“He called when I was at Tom’s house.”
“So you chose to ignore him,” Dan nods in approval. “I don’t blame you. Great move.”
I pull my hands away. “I had no choice. I was working.”
Silence hangs in the air for a moment. A waitress comes over and asks us if we would like anything else. Well, I’m assuming that’s what she’s asking. My French isn’t good enough to interpret her word for word. Dan says something in French and she laughs and rests a hand lightly on his shoulder. So he can flirt in French too. She collects our plates and mugs and wanders back to the counter of the café.
I clear my throat. “Do you…um…speak any other languages?”
“Spanish,” he replies. “My mum is Spanish. Dad is English.”
A Spanish mother - that explains the soft toffee colour to his skin and the darkness of his hair.
“Do you base yourself in London or somewhere in Spain?”
“London. I live with my parents.”
Now that I did not expect.
“Don’t look so surprised or freaked out. They have a very large three-storey house in London. I have the basement flat. They keep an eye on my little place when I’m away working and I keep an eye, as much as I can, on their place when I’m around and they’re away. Dad is a businessman and travels a lot. He’s a developer, used to be an architect, funnily enough. Mum does a lot of work for charities and often travels with Dad on business as well. I know, I know, not the kind of family you expected me to come from huh? Never judge a book by its cover I say.”
“You were in the police force weren’t you and then got head hunted by the CCIA?”
He nods. “Not before time either. My days were numbered at the Metropolitan Police. I’d already used up my quota of warnings.”
“By doing what?” I ask, my nosiness kicking in.
He shrugs. “All sorts. What’s the point of a rule book if you can’t rip it to smithereens once in a while huh?”
My phone buzzes into life and I grab it off the table before Dan can see who is calling me. He raises a questioning eyebrow. I see Debs’ name on the caller display and my heart plummets. Of course. She’ll have seen the photos; they’ll have been in the newspapers in the UK too.
But what do I say to her? Admit I still haven’t actually spoken to Charlie and haven’t got a clue what he’s up to out in LA with Delilah?
“I need to take this,” I say as I get to my feet. “I have to go.”
Dashing from the coffee shop I know I’m not going to answer the call. I’m just using it as an excuse to get away from Dan, his revelations and the whirl of emotions inside me. As I hurry down the street the call goes to voicemail and I feel guilty for not speaking to my best friend. But I just don’t know what to say.
Back at the chalet my head is once again full to bursting with thoughts whizzing around inside it. Thoughts about what I’ll say to Debs. Thoughts about what Dan said about being interested in me. Thoughts of Charlie and what I’m going to say to him.
I sit on the bed and stare once again at my phone. Should I call him? It’s early evening in France meaning it’s around late morning in LA. My fingers hover over the button to automatically dial his number.
A commotion downstairs gets me on my feet and out onto the landing. By the sounds of things Amelia is home with Ty. I head down to greet them and join everyone else in the entrance hall as we all welcome Ty and fuss over him. I catch a glimpse of Amelia’s smile. She looks thrilled to have him back. She can’t be having an affair with Tom surely.
Ty hobbles through to the dining room – the lounge is still boarded up – and as I follow everyone else through I spot another huge bunch of flowers on the table near the stairs. How did I manage to miss seeing that when I got back earlier? My observation skills clearly aren’t improving. I go over and check for a note. Nothing.
I make myself a mental reminder to tell Dan that more flowers have arrived when we meet up later. Amelia is having a party tonight as a welcome home shindig for Ty. Because the lounge is out of use here at the chalet she’s booked a function room in a local hotel. They’re putting on a buffet and entertainment as well. Dan will be there in his architect capacity as a guest of Amelia’s.
I manage to get Amelia on her own for a moment as Ty’s parents fuss around him. “Everything OK?” I ask her quietly.
She nods.
“I noticed some more flowers have arrived.”
“Yes. When I was out. The same as before, no note, no details of who sent them.”
Tom walks past. What’s he doing here? He spots me and shoots me a funny look which I interpret to mean stay away from me crazy woman. Great. He thinks I’m mad. Then again, after my behaviour earlier I can’t say I blame him on that front.
Amelia nudges my arm. “You’re watching Tom! I saw you! Do you fancy him? He is rather handsome isn’t he? I don’t think he’s seeing anyone if you’re interested.”
Oh. Right. Maybe she isn’t involved with Tom then. Perhaps their little chat was just work related. Maybe he was expressing his concerns about Amelia bringing Dan in to get the chalet revamped or something.
“I’m with Charlie!” I whisper back. “I wasn’t looking at Tom in that way.”
Everyone sits and chats for a while and I join in, aware I need to listen as much as possible to what people are saying in case they let anything slip which could help with the case. I’m chatting to Pammie when my phone rings. I check caller ID but it’s saying it’s an unknown number. Making my excuses I head out into the hallway and answer the call.
“Amber?”
Sugar. The call is from Charlie. He must be using a different phone thinking I’m ignoring his calls.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“Amber? We need to talk.”
In my room I close the door behind me and lean against it. I don’t know what to say to him. Where do I start?
“I’m sorry we’ve lost touch a bit lately,” he says and I can hear the caution in his voice. He’s wondering if I’ve seen the photos. “Things have been so manic out here it’s crazy. I barely have time to grab food and get a bit of sleep. Amber? You still there?”
“Yes.”
There’s a heartfelt sigh on the other end of the line. “You’ve seen them haven’t you?”
I find my voice. “If you mean the photos, then yes, I’ve seen them.”
“Like I said, it’s all crazy here and you should just ignore them. You got my message right?”
“I did but not till after I’d seen the stuff in the papers.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t get chance to touch base with you about it properly before you saw them.”
Touch base? That’s it? That’s all he’s got to say about him being declared the love of Delilah’s life and escorting her to fancy parties, hand in hand?
“So how’re things going in France?” he asks as though nothing is wrong. “I know I’m not officially on the case anymore and, technically, you can’t say much but I just wondered how it was working out and whether Stone is giving you any hassle.”
I’m speechless. No explanations or excuses. He’s just chatting away as though everything is fine.
“I thought you said we needed to talk.”
“Yeah, to catch up, I meant.”
“Not to talk about why Delilah is calling you the love of her life and you’re posing all lovey-dovey and hand in hand for the press who have plastered your photos all over the papers across the world this morning!” I can hear my voice rising, getting higher pitched with each word but I’m powerless to stop it. “What do you have to say about that?!”
“Amber, come on, give me a break here. I said you should ignore them. I’m just doing my job.”
“By getting off with your client?”
There’s silence on the other end of the line and for a moment I wonder if I’ve gone too far and he’s going to put the phone down on me. Then my fury surges back and I remind myself it’s Charlie who is in the wrong,
not me. “Well?” I demand.
He sighs. Actually sighs. Like he can’t be bothered having this conversation with me. Unbelievable.
“Not this again, Amber. I thought we’d sorted this issue out.”
“Issue? You make it sound like it’s some insignificant little matter. It isn’t.”
“I’m well aware your jealousy and lack of trust as far as our relationship goes is far from insignificant but I thought, after last time, you were going to try and see things calmly and rationally.”
“Do not speak to me as though I’m the one in the wrong here, Charlie Huxton!” I seethe.
“I’ve done nothing wrong either,” he says and I can hear the stroppiness in his voice. “I’m just doing my job.”
“So there’s nothing going on with you and her?”
“I can’t believe you’re asking me that,” he says, the calm tone back in his voice now. He’s mad. Really mad.
Well I don’t care.
“I notice you’re not answering the question.”
“Because the question is too bloody stupid to deem answering!” he shouts.
“Are you sleeping with her?” I’m aware the conversation has spun out of control and I’m sounding like some crazed female but I can’t stop myself.
“Of course I’m bloody well not sleeping with her. It’s all a front for the case. I can’t explain, you know agency rules, but I swear that’s all it is.”
“The two of you looked very cosy. Didn’t she split with her boyfriend a little while ago? Did you date her a while back?”
In the answering silence I can picture him, pushing a hand through his closely cropped hair, annoyed with me, getting frustrated now.
“I have to go,” he says, his voice heavy and laced with sadness.
“Charlie! Have you been involved with her before? Is that why she demanded you and only you to work her case?”
“I don’t get involved with clients,” he replies huffily.
“Dan told me that what, or who, Diva Delilah wants, she gets. Is that the case here?”
“You should know better than to listen to anything that moron says. He’s winding you up.”
“He mentioned something about you having done something before we met that didn’t paint you in a good light but wouldn’t tell me what it was. He said that was a conversation I should have with you not him.”
“He’s just being a prat. I told you he was trouble.”
“You got involved with her before didn’t you? That’s what he’s referring to.”
“Oh for f…” He stops talking and I wonder if he’s figuring out what to say next. Charlie’s usually good at thinking fast. Does the fact he’s having to pause to think before replying mean he’s lying?
“Well?” I demand. A part of me is scared that this conversation has gone too far to claw it back to safe territory. Then I see the photo of them together again and I know, right now, I’m incapable of being rational. I’m incapable of talking to him sensibly no matter what he says. Maybe Dan was right earlier when he’d said about how I’d react to Charlie and how he wouldn’t be able to do or say anything right when we eventually spoke to each other.
“I don’t have the time for this right now,” Charlie eventually says, sounding dejected. “I’ve hardly slept in days, let alone had chance to eat or think other than about stuff related to the case. I’m swamped with this job and can barely see straight I’m so knackered.”
“So this, our relationship, isn’t important enough to you?”
“You know it is, Amber but…” he pauses.
I hold my breath and struggle to gain control of my thoughts, emotions and words.
“But I can’t keep doing this. I’m sorry. My job puts me in situations like this. It’s the nature of what I do. Especially on undercover work. I don’t have an issue with you working with slippery Stone on the case in France. Why? Because I trust you. I don’t trust him. But I do trust you.”
“But…”
“Look, if I haven’t managed so far to convince you that you can trust me then I’m beginning to wonder if I ever will. I’m crazy about you, Amber but I can’t keep doing this thing where you assume I’m cheating on you at the first opportunity. If you can’t trust me, no matter what I do or say then our relationship is always going to struggle.”
Panic grips my heart. What is he saying? Is he saying I need to get some therapy or is he saying it’s over between us? But he just said he’s crazy about me. He didn’t say he loves me though. Why can’t he just tell me he loves me? Why can’t I just ask him if he loves me? Because I’m scared that he doesn’t love me and that his feelings for me aren’t as strong as mine are for him. The line crackles and fades in and out. Are we losing the connection – relationship-wise as well as technology-wise?
“Charlie?”
There’s such sadness in his voice again when he speaks that the tears start to stream down my cheeks. “I’m sorry, Amber. Maybe we should take a bit of a break. Now isn’t the time to talk this through. We’re both busy and on opposite sides of the world. Let’s just cool off for a while OK?”
The line goes dead. Did he just put the phone down or did we get cut off?
I slump onto the bed, still clutching the phone in my hands.
Did Charlie just… did he just break up with me?
My heart in my throat I brush tears out of my eyes with the sleeve of my top and call Charlie back but it goes straight to his voicemail. I try redial on the unknown number he just rang me on. It rings out unanswered. I cuddle up on the bed, phone by my side just in case, and stare blankly out of the window at the mountains. I want to shut my mind down so I can’t go over and over that conversation with Charlie but instead it is racing, thoughts piling on top of thoughts until my head feels like it’s about to explode. Outside the sun dips behind a cloud and inside a shiver rips through me. Feeling cold, alone and shaky I clamber underneath the duvet and press my eyes tightly shut, trying to stop the tears from falling.
I can’t believe Charlie and I are through. The amazing times we’ve had together flash through my memory as if watching a movie on fast forward. A life without Charlie in it seems empty and loveless and my stomach clenches in pain.
Yes, I’m mad at Charlie. He should have understood how I’d feel about him and Delilah, regardless of what is actually happening out in LA. He knows I would freak out but he put the case before me and went ahead with posing hand in hand with a sexy and glamourous Hollywood star.
If I’m being entirely honest though, Charlie isn’t the only one at fault here. I know I’m to blame as well. I wish I could learn to trust him but my fears and doubts always seem to crowd in and get the better of me. Could a man like Charlie possibly be happy with someone like me? Wouldn’t he be more suited to someone like Delilah? Successful, sexy and sassy.
Wrapping my arms tightly around myself to stop the shivering I know if I don’t get my jealousy and trust issues under control this is the end of the road for Charlie and I.
Perhaps it’s too late even if I do manage that miracle. I get the feeling Charlie has had enough of my irrational behaviour and our relationship might well be over for good and not just on a break.
A knock at my bedroom door disturbs my wallowing in pity. I’m tempted to ignore it but the hammering sound is getting louder and more persistent.
“Amber! I know you’re in there. Will you just open this door otherwise I’m going to break it down! I’m counting to five. Right. One. Two…”
I get to my feet. “It’s OK, Ennis. No bashing down of doors required.”
As soon as I open the door Ennis barges in. “Siobhan and I were worried sick about you! You’ve been ignoring our calls and messages all day.”
“I’m OK,” I say, forcing a smile.
He looks at me, properly looks, then shakes his head. “No, you’re not OK.” Enveloping me in a hug he holds me close. Ennis is such a sweetie. Eventually he lets me go.
“You know all of this stuff
in the papers is rubbish right?” he asks.
“Ennis, I really don’t want to talk about it.”
“You can’t just give up on Charlie because of all these lies. The two of you are good together. Hell, even I approve of him and if I think he’s good enough for you then he must be a decent guy.”
I slump onto the sofa near the window in our - correction, my - bedroom and stare at the floor, saying nothing. Ennis sits down next to me and nudges my shoulder in a little playful gesture designed to cheer me up.
“Come on, Amber. You and Charlie are going to be just fine.”
I turn towards Ennis. “When we dated, you and I, back when we were at university, was I possessive and jealous? Did I trust you around other women?”
I attempt to hold his gaze but he looks away which tells me all I need to know. “I was, wasn’t I? Ennis, I need you to be honest with me.”
He sighs then nods. “Yeah, you could be a bit like that sometimes.”
“A bit like that or a lot like that?” I persist.
“It was years ago, Amber, we were both young. What difference does it make now? It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters,” I say quietly as I get to my feet.
“Is there something else going on with you and Charlie besides this stuff in the papers?”
I nod. “Yes there is and after the phone conversation I’ve just had with him, there is no Charlie and I anymore. He suggested we take a break.”
Ennis draws in a long breath. “I’m so sorry, Amber.”
He stands then takes both my hands in his. “Look, this is all going to sort itself out, I know it is. You and Charlie will find a way through this.”
“I’m not so sure,” I reply, another wave of sadness crashing over me.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Forever Mine: A Fun and Flirty Romantic Mystery (Amber Reed Mystery Book 3) Page 15
