"Please, you would have been fine," Jake said confidently. "Because you know what's worse than being in a home like that? Being in jail where you couldn't get into the type of trouble I know you love to get into. It would have been four walls, three meals a day and my ugly face staring you sternly. And yes, I can be stern."

He knew what his face looked like. He knew he looked young, innocent, untouched but he'd learned from his father and his father had the face of someone who was permanently sucking a lemon. Jake had been disappointed enough by his dad that he was well versed in being upset and angry.

Looking over, Jake watched a bunch of colleagues working the scene and shook his head. "Nah. I wasn't even supposed to be here. I was questioning some wanker when I looked at your text. Wasn't even on the call but I came anyway."