by Zoey Lennox
A loaded silence stretched out before Carol’s nasally voice sounded again.
“It’s Alexis’s birthday? What did you get her? Nothing too expensive, I hope. You spoil that girl, you know.”
Alexis’s father mumbled a reply, before Carol asked him to repeat what he said.
“A hundred pounds! Good grief. What were you thinking? She hasn’t even paid me this month’s rent yet, and you decide to go frittering away our hard-earned cash? She’ll never learn the value of money if she has everything handed to her on a plate. You’ve got to stop babying the girl. She’s a grown woman.”
Funny how Carol never batted an eye when her own birthday rolled around and upwards of a thousand pounds was spent on her. Talk about double standards. Alexis had known Carol was a leech, but this first-hand evidence was too much; she could no longer pretend she wasn’t hearing this. She got up and strode into the hallway.
“You know what, Carol? Why don’t you just shut the fuck up.”
Carol pulled herself up to her full five feet and four inches. “Excuse me, young lady? You’d best learn some manners, or you’ll find yourself out on the street. Good luck trying to find a landlord willing to take you on with the pittance you earn. They want successful people with proper jobs. Not silly little girls who left university at the first given opportunity.”
Alexis felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach. “You know full well why I had to leave university. Maybe you’re the kind of person who can swan off while your mother’s lying at home dying of cancer, but I’m not.”
She looked to her father for backup, but he was avoiding her eyes again. Her heart ached. All the camaraderie they had built up throughout the evening had disappeared.
“I can’t believe this,” she said. “You’re just going to stand there while she speaks to me like that?”
The man who had once been her protector simply stared at his feet.
Fantastic.
She grabbed her coat from the banister and squeezed past them.
“I’m going out. Don’t wait up.”
She slammed the front door behind her and rushed down the street. If something didn’t give, she would go mad. It couldn’t be healthy to live in such a toxic environment.
“I hate this!”
She dodged a bloke illegally riding his bike on the pavement and increased her pace, wanting to put as much space as possible between herself and the house.
Her wanderings eventually led her to a deserted riverbank that backed onto some restaurants on the outskirts of town. She really should have been paying more attention. Hadn’t her mother always warned her about the dangers of walking around alone at night? Taking in the increasing darkness and her lone state, she figured she would ratchet up her safety by a couple of notches if she called someone.
She pulled out her phone and searched for Lauren’s number. The phone rang twice before the line connected and the comforting voice of her best friend sounded above blaring music.
“Lexi!” Lauren said with a slight slur. “We’re at the Grill. Come and join us!”
Lauren sounded like she was having a great time. Alexis couldn’t help but wonder why she hadn’t been invited. It was her birthday after all.
“Are you still there?” Lauren prodded when Alexis didn’t respond.
“Yeah, I’m here.” Alexis decided not to dwell on being slighted. She’d been invited now. That’s what counted. She couldn’t expect her friend to remember every little detail of her life when they’d only shared one of her last five birthdays in each other’s company. “I’m not too far away. I’ll be with you in ten.”
After hanging up, she followed the narrow stretch of river for several more minutes before climbing a set of steep concrete steps and trading the eerie darkness for the bright lights of the strip of restaurants.
The Riverside Grill was an upmarket casual restaurant and bar that served the most delicious seafood in town. Alexis had only been once or twice as the prices were extortionate, but the food was worth every penny if you had the money to spend.
Pausing at the entrance to make herself presentable, she let a group of merry patrons enter before following in their wake.
It didn’t take long to spot Lauren’s strawberry blonde hair in the dim interior light. Sat at a table a few dozen feet away, she had her head bowed deep in conversation with a short-haired brunette.
Was that Sophie?
Hurt struck like a whip. Did they do this a lot?
She stood in the doorway for long, agonizing seconds before Lauren spotted her across the room and waved her over.
“Lex!” she shouted over the throbbing music. “Come here. We bought you a sex on the beach!”
Alexis dragged her feet past the crowded bar and onto a raised deck area on the left hand side of the restaurant. The walls, a warm red, complimented the backs of the intricately carved mahogany booth seats, the last of which was occupied by her friends.
“You made it!” Sophie got up and staggered over to give her a hug. “It’s been ages since we last spoke. What have you been up to?”
Alexis accepted the cocktail Lauren held out and took a seat on the other side of the table. No point in reminding them today was her birthday. It was no big deal and would only kill their high and start up a round of guilty apologies.
“She’s been walking along deserted riverbanks on her own in the dark,” Lauren said. Out of the three of them, she had always been the responsible one, and it had only become more pronounced now that she oversaw primary school children.
Alexis took a slug of her drink. “Just work. How about you two? You seem to be having a grand old time here without me.”
Lauren shot Sophie a pained glance. “We were going to invite you,” she said. “But we figured you’d be too busy watching a movie or something.”
Mortification burned Alexis’s cheeks. Fantastic. She was officially the girl who would rather stay in than go out with her friends. Sam was right. She needed to live a little.
Pushing past the uncomfortable silence, she asked after Lauren’s other half, Todd.
“He’s enjoying a lad’s night out with his friends from work. They’re probably living it up somewhere not too far from here. Once we hear the police sirens, we’ll know things have gone too far.”
Sophie, the designated wild child of the trio, giggled and dribbled her cocktail down her chin. Typical. Where there was alcohol, she was drunk, and where there was someone sober, she was rushing to get them pissed.
She wiped away the liquid with the back of her hand and slammed her glass down on the table. “Who wants another drink?”
Alexis offered to get in the next round. With the hundred pounds her father had gifted her burning a hole in her pocket, she could afford it for once.
Sophie grinned. “Well, if you’re paying, I’ll have a double vodka.”
“A white wine for me, please!” Lauren added as Alexis took off.
She waited fifteen minutes in a queue six people deep before she finally reached the bar and placed her order.
“Hey, you.”
Alexis turned at the familiar voice and came face to face with Ramie. Her heart stumbled before falling back into its regular rhythm.
“What are you doing here?” Ramie looked hotter than ever wearing skin-tight jeans and a smart off-white shirt. She was easily the prettiest woman at the Grill. And was that even a hint of make-up?
Ramie shrugged her broad shoulders and ordered a shot of vodka. “Much the same as you, I guess. You here with friends or a date?”
“Friends. I just had a huge row with my stepmother, so I’m drinking away my sorrows for the evening. You?”
“Just waiting on a date, but I think I’ve been spectacularly stood up. Let’s hope she didn’t turn up, take one look at me, and head for the hills.” Ramie laughed, but Alexis sensed vulnerability in her voice.
“She’s a fool. If she’s stupid enough to stand you up, there’s something seriously wrong with h
er. I certainly wouldn’t leave if you were at a bar waiting for me.”
Shit. Now Ramie would think she was flirting with her. Why did she never think before she opened her mouth?
Ramie gave her a small smile. “You think?”
“Totally.” Alexis grabbed the glass of wine the barman delivered and took a generous swig.
“Well if you feel that way, do you fancy going out with me sometime?”
Alexis choked on her wine. “W-what?”
“Do you want to go out with me? Like on a date? You said you were interested in learning more about the rescue centre I work at the other night. Why don’t we pay it a visit next weekend? They can always do with an extra pair of hands.”
Alexis was torn. Part of her was petrified at the prospect of finally going out on an actual date with a woman, but there was also a small fluttery feeling taking hold of her stomach at the knowledge that this gorgeous woman standing beside her found her halfway attractive.
“You know what?” Ramie said when Alexis didn’t answer right away. “Never mind.”
“No!” Alexis grabbed Ramie’s hand as she turned to make a retreat. “I’m sorry. Please don’t think I’m not interested. I am. You seem like a great person, and at any other stage of my life I’d take you up on your offer in a heartbeat. As it stands, though, I’ve just gotten out of a relationship which totally did a number on me. I’m not ready for anything new right now, but I’d love it if we could work on being friends.”
She silently applauded herself for her ability to lie so quickly. In an ideal world, she would have snapped up Ramie’s offer, but she was just too inexperienced to feel comfortable yet. Maybe if they spent some time together without any pressure or expectations, she would be able to move forward eventually.
Ramie sighed. “It’s okay. I get it. It’s not like I’m in a position to take on anything serious either. I’m sorry if it felt like I was coming on too strong. We should definitely work on the friends thing first.”
“You didn’t come on too strong. Don’t worry about it.” Why was she still holding Ramie’s hand? She suddenly dropped it as if it had scalded her. “Do you still want to meet up this weekend? It’ll give us a chance to get to know each other.”
“Sure.”
“Well I’d better get back to my friends,” Alexis said after they traded numbers. “Do you want to join us?”
She held her breath. Please say no. She couldn’t think of anything worse than Lauren and Sophie scrutinising Ramie; she didn’t need everyone watching and judging her as she took her first tentative steps towards dating a woman.
“Thanks, but I think I’m just going to head home.”
“Is your boat nearby?” Alexis asked, remembering that they were right on the river.
“No. It’s actually moored a few miles downstream. If you play your cards right, I might give you a tour sometime.”
Alexis’s face must have lit up, because Ramie gave one of her deep, sexy laughs.
“Have a nice night with your friends. I’ll be in touch.” With those parting words, she downed her vodka and then threaded her way through the crowd.
“About time,” Sophie complained when Alexis returned with their drinks. “I almost died of thirst over here while you were chatted up by that dyke.”
“Don’t.” Alexis’s reaction was so fast it surprised her.
“Don’t what?” Sophie smirked. “Insult your little girlfriend? Hey, Lauren. I guess we now know why Lex here is never interested in our attempts at setting her up. She’s not interested in dick because she wants pussy.”
“Sophie, stop.” Lauren’s voice was tight, any effects of alcohol wearing off instantly.
Unfazed, Sophie sipped her drink and eyeballed Alexis as if calculating her next move. “What? I’m only messing about. No need to get all worked up about it. Who was she anyway? It looked like you knew her from somewhere.”
Alexis wanted to tell Sophie to mind her own business but knew it would only pique her interest further.
“She’s someone I met through a friend at work.” There. Short and to the point. That should nip this avenue of conversation in the bud.
No such luck.
“She works with you then?” Sophie leaned back in her seat. This had always been one of the traits Alexis disliked the most about her. Once Sophie grabbed onto something, she was like a rabid dog: she wouldn’t let go until she had devoured every juicy detail.
“No. She works for an animal rescue centre. I was introduced to her at a dinner party a colleague was throwing one night after work. She seems nice enough.”
Although Ramie technically had three jobs, Alexis didn’t mention the others. She didn’t think bringing up the fact that Ramie also worked at an LGBTQ centre would help her cause, plus Sophie was a bit of a snob. She wouldn’t understand why someone would want to work three part-time jobs. She would call them flaky and unambitious and proceed to declare all the ways in which they were failing in life. Alexis should know. She had been on the receiving end of a lecture about her own career a time or two.
“How cute.” Sophie drained her glass for God only knew how many times that night. “Just be careful. She looked like she was into you. She’ll be following you around like one of her lost kittens if you give her the slightest indication you like her.”
Lauren rolled her eyes. “You don’t even know the woman. Stop being so judgemental. How do you even know she’s a lesbian?”
“It was written all over her face. She was practically salivating over Lex here. It’s gross. Each to their own and all, but I don’t want it shoved in my face while I’m trying to enjoy a night out with my friends.”
Alexis had had enough. She’d had to listen to Sophie’s homophobic comments for years, and she wasn’t going to sit here, on her birthday of all days, and be insulted.
She got to her feet. “I think I’m going to head home. We’ll have to arrange to meet up again soon.” Not.
Lauren stood and pulled Alexis into a tight hug.
“Ignore her,” she whispered, then lowered her face so she could speak into Alexis’s ear. “She’s drunk and ignorant. You know what she’s like.”
A stab of fear ran through her when Lauren stepped back and met her eyes. She knew. She definitely bloody knew. Was her attraction to Ramie really that obvious?
Alexis backed away.
“See ya, loser,” Sophie drawled.
Alexis headed for the door, taking calming breaths the whole way.
Chapter 4
Alexis had been anticipating this moment for days, and now that it had finally arrived, she didn’t know what to do with herself. Her heart was fluttering like crazy, and her stomach clenched with nerves as she leaned against the brick wall outside the animal centre, trying to look casual. More than once she had asked herself whether she was doing the right thing. They might have agreed this wasn’t a date, but it sure felt like one.
She forgot what she was worried about when she spotted Ramie rounding the corner. Her silky dark hair rustled in the light wind, making her look all kinds of sexy. A wave of adrenaline shot through Alexis as she gave Ramie a quick once over. The other woman was wearing an off-the-shoulder top emblazoned with sparkly stars, and her scrumptious backside was encased in denim. Alexis’s eyes zeroed in on Ramie’s bare shoulder. Would the flawless skin feel as soft beneath her fingertips as it appeared?
Stop it. You’re here as friends. You’ve got no business letting your mind go there.
She squirmed and brushed a few pieces of invisible lint from her oversized royal blue t-shirt which she’d knotted low on her hip. She’d spent a good hour in front of the mirror getting ready that morning, carefully applying her make-up and then selecting a casual yet stylish outfit to wear. As someone who had never cared what people thought about her appearance, to suddenly feel self-conscious was unsettling.
“Hey, sorry I’m late,” Ramie said.
“No worries. I haven’t been here long.” No need to l
et Ramie know she’d been waiting on her for half an hour. “You look nice,” she added.
Ramie smiled. “Thanks. You too. I love your top. It brings out the blue of your eyes.”
Oblivious to the warmth blooming inside Alexis’s chest at the compliment, she motioned towards the animal rescue centre. “Shall we?”
Alexis followed Ramie into the reception area, where she greeted a tall, bearded man in his fifties with a mop in one hand and a bucket at his feet.
“Hey, Alan. This is my friend Alexis. Are we okay to go through to the cat area and spend some time with the new arrivals?”
Alan wiped at the beads of perspiration on his forehead. “Sure thing. We’ve got an hour until we open to the public. You girls go ahead and enjoy yourselves.”
Alexis offered Alan a smile as she passed, trailing Ramie down a warren of narrow corridors which eventually widened to reveal a large square room with cages flanking the walls on either side.
“Woah.” Alexis stopped in her tracks. “There must be at least fifty cats here. I was expecting a few dozen at most. These poor little kitties must be pretty lonely here all by themselves.”
Her heart sped up as Ramie casually reached for her hand and pulled her towards one of the enclosures.
“You don’t need to worry about them,” Ramie said. “Everyone’s well looked after here.” She stopped in front of the last cage on the right side of the room and unlocked the door. Inside, a mother cat watched as her kittens frolicked around on a fleece blanket.
“Here you go.” Ramie snagged a kitten and handed it to Alexis. “It’s important that these ragamuffins get as much contact with humans as possible if they’re to have the best chance of being adopted.”
Alexis held the precious cargo to her chest and helped round up the remaining kittens so they could construct a makeshift play area on the linoleum floor. At the last minute, Ramie dashed back to retrieve the mother cat, who was meowing in distress at the loss of her babies.
“I didn’t think black and white cats could have ginger kittens,” Alexis mused as she sat down next to Ramie. “I guess it’s a bit like hair colour in humans though, right? Brunettes can have red-headed kids if the gene runs in the family.”
