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Jesse’s heart lifted. “You’d do that?”
Tom’s smile was tentative. “Life or death, is it?”
“Life or death…definitely.”
“You need to be back to take Dimity around the grounds later. You promised.”
“I will, I swear.”
His eyes warmed. “Fine.”
“Thanks, man. Thanks so much. I owe you.”
“I’d say you do,” he said. “Come on.”
They went out to the garages, keeping out of sight of the gates. They wheeled Tom’s bike awkwardly down the lawns and through the moor gate. There were some fraught moments getting it over the bumpy moorland to the road, but finally, Jesse climbed on behind him and they were zooming toward the city.
Jesse fought guilt as he climbed off outside his brother’s house, thanking Tom again.
“I’ll come back at about four, shall I?”
Jesse hesitated. “Do you want to come in?” He found he’d asked the question before he’d fully decided to.
Tom lifted his eyebrows. “I haven’t been invited.”
“You’ve done so much. The least I can do is make sure you get fed.”
“Are you sure your brother won’t mind?”
“Let me handle Ant,” Jesse said. “Come and have some bloody Christmas dinner.”
The door opened before they reached it and out sped Oliver. He cried Jesse’s name and grabbed his hand, bouncing.
“Hey, buddy,” he said. “Sorry I’m late. Merry Christmas.”
“I knew you’d come,” Oliver beamed at him. “Dad said you wouldn’t, but I knew you would.”
“So you made it.”
Jesse looked up. Anton stood in the door holding a beer and wearing an expression somewhere between fondness and annoyance.
“Better late than never, right?”
“I’ll put that on your gravestone, little brother,” Anton said. His gaze slid to Tom, and he raised his eyebrows.
“This is Tom,” Jesse said. Oliver’s smile widened and his brother’s turned knowing. “Is he okay to join us?”
“You’ve got a boyfriend, Uncle Jesse?” Oliver grinned.
Tom colored rather fetchingly, and Jesse fought a blush of his own. “Tom’s a friend, mate. Tom, this is my nephew…Olly.”
“Pleased to meet you, Olly.”
“You guys are gonna have kids, right? So I can have a cousin?”
“Jesus, Olly,” Jesse said.
“How about you let them come in for a bit before planning their lives out, lad?” Anton’s eyes were amused.
