It wasnât his job, not technically, but Gio wasnât sure if he wanted to say that. It was easier to say that he simply worked in technology, which most people presumed to mean tech support, rather than admit that he did quite a bit of hacking. It was especially easier to avoid that topic when the people he did hacking for werenât exactly always the above board of types. âNo, I didnât charge her. She seemed to be in a lot of fret over the whole thing, enough to make spectacle of herself in the park. All I wanted was for her to stop fretting and stop practically glaring at her laptop. So, I fixed it.â Seemed a reasonable enough decision to him, though he imagined this man would find some reason why that had been a stupid thing to do, not that Gio particularly cared what Joseph thought about his actions.
He looked at Luke, a bit puzzled by the manâs question. âWhy would I need her number? Iâm sure if she had further issues with her laptop, there are other technicians who would be able to look at it.â Of course, they wouldnât be able to handle it as quickly and easily as he had, but they could at least probably figure out the issue and right it. âAlso, why would I want to remain in any sort of contact with her? She seemed very chaotic. I donât like chaotic.â For a moment, Gio had forgotten they had company, the conversation towards Luke just a little too easy to focus on and believe it was just the two of them chatting.
Then he remembered they werenât alone and fought back something of a groan. How unfortunate. âI do not make computers that complicated. I simply add things onto them that will improve your browsing life and security. It is not my fault if people do not know how to operate basic things.â
If Joseph was an emotional guy, he might start to cry. He wouldnât, but he felt like he could. This whole situation was outrageous. He felt like an intruder in Luke and Gioâs friendship. He had just as much right to hang out with Luke as Gio did. Heâd never understood what it was like to be a third wheel. He and Sam had been thick as thieves, and he never felt any insecurity there. Was this what Luke felt when he hung out with them? That was a scary thought. Maybe there was even more he had to apologize for than he originally thought. In other friendships, heâd never cared enough to be jealous. If they liked someone better, it didnât really affect him one way or the other. This was a terrible feeling. He tried to will it away because he didnât think he could take much longer of feeling like this.Â
âYou didnât notice if she was hot or not?â If Gio got laid, heâd have less time to spend with Luke, giving Joseph time to swoop in. That seemed like a win-win situation. Nobody would lose and everybody would be happy. It was a nice compromise. That was a lot to get out of Joseph. He hated compromises. He wanted what he wanted or heâd take nothing. There was no point in getting only part of what he wanted. In this scenario, heâd still get what he wanted but Gio would get to be happy too.Â
Luke was so nice. It didnât escape Josephâs attention that he went out of his way to make him feel included. He wouldnât say it but Gio seemed nice too (just not to him). Objectively, he could see why they were friends. He shot Luke a small smile, grateful for his efforts to make him feel welcome here. âThis sounds like a challenge. I want Gio to work on my computer now just to see if I could still work it or not.âÂ
Luke chuckled softly at the genuine confusion in Gioâs face about the phone number. Luke may not have had the most experiences with partners, but he at least knew enough that if you liked someone you asked for their number. Gio saw things differently and thatâs perhaps why Luke liked him, he always came at problems or scenarios and saw a completely different solution that was no less brilliant than the one that came before. Hearing him describe the woman further, Luke could understand why Gio would rather her not be in his life. There was a reason Luke was trying to make his impact in Gioâs life currently far less noticeable and widespread than he did at Brandonâs. "Fair enough. Chaotic energyâs a bit much these days, so I get it. Hopefully sheâll find a tech shop, but if I know you that computerâs not gonna break down for at least a few years. A decade, if sheâs lucky.â
Lukeâs brows rose at the challenge Joseph threw out, unsure if the man was really trying to prove something, or simply having fun. Itâd been a long time since theyâd hung out like this, although rather than Gio sitting there it wouldâve been Sam, and Luke off to the wayside. Itâs not that they ever intentionally cut Luke out of things, but Joseph was Samâs friend, and thatâs simply how it went. That being said, he was enjoying the almost friendship that was growing between them, an understanding was there between them that hadnât been there before. It still hurt to think that Joseph running was what caused Luke and his siblings to be caught, but--Luke understood why. Probably better than Dani or Sam ever would. âNot gonna lie, Iâd love to see that. What method do you use when you type? The hunt and peck?â The words were teasing, especially since Luke himself wasnât a master at computers, but heâd picked up a few things over the years. He didnât like being dependent upon technology though, and learned to simply leave any of the super complicated things for Gio to handle.