Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Nate
N ate stepped into the pub. He chose the quieter of the two pubs on Copper Island because he wanted a quiet evening. The Crown pub had a rowdy lot most nights. Looking around the dimly lit room, he saw the usual faces who also wanted a quiet pint.
It was a Thursday night, a few days after he’d carried Daisy out of Edward Hall kitchens. The bar was fairly empty, with just a few patrons scattered around the tables. He was looking for a drink and his best friend’s counsel.
A beer would do the trick.
He scanned the bar, but his gaze was quickly drawn to one particular booth in the corner, where his best mate Selly was already sitting. A smile flashed across his face as he greeted him warmly, and he eagerly took the spot across from him, eager to catch up.
Selly looked up and smiled at Nate. “Hey, how’s the wrist? ”
“It was just a sprain. All healed, thankfully.”
“Thank fuck for that. I felt bad even though it was an accident.”
“At least it gets me out of rowing practice for a while. You want another?” Nate asked, looking at his friend’s glass that only had an inch of beer in it.
“Yeah, a pint of bitter, mate,” Selly said, holding up his glass. “They can reuse this one.”
“I think it’s a myth that it tastes better if the same glass is used,” Nate grumbled.
Selly laughed as he walked away. Nate had been friends with Selly and Rob since they were children, and they both shared a deep love of rowing and beer. Nate was the serious one, Rob the outlandish one, and Selly was somewhere in the middle to balance them out.
When Nate returned with two pints and a packet of crisps between his teeth, Selly squinted at him. His friend waited for him to sit on the opposite seat and then spoke.
“What’s been happening, Nate? I haven’t seen you in a while,” he asked, his voice full of concern.
Nate sighed. He hadn’t intended for it to come out, but the words tumbled from his lips before he could stop them.
“I’ve fallen in love with someone, Selly,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.
Selly’s brow furrowed. “Who? I saw you a few weeks ago, and you were single then.”
Nate paused, his gaze flicking away from him. “Daisy Turner,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Selly’s eyes widened in surprise. Daisy Turner was not someone Nate would have expected to be interested in, let alone fall in love with. Selly knew that too.
Daisy was from a completely different background, and they had never even spoken to each other since he’d taunted her at school fifteen years ago.
“Wow,” Selly said. He paused for a moment, studying his face. “Do you... Do you think she feels the same?”
Nate shrugged. “I don’t know. We’ve not talked about it. But I can’t stop thinking about her...” His voice trailed off, and he stared down at the table, lost in his thoughts.
Selly reached across the table, opened the crisps and sat back with a grin.
“You never know,” he said. “Maybe it’s fate?”
Nate smiled slightly, but someone still tinged his expression with sadness.
“Maybe,” he said. “If someone had said while I was in school that I’d be hot for her when I was an adult, I would laugh in their faces. Rob was his usual self in front of her a few weeks ago, and she retreated like she’d gone back in time. She recognised him, but he had no clue who she was.”
“I’d heard about that. Rob feels awful. Has she changed that much?”
“Yeah, big time. She was always pretty, but now she’s beautiful, confident and get this? She drives a forklift truck like she was born to do it.”
Selly gave him a rueful smile. “I wondered how you were able to still keep up the deliveries with your wrist injury.”
“Yeah, she helped me out big time.”
“So, are you going to ask her out on a date?”
“That’s the weird thing. We’ve spent time with each other like we’re friends, but I know we both feel it’s deeper than that. Asking her now out on a date will seem odd. Plus, I don’t want to scare her off. I’d rather keep her as a friend.”
“Have you run into her aunt yet at the Hall?”
“No, Daisy and her brothers live in the cottages on the estate, and she doesn’t go anywhere near her. I’m not sure what the story is, but she hates her aunt.”
“She belongs to a very large club,” Selly said and took a gulp of his pint. “Oh fuck, looks like we have company. Do you want me to stay?” Selly said, eyeing the door that had opened.
Nate looked over his shoulder to see who had walked in. Archer, Jason and Luke strode in, looking pensive. They scanned the bar, and their eyes landed on Nate. His heart began to race, and he felt a wave of anger sweep over him. What were they doing there?
“Up to you, mate. This shouldn’t take long,” Nate replied, turning fully to face them.
“I’ll stay. Two against three will never work, especially with your wrist, but I’ll give it my best.”
Nate turned his head and gave his friend a smirk. “Thanks, mate.”
The brothers approached their table, and Archer spoke first.
“We’re here to have a word with you,” he said, his voice low and menacing.
Nate stood up, his hands fisting. He had no idea what they would say, but he knew it wouldn’t be friendly.
Nate’s eyes narrowed. “What exactly is it you want?” he asked, his voice full of defiance.
Archer glanced at Selly and then turned back to Nate.
“We want to know what you’re doing with our sister,” he said. “We just want to make sure you understand that this is not acceptable. She deserves better than someone like you.”
Nate fury raised its head. He stepped into Archer’s space. Nate noticed Jason and Luke flank him, and the pub grew quiet. Whatever went down would be island gossip within minutes. When Jason punched his old long-time friend, Keith, it spread like wildfire within minutes.
“This is what’s going to happen. I’m going to ask you three questions about Daisy. If you get two out of three right, we can have your chat. If you can’t answer at least two of them, then we’re done talking, and you can leave me the fuck alone. Are you up for it?” Nate asked, looking at each of them in turn.
“What are the questions?” Jason said. “This should be a breeze. We’re her brothers.”
Nate ignored the arrogance.
“Question one. Daisy volunteers three nights a week and a shift at the weekend. What does she do?”
Nate was met with a trio of blank faces. Archer looked to Jason and then Luke, but they didn’t answer.
“You can confer. I don’t mind,” Nate said, his words dripping with derision.
Selly laughed into his pint behind Nate, and that drew a smirk to Nate’s face.
“No? Don’t know? All right. Let’s try an easier one. When did Daisy finish her work experience?”
Another set of furrowed brows and shaking of heads.
“Jesus fuck, what the hell have you been doing?” Nate asked.
“Now listen,” Luke said, pointing a finger.
Nate ignored the tone and ploughed on. “Last question. How many blackouts has Daisy had like the one you witnessed?”
“Two,” Archer said confidently.
“Any advances on two?” Nate asked Luke and Jason.
Both men shook their heads.
“You’re wrong. You three should be ashamed of yourselves. Arseholes the lot of you. Now you get to leave me alone. I warn you, do not approach Daisy and warn her off me. You no longer have that right.”
Nate turned his back on the brothers, gulped down half his pint, and then stared at his friend. Selly looked over his shoulder and tracked the brothers’ movements until Nate heard the pub door slam shut. The brothers hadn’t slammed the door. It was how the hinge worked at that pub. Still, it made him jump.
“I can’t believe they couldn’t answer any of the questions. I always thought those siblings were tight.”
“I’m getting the impression nothing is what we thought it was with the Turners,” Nate said. “Another?” he asked.
“Yeah, but I’ll get this round.”