by Jacky Gray
“Where the heck are you?”
“Luke? What’s going on?”
“I’m stood outside Coventry station by the taxi rank going out of my mind with worry. Please tell me where you are.”
“Just round the corner. If you turn right out of the station and carry straight on, you’ll see me.”
“Right. Stay where you are and stay on the phone, I’m coming for you.” His voice warbled and fast-moving wind noise deafened her.
“You won’t miss me. I’m the one who looks like a bag lady. Oh Luke, I can’t tell you how good it is to hear your voice, I was so scared.”
“Why? What’s happened?” He panted the words.
As the gang of youths came level with her, she saw him, running like his life depended on it and one or two of the lads turned around to see who was making all the noise. They actually looked young and quite harmless close up, but she was so caught up in the stress of it all she burst into tears as Luke grabbed her in a massive bear hug.
Jude clung onto him, squeezing him tightly until he protested he’d need a little oxygen to continue in this world. Letting him go, she was laughing and crying at the same time. With a gentle hug, he kissed her until her involuntary shiver broke the spell.
“Come on, let’s go and get a coffee or something, and work out where to go.” He shouldered the heavy sports bag. “Did you book anywhere?”
“I couldn’t. None of the bed and breakfasts were prepared to promise a room in advance; some of them sounded dead suspicious.”
Taking charge, he swapped his light holdall for her awkward costume bag while they walked back to the warmth of the station café. Dumping her stuff at a table, he grinned as he asked if she wouldn’t mind looking after the luggage.
She was onto his little ploy not to appear controlling, and her wobbly legs appreciated the chance for a brief R&R as the aftermath of her ordeal set in. Watching him chatting to the staff, she admired the ease with which he negotiated the adult world.
Luke returned from the counter with two frothing coffees and a couple of packs of shortbread fingers. “They had a manky-looking chocolate cake, but I know these are your favourite. Forget about saying no; sugar always makes things better. Apparently.”
Amazed by the depth of his knowledge about so many things, Jude listened as he explained the detective work he put in to lead him here.
Then he blew it by patting her hand. “I’m so impressed with the way you put this all together. Weren’t you afraid of travelling on your own?”
The “helpless little woman” attitude always grated, and Jude’s emotions were so close to the surface she couldn’t suppress the snark. “Were you?”
He’d seen it coming. “No, but I knew I’d meet you at the other end so I wouldn’t be alone.”
Figuring his atypical patronising had an ulterior motive, she backed off, chilling her irritation as she described the chatty woman. Although she’d made a stab at normality, her stonewalling didn’t work.
“And?” His eyebrows demanded more.
“And what?”
“What are you not telling me?” Despite the pleasant smile, his eyes dared her to defy him.
She dared. Not to have done so would be denying her nature. “Nothing.”
“So those tears were because you were glad to see me. A smile would have been more than enough.” His expression said “gotcha.”
Biting her lip, she cursed him for being so good at the psychology stuff. He would probably get angry when he heard about the guy on the train, but she couldn’t bear any more secrets between them. So she told him everything, right up to the gang of boys on the street, not meeting his gaze until the end. Sure enough, his dark expression spoke of the whole testosterone-fuelled arrogance bit. At least, that’s what the trope demanded. Yet again, he surprised her.
Sloughing off the anger with a brief headshake, he squeezed her hand, finding an ironic tone. “A lesser man would have a right go at you, but you already know everything I could say about stubborn independence.” He slid a sly glance. “And I’m not your dad.”
“Thanks.” She matched his wry delivery. “I appreciate not being patronised.”
Unable to resist the challenge, he patted her arm, meeting her “you’re pushing it” glare with a grin. “If you’re absolutely sure that’s all of it, we should concentrate on getting a bed for the night.”
As he studied the cluster of pins on her phone’s map app, she wished she could credit her amazing guy with the kudos he deserved for being so much more than the average male. But her shell-shocked brain couldn’t find the right words.
When they stood, he gave her another big hug, then retrieved her stuff; the weight didn’t bother him at all. By the time they reached the first B&B, she realised she could never have carried it so far on her own.
Obviously not pleased at being disturbed, the woman didn’t even open the door, glaring at them as she pulled back the curtains and pointed to the “No Vacancies” sign in the window. At the second place, they checked the sign first before ringing the bell and asking for two rooms.
The woman only held the door open enough to show her face. “I’m sorry, we have no single rooms, there’s a big sales conference at the Ricoh; we’re wall-to-wall salesmen here.” She shrugged. “It’s the same every January: All the hotels go quickly, and this year there’s a national skating competition as well.”
“That’s why we’re here. Jude’s skating tomorrow. Have you got anything at all?”
“Not really. There is a double room but you won’t be wanting to share will you?” Her gaze flicked between them.
“Right now we’ll take anything.” His Oscar-nominated sigh did a double-hander with a winning smile. “If the next one is full we’ll have to get to the other side of town.”
Opening the door wider, the woman glanced down the street, her tone a little more obliging. “Look, someone reserved the room, but they’re not here. I usually keep them ’til six, but if they don’t turn up in the next half hour, you can have it.”
“Thank you so much.” Jude added her grateful smile to his.
As they walked to the next place, Luke decided they should try a different approach. “Did you see her face when she said about sharing? She obviously thinks we’re too young. I bet that room would be gone if we went back in ten minutes.”
“Do you think so? I thought she seemed …” Jude broke off, looking for a suitable word, “… nice. A bit nervous, maybe.”
“Nice or not, if she thinks you’re not sixteen, that’s our death warrant. She won’t want to encourage under-age sex.”
Breathing in sharply, she walloped his arm. “Luke Harper. What are you suggesting?”
His expression suggested he hadn’t thought it through as he back-pedalled like crazy. “I’m not saying we should have sex or anything, but if we want a room tonight, we’ve got to look like we’re old enough to share a room.”
“You’re ok; you already look like you’re in your twenties.” And you certainly act like it.
“So let me do the talking. Just hang back and look like you’re tired or something.”
“Won’t be difficult.”
Ten minutes later, they were unpacking in a room with one of the biggest double beds Jude had ever seen.
“How much nicer was this woman?” Luke bounced on the bed.
“Only because she fancied you. Flirting away like that. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“Why? We got what we wanted and it probably brightened her day so everyone’s happy.”
Except me, she wanted to shout, I wanted to scratch her eyes out. But she contented herself with, “Where did you learn to be so good at it?”
“Kat’s mum. We’ve had this thing going for years – it winds Kat up something rotten, so we do it all the more. It’s just a bit of fun. You weren’t jealous were you?”
“Of someone old enough to be your grandmother? Hardly.”
“Grandmother is pushing it, I don�
�t think she’s a day over forty.” He glanced over at her face which was trying hard not to be outraged. “Actually I know some thirty-year-olds she’d give a run for their money.”
“Ha. You’ve blown it. Now I know you’re making it up. You don’t know any thirty-year-olds.”
“True, but at least you’re smiling. Come on, let’s go and see what entertainment Coventry’s got to offer us.”
“You are kidding. I was planning a Subway and an early night.”
“So where’s the nearest Subway then?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “In town, I guess.”
“What are we waiting for?” He pulled her up off the edge of the bed.
“Hang on a sec. I need to freshen up.”
“I never understood why girls get dirty so easily. I’ll see you downstairs when you’re ready.”
Brat. Getting her skates on – pun intended – she washed up in record time, and headed to the room the woman had called the guest lounge. She found him sitting at the tiny corner bar, chatting to the woman who seemed to be loving the attention. Jude tried not to stare at the way his eyes followed the woman’s every move as she polished glasses and hung them in slots above the bar. She had to admit, the woman was a class act as she smiled and beckoned.
“There you are. I was just telling your young man about the food court at the top of the West Orchard shopping mall. There’s a dozen or so different places like McDonald’s, Subway, Italian – anything you could ask for.”
“So you can have your rabbit food and I can have something to keep me going for the rest of the night.”
“So we both sit in different restaurants? That’s sociable.”
“No, that’s the point: You buy from the different shops and there’s a big seating area for everyone.”
“It’s usually open ’til six, but you should get a move on; it’s a fifteen- minute walk from here.”
20 Fallen Angel
“If I tell you something, will you promise not to yell at me?” Liv snuggled into Ray as they listened to the latest Foo Fighters CD and chatted about things.
“Absolutely not. I never make promises about not yelling at girls, it’s one of my favourite pastimes.”
“Brat. Oh well, that’s it. Forget it.” Liv moved down the sofa so he could no longer hold her hand. It had taken a lot for her to even think about telling anyone what had happened yesterday lunchtime and she only needed the suggestion of a token resistance for her to drop the whole idea.
“I didn’t mean it, fire away.” He scooched closer and took her hand again.
“No, it’s ok, it was nothing much.” She squeezed his hand. “Wonder what happened to Kat and Jude tonight? I couldn’t get through to either of them.”
“So I’m a poor third choice. How come you didn’t try Luke?”
“His mobile was engaged; I tried a few times.” Liv spoke without thinking.
“Make me feel even better, why don’t you?”
Ignoring his pretend wince, she grinned. “I do my best.”
“Anyway, stop changing the subject.” He turned her hand over and drew lazy circles on her palm. “What’s this thing you think I’ll shout at you about?”
“Doesn’t matter.” His touch sent all manner of delicious feelings and she really didn’t want to break the mood.
“Don’t deny me or I will shout at you. Never tease me like that unless you’re prepared to deal with my dark side.” He paused his circling.
She wanted him to resume. “It’s nothing, really.”
“And don’t lie to me either. If it was nothing I wouldn’t need to yell. Just tell me.”
Her eyes narrowed, remembering a conversation when she said something very similar. Was he taking the Mick? She couldn’t tell if he meant it, so she tried for a stalling tactic. “Now you’re in a bad mood. Can we leave it ’til you’ve calmed down?”
“What do I have to say? I can only take so much before I burst. Trust me; you won’t like me when I’m angry.” Although his delivery was pure Marvel, his eyes said he meant it. “Just say it.”
Taking a deep breath, she noticed the way it shook when she let it out again. She had to tell someone, and it was only fair Ray should be the first. “You know you an’ Jude were doing ICT stuff yesterday at lunch?”
“Yeah, but it was the last time, I promise. It’s all done now.”
“Including the evaluation and bibliography?”
“What? It never said …”
“It did, at the start. You probably thought you’d finished after the final conclusion.”
“We did everything on the last page. Luke checked it for us.”
“Try the first page, buried deep in the planning stage.”
“Whatever.” He waved a gesture of dismissal. “You’re getting off the point again. Yesterday lunch, you and Kat were …”
“She had to see Miss Lewis about the awards evening.”
Realisation filtered through. “So you were on your own at lunch. Tell me you sat with someone you knew.”
“Kat said she’d only be ten minutes or so; we figured by the time I’d finished queuing she’d be done.”
Ray made “get on with it gestures,” and she was transported back.
Liv scanned the dining room for the third time: still nowhere to sit. Every table was full. This always happened when it rained; people who didn’t usually use the canteen came in to avoid the weather. Also, everyone stayed longer than they needed to rather than risk the soggy nightmare of the tiny year bases. She spotted some people leaving a table close to the edge of the room, but was pipped at the post by a year ten lad. He pushed in front of her, beckoning to a couple of his friends.
“Want me to sort him out for you?”
She jumped at the familiar voice, and the tall glass of fruit salad on her tray wobbled alarmingly as it decided how many somersaults to perform on its nosedive to the floor. As his hands reached out to steady it, she stuttered. “N-no thanks. There’ll be somewhere free soon.”
“This table will be empty in ten seconds when I finish my crumble. You’re welcome to join me ’til then. You don’t even have to talk to me if you don’t want to.”
She dithered as her brain tried to wrap itself around the options. This was the exact scenario they’d been concerned about since Christmas, but nothing had happened so far. Jimmy hadn’t tried to contact her in any way. The place heaved with people. It wasn’t like they were alone in an alley between buildings or out on a deserted playing field. Her brain kicked in, drawing her eyes to his index fingers – no sign of a mark on the left, but she couldn’t quite make out the right hand.
“At least put your tray down while you look for somewhere else. I’m not exactly gonna do anything nasty in a room full of people, am I?”
Making a decision, she sat opposite her ex-boyfriend – the guy responsible for her worst experience to date.
His shy smile shone with genuine pleasure; nothing like the sly, triumphant one she’d seen the last time they met. Then his gaze dropped as he tilted the dish with his right hand.
She could see no mark; it wasn’t conclusive, but it was a start.
True to his word, he concentrated on eating the wonderfully unhealthy-looking mixed fruit crumble, coated in a luxurious layer of custard – absolute ambrosia. Her senses should have been engaged in gathering more evidence to support her qualms after the whole giving blood fiasco. Instead, they were seduced by a few mouthfuls of pudding.
Since losing the twenty-five pounds which had made her podgy and unfit, she only allowed herself that kind of treat once a week, usually on a Friday before running a couple of miles to work it off.
“If you’re gonna keep staring and salivating, I’m gonna have to offer you some. I know I promised not to talk, but I never could ignore a damsel in need.” His grin spoke of happier times when he’d first won her over with old-fashioned manners and a love of Shakespeare.
She shook herself out of the food stupor. “Sorry, but tha
t’s my all-time favourite pudding. I think I love it more than life itself.”
He smiled like a guy enjoying a huge joke. “Still the total drama queen; that’s what I love about you.” He stopped abruptly, realising what he’d said, and looked at her with an earnest expression.
“Sorry Liv, but it’s true. I’ve loved you since that first meeting in the pool room; you were the best thing that ever happened to me. But I blew it big time because of a few stupid comments from a couple of idiots who saw you playing Tallulah. They decided I must be losing it if I couldn’t get a sure thing like you into bed.”
“But it was just acting.” As she spoke, she recognised what had been bothering her. He wasn’t acting like someone faced with the victim of his violence. Surely no one could do what he was supposed to have done and behave as though nothing had happened? His guileless manner felt strange, like a scene from a TV show, and she let it play out.
“I know that; I’m not actually as thick as people think. In another world I might even have gone into acting. But you can’t do something like that if you’re this big tough gang leader and everyone expects you to be nasty.” He shook his head. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to rant. And I’m not trying to make excuses for …” A shrug.
She closed her eyes, but nasty images swirled around, so she reopened them. “No, there are none. I’m just gutted at my poor judgement. Despite your bad-boy rep, I honestly thought a nice guy lived under all those layers of bullshit.” More fool me.
Glancing down at the last spoonful of crumble, he shook his head. When he looked back at her, his face was slightly blurry. “Thanks for saying that. The fact you could even see a nice guy means a lot to me.”
He stood. “I know what you must think of me, but I hope you might remember me as a friend. If ever you need help – year ten troglodytes beaten up, that sort of thing – please come to me first.” Raising her hand to his lips, he kissed it, and then disappeared.
