Lola's House (Lola Series)

by Groers, Suzie

  ‘Don’t stop now,’ I hear him say. ‘I was enjoying that.’

  ‘I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise I was doing it.’ My face flushes scarlet and I feel the heat coming off it. ‘What happened to the pillows?’

  ‘You threw them off in the night, said you were too hot.’

  ‘Oh my god, Robert, what must you think of me.’ I hold my head in my hands trying to cover up my embarrassment.

  ‘Don’t worry about it, Lola, you were asleep,’ he yawns and stretches. ‘And we’re both still intact.’

  I blush again and pick my phone off the bedside table, squinting at the screen to read the latest of many text messages. ‘Oh my goodness, apparently, Cal couldn’t stand to be without Chrissie any longer and he drove down here last night. They got a new room and have been holed up there ever since. She thought I was with the others and they thought I was with her. It was only at breakfast they’ve realised I’m not with either. I had better call her back now.’

  I grab the cover off the bed and wrap it around me while Robert disappears into the bathroom. Chrissie’s phone answers on the first ring. ‘Where the hell are you, Lola, I was just about to call the police?’

  ‘Good question, I spent ages last night trying to get in touch with you and eventually my phone went dead. I couldn’t find our hotel and in the end we got a room somewhere else. I was in a real panic, Chrissie, what were you doing?’

  ‘I was having very detailed and satisfying telephone foreplay, Cal drove down and we finished off what we started on the phone. I thought you were with Poppy, and I didn’t see her until this morning and found out that no one had seen you, I was really worried, Lola, are you okay? Hang on a second, what do you mean we, is James with you?’

  ‘Erm no, not quite. When I couldn’t get hold of you I called home and to cut a long story short, Robert called me back, then came to find me,’ I say, trying to make light of it.

  ‘Robert? Where is he now?’

  ‘He’s in the shower.’

  The line goes quiet for a few seconds while her brain is ticking over. ‘Have you slept with him, Lola?’

  ‘No. Yes. No, not in how you would interpret sleeping with someone. We shared a bed but obviously didn’t do anything other than sleep.’

  ‘You had a beefcake like Robert in your bed and you never shagged him?’

  ‘Of course I didn’t shag him.’ I lower my voice to disguise the irritation as I hear the water stop in the bathroom. ‘Listen, I have to go. Just give me directions to the hotel and I’ll see you soon, we can talk properly then.’

  After a shower and a huge breakfast I walk back to my original hotel with Robert, which turns out to be two streets away from where I have spent the night. Chrissie is in our room getting her belongings together. She runs at me and holds my arms down in a big bear hug. ‘Lola, I was so worried about you.’ She steps back and looks at me. ‘You’re definitely a dark horse you dirty little mare.’

  ‘Never mind that, Chrissie, I cannot believe you just abandoned me like that. I couldn’t get in touch with anyone, I phoned you and Poppy so many times my battery went flat and I ended up sitting on a bench like a bloody homeless person. If it wasn’t for Robert I would probably be there still.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Lola, I didn’t realise honestly. You know I wouldn’t have done that to you on purpose.’

  ‘Yes well, I had to let myself be rescued by, and subsequently share a bed with my lodger. When I woke up this morning I was cuddled into his back. Bloody spooning him and rubbing my hand over his stomach.’ I stop when I see the smirk forming on her face and burst out laughing. Then she hugs me again.

  ‘I really am sorry, Lola, I would never have left you on purpose, I genuinely thought you were with Poppy. I shouldn’t have gotten carried away with the phone sex, but I was so happy to be back with Cal.’ She pulls back from me and examines my face. ‘You do believe me don’t you?’

  I can’t stay mad with Chrissie for long and I feel my anger ebbing away. ‘Of course I do, and I’m really happy for you and Cal.’

  She releases me from the hug and throws clothes into her bag. ‘So, did your hand travel further south and check him out properly?’

  ‘What? No, it was just a bit of a cuddle and I was asleep, so I don’t think it counts if I’m not aware I’m doing it,’ I nod, trying to justify it to myself. Then a big smile breaks out on my face. ‘But it was so nice, Chrissie, he smelt so good and his body was, oh god, so fantastic.’

  She giggles. ‘I bet it was, I’d love to get my hands on him. I like your style, Lola. Where is he now, has he gone?’

  ‘No, he’s taken Harley for a quick walk. He’s going to take me back home.’

  ‘You two are getting very cosy together, although, I think you’re a fool for not having your wicked way with him last night.’ She picks up her cosmetics off the dresser and throws them in her bag a faraway look on her face. ‘Hmm I could just imagine how good it would be with man like that.’

  ‘You are insatiable, Chrissie, but I wouldn’t do anything anyway, I’m with James remember?’

  ‘Oh yeah, James,’ she says, dismissively.

  ‘Don’t say it like that, we’re trying to make a go of it, he’ll be beside himself if he finds out about me sharing a bed with Robert, you know how jealous he gets and I’ve already covered up the snogging incident. Now I’ve got this to hide too.’

  ‘Oh blah, blah, blah bloody James. I think you should wake up and smell the coffee. You’ve got a hot man under your duvet just there for the taking. Fate keeps throwing Robert at you and you keep ignoring the signals and whining on about James all the time. The very same James who left you heartbroken last year because he couldn’t get his own way. Why don’t you just cut your losses with him, Lola?’

  ‘I’ve been given a second chance with him, I think you’re being unfair, Chrissie.’

  ‘A second chance? But you never screwed up the first one. And if you care to cast you mind back, you’ll remember he was coupled up with some big boobed nympho within days of you two splitting up, while you were still crying yourself to sleep every night.’

  I feel tears pricking at the back of my eyes just remembering the events of last year and pinch the bridge of my nose stop them turning into full tears.

  ‘Look I’m sorry, Lola. I shouldn’t be so harsh, but I wouldn’t be a very good friend if I didn’t tell you I just don’t trust him and I think you deserve much better. What sort of friend would I be if I didn’t try and stand up for you?’

  ‘I know, but it’s different this time honestly.’ I bite my lip. ‘I’m sure he’s changed for the better.’

  ‘If you say so,’ she pouts, so I know she isn’t convinced.

  ‘Just give him a chance please, Chrissie. Things will be different this time, I’m sure they will, he’s trying really hard and he wants us to move on with our relationship.’

  She stops what she is doing and looks me directly in the eyes. ‘Does he make you happy?’

  I pause for a moment, considering my feelings since James has returned on the scene. How do you define happiness in a relationship? Life has certainly changed quite a bit over the last few weeks and picked up a pace, we’ve had fun together and the sex is always good. Although his petulant sulking gets me down when he can’t have his own way, but we’ve known each other for years so it feels comfortable, like an old pair of socks.

  ‘Yes, I think so,’ I reply, with a smile.

  ‘Well if you’re happy, then I’m happy.’ I know she doesn’t believe me but she hugs me anyway. ‘Now, I have to finish getting my stuff together. Cal and I are staying over for another few nights so I have to move my stuff to the other room. And then, I have some extremely serious shagging to catch up with.’

  I roll my eyes and get my bag out ready to pack.

  The rain is still falling in a steady drizzle, by the time we arrive home. I’ve slept for most of the journey back apart for a short stop off to get lunch. As we pull up on the drive, I
stretch my aching muscles, and my only thought is to get into the house and put the kettle on. I look up and see James’ car parked in the driveway in front of us. He isn’t in the car so my eyes quickly scan the front of the house until I spot him standing under the portico talking into his phone.

  Robert spots him too and looks over to me. ‘James?’

  ‘Yes,’ I reply, ‘I’m not sure what he’s doing here this early though - he knew I was going away this weekend.’

  Robert unlocks his door. ‘I’ll get the bags.’

  Harley dashes out of the car straight over to where James stands and sniffs excitedly round his legs, his tail wagging furiously. James looks down and impatiently nudges him away with his foot before ending his call.

  I get out of the car and walk over to him smiling. ‘This is a nice surprise, James. I wasn’t expecting you.’ I lean forward to give him a kiss and he pulls away from me.

  ‘I’ve been trying to call you, Lola. Where have you been?’

  ‘You knew I was in Brighton for the weekend, I told you.’

  ‘What, with him?’ He nods over to Robert who has closed the boot of the car and is now approaching us.

  ‘No, I was with Chrissie at a hen party,’ I say, feeling myself colouring up at his accusations.

  Robert comes and stands under the portico with us and holds his hand out to James. ‘Hey, James. We meet at last.’

  James ignores him and turns back to me again. ‘I need to speak to you in private, Lola.’

  I look at Robert, my cheeks now flaming with embarrassment.

  ‘Don’t mind me, I’ll get out of your way,’ he says, shrugging his shoulders as he carries on into the house.

  I turn back to James. ‘That was so rude, James.’

  ‘Bollocks to that, I’ve been stood here waiting for you, looking forward to seeing you and then you tip up with him. Looking very cosy together too. What the fuck is going on, Lola?’

  ‘Nothing’s going on. I was in a bit of a tight spot and Robert just helped me out, that’s all.’

  ‘Well what was so dire that I couldn’t have helped you out, your own boyfriend? Why didn’t you call me?’ he says, gritting his teeth angrily.

  ‘I did call you, twice. And it went straight to voicemail both times.’

  ‘I’ve been working all weekend, you know, trying to earn as much money as possible for our future together. You could have left me a voicemail and I would have called you straight back as soon as I could. There was no need to call him,’ he says, nodding his head towards the house. ‘Anyway, he’ll have to move out soon when I move in. I’m not having him getting his feet comfortable under my table.’

  I bristle with annoyance. ‘Can I remind you that it’s my table and as far as I’m aware, we haven’t discussed us living together.’

  He knows he has gone too far and softens slightly. ‘Come on, Lola. Work with me here. I’m trying to move things along between us and you keep putting up barriers. You say you want to be with me and yet you hold me at a distance. You won’t make a commitment to me and every time I mention us living together, you change the subject.’ He puts his arms around me and looks deep into my eyes. ‘What’s really going on in your head, Lola?’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ I say, feeling myself deflate. I can’t argue with what he has said, it’s all true. ‘I have been holding you back. I just feel afraid that if I let you back into my life fully then it will all fall apart like it did last time.’

  ‘Trust me, it won’t. Now I have you back I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize what we have,’ he says, holding me tighter to his chest. ‘But I really want to move things on, so I can see you more often. I want to see you every morning when I wake up, and every evening when I get home, like old times. I’ve gotten over the things that put a wedge between us last time. I’ve grown up a lot in the last year, you must have realised that, Lola. Come on, you know it’s the right thing to do.’

  My eyes search his face for any clue of what I have been dreading and all I find is his sincerity. I pull myself into his body. How would I ever know if it was going to work unless I gave it a proper chance? ‘I guess you’re right, James. Why don’t we discuss it properly inside and I’ll make us some tea.’

  ‘Fuck the tea. I’m taking you upstairs right now to remind you what you’ll be getting every night.’ He puts his lips on mine and kisses me passionately, his hand round my waist pulling me firmly into his body. As ever with James, there is no doubt in my mind what I will be getting.

  Chapter Sixteen

  ‘I hope you don’t mind, I had a good look at the website over the weekend and I have moved some things around and changed some of the text,’ she says, leaning back in her chair so I can take a closer look at the page displayed on the laptop. ‘What do you think?’

  ‘That looks really good, Muriel. I didn’t realise you were so nifty with this kind of thing.’

  ‘Neither did I,’ she smiles, and clicks through to another page. ‘My nephew showed me how to do some more things after you had left on Friday, I’ll show you later when we get a quiet half hour. But in the meantime we’ve already had a few emails, and we’ve sold the black dress we featured on the main page.’

  ‘That is excellent, so what happens next?’ I peer over her shoulder studying the website.

  ‘Now, I’m going to box up the dress and take it to the post office. Katherine will be here shortly with the first of our order. She’s already photographed the items so we can put them on the website too.’

  ‘Wow, you really do have everything in hand,’ I say, giving her shoulders a squeeze. ‘I’ll make some tea then shall I?’

  Muriel gets out of the chair and presses me into it. ‘I’ll make the tea while you have a good look round the website and get your brain into gear, we need to start planning for this re-launch.’

  ‘I’ve done some thinking in that department and I’ve already made some notes and written down a few names. I’m going to ring the papers this morning.’ I pull a notepad out of my bag.

  Muriel takes the notepad from me and flicks through the pages nodding her head. ‘This looks pretty comprehensive, although I can add a couple of things and get cracking with organising the food and drinks. I think we ought to get flowers too, what do you think?’

  I look through the emails that have come in since the website went live last week. ‘Definitely, I’m just kicking myself we didn’t do this sooner. Look at all these emails just from one weekend.’

  ‘Speaking of weekends, how was the hen do?’

  I grimace at Muriel. ‘It was more a hen don’t actually.’

  I proceed to explain to Muriel the events of the weekend, from Chrissie’s meltdown and then getting back together with Cal, me getting lost and being rescued by Robert (although I don’t mention the spooning incident) and then James’ jealous outburst on Sunday. When I have finished her eyebrows have almost made it into her hairline.

  ‘So how are things between you and James now?’

  ‘Oh he had calmed down considerably by the time he left this morning.’ I pause briefly. ‘We’ve decided to live together again.’

  Muriel’s forehead crinkles as she frowns at me. ‘I didn’t think you were ready for that?’

  ‘To be honest with you, Muriel, I would have preferred to wait a while just until we get used to each other again, but James was putting so much pressure on me it was easier to just agree. But, it’s not like we haven’t lived together before and he is housetrained,’ I say, trying to make light of it and justify it to myself. ‘He will be away mostly anyway over the next few weeks so he is going to stay over at mine more when he can and move in fully in a few weeks time so that should all work out perfectly.’

  Muriel manoeuvres herself so she can see my face. ‘Perfectly for whom, Lola, you or James?’

  I blush deeply feeling the heat creep down my neck. ‘He has changed, Muriel, honestly, and I’m sure it’s the right thing to do if we are to move on.’ I bite on my lip. ‘I
just don’t know what to do about Robert.’

  ‘Why, what has Robert got to do with it?’

  ‘I don’t want to throw him out, I really like him but James keeps saying he should leave. You know how jealous he gets.’

  ‘It’s a big house, couldn’t they just keep out of each other’s way, after all wasn’t Robert supposed to be staying short term?’

  ‘That was the plan, until he found his own place,’ I say with a sigh. ‘Oh I don’t know, Muriel, let’s have some tea, it’s making my head hurt just thinking about it.’

  She smiles and gives my back a little rub, picking up the kettle to fill with water. The bell clangs noisily above the door, so I leave Muriel making the tea while I go into the shop. When Muriel comes out a few minutes later I am in the changing room with a customer.

  ‘I don’t understand it, I’m definitely a size twelve,’ she says, turning side on to view her stomach.

  I examine the zip on the purple suede A-line mini skirt which is now stuck halfway up her hips. ‘Vintage clothing is sized slightly smaller,’ I say, as I wiggle the toggle on the zipper, but it’s stuck fast.

  ‘But I haven’t put on any weight so why won’t it fasten up.’ She wiggles her hips trying to get the skirt upwards.

  ‘You need to select a larger size with these pieces,’ I say, trying to keep her still while being as tactful as I can, she doesn’t look as if she will take criticism very well.

  She tosses her long chestnut hair over her shoulder slightly indignantly. ‘But I love this skirt, it has to fit. I’m going to a sixties night at the weekend and I’ve got purple platform shoes and everything.’