by Jade Winters
‘What do you mean no, Cass?’
‘Exactly what I said. No, you can’t come in. I’m working. I can’t just have anybody drop in like it’s a hotel.’
Lara raised her eyebrows. ‘Anybody? I’m hardly anybody, am I?’
‘You might be my ex but you’re a stranger to Teal.’
Carissa noticed a spark of interest flash in Lara’s eyes at the mention of Teal’s name. ‘Teal, eh? Your mum told me about her.’
‘Told you what?’ Paranoia struck at Carissa’s heart.
‘Calm down.’ Her smile grew a little wider as she eyed Carissa with an oddly amused expression on her face. ‘I’m sure you’re allowed visitors as you’re away from home. So I doubt she will mind me stopping for a while.’
Carissa’s eyes grew as wide as saucers. ‘A while? Here? No way. No bloody way.’
‘Cass, are you going to humiliate me by making me beg? I’m tired—’
‘Don’t try and lay a guilt trip on me. I didn’t ask you to come here.’
‘Have you forgotten what we have—’
‘Had you mean. And no, I wasn’t the one that forgot anything. It was you.’
‘And that’s why I’m here, Cass.’ Lara reached for her hand and Carissa snatched it back. ‘As hard as I tried I couldn’t get you out of my head.’
‘And you expect me to believe that?’
‘It’s true. I love you.’
Carissa snorted. Those words sounded alien to her now. ‘Don’t make me laugh. If being apart from you has made me realise one thing, it’s that you don’t love anyone but yourself.’
‘I’ll prove you wrong, if you give me the chance.’
Carissa glanced down at her watch and panic set in. It was nearly four o’clock. Teal could be back any minute. She had to get rid of Lara. ‘Look, there’s a bed and breakfast down the road. They’ll have vacancies. Check in there and I’ll come and see you tomorrow.’
‘Promise?’ Lara smiled seductively. A smile that would have normally brought Carissa to her knees.
But not now. Not when she had found Teal. ‘I promise. Now go.’
Lara’s face immediately softened to highlight her attractiveness and her smile became instantly flirtatious. ‘Or you could come over tonight.’
‘Don’t push it,’ Carissa said, trying to keep her tone calm and even. ‘I’m coming over to talk and that’s it. And afterwards I want you to go home.’
Lara took her case by the handle. She paused a moment as if measuring Carissa’s response. ‘That’s what you say now. But I know what turns you on. Remember—’
Carissa gritted her teeth and tried to suppress her irritation. ‘Those days seem so long ago.’
‘Not that long,’ Lara said with a wave of her hand. ‘I’ll see you in the morning then.’
This time Carissa closed the door. Heart pounding against her chest, she tried to compose herself by taking deep measured breaths. Her mind was like spaghetti junction. How could Lara just turn up like that? Without any notice. Carissa realised that was a silly question. It was Lara she was talking about after all. Lara did what she wanted, whatever the upheaval. But what the hell was her mum’s excuse for giving Lara her address? Was she deliberately trying to stir up trouble for her? Or did she actually think she was helping by playing matchmaker. Knowing her mum, it was the latter.
Carissa looked down at her trembling hands and anger seeped through her veins. She wasn’t annoyed that her mum had said no about the money. It was her prerogative. But what she did have an issue with was the way she had gone about doing it. A quick phone call would have done the job. All she needed to say was, ‘I’m not willing to lend you my hard-earned cash’, not cause a drama over it and most definitely not send Lara to see her. What if Teal had been there? Instead of being on top of the world, Carissa felt like a deflated balloon. Lara’s sudden appearance had made an already awkward situation a lot more difficult.
Carissa pushed herself to her feet and went in search of her phone. She needed to call Nicole and tell her the bad news.
She located her phone which was plugged into the main socket in the kitchen and punched in Nicole’s number.
It rang for several seconds before it connected. ‘Nicole?’
Silence.
‘It’s Carissa.’
‘Hi.’ Nicole sounded distracted and not her normal flirty self. Not that Carissa minded, it was just different to hear Nicole sound so … serious. ‘Is everything okay?’
‘Yes, everything’s great. Your team are doing a fantastic job but we haven’t seen you for a while. Where are you?’
‘I’m in London sorting out some finances. Why?’ A note of panic crept into her voice. ‘Who’s been asking for me?’
‘No one,’ Carissa quickly reassured her. ‘I’m calling about the deposit for the apartment.’
‘Have you got it.’ There was surprise in her voice.
‘No. I’m sorry, I really tried, but—’
Nicole’s voice was distant as if she was talking away from the phone. ‘Shit. Look forget about it. Are my crew still there?’
‘Yes. But only Jim turned up today.’
‘Yeah, I had to pull the others out to work on another site. Just tell Teal she has nothing to worry about. The work will be finished on time.’
‘Oh she’s not worried. In fact, she’s really pleased so far.’
‘Good. Okay, all right I gotta go.
The line went dead and Carissa took a seat at the kitchen table. For the moment, everything to do with Nicole was forgotten. She needed to focus on how to handle Lara. Teal would be home soon and Carissa had to decide whether or not to tell her about her ex’s unexpected arrival. The woman who claimed to love her, versus the woman who openly wanted her just for sex. What would Trudi make of the situation? Knowing Trudi, she would tell her to play both sides at once. Don’t let the left hand know what the right hand was doing so to speak. But that wasn’t Carissa’s style. She liked to play things straight, even if it was to her detriment.
So no, she couldn’t be keeping any secrets. She’d tell Teal as soon as she got home. Then together they could work out a plan of action. Maybe Teal could go with her when she went to see Lara at the B&B.
Thinking that Teal would be home shortly, Carissa sprung to her feet and ran to the newly converted living room. The bed base was on its side and she pulled it flat. With as much strength as she could muster, she dragged the mattress on top of the base. Finding the bedding amongst the clothes, she quickly made the bed, then did a quick tidy round so the room was comfortable and ready to be slept in. She’d bring her own belongings down later.
Perspiring slightly when she finally sat down, Carissa wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. She didn’t know why she was so worried about Teal’s reaction. It wasn’t as if she was going to be that bothered about Lara’s appearance anyway. As much as Carissa wished this wasn’t true she knew in her heart it was.
It wasn’t as if she was anyone special to Teal.
Chapter Eighteen
Teal found the most secluded section of the pub. The last thing she needed was for Carissa to walk in on them. She knew it was too early in the day for her to have a drink but the shock of seeing Channing had left her feeling shaken. She still couldn’t believe Channing was trailing behind her, two suitcases by her sides.
Teal dropped her bag on an empty seat and sank onto the one next to it. Before she even uttered a word, a waitress appeared with the wine she had ordered. Teal filled her glass to the top with the dark liquid and took a long sip.
‘Aren’t you going to pour me one?’
Teal ignored her. She didn’t want to cause a scene. Without thinking, Teal slipped her hand into her jacket pocket and pulled out the emergency pen she kept with her at all times. Then, almost instinctively, she started drawing on the napkin in front of her. The napkin didn’t give her much surface area to work with, but she used whatever space she had diligently, trying to make use of the little kernel
of inspiration that had planted itself in her psyche to combat her growing anger.
Channing observed her closely. ‘Are you just going to doodle on that napkin or are you going to converse with me,’ she asked.
Teal kept her head down, her gaze locked on the napkin in front of her. She had drawn a pair of eyes, and to her shock, they were Carissa’s. Realising this caught her off guard. She had not just managed to capture their likeness but also the spirit in them.
Teal quickly folded up the napkin and slipped it into her pocket. ‘There’s only one thing I want to know.’
‘Which is?’
‘How the fuck did you find me?’ she hissed under her breath.
‘Your neighbour told me you’d inherited your aunt’s house. She gave me the address you left her for emergencies.’
Oh shit, why did I do that!? Why didn’t I warn her not to tell anyone where I was? ‘Channing—’
‘Please hear me out. You owe me that much.’
Teal wanted to say she owed her nothing but refrained in the hope Channing would leave once she’d had her say. ‘Go on.’
Channing’s fingers played with the stem of her wine glass. ‘Look, I know things have been hard for you with what happened to Alana, but I think you coming here proves that you want to move on, that you want change. I think we should give it another go, Teal, start from the beginning. I should never have moved out. I should have put up more of a fight.’
Teal exhaled a breath. She wanted to tell Channing to stop. That there was no point in going over the same ground again. They never had, or never would have a relationship as far as Teal was concerned. It was like talking to a brick wall trying to get this through to Channing. This is what I get for not calling the police.
Teal stared at Channing for a moment, as she struggled to find the right words. She reached for the bottle again and refilled her near empty glass. The pub was beginning to fill up now and there were a number of people milling around their table. Music was playing in the background but it was drowned out by the sound of chatter and laughter.
‘Channing ….’
Channing stared straight back at her.
‘I don’t want you here. You know that, don’t you?’
‘Why not? You must feel something for me? Anything?’ Channing asked.
The words caught in Teal’s throat. Feel something? No I don’t! She thought about her feelings for Carissa. How she couldn’t stop thinking about her. Even in her dreams, Carissa was always present. It was a feeling she had never experienced with Channing. So no, it wasn’t about whether or not she felt something for her. The truth was Teal had only felt pity for her.
Left with no alternative but to answer, Teal shook her head and turned resolutely to her wine, but Channing didn’t seem to get the message.
‘But you did feel something for me once, right?’ Channing asked bluntly.
Teal suppressed a groan. ‘Please let this sink into your head. We had a one night stand. Do you get it?’
Channing smiled, unperturbed. ‘I’d rather call it a connection.’
Teal was knocked slightly off balance by her comment. ‘Connection? Who said anything about connecting?’
Channing narrowed her eyes. ‘You’re just scared to open your heart. You don’t know what you want, Teal. That’s the problem.’
Out of the corner of her eye, Teal noticed the door open and she held her breath, dreading it was Carissa. Instead, a very attractive dark-haired woman dragging a suitcase behind her walked in and headed straight to the bar. She noticed Channing give the woman a once over with narrowed eyes and Teal thought how great it would be if the two of them hit it off. If the stranger was into women that was.
‘Is she your type then?’ There was a cold chill to Channing’s voice.
Teal frowned and let out a frustrated sigh. ‘What?’
‘You know who. The woman that just walked in.’
‘Hardly. I barely got a look at her.’ Teal glanced towards the bar but the woman in question was nowhere to be seen.
‘You’re not a very good liar, Teal.’
‘What the hell are you talking about?’
‘You’d probably be chatting her up if I wasn’t here, wouldn’t you?’
‘Chatting her up? Channing, I’m not looking to be with anyone. Can’t you understand that?’
Channing stared at her blankly. ‘You need some time to think. That’s all. I’ll stay in your spare room until—’
‘Whoa, lets rewind back a minute. You’ll stay where?’
‘In the spare room at your house,’ Channing said matter-of-factly. ‘We don’t need to rush things. Not to begin with anyway.’
‘Channing—’
Channing took a mouthful of Teal’s wine. ‘Let’s drink up and get back to yours. I can’t wait to see your new place.’
‘There’s nowhere for you to sleep in the house.’
Channing frowned. ‘How many rooms are there?’
‘It’s not the point. I’ve got building work going on.’
‘So I’ll stay in your room then.’
‘No, you won’t.’
‘Why not?’ Channing persisted.
‘Because I don’t want you to.’
Channing squinted at her as if in discomfort. ‘It’s because of that woman you’ve got staying with you, isn’t it?’
The hairs on Teal’s neck rose. ‘You’ve been to my house?’
‘Don’t worry. I haven’t said anything to her … yet.’
‘You’re crazy, do you know that? What’s there to tell?’
‘About us.’
‘Channing, there is no us—’
‘You made love to me,’ she said accusingly.
‘I was drunk. It was a mistake—’
‘No, it wasn’t. I could tell by the way your body responded to me. It was more than that. It was—’
‘No, Channing. It wasn’t anything. You need to put this fantasy you’ve got about us out of your head.’
‘Do you think you are going to get rid of me that easily? You’ll always be a part of me.’ Channing pulled aside the strap on her top to reveal a red heart-shaped tattoo with Teal’s name written in the centre. ‘See?’
Teal’s hands trembled at the sight and she quickly hid them under the table. Oh my God. What the hell is going on in her mind? ‘I’m deadly serious, Channing, you need to stop this madness. Can’t you see what you’re doing isn’t normal?’
Channing didn’t look hurt, embarrassed or upset by her remark. She pursed her lips slightly as though she were trying to read Teal. ‘And what’s normal? Fucking a whore you barely know—’
The pressurised volcano in Teal’s head exploded. Whether it was the fact that Channing had turned up out of the blue or that she was being disrespectful about Carissa, Teal was done with her crap.
‘Enough! Just fucking stop. If you don’t leave me alone, I’m going to call the police!’
Channing stared at her with a ghost of a smile on her lips and Teal had to wonder whether she was high on something. She looked totally zoned out.
‘I’m not going anywhere. You need me.’
Teal pushed herself to her feet, knocking the table in the process. She instinctively reached out to catch her drink from tipping over. ‘Need you? The only thing I need, is for you to keep the fuck away from me.’
‘You always act irrationally when you’re tired. Go and get some rest. We can talk again tomorrow.’ Channing’s top lip curled into a snarl. ‘When I get to meet your whore.’
A chill ran down Teal’s spine. All of a sudden, she felt the need to be at home. To make sure Carissa was safe. ‘Go home, Channing. Go back to Devon and leave me the hell alone.’
Leaden sky loomed over head when Teal exited the pub. Adrenaline powered her legs as she ran across the road and headed for home. She cursed herself again for not telling her next-door neighbour in Devon to not give her current address out to anyone, especially Channing.
Apprehension slowl
y built in the pit of Teal’s stomach. The whole episode in the pub had unnerved her. Channing was unpredictable and the fact that she already knew about Carissa frightened the life out of her. It wasn’t as if Channing had been violent in the past, at least not with her, but she could be vindictive. An incident involving Channing suddenly sprung to mind. It had been the first week she had stayed with Teal. Channing had been talking about her ex-partner when she quite innocently said, ‘Mel always said she wanted to be famous and now she is.’
It wasn’t until weeks later, when Teal ran into an old friend, that she heard someone had leaked an explicit sex tape of Mel online. Teal didn’t know for sure if Channing had been the one responsible for releasing it, but Mel not only lost her job as a teacher, she ended up having a mental breakdown. Luckily for Teal, her one and only sexual encounter with Channing had happened in her bathroom and thankfully no phones had been present at the time.
Teal reasoned she might be paranoid but something, call it her sixth sense, told her that Channing’s sudden appearance in Bibury was not going to be a pleasant one, and Teal needed to do everything she could to ensure both her safety and more importantly, Carissa’s.
Her first thought was to book Carissa into a Bed and Breakfast until the renovation was completed, but she decided against that. It made more sense to have Carissa under the same roof as her.
With her head in a spin cycle, Teal walked into the house and almost immediately she could feel something was off kilter. The atmosphere seemed different somehow. At first, she put it down to her heightened emotions but when she saw Carissa she knew it was something else. Carissa sat on the edge of the window sill looking at her phone. Hearing Teal’s entrance, she looked up and when their gazes met, Teal noted a sadness in her eyes. A tightness around her mouth. Something had changed. What, Teal didn’t know but Carissa was different. Had Channing actually been round and had words with Carissa?
‘Hey,’ Teal said with a false cheer she didn’t feel. ‘Everything all right?’
‘Yeah fine,’ Carissa said flatly. ‘You?’
