‘Sorry. No go. She really isn’t up for it.’
There was a silence. Kayley considered hanging up, then giggled slightly at the idea of her hanging up on Deano Diamond. Surely she wouldn’t dare?
‘Are you at the Hall now?’ he asked.
‘Yes.’
‘I thought so. Your dad said you’d gone to stay there for a few days. Listen, I’m a cheeky bastard, I know, but I’m going to ask you for another favour.’
Kayley’s heart sank. Just call me Gertie Go-Between.
‘Can you invite me round? To visit you, as a friend.’
‘Invite you here? You must be joking. Jenna would freak out.’
‘Yeah, well, Jenna ought to answer her phone then,’ he said sourly. ‘I’ve been ringing her every twenty minutes for the last three days. She won’t pick up.’
‘I think she’s blocked your number.’
‘So that good word you were going to put in for me worked well, then.’
Kayley sighed.
‘I did my best. It’s too soon, though. And she’s been through a lot lately. Your timing’s shit, Diamond.’
She bit her lip then, thinking she must have gone too far, the silence deafening her from the other end of the line.
But then he laughed.
‘You could be right. Jenna was always the one who seemed to understand that kind of thing. I’m a bull in a china shop.’
‘Sorry,’ said Kayley.
‘Don’t be. Listen, about that invitation …’
‘Sorry, got to go,’ said Kayley hurriedly, hearing the heavy tread of Jason’s work boots in her immediate vicinity. ‘Catch you later, yeah?’
‘Who’s that?’ Jason parked his wheelbarrow and stretched, flexing the knots out of his shoulders. He was wearing a T-shirt today, and it was filthy, covered in burrs and dirt.
‘Nobody,’ said Kayley, putting the phone away.
‘I didn’t know you had a boyfriend.’ Jason grinned.
‘I haven’t!’
‘Oh yeah? “Nobody” is always somebody, if you ask me. And usually somebody you’re shagging, or hoping to shag.’
‘Shut up, Jay. You’re right cocky ever since you started seeing Jenna.’
But Kayley’s cheeks burned. Is he right? Do I want to shag Deano?
‘I was always cocky,’ he said. ‘Just now I’ve got reason to be, that’s all. Jesus, a man could die of thirst round here.’
‘All right, all right. I’ll get the kettle on.’
Kayley was glad of the excuse to slide out from under Jason’s knowing gaze.
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