insulting my joke-telling skills a sackable offence?”
“Not unless you want the arsed sued off you.”
“Good point. Are you on standby to come down here?”
“My bag’s packed and I’m just waiting for your word oh Lord and Master.”
“Cheeky beggar.” He’d picked up some of her lingo too. “Let me know when you’ve done the background check into the rest of the Creegan Clan.”
There was a big yawn followed by, “will do,” and the line went dead.
Brodie smiled at his phone before hanging up. His manners were rubbing off on her.
All seemed quiet at the Creegan house for about an hour until the front door opened and Mark emerged clutching a small suitcase and wearing a black look.
Brodie hopped out of the car, stretched and smiled. “Leaving so soon?”
Mark dropped the suitcase and stormed up to him. “This is all your fucking fault you nosy, interfering Jock wanker.”
“That’s racist Mr Creegan.”
“You smug bastard. Someone needs to bring you down a peg or two,” he said, thrusting his face into Brodie’s.
“Please Mr Creegan, you’re just embarrassing yourself. I wouldn’t recommend it,” he added when Mark drew back his fist.
Mark found himself on his knees, his right arm twisted up his back. “Get off me,” he yelled, cheeks pink with fury and embarrassment.
“I tried to warn you.” It was then Brodie spotted Sarah at her front door, mouth falling open at the scene. “Your wife’s watching,” he told Mark. “What do you think this display is going to do to convince her you’re not violent?”
He released Mark, who shot to his feet and whipped round. “Sarah, I…”
But she stepped back inside and slammed the door shut.
“Shit,” he sighed.
“Give her some space,” said Brodie, not letting his guard down in case Mark decided to attack again.
However he hardly heard him, lost in thoughts of his wife. Dejectedly he retrieved his suitcase then tramped to his car. He threw the case into the boot and backed the car out onto the road. He didn’t even look Brodie’s way as he drove off.
Brodie returned to the house and walked straight inside without knocking. He felt that would be acceptable now.
“Sarah, are you alright?” he called, finding her sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, staring into her mug of now-cold coffee.
“I told him it’s best if he gives me some space for a few days,” she replied without looking up.
“Did he get rough?”
“No. He never has.” Finally she looked up at him. “He went for you though.”
“It was nothing, he’s just hurt and frustrated. It can get to the best of us.”
She nodded and hauled herself to her feet. “I’m going for a lie down, try and get myself together before I have to pick the girls up from their friend’s house.”
“Okay. You’ve got my number. Call me if you need me.”
“Where are you going?” When he appeared surprised by the desperation in her voice she added, “sorry, it’s just that you’re the only person I’ve got to talk to about this.”
“Are you going to tell the rest of your family?”
“Not yet, not until I know what I’m going to do.”
“That’s probably wise. Work out how you feel about it first then you’ll be able to deal with other people’s reactions.”
“That’s good advice. So, you’re really leaving?”
“Sorry, I need to get to my hotel and shower and change and make some calls.”
“You’ve booked a hotel and I kept you here last night? I’m so sorry Brodie, I didn’t realise. You must think me so rude.”
“I’ve spent nights in worse places, believe me. Mark drove off, I think he’ll respect your wishes about staying away. You’ve still got my number?”
She nodded.
“Call me anytime, for anything. I’ll be back later.”
“Okay. I’ll lock up behind you,” she said, following him to the front door. “I took Mark’s key off him this time so he won’t be able to sneak in but I might have the locks changed,
“Not unless you want the arsed sued off you.”
“Good point. Are you on standby to come down here?”
“My bag’s packed and I’m just waiting for your word oh Lord and Master.”
“Cheeky beggar.” He’d picked up some of her lingo too. “Let me know when you’ve done the background check into the rest of the Creegan Clan.”
There was a big yawn followed by, “will do,” and the line went dead.
Brodie smiled at his phone before hanging up. His manners were rubbing off on her.
All seemed quiet at the Creegan house for about an hour until the front door opened and Mark emerged clutching a small suitcase and wearing a black look.
Brodie hopped out of the car, stretched and smiled. “Leaving so soon?”
Mark dropped the suitcase and stormed up to him. “This is all your fucking fault you nosy, interfering Jock wanker.”
“That’s racist Mr Creegan.”
“You smug bastard. Someone needs to bring you down a peg or two,” he said, thrusting his face into Brodie’s.
“Please Mr Creegan, you’re just embarrassing yourself. I wouldn’t recommend it,” he added when Mark drew back his fist.
Mark found himself on his knees, his right arm twisted up his back. “Get off me,” he yelled, cheeks pink with fury and embarrassment.
“I tried to warn you.” It was then Brodie spotted Sarah at her front door, mouth falling open at the scene. “Your wife’s watching,” he told Mark. “What do you think this display is going to do to convince her you’re not violent?”
He released Mark, who shot to his feet and whipped round. “Sarah, I…”
But she stepped back inside and slammed the door shut.
“Shit,” he sighed.
“Give her some space,” said Brodie, not letting his guard down in case Mark decided to attack again.
However he hardly heard him, lost in thoughts of his wife. Dejectedly he retrieved his suitcase then tramped to his car. He threw the case into the boot and backed the car out onto the road. He didn’t even look Brodie’s way as he drove off.
Brodie returned to the house and walked straight inside without knocking. He felt that would be acceptable now.
“Sarah, are you alright?” he called, finding her sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, staring into her mug of now-cold coffee.
“I told him it’s best if he gives me some space for a few days,” she replied without looking up.
“Did he get rough?”
“No. He never has.” Finally she looked up at him. “He went for you though.”
“It was nothing, he’s just hurt and frustrated. It can get to the best of us.”
She nodded and hauled herself to her feet. “I’m going for a lie down, try and get myself together before I have to pick the girls up from their friend’s house.”
“Okay. You’ve got my number. Call me if you need me.”
“Where are you going?” When he appeared surprised by the desperation in her voice she added, “sorry, it’s just that you’re the only person I’ve got to talk to about this.”
“Are you going to tell the rest of your family?”
“Not yet, not until I know what I’m going to do.”
“That’s probably wise. Work out how you feel about it first then you’ll be able to deal with other people’s reactions.”
“That’s good advice. So, you’re really leaving?”
“Sorry, I need to get to my hotel and shower and change and make some calls.”
“You’ve booked a hotel and I kept you here last night? I’m so sorry Brodie, I didn’t realise. You must think me so rude.”
“I’ve spent nights in worse places, believe me. Mark drove off, I think he’ll respect your wishes about staying away. You’ve still got my number?”
She nodded.
“Call me anytime, for anything. I’ll be back later.”
“Okay. I’ll lock up behind you,” she said, following him to the front door. “I took Mark’s key off him this time so he won’t be able to sneak in but I might have the locks changed,
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