A Fractured Echo

Chapter 13

Having been dismissed by my boss, I gathered my belongings and left the building with my escort. As we walked along the pavement in the direction of the main road, neither of us spoke. It wasn't an awkward silence, more a comfortable one which continued until we reached the end of Camden Market.

"Do you want to go get a drink, or I could take you home if you'd rather?" he murmured, seemingly unsure of what to do next as we reached a junction.

Not wishing to go back home, because I didn't want Constance worried at my early return, I sighed. "If I'm honest, a drink would be good."

"Follow me then." He grinned, steering me towards the canal.

Rather than continuing to walk in silence, I decided to say something that had been bothering me since he'd turned up at the cafe. "You could have just called you know?"

I knew it sounded ungrateful, but I was confused as to why he'd just shown up without warning at my place of work when he could have simply called or replied to my text.

"I know, I just thought this might be better." He explained softly. "I've slept for twelve hours straight, and my phone died during the night so I didn't see your text until I put it on charge when I woke up."

Glancing up at him, his eyes were fixed straight ahead, but a troubled expression graced his handsome face.

"I didn't mean to worry you, Jackson. I'm s..." My words trailed off weakly.

Stopping dead in his tracks on the towpath, he turned and growled, "Don't you dare...you needed someone and I wasn't there."

His reaction took me by surprise, and it clearly bothered him. When I'd sent my text, I hadn't intended to cause alarm, and it hadn't even occurred to me that he'd be dead to the world. I should have messaged Jodie instead.

"Don't be silly, I'm the one that forgot you'd have been wiped out after your flight." I reached out to touch his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

Studying my hand for a second, he reached out for my free arm and pulled me into a tight hug. "Even so...I told you I'd be there if you needed me."

This level of comfort with Jodie and Ruby was a given, but Jackson was different. Things were no longer awkward, but he'd never shown this much outward affection towards me. It was something I felt instantly at ease with, to the point I could return the gesture, wrapping my arms around his waist. His breath was warm against my hair as he squeezed tighter, rubbing his fingers against the middle of my back in hypnotic circles, before bringing both hands up to rest on my shoulders. Stepping back a little, he peered down at me, eyes filled with kindness and concern. For a second I thought I detected the faint hint of a blush gracing his cheeks, but realising how cold it was, quickly realised that it was simply the cold air causing the extra colour.

Jackson smiled briefly, a faint trace of something I couldn't decipher invaded his expression as he indicated towards a pub directly behind me. "I meant what I said. Now let's start trying to figure this out."

I nodded mutely, keener than ever to get some fresh perspective on everything that had come back to me so far, and I knew that what memories I did have would be completely safe with Jackson.

Walking through the doors, the lunchtime rush was firmly over, so we managed to snag a booth at one end of the bar for our talk. Slipping out of my coat, I slid myself onto one of the benches and perched myself so that my back was resting against the exposed brick wall before unwrapping my scarf from my neck and peeling the gloves from my hands. Jackson took my coat from the place on the bench where I'd stowed it, and hung it on a large black wrought iron hook positioned on the wall above me, then headed straight to the bar.