Down London Road (On Dublin Street 2)

He shrugged again and gave her a ‘So?’ smile.

‘Then I’ll help,’ Joss announced determinedly. ‘We’ll do it together.’

‘Really?’

‘Really.’

‘But –’ Ellie’s crestfallen opposition to being ousted from the plans was cut off by Adam as he pressed a quick kiss to her lips. He pulled back and they had one of those silent conversations that seemed to be all the rage these days. Whatever passed between them, Ellie’s shoulders slumped and she nodded, giving in.

‘I’m glad that’s sorted.’ Elodie beamed at us all. ‘If I’d had to deal with one more phone call asking me to referee, I was going to scream.’

‘Hear, hear,’ I murmured, ignoring Ellie’s look of betrayal.

‘So, Mick, Olivia’ – Braden sharply changed the subject – ‘Jo tells us you both found flats.’

Olivia nodded. ‘On Jamaica Lane. And Dad’s just round the corner. We move in soon. It’ll be nice to get out of that hotel. Oh, and Dad’s got his first job lined up, thanks to you, Braden.’

That was the first I’d heard of it. ‘Really, Uncle Mick? Where?’

Mick appeared more than a little pleased as he replied, ‘Doing a couple of show homes for a new development in Newhaven. Starts in two months. Gives me time to get a team together.’ He eyed me down the length of the table. ‘How about it, Jo? Do you feel like packing it in at the bar and the estate agency to become an apprentice?’

My fork clattered to my plate in shock. Was he … did he … was Uncle Mick really asking me to work for him? ‘Eh?’ I answered intelligently.

‘I asked if you wanted to work for me. It’s a risk for us both, what with it being a new business, but I have every faith I can do this. I’ve done it twice before. So will you trust me? Will you come and work with me?’

‘As a painter and decorator? With you?’ Oh, my God, Uncle Mick thought I was good enough to work for him?

I know it may not sound glamorous to some – an apprenticeship to become a painter and decorator. But it took skill, and patience, and it was something I genuinely enjoyed doing. It would be an actual career, something I’d never thought I would have.

Because I didn’t think I was good enough at anything to have one.

My old insecurities whispered and cursed in my ears, causing a flight of nervous butterflies in my stomach. Those insecurities wanted me to say no, so sure that it would only end in failure.

And it might. Not just because of me, but because, as Mick said, it was a new business. I could give up two secure jobs for this one and then have everything fall apart. Could I really be that selfish? Cole needed me to think logically about these things –

I felt Cam’s hand slip into mine under the table and when I looked at him his eyes told me everything I needed to know. I shoved back the insecurities, the second-guessing.

The butterflies were a little harder to get rid of, but despite them, I nodded at Uncle Mick, a wondrous smile forming on my lips. ‘I’d love that.’

A few hours later I was still stunned by Uncle Mick’s offer. Sitting at Cam’s desk in his living room, listening to Cole laugh at Olivia as she trash-talked Nate over a video game, I was still half in that moment back at Elodie and Clark’s.

Cam, Cole, Olivia and I had come back to Cam’s to meet up with Nate and Peetie, who’d stopped by with beer, takeaways, and the latest fighting video game.

Olivia had quickly fallen into a surprising camaraderie with Nate and the two of them were now throwing PG-rated (I was still aware enough to give them hell if they swore in front of Cole) comments at each other as they beat the crap out of each other’s virtual counterparts.

‘Dude, you suck!’ Olivia grinned as the annoying commentator bellowed, ‘Knockout!’

Nate threw her a look of mock offence. ‘Give me a chance, Yank. I haven’t played this game before.’

‘Neither have I.’

‘Aye, but you have smaller fingers. They’re faster and more agile across the buttons.’

Olivia burst out laughing. ‘Even your excuses suck.’

‘Dude,’ Cole agreed, shaking his head in disappointment.

‘Och, now.’ Nate gestured to him in dejection. ‘Don’t you be “dude-ing” me.’ He narrowed his eyes on Olivia. ‘You’ve been here ten minutes and you’ve already managed to undo months of hero worship.’

‘Oh, come on,’ Olivia answered cheerily. ‘I did the kid a favour. He would have found out the truth eventually.’

Lips twitching, Nate turned back to the television. ‘Right, Liv. Prepare to die.’

‘You’re on.’

I wondered when the grown-ups were finally going to allow Cole to play. Eyes on my wee brother, though, I could see he was enjoying himself just hanging out with the guys and listening to Olivia’s banter with Nate. I actually suspected Cole might have a small crush on Olivia, but I would never embarrass him by asking.

As they laughed with one another, I stood up and quietly left the room, heading to Cam’s bedroom for a moment of peace so I could wrap my head around the fact that in a few months’ time I would be starting a new career.

A career.

Shaking my head in wonder, I closed Cam’s door and then crept across the room to carefully lie on his bed. Getting comfortable, I kicked off my shoes, my mind whirring with new plans as I lay there.

My eyes snapped down from the ceiling at the sound of the door opening, and I wasn’t surprised to see Cam slip inside the room, shutting the door behind him. He smiled at me as he came over and settled beside me.