by Angela Peach
“If you’re sure they won’t mind me tagging along? But I buy my own drinks, ok?”
“Cool!”
We drove back to mine, and I was pleased to note that we were both relaxed and easy with each other again.
CHAPTER 8
The first thing I did when I finally managed to drag myself out of bed was to check the list that I’d put in my bedside table drawer. I turned the pages of the notebook carefully, scrutinising every fact and detail, but as far as I could tell, nothing had changed. This lifted my mood somewhat, and after I’d taken a quick shower, I went to the kitchen where I found Nick washing some pots, and Spencer sat at the table nursing a pint of water and a coffee, looking just as hungover as I felt.
Feeling incredibly guilty about neglecting him this week, I went up behind him and gave him a big hug and kiss.
“Hey gorgeous!”
“Hey! D’ya have a good night?”
“Yeah! Yeah, it was good” I turned to Spencer. “Do you want some toast?”
“Um, yeah thanks.”
I busied myself making our toast as bits and pieces of our night out came back to me. I remembered how Ali had hooked up with some guy and disappeared quite early on in the evening. I remembered that we’d all been chucked out of the third pub after Jen had flashed her tits to a group of guys while standing on a table.
The toast popped up and I glanced over at Spencer. She was watching me with a strange expression that I couldn’t make out. I tried to smile at her, but then another memory surfaced.
I remembered her getting chatted up by some twat in a suit (a suit, for Christ’s sake, in a club?!) and then seeing them kissing near the bar. I paused as I was buttering the toast, suddenly ashamed.
I now remembered how I’d gone stalking over and told her I was going home, and as she’d chased after me, I definitely remembered telling her to go back to her new boyfriend and to enjoy fucking him. My face reddened as it all flooded back to me.
“Do you, um, want anything on it?” I asked sheepishly. It was hard to tell if she remembered how I’d behaved. I know we’d both been pretty slaughtered.
“Marmite and peanut butter please” she said, returning my gaze. I raised my eyebrows.
“Together?”
“Yeah. It’s nicer than it sounds” she smiled, and looked back down at her cup. I got the feeling she remembered alright.
I spread her toast with marmite and peanut butter as requested, then on mine out of sheer curiosity. As I passed it over to her, I tried not to look at her lips. The image of them passionately kissing the suit was too fresh, and I couldn’t stem the gnawing feeling in my gut.
I was a little bit jealous.
No. I was insanely jealous. Insanely, and irrationally jealous.
“Thanks” she said. I couldn’t meet her eye. Remembering how she’d chased me out of the club to the taxi rank, begging me to stay while I brushed her off was embarrassing to say the least. But ignoring her for the whole journey home in the taxi had been uncalled for.
“I’m sorry” I whispered. “I acted like a twat last night.”
She shook her head.
“No, thank you! You saved me from going home with that idiot” she said, looking embarrassed herself. “I never do that sort of thing. I think I just had way too much to drink and got carried away.”
I watched her bite into the toast and felt a flood of relief-she didn’t think I’d acted weird and didn’t hate me for spoiling her pull!
But she also didn’t know why I’d acted the way I had.
“Babe, I was thinking. Seeing as I haven’t seen you all week, how do you feel about a romantic weekend away, just the two of us, in a nice little hotel in the middle of nowhere, no distractions?” Nick said, wrinkling his nose as I ate the strange mix on toast. It actually was really nice, but now it turned to cement as I processed his question.
“That’s quite short notice.”
“Well, you haven’t made plans already have you? It won’t take long to pack a bag to take with us and we can be there in a couple of hours, so unless you don’t want to…”
“No, I do! I just have a bit of a hangover, that’s all babe.”
“Great! We can take your car-it’s a bit more comfortable than mine.”
“Oh. Um, about that. I’ve sort of lent Spencer my car” I admitted, concentrating really hard on the next round of toast.
“You lent your car to Spencer?” he asked, incredulously. “Is this the same car you won’t even let me drive? The same car you went crazy about when I moved it five foot to let the neighbour’s car out a few weeks ago?”
“It’s not that big a deal.”
“Tris, if it’s a problem…”
“No, it’s not a problem Spence.”
I stared Nick down, daring him to say more, but he didn’t. He just mumbled something about getting some clothes ready to take away with us and walked out.
“I don’t want to cause any problems between you both.”
“I can’t keep the car. What if I drive to the wrong house or something? What if it changes again and I go to get in the wrong car in front of him? It makes sense for you to have it. Look, I’ll give you my cash card so you can put petrol in it” I said, looking for my purse.
“I said I didn’t want your money. I’m not a charity case.”
“Hey, I didn’t mean to offend you-I just don’t think it’s fair to expect you to put petrol in my own car, especially not when it’s to help me out.”
“Will you stop it? For god’s sake!” she suddenly burst out angrily. “I’m helping you because I want to, because I enjoy spending time with you! You’re making me feel like some sort of hired help, and I want to be your friend! Jesus!” She stood up. “Look, I’d better go. I hope you have a nice weekend away with your boyfriend, Tris. Call me if you need help.”
“Spencer, wait, please? Oh god, I’m so sorry! You are my friend!” I chased her to the front door, eager to be away from Nick’s ears. I managed to stop her opening it. “Please? Wait?”
“I don’t want you to just look at me as someone who helps you.”
“I don’t! Look, I’ll be honest with you. I don’t really understand how I feel, but I know I like you a lot. I like you more than a lot in fact, and the thought of spending a weekend without you is scaring the shit out of me cos I’m gonna miss you like hell!” I said, feeling quite breathless by the time I’d finished speaking. Her face softened, and she let out a long sigh.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get angry. I can’t even imagine what you must be going through” she wiped a hand over her face. “And I guess I’m gonna miss you too. I actually look forward to seeing you when I wake up-even this morning!” she smiled, embarrassed.
“So we’re good?”
“Yeah, we’re good. Of course, now I have to find something to keep me occupied until you get back, but at least I have your car to play with!” She tilted her head. “Is it true, you won’t even let Nick borrow it?”
“Yes, and I’m never going to live it down, believe me!”
“I promise I’ll take good care of it!” she said, but there was a cheeky glint in her eyes. I chewed my bottom lip, narrowing my eyes at her.
“You’d better!”
I realised how close we were standing to each other when she put her hand on my hip, almost absentmindedly. It felt like neither of us wanted to say goodbye. I put my arms around her shoulders for a hug, while hers slipped around my waist.
“I don’t want you to go” I whispered.
“Funny, I was going to say the same thing” she whispered back, holding me tight. When we pulled back, we kept our arms around each other, and our faces were just inches apart. I could feel her warm breath on me, but I wasn’t about to make the same mistake as yesterday so I held back. Her eyes were dark and intense, but I couldn’t work out how she was feeling.
“Bye, Tristen” she finally said, then leaned forward and brushed her electric lips against mine. Before I h
ad a chance to respond to it, she’d pulled out of my arms and was opening the front door. I was still reeling when the door shut behind her leaving me alone with my raging hormones. I leaned against the door while my heart pounded my chest wall, and raised my fingers to my lips.
What the hell was going on?
“So what’s the dealio with your car babe?” Nick said from behind me, making me spin round in shock.
“Oh, hey! How long have you been there?”
“Don’t try and distract me. Just answer the question.”
“Look, her car broke down and got crushed, so she doesn’t have any transport right now. I thought I’d try and be nice and repay her for saving my life. It’s no big deal.”
“No big deal? You went fucking ape at me when I moved it last month! You’ve known this girl for less than a week and you’ve had her over to stay twice, spent every fucking day with her and now you’ve lent her your fucking car? What the fuck is going on between you, huh?” he shouted, taking me by surprise-Nick had never shouted at me before.
“Why are you so mad? It’s my car!” I shouted back.
“Mad? I’m not mad. Upset and confused, yes. You’ve spent every waking moment with her, and when you’re not with her, you’re distant and strange” he ran his hand through his black fringe.
“Why does everyone keep saying I’m strange? Look, I’m still me. I just happen to like her, and I owe her my life. Come on, baby? I thought we were going to have a nice weekend away?” I tried him with my best puppy dog eyes, to relieve the tension. “And I promise I’ll let you drive my car whenever you want when I get it back.”
“Whenever I want? Without flinching?”
“Mm-hm!”
“And no comments about my driving?”
“Um, maybe?” I conceded, smiling. I knew I had him now and I gave him a hug. “So, where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere quiet, and in the middle of nowhere, and you don’t need to pack much in the way of clothing cos I don’t intend to give you a chance to wear it!” he said, pulling me close and nibbling his way down my neck. It tickled, but it was nowhere near as intense as my episode yesterday with Spencer’s fingers had been. However, I remembered that Nick already thought I was acting strangely, and normally I would have collapsed on the floor in a mess by now. So I promptly started faking it, feeling awful as I did, but it was a completely necessary fake.
“Mm, you know what that does to me!”
“Oh, you’re in trouble later!”
“No, you’re in trouble” I said, backing away toward the bedroom.
“Really?” he cocked an eyebrow at me, and I could tell he was about to chase me, so I ran, squealing. He caught me and threw me on the bed, then jumped on me and kissed me.
I tried to ignore the guilt I felt, because for some strange reason, it felt like I was cheating on Spencer.
The little hotel Nick had chosen was amazing. I had no idea how he’d found out about it, but it was perfect, nestled away in the back roads of the Cotswolds. I was so impressed, I had to admit it was worth the long drive to get there, even though I had complained incessantly all the way!
We spent the afternoon wandering around some tiny (I refused to use the word quaint!) villages in the area, then returned to the hotel for dinner. I tried my best to try and put Spencer out of my mind, especially after the way we’d parted earlier. But every time I remembered the way her lips had whispered across mine, shivers went through me and I lost track of whatever Nick was saying.
We sat to eat our dinner next to a fireplace that was so big, you could actually stand up in it! I imagined that centuries ago, they would have spit roasted pigs or cows in there for public feasts! And it had a really deep smoky smell, which permeated the very walls of the whole pub.
“I almost wish it was winter so we could sit in front of this when it was lit” I said, with my head practically in the fireplace as I took a deep lungful. Nick just looked amused and carried on looking through the menu.
“Are you ready to order?” a waitress asked, and I quickly withdrew my head, embarrassed.
“Yeah. I think I’ll have the steak, medium rare please” Nick said while I glanced through the menu again.
“I think I’ll have the same, but I’d like my steak rare please, with a pepper sauce.”
The waitress wrote it down, then left us alone. I knew instantly something was wrong.
“When did you start eating meat? And rare?” he asked, sitting back and looking at me like I’d ordered a dead kitten. I silently cursed. Me? A vegetarian? That hadn’t been on my checklist this morning, I was almost certain.
“Ye-ah. Meant to tell you about that. Huhuh, funny story really!” I swallowed, trying to think of a cover story. “Um, I just need to use the toilet. I’ll tell you when I get back.”
In the toilet, I called Spencer.
“How long have I been a vegetarian?” I asked, and she burst out laughing.
“Uh-oh! What did you eat?”
“I just ordered a steak…”
“Oops!”
“Rare!”
“Even worse!”
“How am I supposed to explain this?”
“Where’s your list? I thought you said you checked it this morning?”
“I did! I left the list at home” I groaned. “Just please, help me?”
Despite the desperation in my voice she laughed again, and this time I found myself laughing with her. “This isn’t funny, Spence!”
“I know, I’m sorry! Ok, I think I’ve got something you can use, but I’m not sure if you’ll go for it?”
I listened as she talked. It could work, and I had nothing better.
“You’re pregnant?!”
“Keep your voice down! I said I might be. I’ve been getting cravings for meat all week” I said, but I was already regretting this. He looked so stupidly happy at the thought of being a dad, I just knew this was all going to backfire badly into him actually wanting us to start a family-that was definitely not something I was ready for!
“Oh my god baby, the mood swings, your strange behaviour, craving meat…it’s got to be, right?”
It did all tie in ridiculously easily and I almost started wondering about it myself, until I remembered the real reason behind it all.
“Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. I’ll do a test next week…”
“What? No! Do a test tomorrow. I can’t wait to find out!”
“Um, it won’t show up til next week, because of the dates. And I’m only a few days late” I bluffed, hoping he’d be a typical man and forget I’d had my period three weeks ago! “Please don’t get your hopes up? It could just be a false alarm babe.”
But it was too late. The seed had been planted, but it was in his mind, not my womb.
I took a swig of my wine.
“Whoa, stop, stop, stop! Until we know for sure, I don’t think you should drink anymore” he said, confiscating my glass.
Thanks a lot Spence!
“I can have a glass of wine, Nick!”
“You’ve been drinking all week-it won’t do you any harm to have a lemonade.”
While he was at the bar getting me a soft drink, I texted Spencer to let her know his reaction. She replied back swiftly.
OOPS! SORRY! CONGRATULATIONS??? LOL! X
I laughed, but then thought quickly. I really wanted to get drunk tonight, but there was only one way I was going to get away with it- I needed to get Nick completely hammered so he wouldn’t notice how drunk I was!
So, over dinner, I made sure Nick drank his pints extra quick by ordering rounds when he still had half a drink left, and I made plenty of trips to the ‘toilet’ (which was really just to the other side of the bar where Nick couldn’t see me do double shots of vodka!)
By the time we got up to our room, he was leaning unsteadily on me, and I was leaning against the wall to keep us both upright. I opened our door and he stumbled over to the bed, just as my phone buzzed in my pocket. It
was Spencer.
I KNOW THIS IS REALLY STRANGE, BUT I’M MISSING U LIKE CRAZY! HOPE U R HAVING A GD TIME? WILL I C U 2MROW? X
My heart fluttered stupidly in my chest! She missed me! I’d spent the whole day trying not to think about her, and failing miserably. It was nice to know she’d been missing me too! With shaking fingers, I texted back.
I REALLY MISS U 2! ACTUALLY WISH U WERE HERE! I’D LOVE 2 C U 2MROW-DO U WANT 2 COME OVER 4 LUNCH? X
“Who ya tex’in’?” Nick called out from the bed.
“Oh, just Spence. Checking my car’s ok!”
“Why don’ ya come over here?” he smiled, patting the bed next to him. A week ago, I’d probably have run over and jumped on him mercilessly! But now? Now the thought of having sex with him made my stomach turn.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Let me just go and freshen up first” I said, then practically threw myself in the bathroom. Leaning against the door, I closed my eyes. If I didn’t shag his brains out, he’d be more than suspicious and upset.
At that moment, my phone started ringing and I caught it before the second ring.
“Oh hey! I hope I’m not interrupting your evening?” came Spencer’s sweet voice, causing me to smile.
“Hey, no of course not! How are you?” I whispered.
“Really really drunk actually! So, how’s the expectant mother-to-be?”
“Feeling very fucking radiant, thanks! I had to get pissed in secret like a fifteen year old!” I replied and she laughed.
“Tris? Why are you whispering?” she whispered dramatically. I hesitated, unsure how to say I was hiding from my horny boyfriend.
“Um, cos Nick’s asleep in the bedroom. Why are you whispering?”
“I don’t know!” She laughed again. “I’m sorry! I’m just really trashed!”
“That’s ok, I am too. So, you miss me huh?”
“Yeah! It’s weird, right? I’ve only known you a few days, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you all day!” She paused. “You’re probably enjoying some time just with you and Nick, right?”
