, will you?’
The sound of the radio alarm broke into Luke’s consciousness. He knew without looking it was seven fifteen and his normal daily wake-up call had just kicked in. He swore as he opened his eyes, realising he’d forgotten to cancel it. His thoughts took a sharp shift as he realised Jordan was downstairs. He hauled himself out of bed, pulled on his clothes and slipped his feet into his shoes. He felt tense and apprehensive. He wasn’t looking forward to this moment; not at all. On a good day his cousin was arrogant and cocky and on a bad one he was rude and surly. He only hoped this all wouldn’t end in punches being thrown because, as upset as he knew Jordan was, he too was angry and resentful at the awful hand fate had dealt him recently.
Making his way downstairs he hesitated for a moment, listening for any sign of movement. Everything was eerily quiet. Pushing open the door to the sitting room, he expected to see his cousin still stretched out asleep on the couch covered in the blankets he had draped over him. Instead the room was empty, the blankets in a tumbled heap on the floor. He picked them up, piling them back onto the sofa.
In the kitchen he touched the kettle, finding it still warm. He made himself a strong black coffee and opened the back door that led into the small patio garden. Sun was spilling into the paved area with its mixture of shrubs and pots and there in the far corner at the small circular patio table sat Jordan, his head bowed, deep in thought.
Hearing Luke approach he looked up and gave him a watery smile. Well, there’s a first, thought Luke.
‘How are you feeling?’ he asked as he settled himself down opposite.
‘Bloody awful.’ Jordan’s blue eyes scanned him with no hint of anger or malice. ‘How about you?’
‘Same.’
‘Thanks for rescuing me from the pub,’ he said, taking a mouthful of coffee. ‘I guess I owe Jed an apology. Getting drunk and abusive … not the way to go.’
Luke nodded, feeling silence was the best option. This was still very new and weird. Sipping his coffee he couldn’t ever remember a time when the two of them had been in a situation like this. His memories were mostly of Jordan throwing derogatory comments in his direction whenever they were in close proximity. His hatred of Luke had been as intense as his mother’s. And now this: a thank you. What had happened to the self-centred character who thought the world owed him everything?
‘It’s my fault, you know,’ he continued, shielding his eyes with his hand against the early morning sun, which had now fully spilled into the patio area. ‘This whole mess can be traced back to yours truly.’ He poked himself in the chest. ‘When Dad threw me out and everyone abandoned me I actually saw myself for the first time. And I didn’t like it very much. I took what I wanted, treated people like dirt and, as for my mother,’ he shook his head, ‘God, I gave her a hard time. I took great pleasure in upsetting her. I thought she might get the message and stop treating me like a juvenile. But she couldn’t let go. She was in my face all the time. And now I look back, the day I brought Marika to meet them triggered all this. Me and a waitress from the hotel? I knew she’d have a fit. And she did. Trashed the whole pool area, so Dad informed me. Now the more I think about it, the more I feel if I hadn’t done that maybe none of this would have happened.’
‘Wrong.’ Luke set his mug down on the table. ‘Marika was as much to blame.’
He began to tell Jordan about his involvement with the young waitress. Her childlike boast to Cat during the time she was dating him, followed by her violent outbursts of temper whenJordan finished with her. ‘She was desperate to get you back any way she could,’ he said. ‘She threatened to tell Cat we were having an affair if I didn’t help her and I gather she also tried to blackmail your mother, telling her she was pregnant. She was crazy, absolutely crazy, and threatening Evie was the worst thing she could have done because she had no idea about your mother’s overprotective nature or the danger that put her in.’
Luke stood up, laced his fingers through the handles of the two coffee mugs and took them back into the kitchen, leaving Jordan to mull over his words. After rinsing them through he returned to find his cousin looking much calmer.
