holding a spanner like a gherkin for three hours, but Vaughn kept James busy and actually trusted him to do stuff. He even let James blast around the muddy ranch tracks on a little Kawasaki dirt bike, though his pleas to have a go on one of the Harley Davidsons got short shrift.
*
James and Lauren slept in the guest room, which had a double bed. They acted as if sharing a bed was some kind of hellish punishment, while both secretly quite liking it. Lauren had been asleep for an hour and had managed to wind most of the king-sized duvet around herself.
James undressed quietly and brushed his teeth in the en-suite bathroom, then pulled the cover back and tried to slip under without waking his sister. He enjoyed the first few moments of warmth, looking at Laurene long hair spread out over the pillow and listening to her breathe.
Before his mum died, James had never given a momente thought to how much he loved his little sister. But ever since, he had tortured himself with the idea that something unexpected could happen to her as well. Lauren could get run over, or get cancer, or get hurt on a mission, or ?A couple of times James made himself cry just thinking about it, although het never admitted that to anyone, even the counsellor he occasionally saw on campus.
James closed his eyes and started thinking about a cool Japanese bike het read about in one of Vaughne magazines. All the time het spent hanging around the workshop listening to Vaughne biker stories had convinced James that he wanted his own motorcycle more than anything in the world.
James wasnt sure how old you had to be to ride a motorbike in Britain, but if it was seventeen like a car, he realised het be able to get one in three and a half years. He could use some of the money his mum left him when she died, maybe get some kind of job to pay for insurance and petrol ?
James was doing a hundred miles an hour down the motorway, with a fit girl hugging his waist, when Lauren jabbed him in the ribs.
Hou awake??she asked acidly.
Lust about,?James said, opening his eyes and letting out a big yawn.
Nowe Becky??Lauren asked.
Aine. Why??
i put my head around her bedroom door to say goodnight.?
Oh,?James said anxiously. Le just started talking and one thing led to another ?you know. Besides, theree no law against snogging. It nearly fourteen, I know guys my age who get up to a lot worse.?
But whate Kerry gonna say when she finds out you cheated on her??
Thee ten thousand miles away,?James said.
Las that the first time you snogged her??
Hes,?James lied, knowing that eighth or ninth was probably nearer to the truth. Ind one snog is hardly cheating.?
i doubt Kerry would see it that way,?Lauren snapped. Twear you抣l break it off with Becky and I wont say anything, but It not gonna sit back and let you cheat on Kerry. Shee my friend too.?
OK, I swear,?James said, trying to sound extra sincere.
On our mume grave,?Lauren added.
On our ?No,?James gasped. Cant you just stay out of this? Youte ten. Youte too young to understand.?
i might not be into boys yet, but I still know Kerry would be really upset.?
Lhy dont you keep your voice down and your snout out of my business??
Lauren turned away and buried her face in the duvet. Houte a total pig, James. Goodnight.?
29. OINK
James?conscience kept him awake half the night and Laurene evil eye across the breakfast table made him feel worse. Lisa asked if something was up, but they both said it was nothing.
James knew cheating on Kerry was shitty, but he hadnt seen her for months and he fancied Becky like mad. He couldnt see what harm a little fling would do, but Lauren finding out made everything more complicated.
James rushed up to Beckye room when she got home from school.
慙auren knows,?he said. The saw us last night.?
Becky shrugged. To??
James could hardly tell Becky he was a secret agent with a girl back home. Het spent half the day thinking up a way to explain why Lauren shouldnt find out.
慙aurene been through a lot,?he said. Airst our dad dying. Then my uncle giving her a hard time and me and Dave getting sent to prison. Ite not surprising she wants me to herself for a while.?
To, youte never gonna have a girlfriend in case your sister gets jealous??Becky asked, as she combed ink-stained fingers through