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“They can wait until Monday. Take your Saturday, Jesse. Emory won’t mind.”
Emory.
Jesse’s blood stirred, and he looked away.
* * * *
Jesse was on his third beer and fourth hour of analyzing the blueprints of Ivor, Harrison & Associates’ office building when his phone buzzed on his bed. His brother’s name flashed on the screen, and Jesse’s heart sank.
“Jess, there you are.” There was only a touch of annoyance in Anton’s tone, for which Jesse was grateful. He was so wound up that he didn’t know what he’d say if his brother rubbed him up the wrong way, and it wouldn’t take much right now to get him to ban him from the house and Oliver…again.
“Sorry, Ant,” Jesse said, getting another beer from the mini-fridge under his desk. “I’ve been busy.”
“Busy?” Anton sounded dubious. “Doing what?”
Planning to break into a lawyer’s office for a vampire who’s as hot as he is terrifying.
“Uh, a job,” he said after unsticking his throat with beer. “I got a job.”
“A job? A real one?”
“Yes, a real one.’
“I’m sorry. No, you’re right. It’s just been…” Anton made a frustrated noise. “Sorry. What’s the job?”
“Digital security engineer.”
“That’s great.” Anton was so enthused guilt lapped up Jesse’s throat. “And do they, well….know?”
“Know what?”
“Don’t hate me,” Anton said after a pause.
“Do they knowwhat, Ant?”
“They know about your record and everything, right, Jess? You didn’t falsify references or anything?”
Despite his best efforts, Jesse bridled. “You really think I’m a complete screw-up, don’t you?”
“I just know it’s been tough, little bro,” Anton said, his regret so audible that Jesse again tasted sour guilt “I want to know you’re okay.”
“I am,” Jesse said, more calmly. “This is a real job, I promise. And yes, they know about my past. They gave me a chance, anyway.”
“That’s great…really great. Where is it?”
Jesse froze with the beer bottle to his lips. “Where’s what?”
“The job?”
Jesse fidgeted. “It’s sort of confidential.”
Another pause, more weighted this time. “Confidential?”
“It’s legit, I promise.”Mostly.He winced. “I’ll tell you, I promise…when I can.”
“Okay,” Anton replied after another heavy pause. “I’ll take your word on that. So you can pay your gas bill and shit now?”
“I, uh…I moved out of that place. This is sort of a live-in position.”
