Shooting Between Us: 3 years on COMPLETE

Chapter Forty Five

Luke's POV:

Jack and I had just gotten to the cafe and had ordered our drinks. We had a little chat about everything, it was shit but I was actually feeling a little better now. Spending time with my friends, my fiancé, it definitely helped put my mind at ease. Even though I wasn't exactly feeling perfect. Our relationship has been getting a lot stronger lately if I was being honest. Ever since the family gathering, he's stopped being such a dick to me. "you've really had it rough lately, haven't you?" He asked as the waitress delivered the two coffees. "Pfft rough is an understatement...but yeah things haven't been kind" I added sugar to my coffee, I was trying to get used to sweeter coffee with sugar because I needed to try break my habit of strong coffee. "I mean I'd usually call you a baby and tell you to man up but this time I think you deserve some proper sympathy." He knocked back his coffee, still has his Jack ways I see. I also knocked back my coffee. Lol. "Jack Hemmings giving me sympathy? That's rare" I chuckled. "Oi shush!" He clicked his fingers and called the waitress over and ordered 4 shots of espresso, pouring them into one coffee cup. He then knocked that back. Jesus, and I thought I was bad! Now I see where I get it from. "Want one? They're nice and strong" "um... no.. I promised Calum I'd cut down on caffeine" I just ordered a regular latte this time, and Jack ordered another one of those "drinks" but a double, meaning it was 8 shots this time. Jesus, damn I'm sure he'd love the ÇCIM club.

"Don't drink that...you'll have a heart attack" I sighed. "Not safe, fucking funny though" wow he sounded a lot like Dave. Déjà vu anyone? Jack continued to slurp his drink. "Sooo you feeling better?" He added. "Not really.." "I know it's hard...look little bro, I know I'm not that much older than you. But I can teach you that you should live every day like it's your last. Don't let these people mess with you, they don't know the strength you have." Wow, reassuring words from Jack? Today is my lucky day. "Yeah.. you're right... it's just so frustrating. Everything went from being perfect for us to hell overnight. How the hell am I going to be able to go back to work after that?" I sighed stressfully. "Well you've got time off right? If you aren't ready to go back yet just tell Dave." He held my hand. "You're strong, man. Remember that. You'll get there." He smiled. Making me smile even more, his words did help me a lot. "Thanks Jack.. means a lot.." I smiled as we continued to chat over our coffees, I'd be lying if I said we didn't have more coffee than we planned to.

"So.. any new girl in your life?" I asked him, wanting to let him know that I care about his life too. "Eh, same old really. A girl gave me head in an alleyway the other day, then I have another girl anal yesterday" he shrugged casually, as if that was a normal thing to say to your brother. Gah, I had to ask didn't I? "Oh um.. er.. that- that's nice.." I stuttered trying to show interest, wasn't really working though. "Isn't it just! Hopefully I'll meet the one soon. Like you, before you met Calum you were a right little fucker with the guys and gals!!! How many people did you sleep with before you met him again?" He asked. For fucks sake; he knows this! Everyone fucking knows this! I love how people are so interested in what it was before Calum and not after Calum. And the bitch we don't talk about. "Im sure you will..." I tried to avoid his question but once I answered it, hopefully this conversation will be dropped. "Um... it wasn't half as many people as you... it was only um..44..." I muttered, not wanting the customers to hear me. Fucks sake. "What? You amateur! For me it's been 557 women" he put his hands on his hips proudly, Jesus Christ he needs to calm down! "Jack what the hell? That's ridiculous!" He shouldn't be proud of that at all, it's bad! "Why do you care? About 200 of them was when I was in Ibiza so" "....Jesus Christ" I was honestly lost for words. "God I had soooo much coke that weekend! So much!" He giggled, I wish he wouldn't talk about things like this in public. He shouldn't be doing it at all, let alone bragging about it! It's not safe and it's not clever! "Um...I'm proud?" I lied, I clearly was not impressed. "Hey maybe we should do it one day! We should get together and party! We will party until the place goes up in smoke!" He grinned. Surely this was just the coffee kicking in right? I just looked at him like 😶. "Umm.. I think you've had enough caffeine for one day" I chuckled nervously. "Are you okay?" He asked me. Shit I didn't wanna piss him off, with the stress last night I didn't really know how to handle the situation of what he was asking me, but I played cool. "Sorry sorry! Yeah sounds great bro" I blurted out. "Do you think Calum spiel approve? When should we get some?" He still started talking about coke. I really wasn't interested but I really hope he's joking because if I'm honest it's not exactly my idea of fun. I'm not interested at all. "Whenever you want... I don't think Calum will approve, we've never really discussed doing that sort of thing" I confessed. "That's fair enough... I'm sorry I guess I got a little bit carried away talking about that. Pretend I didn't say anything... so how's you and Calum after everything?" He changed the subject knowing how uncomfortable I was feeling and I'm glad he got the hint that I really did NOT want to do this. That conversation came completely out of nowhere! "He's... better than I thought he would be. I don't know if he's just trying not to think about it as much or doesn't want me to worry but...I always worry about him. Especially after that, I don't want him to leave my side after that" it was horrible even speaking about how scared I was for Calum to try to continue to go back to his day to day life. "I know I know... just try and keep calm okay?"