Getting a Life (New City Series Book 1)

by Simpson, Stefanie

  Rebecca was a fraud, she always would be. She looked around at her friends, not that she particularly liked all of them, and suppressed her annoyance. It was her birthday, twenty-eight, hurtling towards thirty, still a virgin, still in love with a man that thought she was a criminal.

  The shame of that ate at her, a little bit every day. To these people she was a fun outgoing woman, if a bit staid, in her late twenties. Nothing else. They didn’t know her past, only what vague truths she could bear telling. Not that they were all that interested in her. She hung on the fringes of a large group of people, about five years younger than her, and she only did that because of her flatmate.

  Stella was tall, voluptuous, dark haired, and a devourer of men. If there was a man she wanted, she had him. It always astonished Rebecca how she did that. She couldn’t even get the man who had claimed to love her.

  But all of that was done with. She still missed Alice, and Arthur, whenever she thought of him her cheeks burned in shame. It didn’t matter anymore that she hadn’t done anything wrong.

  Maddie was triumphant and cruel, but there was something weird about the whole thing. She couldn’t believe that Arthur really thought that of her. Maybe it was because she pushed him away and he was lashing out at her.

  She shook it off, it was her birthday, and she had to be fun and outgoing, Arthur was not in her life, and Alice was gone.

  She stopped taking her medication when she left. It had been hard at first, not having that cushion of help, and that of her therapist. But she had done it, she managed the worst of her feelings, and practised her mindfulness.

  She was okay. She wasn’t happy, but that had nothing to do with her mind, and everything to do with Arthur.

  She took a swig from her beer. Cressie, the only girl of the group that she liked, was short and blond, and sweet, pulled Rebecca by the hand and pulled her onto the dancefloor.

  Another of their group, Pete, a blond gorgeous crumpet of a man, who knew it, and was a notorious fanny rat, was already there.

  He sidled up to Rebeca. Cressie started laughing. Rebecca rolled her eyes at him.

  She had a strange relationship with Pete. He appeared to be one thing, and most people took him at face value, and to be fair, it was a beautiful face to take, but Rebecca never had. Something behind his moves and flirting was familiar.

  A few months back, they had gone to a large outdoor party. There were bonfires along the scrubby waste, bands set up, food, bars, and a rave in a tent. It was like an early festival. They all wore wellies and coats, but she had danced in the sunrise, with Pete right next to her. It had been one of the few times after leaving Arthur that she had genuinely been happy.

  Pete put his arm round her, he’d kissed her neck, and for a second she was tempted. She’d never see Arthur again, and Pete would be good to her, even if it was one night, it would be done with.

  Pete stiffened up when he realised she was crying.

  “Becky.” He’d not called her that before, and he whispered it so gently in her ear. The name still made her ill, and she recoiled from him.

  “Don’t call me that.”

  He shifted his feet. The grass underfoot was mulchy, and the wind was cold. He watched her shiver and snuggle into her coat.

  “I’m sorry. Are you all right, I thought…”

  “I…” Her eyes were imploring and sad, there was a strange moment that passed between them as the wind whipped their hair.

  “I understand.”

  “Do you?”

  “I know nothing about you, none of us do. That look tells me something happened to you, and that nickname revolts you, like a Pavlovian response right?”

  “Something like that.”

  “Do you need help?” she looked up at him again, eyes screwed up against the morning light. He understood everything, she didn’t know how or why, but he knew, he’d lived it.

  “Wanna help an abused woman get over her frigidity?” she laughed when she said it, amazed at herself.

  He nodded. “I get it. Some people go one way, some another. We went different ways.”

  “I suppose so.”

  “Look, I won’t try anything, but I should give you some advice with this lot. They can be fucking mean, careless, and Stella can be pretty evil. You’re hiding, I can see that, and they know something is up with you, and they want to know. They feel entitled to that stuff.”

  “Do you like them?”

  “Not really. They’re convenient.”

  “How?”

  “Having a large group of friends serves a purpose, you can hide in them.” She nodded, a little smile on her mouth. “But you have to handle them. You can flirt, dance, I’ve seen you, in moments, so do that, a lot. Make up a story, give them something. You ever need to be honest with someone, talk to me. I promise it’ll be between you and me.”

  She put her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

  Ever since then, they’d start a night out flirting and dancing together, and it would be pretty full on. She’d felt his erection more than once, and though they’d never sleep together, he gave her something precious. She was desirable, he would sleep with her if she wanted him to, she was fun, and he’d made her part of the group.

  They were doing just that on the dancefloor, but something felt off, she felt like she was watched. Occasionally paranoia got the better of her. She just held onto Pete a bit more firmly, and the question in his eyes made her shake her head.

  She’d told him everything in the end. They were sitting up in the flat, everyone had passed out, but they stayed up talking one night, and she unburdened herself, about all of it, even Arthur. They sat on her bed for hours, sitting side by side, as she spoke steadily. Everyone assumed they were occasional fuckbuddies after that, and neither of them denied it.

  He was quiet after she told him, but he finally pulled her in for a hug. It was a good job she still loved Arthur in some ways, it protected her from Pete, she thought he could be dangerous for her otherwise. She didn’t push Pete for his tale of woe, and he seemed grateful for it, he never told her.

  Her head arched back, as Pete held onto her hips. She stretched her hands above her head and turned in a little circle, undulating as she went. Pete whispered in her ear.

  “You know one day we’re going to do it. You’ll decide, fuck it, I know I turn him on, I’ll put him out of his misery.” She laughed and he winked at her.

  Arthur wondered what he was doing. Two of his friends, John and Rob were both on the hunt, as they put it. John being newly divorced wanted to have some fun.

  Fun. He huffed as he sipped his drink. He didn’t blame them for dragging him out, he’d been a misery for months, and they were worried. He hadn’t seen much of them for a few years, they were busy men, managing full on lives, but recently they had tried to be better friends. They said he needed to move on, and get over it. How could he just get over it, she could be dead, a prisoner to that fucking deranged monster, she could be struggling to make ends meet in some hovel again.

  He picked at the coaster, trying not to scan every face looking for her. It was getting out of control again. He managed a few months where he wasn’t consumed by her, but it had edged forward again. He needed a hobby, or get out of Chadford, he had too much time on his hands.

  He couldn’t help it, he looked up and started his slow perusal of the room.

  The club was far too young for them, everyone looked underage, and he was probably too old. The bar was long, against the side of the main entrance, with tall tables dotted in a semicircle, which overlooked the dancefloor a few steps down. Beyond that were large sit down tables.

  He leant on the table, looking down over the dancers and tables beyond. His eye caught a large group of people, trendy cool twentysomethings raucously laughing. The dance music grated on him.

  His eyes fell down to the dancefloor, and his heart dipped. A woman, so like Rebecca, was dancing with a man. She wore very tight black skinny jeans, that were a little
shiny, very high strappy heels, and her top was little more than a bra, with crisscrossed little straps all the way round her middle. He swallowed, it was her. She tilted backwards, and as the man said something to her, she laughed. They looked very intimate.

  Her head turned a little, it was definitely her. He couldn’t feel his body, he couldn’t process the flood of thoughts and feelings running through him. He felt everything he hadn’t felt for months pour down on him in a single moment of recognition.

  “Art? Mate, you all right?”

  He looked in horror at John, and back to the floor. She was still there, he hadn’t imagined it.

  He’d been fighting thoughts of the worst happening to her, to the woman he loved, and there she was, having a grand old time. It was her birthday tomorrow, he hadn’t forgotten. He ground his teeth, and his jaw ticked. He was furious, relieved, devastated. Eight months, eight months of panic and fear of the worst, and she was just dancing.

  He left his drink, and his friends could only watch as he moved through the crowd to the dancefloor, the music seemed twice the volume as he neared her. The man dancing with Rebecca raised his brow and had an odd look, his eyes darted back to Rebecca.

  She stilled, as though she sensed him. She turned slowly, her eyes went wide, and she held her breath.

  Arthur looked vicious as they stared at each other. He looked her over, and as angry as he was, he could only think how beautiful she was, how much he wanted her, even after leaving him.

  She seemed to stumble. He caught her elbows roughly, her arms instinctively crossed her body. He pulled her closer, and she couldn’t look away from him.

  He couldn’t speak, neither could she. She sagged a little in his hold, and he pulled her closer still, until she was pressed against him.

  It seemed hours passed, all of her friends were watching. She couldn’t think, couldn’t feel. As he leant in close to her face, she took his in, his gorgeous face, but it looked older, harder, he sneered when he spoke.

  “I think you and I should have a little chat.”

  She swallowed and recoiled. Her legs wouldn’t move, and she almost collapsed, her knees gave and her eyes flickered.

  He saw the tears well up, but he only held her tighter, urging her with him.

  They went past the large, now quiet group of people, and out the doors nearby into the patio. They pushed through the crowds of people, and the smoke in the air, across to the back. It was a little quieter, a few people milled about. He pressed her against the wall.

  She was crying, her tears just silently fell, her head bowed, as if in shame.

  “You’re alive then?”

  She frowned and looked up.

  “Do you have any idea what you’ve put me through?” his raised voice turned heads. She cowered. He shook her a little. “I thought you were dead, or that fucker had got his hands on you, I have looked everywhere for you, and you’re just fucking well pissing about?”

  He finally let her go and stepped away. She slid down the wall and curled in on herself. She was sobbing. He closed his eyes, holding back his own emotion. His head pounded and heart raced.

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He squatted down to her and he made his voice gentle. “Please, come on.” She’d do anything he said, even now, even knowing what he thought of her, how angry he was, and how pathetic she was.

  He pulled her up, and they perched on the half wall next to them

  “Why did you run again?” she managed to get herself under control, wiping her cheeks with her fingers, her anger rising at the question.

  “You asked me to leave, you fucking arsehole. What the hell did you expect me to do? After that little stunt, I had no choice.”

  He frowned and leant back in surprise. “What little stunt?”

  “Excuse me?”

  He narrowed his eyes and had a horrible feeling. The argument with Maddie, how nice they were when he realised she was gone.

  “What happened?” her face went blank at his words.

  His anger was gone and she sighed. “Like you don’t know.”

  “I don’t.”

  Her mouth flapped. “You…sent the police to the house, and they searched my things looking for a pair of earrings. Your mum’s diamonds or something. Maddie came, relaying your accusation. I had to stand there while the policeman dug through my underwear looking for them.”

  He felt like he’d been punched.

  “I can only assume you never found them.”

  His breath wouldn’t come, but he managed to stutter his words out. “They were never lost, they’ve been in my safe for five years.”

  She stood up then sat back down. “Fucking hell Arthur.”

  “We’ve been had, you and me both.” He couldn’t take it in. “Tell me everything.”

  She did, she told him the whole sorry thing.

  “Why didn’t you call her bluff? Why didn’t you make the call?”

  “She held out the phone, ready to ring you, she looked me right in the eye, knowing how humiliating it would be. I couldn’t stand the idea. If you couldn’t even look at me while you accused me of theft, after everything we went through, I didn’t think you’d want to talk to me. I was in shock. We’d spoken that day, you wouldn’t speak to me, I thought it was because of the earrings, that you had called the police on me. I decided I’d wait until they’d gone to call you.”

  “I called you, so many times.”

  “I couldn’t find my phone.” She lowered her voice as she said it. One of them must have taken it when they were there. “When I left, I got the taxi driver to go to yours. I posted a letter saying where I was, and that I didn’t do it. That if this was a terrible mistake, then you’d know where I’d be. I rang the buzzer to the gate. You never came.”

  “I never got it. Maddie or Victoria must have taken it. I never heard the buzzer, I swear.”

  “Your right, we’ve been properly had.”

  Arthur took a deep breath. He wanted to rage, but that would wait, when he could get his hands on Victoria.

  “Why would she do it?”

  “Maddie is a fucking menace. Vick never used to be like her, but the witch corrupted her over the years, and that’s partly my fault. Maddie wanted those earrings. They’re worth a small fortune. She was left all the jewellery, except them, and the engagement and wedding rings. The rings were left to me, and the earrings to you.”

  “Me?”

  “She loved you, you were like the daughter she never had. She changed her will, asked me first, I was happy about it. Maddie lost her shit when I told her, and that they were staying in my safe. I should have seen it. A month later, she asked me if she could have them, as you had gone. I thought at the time it was just her being insensitive. I was so caught up in looking for you, I couldn’t think straight.”

  “You don’t hate me?” she looked so pained.

  “That’s what you’ve thought all these months, that I thought you were a thief?” she nodded. He turned to her and smoothed her hair, she looked so lovely. He wanted to hold her, kiss away the look on her face.

  “And you thought that I just upped and left you, like I didn’t care.”

  “I thought Mark might have found you. I went to the police, your DI Edwards, I asked everyone I could think of that you knew. Joe’s really worried about you.”

  “I thought everyone would know, that it would be this thing, I couldn’t deal with the shame of that, of people I love thinking that of me.”

  They looked at each other again. “Are you happy?”

  She blinked. “No. Well, I mean, it’s okay. You?”

  “No, I’m miserable. Grieving not just for mum, but for you.” He didn’t explain that he had half gone mad. A throat cleared.

  “Hey birthday girl.”

  “What is it Pete?”

  “Just checking in. You okay?” he looked pissed off, and his eyes never left Arthur’s.

  “It’s fine.”

  “Well, everyone is wondering wher
e you’ve got to, seeing as they’re all here for you.”

  He gave her a dry look, and she sighed and closed her eyes.

  Pete didn’t leave. “I’ll be there in a minute.” He nodded and left.

  Arthur caught him turn back, and he looked troubled. He couldn’t blame Rebecca for moving on, not after thinking that Arthur hated her.

  “I get that things are different now. You have another life, friends, but now that I’ve found you, I don’t want to not be in your life, but if you don’t want me here, I’ll understand.”

  “I’d like to be in your life. I’ve missed you.” She dug out her phone from her pocket and unlocked it. Her wallpaper was picture of her, Alice, and him. The only consoling fact of losing her phone was that she had backed up her photos, she still had them. She’d taken a selfie of the three of them in the garden. Seemed like years ago.

  He put his number in and she text him.

  “Want to meet my friends?”

  No, not really. “Sure.”

  They went back in, he was reluctant to let her out of his sight when she went to the loo. John and Rob eyed him.

  “That’s her then?” he nodded. It was too loud, he wanted somewhere quiet, just the two of them. The Pete guy was looking at him.

  She came out of the ladies came to him, and his heart tripped. She smiled, and shook hands with John and Rob, they all went over to the large table, and everyone piled in. There were a few curious glances between Arthur, Pete, and Rebecca.

  Pete leant over to her while everyone was introducing themselves. “Well?”

  “It’s complicated, but short version; he never thought I nicked anything. We were set up.” Pete raised a brow.

  “That mean you two are going to get together?” he smiled.

  “No idea.”

  “By the look of him, I’d say so.” She blushed.