A Sense of Guilt ✔

Chapter 6

Two weeks later Joe met up with Donnie at the weekend for a drink. It was early in the afternoon so he made a mental note to tell Kat they'd met for coffee.

'What's Katherine up to?' Donnie asked placing a pint in front of him.

'She's working.' Katherine sometimes worked Saturdays.

'Well there's something I want to discuss with you,' Donnie said and Joe was instantly on edge. 'I was just wondering how you'd feel if I asked Shannon out? I wouldn't want to step on your toes.'

'You wouldn't be stepping on my toes,' Joe said because what else could he say? 'But are you sure she's even available, I'd imagine she has a boyfriend.'

Donnie grinned. 'She doesn't, I've already checked.'

'Go for it then,' Joe said trying to sound jovial.

'And you wouldn't think it was a bit close to home?'

'Well only in the sense that she was sorta like a little sister to you,' Joe said raising another objection.

'Maybe years ago when she was a kid but she's well and truly grown up now,' Donnie said and Joe forced himself not to grimace.

'Yeah, I noticed,' he said thinking she looked the same and yet different.

'You are ok with her being back in town?' Donnie asked more seriously, and Joe sighed.

'I guess but seeing her the other night was sorta weird,' he admitted.

'You still have feelings for her?'

'Not like that, but I wish I could have talked to her alone and cleared the air. The chances are we're going to keep running into each other and if I'm acting awkward Kat's going to pick up on it.' Katherine had barely mentioned Shannon but he knew she was disturbed by her reappearance, and him acting like an embarrassed schoolboy was hardly going to reassure her.

'So you want to clear the air with Shannon for Katherine's benefit?' Donnie asked his brows furrowed.

'Yeah and my own, I never really had closure,' Joe said. Donnie grabbed a beer mat and wrote something down.

'That's Shannon's number, give her a call and sort it out then.' Joe took the mat, pausing for a moment before putting it in his pocket. It made sense to clear the air and what harm could a call do?

~~~~

Shannon answered her phone not recognising the number on the screen.

'Hello?'

'Hello, Shannon?' Her heart pounded in her chest as she recognised Joe's voice.

'Oh hi Joey,' she said trying to sound natural.

'Can you talk?' he asked and she felt her anxiety increase tenfold.

'I'm about to go to work, is everything ok?'

'Yeah fine, I just wanted to talk but I guess now is a bad time. Is there any chance we could meet later?'

'I guess,' she said feeling curious, and it would be easier to talk in person.

'So when are you available?'

'I'm off on Friday, I could meet anytime then?' she said hoping she didn't sound too eager.

'How about O'Grady's at six, I'll have finished work by then?'

She paused weighing it up. A meeting straight from work and before dinner probably wouldn't last too long. 'Ok I'll see you there,' she said hanging up. She was desperate to find out why he wanted to meet her, feeling both excited and nervous about the prospect.