PART 5

Danny sat at the bar, trying to make the last of his beer last; it didn’t look like Mike was coming though. He didn’t know why he was so desperate to see him anyway. True, they had got on well, and had a lot to chat and laugh about. Maybe he did want to have his own friend, but he didn’t think he had anything to prove to his brother or cousin. Maybe he simply just liked this guy, who actually seemed to want to listen to him. If he’d been Mike he would have yelled and told the guy who spilt beer over him where to go. But for some reason this guy was actually…nice to him. For now, Danny thought. He sighed and swilled the beer around his glass as the different number of ways he could annoy this Mike and make him regret the day they bumped into each other.

The stool scraped loudly back as he stood up, and he pushed the glass away.

“Danny?” he almost leapt but turned and found himself face to face with the man he’d just been thinking about. “Remember”-

“Mike…yeah. I was just uh”-

“Are you leaving?”

“No. I mean, do you want a drink? I have money on me today” Danny smiled.

“Like I’d refuse a drink” Mike grinned and gestured to an empty booth, which Danny realized was the same as yesterday’s, “sit there again?”

“Sure” Danny paid for two beers, and thanked Leanne, before sitting opposite Mike. He glanced around and didn’t seem to know what to do with his hands.

“Are you alright mate, you’re fidgeting” Mike looked at him questioningly.

“Sorry” Danny folded his arms, “I just didn’t want you to think I was desperate to see you… I meant”-

“I wanted to see you again too” Mike offered with a smile.

Danny nodded. “Sorry, I’m not really good with this”-

“Yeah, you said yesterday”

Danny nodded again.

“… so what have you been up to?” Mike asked and sipped his beer.

“Nothing really. My brother wants me to find a job, but…” hmm, maybe he shouldn’t explain why he couldn’t get a job yet.

“What kind of work are you looking for?”

“Anywhere that will have me”

Mike smiled. “I could probably get you a job. My dad owns a few businesses, bars, that kind of stuff. I actually run my own photography studio and shop”

“You do photography?” Danny asked, mentally slapping himself.

Mike grinned, “Yeah. It’s not really that fancy, just weddings, family portraits that kind of stuff you know. Photographing people is my thing. I’ve got quite a portfolio, and hoping to build up some collections to possibly display some time… sorry if I’m boring you”

“You’re not, I mean, it sounds great if that’s what you like doing”

“Is it not your thing?”

“I don’t have a clue about photography” Danny admitted, “but I know good stuff when I see it”

Mike smiled at him again. “If you want I can ask my dad if he’s got anything going, I mean you’re my mate so it shouldn’t be a problem. Or even if you can stand the boredom and are that desperate, I could always do with some help in my shop”

Danny blinked.

“You’d basically just take in bookings for sessions, help set stuff up… and if you can handle a till, serve customers who want to buy - well, I don’t think that’s really what you’re looking for is it?”

“Well, it’s a job isn’t it?” Danny shrugged and drank some of his beer.

“Yeah… do you want it? It can be temporary if you want, until you find something better”-

Danny put down his glass. “Where is it and when do I start?”

Mike gave a lopsided smile as he picked up a beer mat and took a biro out of his pocket.

(\/\/\/\/\/\/)

“Have you been sitting around all day?” Jake tutted as he shrugged off his jacket. Danny was lying on the sofa watching TV when he’d come in.

“No actually, I did go out”

“To get a job?” Jake asked lamely.

“Yeah, and I got one” Danny stretched out before sitting up.

“You did?” Jake stopped. “It is legit isn’t it”-

“What do you take me for? Its all above board” Danny rolled his eyes and placed his feet on the coffee table.

“Really Danny? Because I don’t want”-

“Why can’t you trust me? I thought you’d be happy that I got a job and instead you’re whining even more!”

“Sorry, it’s just been a long day” Jake sighed and sat next to him, tapping his brother’s leg to take his feet off the table.

“Yeah must be tiring running all those laps for your new master” Danny muttered as he put his feet on the floor.

“Leave it out bruv” Jake groaned, “are you going to tell me what this new job of yours actually is?”

“It’s only temporary, it’s basically just doing this and that for someone” Danny replied.

“You said it wasn’t dodgy”-

“It isn’t! Did I say anything about it being dodgy? No – and like you can talk, you work for Johnny Allan!” Danny snapped back.

“Hey”-

“Heeey boys, not fighting over the remote are you?” Alfie called as he entered the house, shutting the door behind him.

“Nah. Danny was just telling me about this new job he’s got”

Alfie grabbed the doorframe and leant in. “Really?... Danny, its nothing dodgy is it, because”-

“There’s no living with you two!” Danny snapped as he got up and shouldered past Alfie to head upstairs to his bedroom.

Jake and Alfie looked guiltily at each other – Danny was obviously trying - but were both still suspicious about Danny’s job.