“Why?” I ask incredulously.
He stares at me for the longest time, then looks out to sea. “Honestly? I don't know.” He says, shaking his head slightly. “I just wanted to make sure you were home safely,” he adds.
“Oh.” Tristan smiles shyly at me then gazes out to sea again. “So where was Stuart then?” I ask a little confused. I don’t get why he would bring two cars down here, seems a little over the top to me.
“At the hotel with the rest of the team,” he answers.
“Oh.” I frown trying to work it out. “So you drove your car down?” I ask.
Tristan chuckles. “Yes...I like driving it,” he says excitedly.
“And Stuart drove down alone?” I ask.
“No, he brought the team down.” I quickly work it out – there were four others in his team.
“That must have been cramped.” I chuckle sarcastically.
“Not really, Susannah was with me.” Tristan says.
I turn and lock eyes with him, then stand up straight, backing away as realisation dawns.“She...she was in your car?” I gasp the green eyed monster in me rearing its ugly head.
“Y-yes?” Tristan stutters, confused. I grit my teeth and go to walk away from him. “Hold on a minute,” he says tugging my elbow. “Is there a problem?” He asks sharply.
“No.” I bark trying to yank my arm out of his grasp.
“Coral,” he admonishes. “There’s nothing there, Sus’- “I don’t want to know.” I bite, interrupting him.
“Hey!” Tristan doesn’t let go of me. “You’re jealous?” He guesses, his lips quirking up at the corners.
“No.” I answer sounding like a sulky child.
“You have no need to be.” He softly says, trying to reassure me.
“I’m not convinced.” I snap.
“Susannah is happily married,” he snaps back. “And even if she wasn’t, I have no interest in her.”
But I still don’t believe him, all those pictures I found on Google, all those tall leggy blondes.
“You know, for someone who isn’t interested in me, you’re putting on a mighty fine show of being upset about other women. So which is it Coral, either you don’t care if I date, or you do?”
I’m stumped, he’s caught me out. – I’m about to answer him when he suddenly looks up over my head. I follow his gaze, only to see Stuart walking down the concourse, struggling with a large cardboard box, Tristan hands me his glass and runs over to him.
They both pick the item up and walk over to where I’m standing, bypassing me entirely, they enter my studio and place it down on the floor. I follow them both in, placing our glasses on my tiny coffee table.
“What’s going on?” I ask irritably.
“Where are your scissors Coral?” Tristan asks ignoring my question.
I glare back at him.“Why?” I huff, feeling aggravated.
Tristan rolls his eyes at me and starts searching in the kitchenette drawers, finally locating where I keep them. He quickly snaps the plastic binders, then he and Stuart start pulling the cardboard off, until finally, standing in my studio is a tall white electrical item of some sort?
Stuart picks up all the cardboard, plastic, and styrofoam padding, and leaves my studio, nodding once as he passes me.
“Um...what’s this?” I ask.
Again Tristan ignores me, which is winding me up a treat.
“Tristan!” I scold. “Answer me.” He plugs it into the nearest empty socket and switches it on. A low humming sound fills the room, then Tristan fiddles with a couple of buttons and stands in front of it, holding his hands out, I think it’s a fan?
“Marvellous,” he says, grinning widely. “The joys of technology,” he adds turning that dazzling smile on me. His dimples deepen again and I can't help but smile back at him.
Curiosity gets the better of me, so I walk over to him, he pulls me in front of the machine and I’m shocked by how cold the air is that’s coming from it, and how amazing it feels to have his body brush against mine.
“What is it?” I ask.
Tristan walks over to the patio door and pulls it shut.“An air-conditioning unit.” He tells me.
My eyes widen.“Aren’t they really expensive?” I gasp.
Tristan shrugs.“Can’t have you melting in here Coral, I couldn’t bear to think about it.”
I eye the machine again. My little studio is quickly dropping in temperature, becoming cooler, more bearable.
“How’ – “When I made the call earlier it was to Stuart, I asked him to see if he could locate one for you.”
“But’ – “No buts,” Tristan playfully tells me off. “I want you to have it.” I pout back at him.He stands behind me again. “See how much nicer it’s already becoming in here,” he adds.
I nod in wonder.“Thank you,” I gush. “It’s great.”And I have to ask myself why I didn’t use my own savings and purchase one, my two electric fans weren’t really doing anything.
I turn around, reach up onto my tiptoes and kiss him on the cheek.“Thank you,” I say again. “It’s really wonderful...and thoughtful,” I add.
The atmosphere in the room charges, his eyes become intense, dilated, as he stares back at me. His jaw sets and I can see the passion swimming in his eyes, I’m sure mine are reflecting the same intensity back to him. He’s dying to kiss me as I am him, but if I let it happen I don’t think I’ll stop.
Tristan finally pulls his gaze away, picks up his lemonade and drains the last of it. Placing it on the kitchen counter, he silently looks back at me.
I frown when I see that his expression looks tortured.
He takes two quick strides towards me, and without a word, he pulls me into him, wrapping his one arm around my waist and his other around my shoulders, crushing me into him.
After a moment, I do the same, feeling the muscles in his back ripple. It feels heavenly divine. I don’t want him to let go...
“Please think about it,” he whispers. I know he means us, think about us.
I look up at him, his eyes are wide and dark. He leans down and kisses my forehead...Oh Tristan, I’m trying, I’m really trying!
He squeezes me one last time then pulls away, and when he does, he takes his wallet out of his pocket and hands me a card. I take it off him, and look down at it. It’s a business card. I can see the home line of his other houses, his mobile number and all the other numbers to reach him on at work.
“Only five people have one of these, be careful with it, I’m very private Coral. I don’t want just anyone getting hold of my personal numbers.”
I frantically nod, unable to speak, because I know I’m not going to see him again for...till...and my heart feels like a steel hand is crushing it; and he hasn’t even left yet.
I bring my hand to my mouth, trying to block out the nauseous feeling that’s taking over me, literally petrifying me, my lungs feel as though all the air has been sucked out of them.
I can't breathe!
I feel like I’m free falling into some horrible nightmare, never to wake again...
“Ok?” Tristan asks, lifting my chin to look at him.
I nod silently again, trying to get my lungs to work.
“So long Coral, I’ll see you soon,” he says desperately, a hint of hope in his voice. Then with one last kiss to my forehead, I watch his tall, strong stature disappear out of my studio.
I stare numbly at the door.Why do I feel so empty?
A strange, horrible, aching feeling fills my stomach – What is that? I look down at the floor trying to work it out. Why do I feel like this? Why do I feel so void of all things, even myself? You know why....
My knees buckle and I fall to the floor, one hand gripping my stomach, the other my chest where my heart is, trying to stop nauseous feeling that is washing over me, wave after wave.
I stare back at the door, and I know in that instant all I want is Tristan back in my arms, holding me close, protecting me, loving me – Tristan!...
The moment I think that, my heart slams against my chest and triples its beats, my stomach fills with butterflies, and I feel an odd ache somewhere between my heart and my abdomen.
I place my hand against my chest and try to calm my racing heart.Then I reach over and pull my mobile out of my bag. Crap! It’s not Tristan, it’s not anybody, it’s my reminder for my appointment with George tonight.
I groan inwardly, I have two hours to go until I see him, and for some reason I can't quiet fathom, I decide I have to see Gladys before I see the good doctor. I want to know what Joyce has said to her. Maybe I can find out what she’s told Tristan about me. Plus, I want to know if Joyce will be back in tomorrow, and if she’s ok.
And I think, just maybe, I might ask her opinion on what I should do about Tristan, see him or not see him. I keep thinking it’s just the fact that he’s going to be my boss that’s holding me back, but in truth, I know it’s not – that’s not what’s really stopping me.
I jump up from the sofa and scramble as quickly as I can up the stairs, removing my clothes as I go. Pulling on my robe, I run back down the stairs, go straight into the bathroom and turn on the shower – Five minutes later I’m done.
With my skin creamed, I wrap my robe around me and run back up the stairs to dress. I pull on my grey combats, my white support vest and my flip-flops. As I’m dashing about I catch myself in the mirror, and for a fleeting moment, I don’t recognise the woman staring back at me, she looks...happy?
I shake my head, turn away from the mirror and dash back down the stairs. Grabbing my bag and my keys, I stop for a moment wondering if I should leave the air conditioner on. I decide not to, I can always cool it back down when I return.
Wandering over to it, I press the off button. That was such a sweet thing for Tristan to have done. Tracing my fingertips across the machine, I see Tristan standing before it, I see his hypnotic eyes gazing back at me, his beautiful smile. And for a moment, I’m mesmerised again...I have to shake my head to snap myself out of it!
Pulling the patio door shut behind me and locking it, I make my way up to the gym. I’m hoping that there will be a few taxis waiting; otherwise I won’t make it from Gladys to George’s in time.
Good fortune seems to be on my side. As I reach the car park, I see there’s a taxi waiting, and he’s free. As I scramble inside, I have a flashback from the previous night’s escapades – Rob and I drunkenly trying to remember the words to the song Tequila that was done in the nineties (I think the group was Terrorvision) while we waited for Carlos to come and collect us.
I can't help chuckling, feeling my mood lighten a little. Spending time with Rob will do that to a person, he’s so much fun.
“Where to love?” I hadn’t even noticed the taxi wasn’t moving.Not a good sign!
“Oh...um 78 waldegrave road please.” I smile sweetly at the driver who is eyeing me speculatively, I suppose most people don’t get into a taxi and stare blankly ahead.
As we pull out into traffic, I’m drawn to the music playing. James Morrison is crooning away singing You Give Me Something, the words matching my feelings for Tristan, literally line for line.
I shake my head and bite my lip, how ironic. It really seems so poignant that it’s playing right now, I almost laugh out loud at the perfect timing of it all.Maybe the universe is playing a joke on me?
I frown at that thought.What if Tristan isn’t real? What if none of this is and I’m dreaming it all? I pull my right hand up to my left arm and pinch myself.Yep, definitely felt that! Then Tristan must be real…
My lips curl up into a smile and it doesn’t leave me the whole way there...
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
TEN MINUTES LATER, I am walking up the front steps of the three bedroom Victorian house that I grew up in. Gladys bought this house with her husband forty years ago, before Brighton really became what it is now. Gladys and her husband had only been living in it for five years when she came home and found a letter telling her that he’d fallen for his secretary, and had already left her.
With no job and no money to support herself Gladys went a little crazy for a while, until Joyce suggested renting the spare bedrooms out. So she did, it helped pay the bills and she made some really good friends, but she dreamed of having a family of her own.
So Joyce was the one that suggested adoption, and went with Gladys to get her signed up.
Two years later she had Debbie, then ten years later, she got me – poor woman!
I put my key into the lock and turn it. Stepping through the front door, I immediately know something is different, I can smell spicy food. Gladys doesn’t eat anything spicy, as far as she’s concerned a Chicken Korma is hot and foreign, she really has no idea at all.
I can also hear some strange guitar music playing, it sounds like what you would hear the street buskers playing if you were in Spain, and it’s loud, really loud - I hesitantly pull my key out the door and shout hello, to which there is no reply.
I close the door behind me and make my way down the long hallway past the living room, the dining room, and stop when I reach the swinging door that leads into the kitchen.I put my ear to the door, I can't hear anything unusual, so I push the door and it swings open, and what I see before me is enough to make anyone’s toes curl.
Gladys is sitting on the kitchen table half naked, her silk dressing gown is falling down her back, a man’s head is nuzzled between her breasts licking what I think is squirty cream off her, and she is moaning and giggling loudly...What the...?
“Oh my god!” I gasp in shock and spin around so I can't see anymore.
I have absolutely no idea where to put myself!
“Coral!” Gladys screams, I hear them both burst into fits of giggles.
I want to run away, but my feet seem frozen to the floor, in the next second the Spanish music is switched off and there’s lots of banging and cluttering going on with lots of muffled sniggering.
Jesus Christ if I’d have known I never would have used my key!
“Coral,” Gladys sniggers. “What are you doing here?” she asks breathlessly, still chortling.
I slowly turn to her, peeking with my one eye first to make sure she is covered up and thankfully she is, so I turn and face her.
The man who was in the kitchen with her seems to have disappeared.
Picking up my handbag that I dropped to the floor in shock, I glumly answer her back.“I thought I would come by and see you, ask how Joyce was.” I say not knowing where to look.
I can't quite believe I have just caught Gladys in a passionate clinch, with a man I didn’t even know she was seeing! In-fact I don’t even know if she is seeing him, or if he’s just a bit of fun?
I scratch that thought away immediately, I don’t even want to go there.
“You look shocked.” She chuckles then hiccups. I think she’s a little drunk? Her cheeks are bright red from all the extracurricular activities and she’s swaying slightly, but as I take a closer look at her, I see her eyes are all red and bloodshot.
I narrow my eyes at her, then I notice it, a strange smell, not spices, but something else, something herby...then I clock it – A half smoked joint is lying in a saucer on the draining board!
You have got to be kidding me!
“Come meet Malcolm.” She says all buzzy and lightheaded, still giggling.
As I look back at her all I can see is the image I just walked in on – Oh God I wish I hadn’t come! I’ll never get that image out of my mind!
“Um...no thanks, I think I’ll take a rain check.” I say humourlessly.
“I’m sorry darling I didn’t know’ – I put my hand up to stop her.
“Don’t apologise for...” I stop not wanting to say the word. “This is your house Gladys you should do
what you want...” I stop again feeling myself cringe, I can see Gladys is finding the whole situation amusing, and is trying her best not to laugh.
After a few seconds, I finally see the funny side of it and start chuckling too, but then I think it may have something to do with the weed that’s floating around the kitchen, giving me a hit.
Gladys totally looses it and almost falls over she’s laughing so hard.“Oh your face....” She roars, laughing even harder.
I instantly lose my sense of humour.“Glad your finding this all so amusing.” I bite.
I almost go to bollock her about smoking weed, especially with all the grief she gave me about not taking drugs when I was a teenager. But then I think, what harm can a little joint do every now and then, she looks like she’s having a whale of a time.
I sigh heavily and walk over to her, giving her a big hug and a kiss.
She finally composes herself enough to talk to me. “Please, come and meet Malcolm.”
I shake my head. She knows how I am about meeting new people – especially men.“Another time,” I offer, not wanting to hurt her feelings.
“He’s important to me.” She says all traces of humour gone.And I know I can't let her down if that’s the case, and if he is, I have to ask why she hasn’t told me about him? She knows I hate secrets; it destroys trust and wreaks havoc in relationships.
I follow Gladys through the conservatory and out into the patio garden area, where I immediately spy a tall white haired male. He’s got to be at least 6ft 2ins and is only wearing a pair of what I think is boxer shorts and has the body of a fit forty year old, with a small amount of love handles around his waist.
“Malcolm this is Coral, Coral meet Malcolm.” I take his outstretched hand and shake it quickly. His hand is cool and dry, thank god, but I’m not sure who’s more embarrassed, him or me.
As I take in his features, I immediately see my guesstimate was wrong. This guy has got to be in his sixties maybe seventies, judging by the amount of wrinkles on his face. Looking closer I see he has kind blue eyes with lots of laughter lines around them, his face is long and weather worn, his nose long, his lips thin and when he smiles he shows a pair of dazzling whities.
Darkest Fears Trilogy: Fallen For Him / Freed By Him / Forever With Him Page 17