‘I can give you a perfect reason,’ said Sophie silkily.
For a moment Charlie didn’t respond. Where was this conversation going?
‘Do you remember me saying earlier’ – Sophie stroked Charlie’s arm – ‘how relieved I was to see you?’
‘Er, yes.’
‘And do you recall me saying there was something I wanted to talk about?’
Charlie rewound the earlier conversation in his head.
‘Um, vaguely.’
‘Well you can tell your sister there is now an excellent reason for her to find someone else to rent the spare bedroom.’
‘And what reason might that be?’
‘Because you’ve met me, and now we’re getting a place together.’
‘What?’ said Charlie, half laughing at Sophie’s impudence. ‘Steady on, darling. This is only our second time together.’
‘That as may be,’ she said, a steely note entering her voice. ‘But it only needed the first time for you to make me pregnant.’
Forty-Two
Willow’s Saturday had played out far less stressfully than Charlie’s.
While Emma had been laying on Jezz’s lookalike dentist chair getting inked, Willow had visited all the shops along the local high street.
She now dumped her shopping bags in the boot of Emma’s car, before sinking into the passenger seat with a contented sigh. Willow hadn’t spent money on a tattoo, but she’d had a heavenly time blowing the cash gifts from her recent birthday.
‘Sorry you didn’t get to come with me,’ she said, glancing across the handbrake at Emma.
‘Don’t be daft. Far better to shop than sit in a studio twiddling your thumbs. I had no idea tattoos took so long, or that you’d turn into a Fainting Flora the minute Jezz whipped out his big gun.’
‘Not that the two are related’ – Willow giggled – ‘but where is your mum?’
Emma started the car up, at the same time rolling her eyes at Willow’s question.
‘My mother is getting a tat.’
‘She’s not really going through with it, is she?’
‘Oh but she is. If you’d have heard her and Jezz chatting – actually, substitute that last word for “flirting” – you’d have died of embarrassment. That’s the trouble with my mum. She forgets that she gave birth to me. Instead she treats me like I’m her best buddy, which is nice sometimes, but not always. If you’d heard her in there, Willow, you’d have been shocked. Imagine watching your own mother fluttering her eyelashes at a guy waaaay younger than her. She made a complete fool of herself.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Sure of what?’ said Emma, accelerating out of the parking bay. ‘Shall we head into town? I fancy a huge glass of wine with a birthday pizza.’
‘Are you sure she was making a fool of herself? It sounds to me like Jezz was encouraging her. And yes to the wine and pizza.’
Emma blew out her cheeks as she changed gear.
‘Okay, perhaps she was just making a fool of herself to me. Not him. You’re right. He seemed to like the attention she was giving him, but the innuendo was awful. They were discussing erotic spanking at one point.’
‘What?’ Willow laughed. ‘How did they get on to that subject?’
‘Somehow it followed on from a string of lewd tattoo jokes.’
Willow snorted.
‘Tell me.’
‘Must I? It’s so embarrassing. Your mother wouldn’t dream of being outrageous.’
‘My mother wouldn’t dream of wearing a bikini. That doesn’t mean to say it would be wrong if she did. Just tell me the jokes.’
‘I can only remember one.’
‘One joke will do,’ Willow assured.
‘Mum told Jezz that she’d heard about someone’s husband having “I love you” tattooed on his willy. However, when he went home and proudly showed his wife, she was really cross and said, “There you go again. Trying to put words in my mouth.”’
Willow laughed.
‘It’s not funny,’ said Emma, scowling. ‘My mother is forty-six years old but carries on like she’s sixteen. It makes me cringe. She’s so uptight about her past, no doubt her new tattoo will be worded accordingly. And Jezz was hugely distracted when I left. What if his spelling goes to pieces? Knowing my mum, she’ll leave the tattoo parlour with her wrist incorrectly inked. I have no regerts.’
‘Well she can always get it removed,’ Willow soothed. ‘And anyway, never mind your mum’s tattoo. How’s yours? Are you pleased?’
‘I am,’ Emma beamed.
‘Then that’s all that matters. Now let’s enjoy the rest of the evening. I have no one to rush home to and can stay out as late as I like.’
‘Me too,’ said Emma ruefully.
She envied Willow having a partner to go home to rather than a deluded mother. However, she was under no illusions about Charlie. She knew exactly what he got up to behind Willow’s back. Her friend deserved so much better. Emma chose to ignore the little voice that suddenly piped up.
And doesn’t she deserve so much better in the friendship stakes too?
Emma shook her head, as if her brain were a bowling ball that was now scattering the words of the sneering jibe. She hoped that if Willow ever found out about Charlie’s shenanigans, she would forgive Emma her duplicity.
Forty-Three
Emma and Willow were half-way through their pizza when a mobile signalled an incoming FaceTime call.
‘Is that you or me?’ said Emma, fork hovering mid-air.
‘Not sure,’ said Willow, reaching into her handbag.
Her heart did a little somersault followed by a series of skippy beats. Perhaps it was Charlie calling. Maybe he wanted to tell her he was missing her like crazy. She imagined his golden good looks filling the screen as he flashed a smile worthy of a toothpaste commercial. And then maybe he’d say, “Darling! I had this overwhelming urge to say I love you. The work convention has been awful. The usual plebs sucking up to Drummond. All I could think about was my gorgeous girl. I wish I was with you right now… snuggling up… having a snogging sesh… then getting carried away… me ripping off my–” and then he’d abruptly break off and give an apologetic little laugh and say, “Oops! Didn’t realise you were out in public, darling. Ah, hi there, Emma! Yes fine, thanks, and you?”
But, disappointingly, it wasn’t Willow’s mobile bleeping.
‘It’s yours,’ she said.
Emma hastily swallowed a mouthful of pizza before scrabbling inside her handbag.
‘Oh, wow. It’s Noah,’ she said, flashing the caller display at Willow. ‘Excuse me a mo.’
‘Go right ahead.’
Emma swiped the screen. Moments later, she was greeting her twin.
‘Hiya, bro!’ she grinned.
Willow was pleased that her bestie was so obviously thrilled to speak to her sibling. It was evident she had great affection for Noah, despite circumstances keeping them apart. Willow was pretty sure that Emma would have toned down her exuberance if Karen had been in the restaurant with them. Much as Willow was fond of Karen, she did secretly sympathise with Emma having a mother who – it had to be said – was a handful. Sometimes Karen behaved like a teenager having a tantrum, which was absurd given that the “teenager” was actually forty-six years old.
‘Hey, Ems! I know you’re probably still out celebrating your birthday, but I wanted you to be the first to know that I’ve booked my ticket to England. I decided to tweak my time-out tour and shall now spend the entirety of December in the UK. This means I’ll definitely be having a very overdue Christmas with you and Mum.’
Willow couldn’t help overhearing Noah talking. Never had the Australian accent sounded so sexy. There was no denying that Emma’s brother had a gorgeous voice. It reminded Willow of both gravel and velvet.
‘That’s fantastic!’
Emma’s face had lit up.
However, although Emma was delighted to hear Noah’s news update, she wasn’t sure how he
r mother was going to take it. It was a bit strange hearing Noah referring to Karen as “Mum”, because he’d never had a proper maternal relationship with her. Emma knew that Noah also called his stepmother “Mum”, which was only right given that her father’s second wife had been the one to raise Noah as her own.
But now wasn’t the time to think about Karen, or how she would protest about Noah’s visit. For now, Emma wanted to be selfish. She’d pleased her mother for long enough. Now it was time to please herself, especially where Noah was concerned. And who knew, maybe in the New Year Emma would finally go to Australia. It would be wonderful to properly meet her half-sister and get reacquainted with her father. She was thirty years old for goodness sake. She should be able to do these things without worrying about her mother’s approval. And maybe, in the New Year, she might have a boyfriend to take with her.
Emma’s thoughts automatically swerved off to Birmingham, but she swiftly reined them in again. No. She mustn’t think about him. For now, the pause button had been pressed. She must concentrate on the present instead, and Noah’s wonderful news.
‘Hearing this has made my birthday extra special,’ said beamed.
‘Ha!’ said Noah. ‘You might still be enjoying your birthday, but mine finished eight hours ago. Today here is actually your tomorrow.’
‘Oh my goodness, that sounds so weird. I keep forgetting that you are hours and hours ahead in Oz.’
Noah chuckled. ‘Indeed. I’ve just had my breakfast. Where are you right now?’
‘Having my dinner,’ Emma laughed. ‘I’m out with my bestie. We’re having a pizza. Hey, you can say hello to her. This is Willow.’
Emma swung the screen around just as Willow was cramming a huge piece of margherita in her mouth. As Noah’s face came into view, Willow thought she might choke. The guy was even better looking than in the photograph Emma had shown her earlier.
‘Hi,’ Willow croaked, spraying crumbs everywhere.
Noah was having a major knee-jerk effect on her, which was ridiculous because, well, she was madly in love with Charlie for starters! But then again, feeling occasionally attracted to another member of the opposite sex wasn’t against the law, was it? She’d probably feel the same if, say, she met her favourite popstar crush. Yes, that was it. She was simply reacting to Noah’s good looks in a similar way. That was why she now felt like a tongue-tied schoolgirl and couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Instead she stuck up some greasy fingers and waggled them by way of greeting.
‘Lovely to meet you, Willow,’ Noah grinned.
‘And you,’ Willow gushed.
She gave Noah an idiotic grin and hoped she didn’t have a bit of oregano stuck between her front teeth.
‘Without sounding corny, if all my sister’s friends are as good looking as you, then I have even more reason to visit England.’
Willow blushed with both embarrassment and pleasure. Was he flirting?
Oh, don’t be so ridiculous, Willow. The man is simply being charming. Perhaps all Australians are like it.
But despite sitting there and glowing pinkly like a raspberry-ripple sunset, Willow was secretly thrilled. It was always nice to be paid a compliment, especially when it was being given by such a heavenly looking guy. And that accent! Phew… she could almost feel her nerve-endings sighing. Thank goodness they were only FaceTiming. Heaven knows what effect this man might have on her if they ever met. She gulped. For surely at some point they would meet.
‘Before you get carried away with your flirty banter, Noah’ – Emma swung the screen back to her – ‘Willow is taken.’
‘Shame,’ said Noah lightly.
Emma carried on chatting to her brother, privately noting that her bestie was looking very flustered. Willow’s body language smacked of attraction on her part. And then a lightbulb went off in Emma’s head. What if she could later orchestrate a romantic situation between Willow and Noah?
What if indeed…
Forty-Four
Charlie’s romantic night with Sophie was rapidly turning to ashes.
‘Pregnant?’ he yelped, sitting bolt upright in his bed.
Sophie’s head, previously tucked into Charlie’s armpit, fell backwards causing some vertebrae to crack from the sudden movement.
‘Ow!’ she grumbled, rubbing her neck.
‘You can’t possibly be pregnant,’ Charlie protested.
‘Well I am.’
She propped herself up on one elbow and regarded him crossly.
‘Don’t look so surprised. I didn’t manage it all by myself. You had something to do with it too.’
‘No, no, no, no, no,’ Charlie gabbled. ‘Don’t put that number on me.’
He shrank away from Sophie, scooting across the mattress in a desperate bid to put distance between her and himself.
Moments ago, she’d seemed so attractive. Now she was looking more and more like the wicked fairy in Sleeping Beauty. Except Sophie was no sleeping beauty. She was wide awake and continuing to morph before his very eyes. Now she was Snow White’s stepmum, the Evil Queen. He realised his thoughts were looping. Thinking of Snow White automatically made him think of Willow, except she had blonde hair rather than black hair and–
Christ, what was his brain doing exploding with all this mental imagery of Disney characters?
Because, Charlie, your sub-conscious is flagging up to you that Willow is sweet and kind and the obvious candidate as a life partner, whereas lately you’ve been fooling around with Kev, and now Sophie, who in their own way want to trap you, just like those Disney baddies.
Charlie groaned. Of all the times to have an epiphany. And actually, wasn’t this the second one? Heck, who was counting? He certainly wasn’t. Sweat was starting to bead across his upper lip. He cowered in the corner, his back jammed against the wardrobe as he stared at Sophie in horror. She languidly returned his gaze.
‘I don’t know what the problem is,’ she was drawling. ‘The first time we met you told me you loved me.’
‘No, I didn’t,’ Charlie objected.
‘Yes, you did. It was just before you got me into bed. I wouldn’t have gone with you otherwise. I guess it’s something of a blip getting pregnant quite so early in a relationship but–’
‘This isn’t a relationship,’ Charlie interrupted.
Sophie was pulling the oldest trick in the book.
‘If it isn’t a relationship’ – she frowned – ‘then what the hell is it?’
‘It was only ever a bit of fun,’ Charlie protested.
He grabbed his boxers and put them on inside-out. God he couldn’t wait to get out of here. Except… except this was his room. He needed her to get out.
‘Fun?’ Sophie squawked. Her face blotched with anger. ‘How dare you.’
Charlie began rapidly dressing, shaking his head in disbelief. She couldn’t be pregnant. He’d worn a condom for goodness sake. Or had he? He had a nasty feeling he’d been rather the worse for wear when trying to put the wretched thing on. That he’d not quite managed to do it. Yes, it was coming back to him now. She’d slapped his hand away and said…
‘You told me you were on the pill!’ he accused.
‘No, I never.’
‘Yes, you did,’ he spluttered. ‘That’s why I didn’t use a condom just now.’
‘Rubbish,’ Sophie protested. ‘You told me that you’d take care of protection. And when you didn’t, I assumed…’ she trailed off.
‘Assumed what?’ said Charlie, looking horrified.
‘Assumed that I meant something to you.’ Sophie glared at him. ‘You kissed me all over and whispered that I was the most beautiful woman you’d ever been to bed with.’
He quavered at her words. Standard Charlie patter.
‘You told me I was the sort of woman you’d like to settle down with.’
More Charlie patter. He’d heard enough. He knew the script and didn’t need reminding of it.
‘I’m not ready to settle down,’ he said, stuffing h
is feet into his shoes.
Grabbing his overnight bag, he began chucking stuff inside.
‘Too bad,’ she hissed, getting off the bed and coming towards him. ‘You’re going to be a daddy. So what are you going to do about it, eh?’
‘Do?’ Charlie repeated.
He’d failed to lace up his shoes and nearly tripped over in his haste to get away from her. Right now, he only had one advantage over Sophie. He was dressed and she wasn’t.
‘I’m going home. That’s what I’m doing.’
Backing away from her, he darted towards the door. Seconds later Charlie was fleeing down the hotel corridor, then down the stairs two at a time, before crashing through the fire exit into the car park. He had no idea if he was still over the limit to drive, but at least Sophie didn’t know which car was his. If nothing else, he’d hunker down out of sight until he was able to drive. And then he’d be off. Straight down the M40.
Charlie was aware that he’d be leaving Ben in the lurch. Ben would have to hitch a lift home with one of the other guys.
As Charlie rushed towards his vehicle, he thanked the universe, the moon, the stars, and God in his heaven that home was almost two hundred miles away, and that he’d never have to see Sophie again.
Forty-Five
Charlie ducked down in the driver’s seat of his vehicle, heart pounding. He felt sick. Sick from the shock of Sophie’s bombshell news, and sick from sobering up so rapidly.
Inside the car’s temporary sanctuary, everything was dark and silent. There were no lamps in the hotel’s car park. Subsequently the area looked somewhat eerie and uninviting. There wasn’t even a courtesy light, like the sort that bobbed on for fifteen seconds when someone passed by.
Charlie didn’t think Sophie would venture out in the night to peer into every vehicle. And anyway, she didn’t know he’d travelled to Birmingham by car. It was far more likely that any search for him was taking place within the hotel. He imagined her hastily dressed and charging up and down the corridor calling out his name, or rushing into the foyer, heels clicking on the shiny polished floor, eyes stricken as she begged the night staff if they’d seen a blond man dash past. Perhaps she’d even ask if they would check the men’s toilets on her behalf, to see if Charlie was hiding. Thank goodness he’d spotted that fire door and escaped.
Willow's Wedding Vows: a laugh out loud romantic comedy with a twist! Page 19
