Chapter 19 #2
Cursing, he grabbed his jacket and frantically locked the drawers. This was what happened when you let a woman distract you.
Slamming the door behind him, he exited the building and headed for the tube station.
He wasn’t a fan of the underground, especially during the tail end of rush hour.
Too many escalators, cramped turnstiles, and a lack of fresh air.
It wasn’t as bad as riding an elevator, but it still made him feel edgy and tense, as though a panic attack loomed in his periphery, a hairsbreadth away.
It was still preferable to driving around London and paying the extortionate parking fees, though, so he dealt with it as best he could.
The training session had started by the time he arrived at the community centre, and he cursed himself for being late and letting Connor down.
‘I’m so sorry,’ he said, running across the hall to where Connor was handing out basketballs.
‘Something came up at work.’ He wasn’t about to mention his encounter with Elena, or his failed attempt to ride the elevator.
Connor had enough to deal with—like a group of unruly youths looking for an outlet from their boredom.
‘No problem.’ Connor gave him a short shrug.
‘We’re just starting the warm up.’ He blew his whistle and walked onto the court.
‘Okay, everyone! Let’s get started. We’ll begin with some layups.
Split into two groups and alternate between sides.
This side first. Go!’ He blew his whistle and the group split into two, their body language only mildly more enthusiastic than last time.
The players began dribbling the balls up to the net, some with a modicum of skill, others with about as much coordination as drunken rhinos on ice.
Connor jogged back over to him. ‘I think we need to work on passing skills.’
‘Good plan.’ Danny squeezed Connor’s shoulder, thinking he looked more confident tonight.
Volunteering was paying off. He also looked smarter, he had on his best jeans, and he was wearing the new top Hugh had got him from the NBA store in Carnaby Street.
And then he caught a waft of scent. ‘Are you wearing aftershave?’
Connor tried to look nonchalant. ‘Yeah, a bit.’
Who wore aftershave to a coaching session? ‘Special occasion?’
Connor shrugged, his focus on the players doing layups. ‘Maybe.’
Danny knew he needed to tread carefully, he didn’t want to blow it by bombarding Connor with questions. He remembered the dating pact they’d agreed on and decided this was his way in. ‘You know, I asked Elena out on a date this evening. We’re going to Bertie Blossoms tomorrow night.’
Connor turned to him. ‘You’re dating?’
‘That’s the hope. I figured there was no point sitting at home wondering how she felt, so I asked her out. No guarantee it’ll lead to anything, but it’s worth a shot, right?’
Connor tilted his head. ‘Are you nervous?’
‘Terrified.’
He smiled. ‘Why? It’s Elena.’
‘Exactly, it’s Elena.’ He grimaced. ‘She doesn’t suffer fools. The problem is I really like her, and I’d forgotten what it’s like to be so into someone you can’t think straight, and it scares the shit out of me.’
Connor picked up a ball when it rolled over and threw it back to the lanky lad who had stolen Danny’s trainers last time they were here. ‘She’s worth the risk.’
‘Why else would I be putting myself through this? She fills a void I didn’t know was there. There’s a connection between us that makes me feel alive, and I guess it feels like it’s worth the risk of humiliation.’
Connor smiled at him, like a proud parent. It was like they’d switched roles. ‘I think so too. Elena’s great.’ He turned back to the group. ‘Keep it going, guys!’
Danny tried to sound casual when he asked, ‘So … what about you?’
Connor kept his focus on the court. ‘Me?’
‘I’m guessing the outfit tonight isn’t for the benefit of the basketball guys.’ He waited a beat. ‘Is it for someone specific?’
It was a moment before Connor nodded.
Danny needed to contain his excitement. Or was it fear? He couldn’t tell. This was a big step, and either way he needed to stay chilled. ‘Are you meeting her after the training session?’
‘No, she’s already here.’
‘Already here?’ Danny looked around the room. ‘What, at the community centre?’
‘She volunteers here. She’s in the office sorting out the accounts.’ Connor waved to the group to keep going, their energy levels were flagging already. ‘She’s the woman I was telling you about before, the one I met on the train.’
Danny tried to cast his mind back. ‘And she volunteers here? That’s quite a coincidence.’
‘Not really. I told her I volunteered here and she turned up a few days later with her sister offering to help.’
‘Right.’ Danny’s head had started to spin. This woman had tracked Connor down? She’d turned up where he volunteered and infiltrated herself into his brother’s world. Should he be worried? ‘And things have developed between you and this woman?’
‘Not really.’ He rubbed his hands together. ‘I mean, we’ve got to know each other a bit, but nothing’s happened.’
‘But you’d like it to?’
Connor nodded.
‘What’s holding you back?’
Connor’s expression was morose. ‘She’s way out of my league.’
‘In what way?’
‘She’s stunning, like proper stunning.’ Connor’s face flushed red. ‘And she’s smart and talented, plus she’s older than me. Not that it bothers me, but she’s way more mature than I am. I feel a bit intimidated when I’m with her.’
Danny knew all about intimidating women. ‘Does she feel the same way about you?’
‘I don’t know. It’s like you said earlier about Elena, there’s a connection between us, and I feel better when she’s around.
I thought she saw me as just a friend, but the other night we danced together and she kissed me.
She seemed kind of embarrassed afterwards, but maybe that’s because she regretted it, I don’t know.
She smiled at me when she arrived tonight, so maybe she does like me. ’
‘Quite the conundrum.’ Danny rubbed his neck, trying to process everything.
‘So, I’m thinking I should do what you’re doing and ask her out on a date? See what she says. But if she says no, then volunteering together is going to be awkward.’
‘She’s more likely to say yes.’
Connor’s expression was hopeful. ‘How come?’
‘You obviously made quite an impression on her. To the point where she came here looking for you. I’m no expert, but would a woman do that if she wasn’t interested?’
Connor seemed to ponder this. ‘Maybe she really did just want to volunteer?’
‘Or maybe she wanted an excuse to see you again.’
Connor smiled. ‘You think I should ask her out?’
‘I think you should ask her out. It’s a no-brainer.
’ He patted Connor’s shoulder, praying this woman was as cute as his brother described and not trouble looming.
Maybe he was projecting his own insecurities onto Connor—he wasn’t exactly a dab hand at dating himself—but Connor was too vulnerable to deal with any avoidable drama.
They both reverted their focus to the training session and he helped Connor set up passing drills, getting the players to switch positions and move the ball around.
The lanky kid was wearing Danny’s trainers, showing no shame whatsoever at having pinched them last time.
Still, maybe he couldn’t afford his own.
An hour later, Danny was sweaty from training and regretting not changing out of his suit before the session started. His fault for showing up late.
Connor was congratulating the group on a good session and assuring them they were improving.
His confidence levels had definitely improved, and he joined in the banter and joked with the group.
Danny’s parental worries subsided another notch.
Things were finally heading in the right direction.
Maybe this woman was a contributory factor?
Having bagged up the basketballs, Connor came over to him. ‘Do you want to meet her before you leave? It’d be good to get your opinion.’ He looked a tad uncertain.
‘You sure? Meeting the parents is quite full on, you don’t want to scare her off.’
‘She’s not like that, she’s really family-orientated, and I think she’d like to meet you. I’ve talked about you a bit. But keep it causal, okay? Don’t embarrass me. Don’t say anything about me liking her.’
Danny gave him a look. ‘I’m not an idiot, Connor. Of course I won’t. Where is she, in the office?’
‘This way.’ Connor led him over to a small room and knocked on the door before entering. ‘Hey, Sofia, this is my brother, Danny.’
Sofia? It took Danny a moment to process his shock. It couldn’t be, could it? It wasn’t exactly a common name. ‘Sofia?’
The woman swivelled on the office chair to face him, her smile faltering when she saw him. ‘Danny?’ She looked as thrown as he was. She stood up abruptly, gripping the chair for support.
He tried to gather this thoughts. ‘I had no idea you volunteered here?’
Connor looked between them. ‘You two know each other?’
Danny turned to a confused-looking Connor, trying to keep a lid on his own panic. ‘Sofia is Elena’s sister.’
Connor looked like he’d been slapped. ‘What?’
‘We met one time when I was visiting Elena at work,’ Sofia said, wringing her hands together. ‘Danny kindly gave me some advice about my dismissal from work.’
‘You’re Elena’s sister?’ Connor’s voice had lost all its volume.
Sofia nodded, and then seemed puzzled by something. ‘How do you know Elena?’
Connor opened his mouth to answer, but switched his panicked gaze to Danny, uncertainty clouding his face, as if he was unsure how much to say.
‘Err … they’ve met a few times in the office,’ Danny chipped in, trying to help Connor out. ‘When Connor’s visited me at work.’
‘Oh, right.’ Sofia didn’t look overly happy. ‘Small world.’
And getting smaller by the second.
Danny’s phone pinged with an email notification, causing him to glance briefly at the message.
It was the employment tribunal papers for his latest case.
Thinking about work at a time like this wouldn’t normally capture his attention, not when he’d just discovered his brother had the hots for the sister of the woman he’d fallen for, but the email heading was enough to distract him.
It contained the name of the opposition.
The person he’d be attempting to annihilate in court.
The blood drained from his face faster than if someone had fitted a tap inside his brain. His pulse quickened, his palms grew sweaty, and it was as if someone was forcing him inside an elevator. This couldn’t be happening.
His panic must have been visible, because Connor rushed over. ‘Are you okay? What’s wrong, are you ill?’ He looked concerned, like he was worried Danny was having a heart attack.
‘I’m not ill,’ was all Danny could manage, before resting his hands on his knees as he breathed deeply and tried to prevent passing out.
Christ, maybe he was having a heart attack after all.
Connor rubbed his back. ‘You’re scaring me. Do you need an ambulance? Talk to me, what’s wrong?’
What’s wrong? The name of his opposition was Sofia Romero.
That was what was wrong.