In It Together

by Jade Winters

  ‘As long as you’re sure,’

  ‘Positive.’ Cara smiled at her gratefully. ‘I’m a lot stronger than I was, Erin.’

  ‘Well, you know I’m always here if you need to talk.’ Erin reached across the table and squeezed Cara’s hand.

  ‘I know,’ Cara said honestly, turning her hand over to return her squeeze.

  ‘Anyway, I didn’t come around here just to deliver your hangover cure.’

  ‘You didn’t?’

  ‘No, I’m going to take you round to the book shop Matt was talking about. To see if you like it.’

  ‘Brilliant. But shouldn’t you be at work?’

  ‘No, I have a few days off thankfully.’

  Both heads turned to the door as Dee made her way in. ‘Well, good morning! Glad to see you’re up,’ Dee said to Cara, then turned to Erin with a stern look on her face. Cara gave her a warning stare that she hoped would tell her very clearly not to be rude to Erin.

  As if by magic, Dee’s face suddenly broke out into a smile. ‘I’m assuming that I have you to thank for this nutritional devastation?’ She pointed at the doughnut box.

  ‘Guilty as charged.’ Erin held up her hands in mock-surrender. ‘Would you like one?’ She shook the box, tempting her.

  ‘Not a chance, I just got back from yoga; it would throw the universe out of balance if I were to now hedonistically defile my temple with carbs.’ She winked. ‘Get those things out of my sight as soon as humanly possible please.’

  Dee walked to the fridge and took out several ingredients to make a smoothie. Cara and Erin looked at each other, shrugged, and grinned wickedly as they both reached for another doughnut.

  Chapter Sixteen

  ‘Hello, Mrs Potter!’ Erin exclaimed, as they stepped into the old book shop.

  ‘Erin, dear, it’s been such a long time!’ Mrs Potter said, smothering her in a heartfelt hug. ‘How’s that grandpa of yours?’

  ‘He’s doing well, thanks. Listen, this is my friend Cara.’ She gestured to Cara with a sweeping hand. ‘She might be interested in renting this place.’

  Mrs Potter looked briefly at Cara with a smile. ‘Oh that’s nice, dear. This place could use a breath of fresh air. We can’t provide for all the youngsters around here,’

  Erin glanced around the barren shop. ‘Is there any chance I can have a quick word with Cathy?’

  Mrs Potter shook her head. ‘Oh no, dear. She’s in Edinburgh at the moment. I can always give her a call for you. She said to get in touch if anyone showed interest in the place.’

  Erin smiled. ‘Would you mind? That would be very kind.’

  ‘Of course. You wait there and I’ll be back in a jiffy.’

  Mrs Potter disappeared through a door behind the counter. Cara glanced at her surroundings. It was tired and dated but, beyond that, it looked perfect for what she wanted. Matt had been right, it could easily be split into two sections – one for the coffee shop, the other for the book shop.

  ‘It’s a really good size. I love it, Erin.’

  ‘Good. We’ll see what the owner, Cathy, says.’

  ‘I can’t wait, I’m so excited,’ Cara said just as the door rattled and Mrs Potter reappeared. ‘I’m sorry, dear. Cathy won’t be back for a couple of weeks. She’s cat-sitting for her sister.’

  ‘Oh no.’ Cara frowned.

  Mrs Potter gave a sympathetic smile then said, ‘If you’re really keen, Cathy said you’re more than welcome to give her a call or even visit her in Edinburgh. The lease is up, so whoever signs the contract can move in here straight away. I realise it’s a bit of a journey though.’

  ‘How far is it? I’ve never been to Edinburgh.’

  Erin turned to Cara. ‘It’s about a hundred and fifty miles. Are you serious about renting this place?’

  ‘Definitely, I think it’s just what I need.’

  Erin glanced at her watch. ‘Do you fancy a drive out there?’

  Cara let out a short laugh. ‘Today?’ The fact that it was a long drive nearly had Cara jumping out of her skin with excitement. She could barely contain herself. ‘I’m up for it if you are.’

  Erin clasped her hands together. ‘Good. That’s decided then. It’s early still, so we should get there by one.’

  ‘That’s great, thank you! I really appreciate you doing this for me.’

  Erin smiled. ‘It’s my pleasure.’

  No, Erin believe me the pleasure is all mine!

  Chapter Seventeen

  Cara nestled comfortably against the soft leather seat and put on her seat belt as Erin edged the car into the traffic. The cream interior was what a salesman would have called cosy – which, in Cara’s opinion was another word for claustrophobic. But being a two seater sports car what did she expect? The engine roared into action and Erin accelerated down a crooked, narrow road, walled in with hedges. Cara’s hands incubated damp patches on her thighs. She felt as if she were sitting on top of a fired bullet.

  ‘Is this a one way street?’ Cara asked, heart in mouth, eyes squeezed shut, praying that Erin would say yes.

  ‘Nope,’ Erin said looking giddy with excitement. ‘This baby does nought to sixty in four seconds.’

  Cara’s heart plummeted faster than gravity as she peeked over at the speedometer.

  ‘Nice, but I’d prefer twenty if you don’t mind. I’d like to keep my doughnuts in my stomach if at all possible.’

  Erin let out a joyful laugh and slowed the car down. ‘Okay, but wait until we hit the motorway, then you’ll feel something.’

  ‘Oooh I can’t wait,’ Cara grimaced, almost a smile. ‘I suppose thirty is as good as any age to die.’

  ‘Don’t be so morbid. Sit back and enjoy the ride,’ Erin said, fishing her sunglasses from the glove compartment and slipping them on. ‘Do you want to listen to some music?’

  ‘Nah, I need to make sure I can still hear my heartbeat in my ears.’

  ‘Are you really scared?’

  Cara’s face coloured as she nodded. ‘I think it’s a need to be in control kind of thing…’

  ‘You controlling? Never!’

  ‘I just don’t understand how people wiz about in cars at high speed – what if a tyre has a blow out? There’s no way of controlling the vehicle and some poor sod like me, who drives in the slow lane at fifty, gets whacked into the next world by their out of control car.’

  ‘Whoa, you’ve really thought that little scene through haven’t you?’ Erin said swerving around a sharp bend with ease.

  Cara’s grip tightened. ‘Never more than now.’

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ll get you to Edinburgh safely. Trust me.’

  ‘I do,’ Cara said as she dared to look at Erin. She could see the concentration in her eyes from the side of her glasses. Before long they were travelling up a steep climb which had Cara wishing she had stayed in bed that day. It wasn’t until they reached the top and the magnificent views of unspoilt land came into view that Cara gasped at its beauty.

  ‘Amazing isn’t it?’ Erin said, with warm nostalgia in her voice.

  Cara nodded in wonderment. ‘It is. It’s so easy to forget we live on such a beautiful planet sometimes. I’ve missed home so much.’

  ‘Do you mind me asking why you want to start this business?’

  Cara kept her gaze out of the window, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the natural beauty. ‘No not at all. I love books and I love coffee. Why not put the two together.’

  ‘I’m putting my business hat on now, so don’t be offended by my questions. But there are lots of places to drink coffee in town. Why can’t customers just sit in any old coffee shop and if they want to read, just take their book with them?’ Erin slowed the car down to let several sheep cross the road. She turned to Cara briefly. ‘Do you see where I’m going with this?’

  ‘Well none of the other coffee shops are gay for a start. But I guess it also all comes down to the ambience. When people come to my place I want them to feel as if they’re at home. All snug and
comfortable, where they can just kick off their shoes, curl up in a chair and have their coffee brought to them.’ For the first time, Cara turned away from the scenery to Erin. ‘I want to have a place where lonely people can come and feel like they have friends.’

  ‘You sound like an idealist.’

  ‘Is there anything wrong with that? With just wanting people to be happy?’

  Erin shrugged. ‘Normally people just pop a happy pill.’

  ‘Maybe if there were more places for people to be sociable, especially for gay people here in Cumbria, they wouldn’t have to go down that road.’

  ‘That’s debateable.’

  ‘I guess we’ll never know. But surely it’s a start. What else am I going to do with all the money my Nan left me? It’s just sitting in the bank collecting dust. Might as well do something useful with it. If it fails at least I can say I tried.’

  ‘Uh huh,’ Erin replied as they began their descent down the winding road.

  The conversation soon dried up but the women sat in a comfortable silence. Once they hit the motorway Cara was grateful that Erin drove at a moderate sixty. Cara rested her head against the window letting the dappled sunlight play across her face. She couldn’t believe the way things had turned out. If anyone had told her she would be spending yet another day with Erin she’d have thought they had a screw loose. It was something she herself could never have imagined – that they would be so close again after such a short time of her being back. After Erin’s initial reaction to her at the bank, Cara was sure there was no chance of being friends again. But here they were. She looked at Erin and a familiar warmth spread throughout her body. Her long lashes gently rested on her cheek and the image of Erin’s blue eyes probing the depths of her soul swirled around in her mind before the vision gently faded away into darkness. Then Cara felt it. What she had only dreamt of. Something that she never thought would happen again. Erin’s warm wet mouth pressed against her own, prising her lips open gently with her tongue. She got lost in the feel and taste of Erin. With trembling fingers she reached up to touch her face. ‘Erin, I…’

  An angry horn sounded waking Cara with a start. She jerked forward and quickly stole a glance at Erin, who was staring ahead at the road in front of her. Erin didn’t look as if she’d just been in the process of seducing her. The mind can be a right bastard sometimes! Fancy teasing me like that. What if I believed I was having an orgasm? Cara blushed at the very thought. Especially knowing the noises she made in the throes of passion. This could have been one embarrassing car journey. She covered her mouth and let out an exaggerated yawn, more to alert Erin to the fact she was awake than anything else. Cara was shocked after glancing at the motorway sign and seeing that Edinburgh was less than five miles away. She had been asleep for a lot longer than she thought. Stretching out the best she could, given the small amount of leg room, Cara said, ‘I’m so sorry. That was very rude to nod off.’

  ‘No, it would have been rude had you snored all the way.’

  Cara’s hand flew to her mouth. ‘Oh my God, I didn’t did I?’

  ‘No, but you’ve got a mesmerising breathing sequence.’

  ‘I do?’

  ‘Yep.’

  The Sat Nav’s voice startled them both as it gave its direction in a stern voice.

  Cara laughed. ‘I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of him,’ she said nodding to the small device.

  Erin joined in with her laughter as she came off the motorway and headed to Cathy’s sister’s place. The limestone building was situated well back from the main road behind a rusty wrought iron fence. It was barely a mile from Edinburgh town centre. Detached with a large front garden, it had obviously seen better days. The grass was overgrown and the beds, where Cara assumed flowers used to be, were barren. Instead there were clumps of mud with random weeds growing from them. As they neared the house she could see it didn’t fare any better. Peeling paint, missing slates and crumbling concrete steps led up to the front door.

  A middle-aged woman with a black hat tilted over her long grey dreadlocks swung the door open as they approached. She fiddled with a bright red scarf wrapped around her portly waist. ‘Hi Erin. Come in.’ Cathy’s wide grin was warm and infectious as she gestured for the women to follow her into the surprisingly formal living room.

  ‘I prepared a little snack for you both, I thought you might be hungry.’ Cathy disappeared to the kitchen and brought back a plate of plantain and salmon fish cakes. The aroma immediately made Cara’s mouth water.

  Whilst they ate, the women made small talk about Cathy’s stay in the city, the sad decline of bookstores and the latest town news before they got down to the business that had prompted their visit. Cara explained her vision and Cathy didn’t bat an eyelid when Cara told her about it being a gay coffee/book shop.

  ‘About time there was somewhere for gays to go in Cumbria; Good on you for having the foresight. You’re a beautiful couple, by the way.’

  Erin’s hands flew to her cheeks in surprise. ‘Oh no, we’re not...’ she stammered.

  ‘Well if you’re not, you should be.’ Cathy patted her knee soothingly. She turned to Cara. ‘Here’s the contract. If you want to give it a read through before you sign.’

  Cara scanned the pages of the document before signing.

  ‘I’m so excited about this, I can’t thank you enough, Cathy. I’ll transfer the money to you as soon as I get back,’ Cara said as she stood to embrace her, before they all walked to the front door.

  ‘That’s no problem. Just get the keys from Mrs Potter and you can start getting the place ready.’

  ‘Great, thanks,’ Cara said.

  ‘Have you been to Edinburgh before?’

  ‘No, never,’ Cara replied.

  ‘Whilst you’re up here go and take a look at Duddingston Loch, it’s something not to be missed,’ Cathy said, as she bid them goodbye.

  ‘So, are you happy?’ Erin asked Cara as they sat in Erin’s car.

  ‘Ecstatic. I can afford the rent. You’re here…’ She squeezed Erin’s arm appreciatively. ‘What more could I want?’

  Erin smiled. ‘Try the business for a year and if the walls feel like they’re closing in on you, try something else.’

  ‘Good idea!’ Cara held up her bottle of water and clinked it against Erin’s. ‘Here’s to the unknown!’

  Chapter Eighteen

  Following Cathy’s suggestion, Erin drove the short distance to Duddingston Loch. Standing in silence as they admired the scenery in a secluded spot, Cara suddenly turned to Erin with a mischievous grin on her face. ‘Fancy a skinny dip like the old days?’

  ‘Are you crazy? We’ll freeze to death in there.’

  ‘No we won’t. Come on, it’ll be fun. What’s happened to you? You used to love it.’ Cara began to peel her clothes off unashamedly. It wasn’t as if Erin hadn’t seen it all before.

  Erin scanned the area cautiously. ‘What if someone sees us?’

  ‘All the more fun, wouldn’t you say?’ Cara quipped, before taking her remaining clothes off and running naked towards the lake. She let out a screech as she took several large leaps into the ice cold water before diving in and disappearing from view.

  ‘Come on, it feels great,’ Cara called out, once she resurfaced.

  When Cara didn’t see Erin move she pushed herself onto her back and closed her eyes, enjoying the tranquillity of the moment. The day had been a positive one. She couldn’t believe that she was on the verge of starting her own business. It had been made all the more special having Erin by her side. Erin. She tilted her head to look up at the bank and did a double take. Erin was standing butt-naked at the edge of the shore, dipping her toes in before finally taking the plunge. She screamed as the water covered her body.

  ‘Oh my God, it’s freezing. My body’s going numb.’

  ‘You’ll be alright. You’ll get used to it in a minute,’ Cara called back.

  Cara smiled to herself. She knew the old Erin was still in t
here somewhere. She submerged herself under the water and swam towards Erin, embracing her legs once she reached her. She could hear Erin laughing as she wiggled loose and dived under herself. Moments later they both came up for air, laughing and giggling like a pair of carefree children.

  ‘It’s freezing but it feels amazing,’ Erin said, as she floated on her back.

  Cara couldn’t take her eyes off Erin’s pink nipples as her breasts bobbed gently on the water’s surface. ‘I’m glad to see you haven’t lost your sense of fun.’

  ‘Maybe not but I may lose consciousness if I don’t get out of here soon.’

  Cara hit the water with both hands, sending a splash in Erin’s direction. Erin returned the gesture and they both laughed before Cara dived under the water again and swam between Erin’s legs, reappearing behind her.

  Cara embraced her loosely from behind. When Erin didn’t resist Cara brought her closer. The contact of their bodies sent the pit of Cara’s stomach into a wild swirl.

  ‘Do you remember when we used to go swimming and I would pretend to practise lifesaving just so I would have an excuse to touch you?’ Cara said.

  Erin leant her head back and laughed. ‘How could I forget? The lifeguard asked me for years if you’d ever managed to get your certificate.’

  The women remained silent for a moment. Their feet paddled effortlessly beneath them, helping them keep afloat without much effort. Cara closed her eyes. Being there, with Erin in her arms, was as close to heaven as Cara thought she would ever get.

  ‘I’ve missed you so much.’

  She felt Erin’s body stiffen in her arms. ‘I’m freezing, let’s make a move.’

  Erin swiftly removed Cara’s arms before swimming past her and heading towards the shore.

  Why did you have to open your sodding big mouth? Cara cursed herself. Things were going great and she had to spoil the moment. Reluctantly she followed suit and the women dressed in silence. When they finally sat in Erin’s car, Cara kept her head forward as she spoke. ‘I’m sorry if I spoilt things out there. I shouldn’t have said anything.’