Page 62 of Fool Me Twice
“I’m a bit crap at lying.”
“Then tell him them pints won’t pull themselves and you’ve gotta get on with work, okay?”
“Okay.Zig, I’m really sorry.”She sounded it too.
He couldn’t be mad at her.“Nah, it’s okay.Not your fault.You take care, okay?”
“Yeah.You too.”
Zig jammed his phone back into his pocket so hard he felt a stitch go.Fuck.He forced himself to calm down.Keep on walking.As he turned into the street where they lived, Zig thought he heard footsteps behind him.Heart pounding, he whirled, but there was no one there.
Jesus.Get a grip.You’re getting paranoid.
Then again, it wasn’t paranoia if they were really out to get you, was it?But Dad and Trent couldn’t have traced his steps from Peckham, could they?No, he was being daft.Nevertheless, Zig quickened his steps.
He looked around once more as he reached their flat but didn’t see anyone that time either.His pulse still racing, Zig put his key in the door and prayed his life with Si wasn’t about to come crashing down.
After he’d said goodbye to Adam, Si had damn near floated back from the pub.He’d gone there expecting to have to fight Zig’s corner, and instead he’d got Adam’s blessing, or good as.
It was like...It was like opening a lock for a client who’d gone out and left their keys in the house, and that sweet, sweet moment when the last of the tumblers fell into place.It was like finding the last rare figure to complete a collection, or going for a ride and hitting the perfect combination of clear roads, good weather, and the bike purring like a well-fed cat.He had Zig back in his life—and his heart—and his best mate was okay with that.It was so much more than he’d have hoped for only a few days ago.
He couldn’t wait for Zig to get home.
Si didn’t have to wait that long, as it happened, which was good cos he hadn’t been able to settle to anything, not even oldDoctor Whoepisodes on iPlayer.
When Zig opened the door to let himself in, his frown was a minor dampener on the mood.“Rough shift?”Si asked sympathetically.
“What?”Zig blinked at him.“No.It was fine.”
Then he smiled one of those fake smiles of his.
Minor became major, and Si’s heart plummeted.“Right.You, uh, want a drink, or sommat?”
“Cheers.Beer’s good.You having one?”
“No, I had a couple already.I’ll put the kettle on.”
Zig didn’t follow him into the kitchen, and he didn’t ask how Si’s evening had gone, either.Si tried not to let it get him down as he grabbed a beer from the fridge and made himself a hot chocolate.Zig was tired, that was all.And working in a pub, he probably had to smile at wankers all the time.He just hadn’t switched that off yet.
When Si took the drinks into the living room, Zig was sprawled on the sofa typing into his phone.He stopped abruptly when Si appeared in his line of vision and shoved his phone into his pocket.
Well, that ain’t good.
But there’s no proof it’s bad, neither.
Si considered Zig.Zig seemed to shrink, somehow, the longer it went on, and Si’s heart clenched.“Zig, mate.I’m not daft.I know something’s changed since this afternoon.Is it about Adam?Cos you ain’t got nothing to worry about there.I met up with him tonight, and he said he’s gonna give you a chance—”
“He did?”Zig blurted out.
Si wondered how much of it was about Adam’s change of heart, and how much was because he’d been thinking about something else entirely.“Yep.In them words exactly.”
“Why?”Zig went on.
“Cos he’s not a bad bloke?”Si reached out and pulled Zig towards him.Zig came readily, so he probably wasn’t having second thoughts about them being a couple.“And I ain’t either, so are you gonna tell me what’s bothering you?We’re in this together, you and me.”
Zig’s body tensed in Si’s arms, then slowly softened again, although he still didn’t seem relaxed exactly.“You sure that’s what you want?Plenty of people would tell you I’m trouble.”
“Are you?”
