Page 9 of Love Spell

Go back, make his excuses, and flee?Go back to put all his cards on the table, even admit to Timo that he was terrified to leave London because he had nowhere to go and a work sponsor here would be life-changing?Go back and play along, chat about college and work and London, playing it cool?Or a fourth choice — he might still find a window to climb out of.

4

“What’ll you have?”Timo asked, smiling, having passed Noah’s untouched beer down the bar, waiting eagerly for his return.

Timo should be with his team, now all settling at a table in the back, ordering food, all of it on Timo.He couldn’t be bothered to be the life of the party tonight, certainly couldn’t eat, not with these fire ants skipping across his skin.

He’d felt off all day after nightmares and failing to chase away the headache last night.At least he’d slept, yet he didn’t feel like it.Rattled and unfocused, thoughts circling back to Noah all day, ever since he’d run into his newest hire that morning.What about Noah, though?It was as if he was trying to remember one of those dreams, something nagging, pressing, but what?

Now seeing him return to the bar, slide stiffly onto the barstool by Timo as if taking his place by a basket of snakes, inexplicably warmed Timo’s heart.Not only warmed it; his heart was pounding to see Noah return to him.No, only returning to the bar where Timo was, though it felt like returning to him, felt like Noah’s smile was just for him.

Wait, Noah hadn’t actually smiled.Timo couldn’t remember Noah ever smiling, though he must have at the interview.Must be a beautiful smile too.Just look at those serious hazel-green eyes and pursed lips, brow creased with tension begging to be conquered; begging for the warm, humorous, clever Noah inside to break free.

Timo could be that freedom for him, his light, his protector, his family to share all: the older man with his newly awarded and cherished UK citizenship after years of fighting for it now perfectly placed to mentor another immigrant who reminded him of his past self.Except that Noah didn’t remind Timo of himself.Mere hours earlier Timo hadn’t even been able to remember his surname.

Should Timo even be here?Still off-colour, but what choice did he have?If Timo couldn’t get Noah drinking and drag personal information out of him, even walking away wouldn’t help because Timo would keep on wondering and these fire ants would burn him up.

Noah glanced at his smile and quickly away as if Timo had said something rude.Too much?But it was so good to see him after a ten-minute absence that felt like hours, Timo couldn’t help his own expression.

What the hell was going on?

“Um … Aperol spritz?”Noah made the drink request sound like asking permission.

What an idiot.Grow some, you little —Just look at him: strong but elegant, youthful but sharp, like the wolf of Timo’s surname’s sake.Perfectly natural for Noah to be uneasy about drinks with the boss.Intimidating people was one of Timo’s favourite hobbies.He need only switch it off for Noah.

“Great choice,” Timo said, consciously softening his smile for Noah, flicking his fingers for the barman.“I should have asked you before.Not a beer drinker?It’s not my top pick either.”

“Oh?”From staring at rows of sparkling glasses behind the bar, Noah glanced at him.“Yeah, I really don’t care for beer.”

“That’s fine.You can speak up, you know?”Timo gripped his own right wrist with his left hand to stop himself reaching out to run the backs of his fingers along Noah’s jaw.“I welcome all preferences.”

“Oh …”

“Aperol spritz, please.Two.”

The barman nodded and moved off.

“Even straights.”Timo rolled his eyes comically to the table with the rest of the team.

“Okay,” Noah said.“Look, uh, I’m sorry I wasn’t at my desk this morning when —”

“Noah, please …” Timo chuckled.“Think nothing of it.We’re not here to talk about work.”

“We’re not?”

“Well, if you like?”Timo opened his hands to show his own agreeability.

Noah shook his head like a rat trapped in a maze.

“Tell me about yourself,” Timo tried.“University in New York, right?Then study abroad in London?No family over here?”

Drinks arrived and Noah seized his for a grateful sip.“Right, just me.But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be over here.”He finally met Timo’s eyes for more than a second.“I’m learning so much and I love it here.I know Londoners couldn’t sleep at night if they didn’t get in a few digs about what a cesspit London is every day.For me, though, it’s incredible.I can’t believe how the history and architecture are so taken for granted here by most people.I really would like to stay on if, you know, if you think that could become possible with a long-term work visa?”

“What do you like to do here?”

“Work?I hope I’m doing a good job for you.”

Was work all the kid could think about?

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