Page 41 of Priceless
When I realized how stupid that was, to show my imaginary friend that I’d made a real one, I laughed all the way up the stairs. Stupid or not, I couldn’t wait to let Jocko in on the joke.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Jacob imagined those giant raindrops that were pounding on the roof of his car were trying to get through the metal so they could thump him on the head for being an eejit.
What had he been thinking? To just blurt out the truth, hop in his car, and ride away? She’d be angry, sure, but maybe by nine in the morning she would have worked it all out and would welcome him with open arms?
Not bloody likely!
“Just so ye know,” he said aloud, testing how it would have sounded, had he gone through with it. “Just so ye know, I’m also Jocko, the fella ye’ve been textin’ with, and if ye can forgive me by mornin’, we’ll have a grand day ahead of us!”
Thank God Himself that he hadn’t been able to find his tongue!
By the time he reached the pub, found parking and walked through the back door, he’d forgiven himself for that moment of temptation. After all, he’d come to his senses and gotten out of there before he could reconsider. No harm done.
Vonnie was in theback of house, explaining an order to Trenton, but she stopped mid-sentence. The rest of them turnedto look at Jacob. No one spoke. They simply waited for him to explain himself.
He played innocent. “Everythin’ all right?”
Vonnie shrugged. “Ye tell us,Jacob.”
“Fine. Yeah. We talked about me taking some time away…”
“Right. Time away. And ye talked about bein’ in love. Then ye took it back.”
He headed for the doorway, hoping to escape up the stairs without too much more bother, but Vonnie was too quick and slid into his path.
“And here ye are, takin’ time away…with a woman ye just met?—”
“Anythin’ wrong with that?”
“It’s as if ye’d beenexpectin’ her. Expectin’ all of it, weeks ago.”
“Dinnae be daft?—”
“The pub’s been spit-shined. Ye’ve got new clothes. We’re prepared to get on without ye however long ye choose to go on holiday…and here comes the missing piece of the puzzle, an American, actin’ as if she’s never met ye before. Asking if ye dinnae speak? That was a nice tooch?—”
“Vonnie!” Jacob barked, then laughed. “What are ye suggestin’? That I’ve pulled some bit of wool over yer eyes?”
“Aye. But not just me. All of us.”
“What do ye care when I met her?—”
“We care because this is our home too. Is she plannin’ to buy the place then? Are ye sellin’ the children along with the hoose?”
He closed his eyes and prayed for patience. “For the last time, I am not sellin’ the pub?—”
“O’course ye will,” she said quietly. “Ye’ve no children to pass it to, no young Jocko. Eventually…” She shrugged and winced, as if the movement pained her.
“Vonnie, ye’re an eejit.”
A thunderstorm instantly began brewing on her face.
He sighed. “Ye’remy wee Jocko. Ye’ve always been.” She was slow to understand, so he laid it out. “Jocko’s Public House will pass to ye, Vonnie Gill, when the time comes. But not until I’m old and crabbit.” He gave her a pointed look. “Trulyold and crabbit.”
Her gob fell open. “Ye’re taking the piss?—”
“If anythin’ happens to me, it all falls to ye—lock, stock, and every bloody barrel. It’s already legal.” He made a face. “I suppose I should have found a way to tell ye before now, but I hate it when ye fawn over me.”
