by West, Jade
“Are you staying with Ryan?” she asked.
“No. I booked a room at the Three Feathers. For the whole weekend.”
I loved how she swallowed. “I’ll be finished here soon, for the school run, but I’ve got Freddie… into the night…”
“I’ll be waiting for whatever time you can spare,” I said, and stepped away.
I had to wrench my eyes away from her as she said her hello to the next in line, certain the image of her was burned into my mind for the rest of time as I forced myself out of there.
My heart was still pounding hard as I made my way out of the exit and back into the car park, my smirk bright as a fucking sunrise as I jumped back in my car and pulled my phone from my jacket pocket.
My thumbs made light work of the text I should have most likely made days ago. Time to get with the weekend. A whole new Much Arlock weekend.
I’m back in town, I sent to Ryan. Likely to have a bit of time spare this evening if you have. Let me know.
The buzz of a reply was a quick one.
Back already? Pissing hell, Kent. Didn’t see that coming. You catching up with Maisie Moore all over again?
Might well be, I fired back.
Rather you than me with Sawyer still hung up on her, he said. Let me know when you’re free if you wanna grab a beer. Need to sofa surf? I’m guessing not.
Not this time, thanks, I told him, and set off for the check in, hoping the premier suite at the Three Feathers was everything their website promised it would be.
It was plenty evident from the moment I stepped through the bedroom doorway that the website had indeed been telling the truth.
The four-poster was huge in mahogany, the beams overhead blissfully tasteful against the cream of the room. The bathroom was glorious, with both a stand-alone bath and double shower, and the view out across the high street was deluxe from every one of the windows.
I’d hung up the shirts from my case and flicked on the room TV by the time the next buzz of a ping kicked off on my phone.
I was maybe expecting Ryan, but it was Maisie’s name that greeted me.
You have no idea how excited I am, her message read. Seriously, I’m so excited I’ve got hardly any idea myself.
Her smiley face on the message was enough to have me grinning right back at it.
My thumbs were a blur responding.
Believe me, I have every idea how excited you are. I can’t wait to see more of you, Maisie.
I grabbed myself a beer from the minibar and counted my lucky stars.
Much Arlock, here I am.
Maisie Moore, here I fucking come.
Chapter Seventeen
Maisie
I was an absolute bag of excitement and nerves outside the school gates that afternoon. My heart was still racing as I waved to the other mums, cheeks undoubtedly still blooming as I said my hellos and have a good weekends and smiled my regular smiles.
My mind was running wild, lurching and leaping. My dreams were spiking and sparking and charging right through me, lost to all reason as I battled the urge to squeal out loud and punch the air.
Seeing Oliver there, his eyes right on mine in the checkout queue, was enough that I’d thought I might pee myself. Seriously pee myself. That and fall off my counter stool.
Yeah, it was enough to warrant an air punch or two, but underneath, was a whole world of self-consciousness fizzing away.
I could have burned up with embarrassment at the thought of my rosy cheeks without makeup, and my hair so damn messy in the crappy bun I’d thrown it up into before school earlier that morning. That’s without even comprehending how I looked in my bland, cruddy uniform without even some jewellery on to add some sparkle.
Crap.
At least he’d looked pleased to see me. Genuinely pleased to see me, even in a crappy bun and uniform.
My fingers were still damn shaky as I typed him out a text.
You have no idea how excited I am. Seriously, I’m so excited I’ve got hardly any idea myself.
The ping sounded back soon after.
Believe me, I have every idea how excited you are. I can’t wait to see more of you, Maisie.
My cheeks burned afresh and I felt it down below. That darkness in his eyes onscreen when I opened my dressing gown. The low moans from him as I touched myself. Now he couldn’t wait to see more, in the flesh and up close. My knees went weak at the thought.
I took a deep breath and enjoyed the blue sky, still struggling to believe that this was really happening.
But it was. It really was.
Just one more night and I’d be sharing one with him. Not a video call, under forgiving lamplight, with whispered fantasies and wants and promises of soon. This would be it. In person.
I only hoped I’d live up to his expectations.
Oh hell, how I needed to.
Freddie came charging out with his friends as soon as the school bell sounded. They were shouting and jostling, clearly hyped up for the weekend as they came running. My smile was full as he skidded to a halt and waved goodbye to the others, tossing his hair to the side before I had a chance to ruffle it and slinging his bag over his shoulder.
“Good day?” I asked, and he gave me a shrug.
“Yeah, pretty cool. Dean said he’s going to the game with his dad and grandad this weekend. Reckon Dad might take me?”
“You could ask him,” I said and started off on the walk home. “He likes football, I’m sure he might well like to take you along.”
“Likes watching it in the pub,” Freddie commented and pulled a face. “I like it sometimes, when he gets me crisps with my cola, but I wanna see it for real, you know?”
I nodded. “I’m sure he’ll understand.”
I was appreciating just how much Freddie had shot up in height those past few weeks when he shrugged again. “Not sure he’ll want to take me. Not like Dean’s dad does.”
It wasn’t my place to make promises or assurances Robbie might not keep, so I kept quiet and changed the conversation to his school day. I loved listening right the way up through the recreation ground, keeping the chat flowing all the while he dumped his bag and shot up the climbing frame and down the other side.
We were still talking away quite happily when we approached the house and I spotted Robbie’s big white work van parked up outside.
“Dad!” Freddie shouted as the van door opened and his leather jacket clad father stepped on out. He went running, bag bopping against his back as he closed the distance, and I kept my pace steady, wondering to what the hell we owed the appearance.
“Alright, chap,” Robbie said and threw his arm around Freddie’s shoulders, and I had that twinge in my belly. The twinge that said that on some planet somewhere maybe we’d have made it work as a family for our amazing boy.
It was when I saw the thinly hidden scowl on Robbie’s face that all thoughts of some imaginary family in some imaginary universe died a fresh new death.
“To what do we owe this honour?” I asked when I reached them.
Rob gave Freddie a smile and his shoulder a fresh squeeze before looking on up at the house. “Why don’t you get changed after your school day, mate?”
“We going somewhere?” he asked.
“Maybe,” Rob replied. “We’ll work it out in a minute, just head on up and get yourself ready.”
I knew then that it was definitely me he was here to see.
He barely wasted five seconds for Freddie to leap his way upstairs before he pulled the door closed and leaned in tight.
“That piece of shit back to see you this fucking weekend?” he hissed, and my heart kicked up a million gears.
Damn. Pissing. Gossip.
I folded my arms. “That’s ridiculously quick for the rumour mill, you know. He only arrived an hour ago.”
“I don’t give a shit when he fucking arrived,” Rob grunted. “I just wanna know if he’s here to see you.”
“Does it really matter either way?” I as
ked, feeling my cheeks burning up yet again. “Freddie’s with you, so I might get the chance to be social. I’m sure Ollie might get the chance to be social too. Who knows quite what he’s here for. Could be anything.”
“He’s a nerdy fucking prick that belongs in fucking London.” His finger jabbed at nowhere. “I mean it, Maisie, just steer fucking clear of him or I’ll have to have words with him my fucking self.”
I’d have had a whole load to say on the topic if Freddie hadn’t come piling back out of the front door. He was grinning up at his dad like a real little trooper as he finished zipping up his sweatshirt.
“Dean’s dad is gonna take him to the football this weekend,” he started. “Can we go, Dad? Me, you and Grandad? We could see Dean there, it would be super cool!”
“I dunno about that, mate,” Robbie said, and his eyes were on mine. “We might need to be around town this weekend, keeping an eye on stuff.”
I hated the confusion in Freddie’s face. “In town? Why?”
“I’m sure you won’t need to hang around this weekend,” I said, forcing my smile. “You can go to the game.”
“Wouldn’t want to miss a thing around here,” Rob said, and his smile back was a snarl.
I hated the way Freddie gave up and shrugged. “Alright,” he said. “Guess we could see the game another time.”
I hated the way the tension bristled between Rob and I even more.
“You taking Freddie to your parents early?” I asked, but he shook his head.
“I’ll take Freddie to the play area to hang out for a bit. We’ll be back soon.”
Luckily our boy seemed oblivious to our animosity as his father shot me a fresh scowl on their way down to the recreation ground.
The ping of my phone sounded up before I was even through the front door. It was the Kate and Amy conversation window and it seemed the rumour mill really was at full force.
Kate: So he’s back in town?! Eleanor saw him heading into the Three Feathers.
Amy: Are you hooking up tonight or tomorrow? Hotel room stay, yeah?
I wondered how many others in our damn school year were talking about my plans for the weekend, and that’s when the burn hit me. The burn of everyone knowing everyone’s business.
I couldn’t even imagine being in a world where people didn’t snoop on everyone else as standard. The thought of living somewhere with even a streak of anonymity seemed quite a luxury. A whole ocean of being able to be who you wanted and able to do what you wanted in a bright new world with bright new colours.
Maybe my ancestral line of agricultural workers from Much Arlock really could do with a fresh run to break up the mould.
I’d only just made myself a cup of tea and sat myself down at the kitchen table for five seconds by the time Rob headed back up with Freddie. I cast a scowl of my own as Fred went through to flick the TV on and the asshole closed the living room door behind him.
“I mean it,” he resumed. “That prick doesn’t belong around here. He can flash the cash all he likes on his own turf but can stay the fuck away from these parts.”
“Believing you own the town, as per,” I snapped and took a sip of tea. “Seriously, you really think you have the right to spout on about who doesn’t and doesn’t belong here? Don’t be a moron, Rob.”
His eyes were savage. “I won’t have him around here. This isn’t his fucking town.”
And there it was again, the same burn of small-town life.
And the same little what-if, imagining a new world somewhere bigger.
“Are you going to stay to hang out with Freddie awhile or are you done here for the night?” I asked, and he straightened his jacket collar.
“I’m off out with Dave and Phil,” he said. “Going up the Pitcher for a few. Better get myself ready. Maybe we’ll see that cunt Kent out round town tonight.”
“Maybe you will,” I said, and cursed under my breath. I got to my feet and grabbed some potatoes out to peel, ignoring him completely as he called his goodbye through to Freddie and slammed the door on his way out.
It was when the potatoes were boiling on the hob that I opted to send another ping through to Ollie.
Be warned. The whole damn town knows you’re here already. Robbie included.
It only took seconds for the reply to sound.
I guess that’s another part of the Much Arlock effect too, he said. Don’t worry. I’m not worried about Robbie Sawyer. The whole damn universe can know I’m here for all I give a shit.
I sighed to myself as I put the fish fingers on to cook.
I only hoped he was right.
Chapter Eighteen
Oliver
I knew it would be a tease of an evening to be in the same tiny town as Maisie without being able to see her. I also knew she was busy with Freddie and there was no way she’d want me sneaking back there for a risky first meeting while he was just a few rooms away.
So, I played it cool and settled down into Much Arlock life, taking advantage of a fresh opportunity to catch up with Ryan all over again.
He joined me in the bar at the Three Feathers looking well and truly jaded from his working week. I ordered the beers in and slapped his arm, genuinely pleased to see him as he slapped mine right back.
“Really didn’t expect to see you again so bloody sharpish,” he told me, and I couldn’t stop the smirk.
“I think you might be seeing a fair chunk more of me. So long as Maisie wants to see a fair chunk more of me too, that is.”
He shook his head as we took our seats and kicked back. “You’re asking for shit, Kent. There’s no way Sawyer is going to give her up easily.”
I chose to ignore that for the time being, turning the conversation back on his week and the fact he looked fried to shit.
“I’m feeling the pressure at the office,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, my boss Carl’s a great guy, but the projects have really ramped up. I’ve been there for years. I just don’t know if I’ve got the fire in me anymore.”
He’d told me plenty about his boss Carl during my sofa surfing nights at his. The company sounded serious, and the tech projects sounded serious to match, and this Carl guy sounded like quite the character to go along with them. Apparently he was in a three way relationship with some graphic designer guy and the daughter of the owner of the parent company, Favcom.
I smirked to myself at the thought of how dramatic the Much Arlock gossip must have been when that Katie daughter got caught up in that little number.
“Maybe you need a fresh start,” I said, and I meant it. Maybe he did.
Maybe his days in this town with his tech sales job and the lack of Stacey on his arm were wearing thin.
Maybe this was a time of change for all of us.
“Fuck it,” he said as he downed half of his beer. “Maybe I do need a fresh start. Carl’s talking about a new office opening up in Brighton soon enough. Maybe I should head down there and take another swing at it.”
Somehow I couldn’t imagine Ryan hitting the Brighton beach life.
I downed half my own beer and shot him a look.
“You could always come into my business at some point. I’m always looking for people I can rely on, especially in the sales team.”
He shook his head. “London’s not for me. No way. I’m too settled round these parts. I won’t really be heading to Brighton. The guy from next door to Maisie’s going down there. Job taken.”
I guess I was barking up the wrong tree on the change score. I settled further into my chair and cast my eyes around the bar.
The Three Feathers really was a decent hotel. The bar was more grand than I remembered and the atmosphere was nicely bustling with locals and tourists alike.
“We never used to come into this snooty bar,” Ryan said, reading my mind. “We should head back to our regular old haunt at the Pitcher and stop flouncing around with the posh folk.”
The Pitcher was the local cool dive, and considerably less of our regular old h
aunt than it seemed to have become of his. Still, I didn’t care which of the local pubs we’d opt to end up in.
I kept my eyes on my phone as we finished up our drinks and headed down towards the Pitcher. No messages were buzzing through, so I figured Maisie was busy enough with home life.
We stopped in at the Royal Tavern on the way down, and I was careful not to chug back my beer too hard as Ryan knocked his right back. He had two for the one of mine, and I found myself wondering again just how many drinks he made work of week by week.
“You gonna be back here most weekends now then?” he asked as we made our way down the street.
I held my answer back carefully. “I’m hoping I’ll be around a fair amount for the next while.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, with a laugh. “You back with Maisie Moore or not?”
“That really depends on Maisie Moore,” I said.
“Fine, keep your cards close to your chest if you like.” He slapped me on the back. “I’m sure you’ll fill me in with the finer details when you’ve had a few more beers.”
I doubted that very much, but kept my smirk strong. Strong enough that it was still full on my face as I stepped through the door at the Pitcher and walked pretty much headlong into Robbie Sawyer and his couple of jackass drinking friends.
I heard Ryan’s grunt of an alright at my side, making the effort to settle us down in the pub ambience, but Sawyer’s eyes were fierce on mine.
“Thought I might see you out,” he barked. “Heard you were back in fucking town.”
“Well, you saw me. Congratulations,” I said, and pushed my way past him to the bar.
I felt him behind me as I stepped up to order beers for me and Ryan, but didn’t even grace him with a glance.
“You think you’re gonna take my fucking place with Maisie and Freddie, you wanna think again,” he said. “She’s mine. They both are.”
“I think she’ll be making the decisions about who she does and doesn’t want to spend her time with,” I said right back.
