If

Disclaimer - Emmerdale & its characters do not belong to me, they belong to ITV

A/N -Thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapters!


Aaron opened the door to Smithy to find Jackson on the other side just about to knock "Hey" Aaron greeted him

"Hey" Jackson smiled "Where's…" he trailed off just as Holly pushed past Aaron "Holly"

Holly awkwardly smiled at him "Hi"

Jackson raised his eyebrows "Feeling better are we?" she shrugged sheepishly "I'm sorry about last night, one off"

Jackson shook his head "Nowt to do with me"

Holly looked at Aaron "thanks" Aaron didn't reply and she walked away.

"Last night go OK?" Jackson asked as he and Aaron began walking towards the café "Eventually she went to sleep, so I did too"

Jackson laughed "That was nice of you"

Aaron shrugged "She slept on my bed, I took the floor and I would have heard her"

"I'm sure Paddy would have"

Aaron nudged Jackson with his shoulder "Shut up"

"Did she say why?" Jackson queried and Aaron shook his head "No but I'm sure I know"

Jackson lifted his eyebrows, waiting on his theory "Yeah?"

"Yeah"

"Go on then"

Aaron couldn't help the smirk that crossed over his face "I think she did because she couldn't handle seeing me with you"

Jackson started laughing "Yeah, I'm sure that's it"

"Can't handle losing me" Aaron added and Jackson shook his head "I doubt it"

"It could be true"

"Could be" Jackson agreed "But its not, she dumped you and anyway you're not that hard to get over"

"You couldn't do it" Aaron reminded him

They stopped outside the café and Jackson changed the subject "Want a lift to college?" Jackson asked

Aaron thought about it for a minute but then shook his head "Nah, I'll get the bus"

"You're choice" Jackson began walking away "Not coming in?" Jackson shook his head "I've got hard work to do, unlike you"

"Yeah, right. I'm not even a builder and I could have finished that job faster than you"

Jackson stopped walking and faced Aaron "Maybe I like the view so I'm dragging it out"

Aaron smirked "Well it was the only reason you took the job" he didn't wait on a witty come back instead he headed into the café.

When Aaron was finished in the café he found Jackson waiting on him outside "What?"

"Just thought of something"

"What?" Aaron asked as he headed towards the bus stop with Jackson following him

"I'm not going to lie for her"

Aaron sighed "What?"

"If Adam asks, I'm going to tell him"

"I told her I wouldn't say anything" Aaron informed him but Jackson couldn't care "Well she's not my ex" he said with a grin "I have no reason to lie for her"

"I'm telling you too?"

Jackson scoffed "Oh yeah because I do what you tell me to"

Aaron sighed "Just tell him we left early so we have no idea? That's what I'll be telling him"

"You're going to lie to your best mate?"

Aaron nodded "I don't want to but I will"

Jackson could see Aaron's bus coming up the road "you think she'd do the same if it was you?"

He thought about it for a few seconds and he knew she would cover for him but he would never do something that stupid "Yeah she would" he finally admitted "Look, just avoid Adam if you have to, until I've talked to him after that he won't bother asking you, he'll believe me"

"Well if I see him first"

"You'll be working" Aaron said just as his bus stopped in front of him "see you in a bit"

"See ya" Jackson waited until the bus drove off before heading back to work, he wouldn't lie for her but if Adam didn't ask then he wasn't about to volunteer the information, for Aaron's sake if not Holly's.


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