One Under (Porthkennack Book 9) by JL Merrow

Author:JL Merrow [Merrow, JL]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Published: 2018-03-16T18:30:00+00:00

Jory couldn’t understand it. What the hell had gone wrong?

There was a simple answer to that. He’d been trying to make what had happened on the beach into more than what it was. Christ, he might as well have asked Mal to bloody marry him, with all that babbling about them being together and how Mal should meet his family, for God’s sake.

“Them that asks no questions isn’t told a lie . . .”

He was an idiot. A stupid, pathetic, needy idiot. But, damn it, what was he supposed to think, with Mal blowing hot and cold all the time?

Jory’s rising bubble of anger hit the guilty knowledge that Mal was recovering from a trauma, for God’s sake, and punctured wetly, leaving only a hot tide of humiliation in its wake. “Look,” he said urgently as they climbed through the dark, the way seeming far longer than it had coming. “I’m sorry about . . . I shouldn’t have assumed.”

Mal didn’t turn. “’S okay.”

Jory barely caught his muttered words. He didn’t sound okay.

When they finally emerged at the other end of the tunnel to skies streaked with red and pink, Jory tried again. “Back at the beach . . . Just forget what I said. Too much cider. There’s no need—”

“You might as well take the short cut back from here,” Mal interrupted him. “No point you going out of your way.”

“It’s no trouble,” Jory insisted, beginning to feel desperate and, worse, angry. For God’s sake. Did Mal think he couldn’t be trusted to keep his hands to himself if they walked together?

“Nah, ’s okay. Cheers and all. Here you go.” Mal handed over his hard hat, and their fingers brushed. Mal flinched. “I think . . . maybe we shouldn’t see each other for a bit.”

The words were like a blow to Jory’s already churning stomach. “What? No, that’s—” He pulled himself up short. He wasn’t going to be pathetic, damn it. “Fine. If that’s what you want.”

Mal nodded, then turned on his heel and walked away.

Jory stood there for a long time, just watching the sun set.

Then he walked the lonely path back to Roscarrock House.

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