Because She Could: The unputdownable debut novel that spans the globe (The Osprey Series Book 1)

by Kaylie Kay

  Olivia sat in her car in the next street talking herself down from the heights she had reached back in the office. She had to get rid of Sarah, it was so clear now. There was no way she could carry on like this, and if Sarah already thought it was ok to get that close to Tom, heaven only knew what she would think was acceptable in a few weeks or months.

  If she could talk to Tom about it that would make things easier, perhaps he would put her mind at ease, but after the argument they had just had she knew this wasn’t an option. So she would have to think of something, and soon, or it risked coming between them, as she couldn’t possibly keep up this pretence of being ok for long.

  She sat there for the next twenty minutes, as if with a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other, both fighting to be the one to influence her. Olivia had always managed to brush the devil off before, do the right thing, but he was clinging on today. Maybe she needed him, as being nice wasn’t going to help her in this situation she now realised.

  ‘Sarah, what are you doing this weekend?’ Sarah looked at Olivia, puzzled.

  ‘Nothing as usual.’ She hadn’t met the group of friends she had hoped to yet, maybe getting the job here hadn’t been such a good idea as it hadn’t really been a place to meet people of her own age, or gender come to that. But she was happy, and loved working for Tom, maybe a little too much.

  ‘Me and my friend Claire are going out, would you like to join us?’

  Well she hadn’t expected that! Sarah hadn’t been quite sure how to take Olivia lately, never knew if she was being genuine, not that she cared too much. She found boys much easier to get on with than girls, not that their girlfriends seemed to like it very much. She had a feeling that Olivia was starting to feel threatened by her too, but she was trying to hide it. It was ok, not her problem, and if Olivia felt threatened then maybe that meant she wasn’t one hundred percent sure about Tom? Maybe she had got Tom wrong and he was attainable after all? Anyway, all that aside, she could do with a good night out.

  ‘Awesome Olivia, I’d love that.’

  ‘Saturday night it is then. We usually meet at CoCos about eight-ish. Dress to impress!’ Olivia wanted this girl pretty much married off by the end of the night, and she had recruited Claire to come up for the weekend and help her. It was the nicest of all of the plans that she had gone through in the car, and she hoped she wouldn’t need to move down the list too far.

  Chapter 29

  Surely she must like someone! Olivia and Claire were in despair. It was nearly midnight and so far their attempts to fix Sarah up with anyone had been in vain. It was as if she knew their game and wasn’t going to play along. Sure, she was happy to talk to all of the boys and men who were practically queuing up to talk to her, but she would eventually wave them off.

  ‘Nice guy but not my type really.’

  ‘Too young.’

  ‘Oh no, he had a small mouth.’ That one had really got Olivia. A small mouth?!

  ‘He works in a supermarket, nothing wrong with that but no thanks,’ she giggled to the girls as potential beau number seven walked away looking rejected. Nothing they could say would sway the girl’s opinion; she knew exactly what she wanted.

  ‘I think it’s time for another drink, girls.’ She turned quickly to make her hair swing and as she walked toward the bar in her shimmering bodycon dress she made sure that she caught the attention of every man she passed.

  ‘Argh,’ cried Olivia in frustration. ‘Why is she so bloody fussy? No one is good enough for her!’

  ‘I know,’ agreed Claire sympathetically, scanning the room. Maybe it was time to intervene and try to find someone suitable. ‘How about over there?’

  Olivia looked over to where her friend was pointing. A group of about seven or eight guys sat around a booth at the edge of the dancefloor. Their table was practically overflowing with bottles of champagne and spirits and they were all laughing and messing around, obviously already somewhat inebriated. You could tell that they had money, which obviously was high up on Sarah’s list of requirements, and they were all pretty good looking too for that matter.

  ‘I wouldn’t mind one of them myself,’ grinned

  Claire.

  ‘We’re going over here,’ Claire said as she relieved Sarah of one of the three cocktails that she arrived with minutes later.

  ‘Change of scenery,’ added Olivia, struggling to make herself heard over the music.

  Sarah took little persuasion to move when she realised the reason, overtaking them in her hurry to be the first at the scene. There were already groups of girls hanging around, and for a moment Olivia thought she was on a crew night out in Vegas. It was often the case in Sin City that girls would get into the big clubs for free but the men would buy tables, and then invite the girls they liked the look of most to join them for drinks. Olivia hated this there and she didn’t like it any more in her own town, looking at the desperate groups that were stood around trying not to look desperate as they hoped for an invite and a free drink. Sarah, however, seemed to have no problem with any of it, nor did she seem aware of any protocol about waiting for an invite.

  ‘Mind if I join you?’ she simpered.

  It seemed like five minutes later to Olivia that she was watching her friend and her enemy both throwing themselves at one of the group. She had seen Claire chat to guys before, and hook up even, she was single after all. But it seemed that a competition had evolved between the two of them for the best-looking man there and neither of them was going to back down. Olivia made small talk with the sweet little one at the edge of the booth, but made sure to mention that she had a boyfriend, and watched as Claire and Sarah now sat either side of their prey, vying for his attention.

  Clearly their prey was enjoying every moment. Perhaps he hoped to be caught by them both? The drinks kept flowing and she watched as her friend seemed to be feeling the effects, her head starting to loll. She was relieved when she saw her excuse herself and the others let her out.

  ‘Come to the toilet with me.’

  Olivia linked her arm and guided her friend to the restrooms.

  ‘That bitch,’ she slurred. ‘She was all over that other one until she saw I was talking to Ethan, then she had to bloody have him!’

  It was true, Olivia had seen it, how Sarah had been talking to one of the others right up until things had started looking promising between Claire and the one she now knew was called Ethan.

  ‘You’re too good for him anyway, mate.’ Olivia meant it; men like Ethan weren’t after a relationship. ‘Let her have him, he’s only after one thing, and anyway, the whole point of tonight was to get her hooked up.’

  Claire leant against the sink. ‘I know, you’re right, but how dare she think she can just throw herself at him when she knew I liked him? You don’t do things like that!’

  ‘Oh, but Sarah does, I know that only too well.’

  ‘That’s it, I’m not having it, that bitch needs to learn a bit of respect and get her own man.’ Olivia had rarely seen Claire angry, but she was happy to see she had a strong ally.

  By the time they returned Sarah had made sure there was no room left for Claire, her competition, not that Claire had any intention of belittling herself by even trying anymore. Sarah acknowledged their return with a raise of her glass and a wink. It was as if she thought she had won something. She was obviously drunk now, and clumsily knocked the drink over as she put it down, spilling some on her conquest.

  Olivia saw how he looked annoyed, and a flash of disdain crossed his face, but Sarah didn’t seem to notice. It didn’t stop him from putting his hands further up her thigh though and she kissed him hungrily.

  ‘Oh, get a room,’ mouthed Claire, rolling her eyes. ‘C’mon, let’s go.’

  ‘Sarah, we are going,’ Olivia called. She would quite happily have said nothing but her conscience wouldn’t let her just leave a young girl all alone with all these men.

  ‘Ok, bye.’ She waved them off dismissively.

 
; ‘Oh. just leave the cow, I think she can look after herself.’ Claire pulled her friend away. Olivia went to argue. She would never leave one of her crew on their own downroute, but Sarah wasn’t one of her crew, and this was Surrey, not Vegas. She looked for the one she had been talking to earlier.

  ‘Will he make sure she gets home ok?’ she asked him.

  ‘I think they’re both grown-ups, love.’

  She didn’t notice Claire behind her taking photos of Sarah on her phone, now that Ethan’s hand had pushed her skirt up so far you could see her underwear.

  Chapter 30

  The bitch! Sarah looked at the picture in horror. Why would anyone post that?

  She scrolled through Claire’s post.

  ‘Great night out – with Olivia and Sarah Fischer’ it said, followed by a few selfies of the other two and then the picture that was making her head hurt even more than it had been already. She had just got up and was still feeling the effects of the night before. Two empty glasses on the coffee table in her small lounge reminded her that she had had company, not that he was anywhere to be seen now, thankfully. Well, strictly speaking she could see him, in the awful picture with his hand right up her skirt and everything on show. She quickly removed the tag and hoped that no one else had seen it, although it was past midday so that was highly doubtful.

  She seethed at the thought of Claire thinking she had got one up on her when she put the picture on, she was obviously jealous that Ethan had preferred her and couldn’t handle it. She wished for a moment that she hadn’t invited him back though; he didn’t seem to have left a number anywhere, and she doubted very much that she would hear from him again. It wasn’t like her to be the one who was left, she was usually much better at reeling them in and letting them go when she was finished with them. It must have been all the alcohol, and the competition that had blurred her judgement and abilities. She was usually much better than that. Of course she would have to make it clear to Olivia that it was her who hadn’t wanted to see him again. She hoped Tom wouldn’t see the photo. She didn’t care what the girls thought but she did care about him, she didn’t want him to think she was that kind of girl.

  Claire and Olivia giggled as they scrolled through the post, both still in their pyjamas on the sofa.

  ‘I can’t believe you put that on there.’ Olivia bit her bottom lip, laughing nervously.

  ‘I know, I was still drunk, I should probably take it off.’ They looked at each other and both shook their heads. ‘Nah,’ they laughed, but it got the better of Olivia and she soon persuaded her friend to do the right thing. If Tom saw it he would think it was unkind, and that would be counterproductive.

  ‘Yes Mum, I’m fine, stop worrying.’

  Of course it was too much to hope for; her parents had seen the picture and were now worrying back home in Oz.

  ‘Yes, he is my boyfriend!’ Why did her parents still make her feel like a little girl? A white lie about it being her boyfriend made the photo seem a tiny bit less awful she hoped.

  ‘No, I’m not ready for you to video call him yet, it’s early days. Please Mum, stop doing this,’ she pleaded. ‘There is nothing for you to be concerned about, I promise. I’m sure Claire didn’t mean to post it, she’s a friend.’ Another lie, she knew that Claire had fully intended to humiliate her, and she was definitely not a friend. No girls were ever true friends.

  ‘No, I’m not coming home, you are overreacting. I have a great job, great friends, and a normal boyfriend. I promise you I’m fine.’

  Sarah hung up and sighed. She didn’t think her parents would ever trust her, or stop worrying. It was their fault though, their fault for not letting her go to school and make normal friends, their fault that she had turned out the way that she had. If Mum hadn’t insisted on home schooling maybe she’d have had those friends that other girls had, and have learned to consider others, not just herself.

  The guys that worked for her dad had been the closest things to friends that she had when she was little, playing games with her in the yard on the days that she would go to work with him. As she had blossomed into a young woman she had noticed how they had started to look at her and treat her differently, and she liked the new kind of attention that she got. She had been amazed at how almost immediately she could make them do things for her, how they would respond to certain tones and looks that she would use. She had learnt to flirt and manipulate to get things at a young age, and loved seeing the power that she had over them. It was something she practised intently, perfecting her skills and learning new ones as she matured.

  Perhaps, she had reflected as she got older, she should have considered other people more, but what young girl thinks about the man’s wife, or girlfriend, or kids even? It wasn’t her responsibility, she never forced any of them to be with her, and she never asked or cared if they had any other family, why would she? They weren’t her problem, she didn’t even know them. The guilt never came after either, when she would find out that their marriage was ruined or the jealous girlfriend would phone. Why was she the one in the wrong? She was single! She didn’t even feel bad when she had to tell them that no, she didn’t want to settle down with them, she knew they had lost everything but that didn’t mean that she had to be their wife now for heaven’s sake, they should have thought of that before. They, not him, because there had been more than one.

  She didn’t realise that her actions may have repercussions one day, she had been naive, and now she was here, on the other side of the world, supposedly with a clean slate and fresh start. She was trying to be good but didn’t know how long it would last for.

  Chapter 31

  It was Monday afternoon and Olivia busied herself getting ready for her flight to Delhi that evening. It was another flight known to be demanding but hopefully they would be tired and not want too much from her, she thought doubtfully. She packed her black shift dress and heels, that would do for the restaurant, and some casual clothes for the trip to the hotel spa. Massage and eyebrow threading, that would be her treat this trip, she thought, and maybe a facial. The exchange rate with the rupee was so good a girl could really spoil herself there.

  She teased her hair into place around her foam hair doughnut, the easiest of all her flight hairstyles, pinning the loose ends in around the edges and fixing it all with some spray. There, the perfect work hair. She leaned in closer to the mirror and applied a slick of red lipstick to finish off the look, standing back and admiring the perfectly groomed flight attendant that was looking back at her from the mirror. Putting her makeup into her cabin bag she mentally checked that she had everything that she needed. Passport, ID, cabin shoes, torch, check.

  She rummaged quickly in the kitchen on her way out, looking for snacks to take with her. In the fridge she noticed some gammon that would need using up whilst she was away. She glanced at her watch to see if she would have time to pop by the yard, pleased when she saw that she would, and took it out. Tom would be sure to appreciate her taking him some late lunch on her way to work and she worked hastily to make a sandwich fit for a king, leaving the house carrying his lunch in a bag moments later. She wanted to check that Sarah had got home safely Saturday anyway, as she couldn’t help worrying despite her dislike for the girl. She also needed to check that Ethan had worked out as planned and that she could go away and enjoy this trip without the extra worry baggage that she had taken with her lately. She hoped that Sarah was as persuasive as she thought she was, as men like Ethan were hard to keep interested, and she was glad that Sarah had stepped in before Claire had been sucked in by another man who wasn’t real.

  As she parked next to Tom’s car she changed back into her work heels; there was no way she was walking in there wearing the slippers that she wore for the drive to and from the airport. She checked herself in the mirror before walking as glamorously as she could, in case anyone was watching, across the gravel to the door.

  No one was in the front office, although she had definitely seen Sarah’s car outs
ide, but despite wanting to burst into the back office she knocked first, just in case they were in a meeting.

  ‘Oh, hi Olivia.’ Sarah couldn’t manage to fake pleasure at seeing her as she opened the door, but smiled nonetheless.

  ‘Hi Sarah.’ Olivia, however, was more than happy to see Sarah, especially in front of Tom. ‘So glad to see you got home ok, I’ve been worried about you, I hate leaving people behind.’ She could see Tom was watching. She had told him already about Ethan, and how they had tried to get her to come home with them but she wouldn’t, but she needed him to see that she really was concerned about Sarah, that she was the better person.

  ‘Oh no worries, yeah I think I definitely had a bit too much to drink so I just took myself home.’

  ‘So how about Ethan?’ Olivia winked at Sarah, teasing, waiting for her reply.

  ‘Who?’ She looked puzzled, as if trying to remember something she may have forgotten.

  ‘Ethan, the guy you hooked up with?’

  ‘I didn’t hook up with anyone, Olivia, I came home on my own. I couldn’t find you guys so I just got in a cab, presumed you were still in there trying to find a man for Claire?’

  Olivia reeled inside. The lying little minx. How could she just stand there with that fake smile on her face and make out she was perfect, whilst making her and her friend look like the desperate ones who were hunting for men?! There were photos to prove it, if only she had let Claire leave them on there, or shown Tom first. Why had she made her take them down? Worse still, she had made out that they had just left her there, and Tom was looking at her as if she had made it all up.

  Olivia didn’t know what else to say. She was no match for Sarah, she had never come up against anyone like her before so she didn’t have the artillery to fight back.