Angel Series Books #1-2.5

by Tracy Lorraine

  “Hi Shane, I’m good, how are you?”

  “Yeah yeah, can’t complain.”

  “Fab. Look, I need to call in that favour you owe me. Can you fit me in today? I know it’s last minute but today is the start of a new me and I need you. I’ll explain everything if you can squeeze me in.”

  “You mean to say I only get the gossip if I have a slot free today?”

  “Um…yeah I guess so. So come on, can you fit me in?” I beg.

  “Well, lucky for you, my last appointment of the day rang in sick, so I’m free from three o’clock this afternoon. Any good for you?”

  “Yes, that is awesome, thank you so much. I’ll see you then.”

  “Okey dokey, see you soon Molls.”

  “Oh by the way, we’re going for a change. See you later.”

  “Yeah, I thought as much. Love ya, bye.”

  After Shane has hung up, I do that really embarrassing girly clap and jump up and down thing. I’m very grateful no one can see me. I’m so excited that I’m going to start the new me off with a bang.

  Once I’m ready, I head downstairs. Ryan must have heard me coming because when I turn the corner I see him taking a tea bag out of a mug and begin to slide it over to the breakfast bar for me. I ignore the tea for now and go straight to Ryan, throwing my arms around his neck.

  “Am I forgiven?” he asks cautiously.

  “Yes, thank you so much. I can’t believe you did that for me. When did you have time?”

  “I woke up early and went for a run. I’m still experimenting with routes around here, but I came across a shop on my way back and I thought you could do with some girly shit when you woke up. I also got breakfast,” he says, motioning with his hands to the fresh croissants and pain au chocolat on the breakfast bar.

  “Yum, I think I’m going to enjoy living here,” I say as I round the breakfast bar and perch myself on the stool.

  “So, what’s your plan for the day?” I ask Ryan, hoping whatever he says doesn’t involve me, because I already know what I need to do today and it needs to be on my own.

  “Well, we’re going to get your stuff tonight at seven, right?”

  “Yes. What about the rest of the day?”

  “There isn’t that much of it left now really, is there?” he asks sarcastically.

  So what I slept in late? It was a late night. “Yeah alright, whatever, just because some of us actually need beauty sleep to look good.”

  That makes Ryan smile before he continues. “I need to get your room cleared out so we have somewhere to put your stuff later, so I was going to spend the afternoon unpacking and sorting stuff out. What about you?”

  “I’ve got a few things I need to do before going to get my stuff. Do you fancy a take away tonight?”

  “Yeah sounds perfect. Do you have any furniture to move in downstairs?”

  This makes me realise how little I do have, which makes me a little sad. “No, I have no furniture,” I answer sadly.

  “Okay. Cancel any plans you have for tomorrow. We are going furniture shopping. I’ll speak to my mate and see if I can borrow his van again.”

  “Brilliant, sounds like fun. I’ve never decorated or furnished a room before, so I can’t wait.”

  “What, you’ve never had a room decorated the way you want it before? Even when you were a kid?” Ryan asks, sounding shocked.

  “No, my mum used to get an interior designer to come and re-do the house every five years or so, so obviously I never got a choice. It was always what the latest fashion was at the time. Susan and Pete had the flat above Cocoa’s refurbished before we moved in, and Max had been living in his place for a while and liked it the way it was; he didn’t want any ‘girly shit’ around.”

  “Right, well here is your chance then. You’d better get thinking.”

  After breakfast, I say goodbye to Ryan and head out, promising I’ll be back about six. I am not looking forward to going back to the flat. Last night already seems like a lifetime ago but it will be good to close the door on that part of my life and move on. Today is the start of the new me, and it has to start with a visit to some of my favourite people.

  As I drive down the street I grew up on, I make sure not to slow down in front of my parents’ house. It’s not like I expect them to be on the look-out. Dad will be working and Mum with be socialising with Oxford’s elite somewhere. I have hardly any good memories of that house, and don’t intend on making any now. As I pull into the Morrisons’ driveway, however, I begin to smile. I love this house, the people inside and all the memories I have of growing up here.

  “Hello,” I shout as I walk in. I’m considered family here, so I haven’t knocked the front door in years.

  “In the kitchen,” Susan shouts back. It’s not like I expected them to be anywhere else; they all live in that huge, gorgeous kitchen. They have the most homely house I’ve ever been in. It’s the total opposite of the house next door. That was like a show home; I always felt like I was making the place untidy by just being there.

  “Hey,” I say, smiling, as I walk into the room. Susan instantly comes over and pulls me into a hug, followed by a kiss on the cheek from Pete. Declan and Lilly are back from university and are sitting at the table finishing their lunch. They both wave and smile around their food. Susan and Pete weren’t just lucky enough to have one set of non-identical twins, but two. Apparently, it’s genetic. Susan’s mum was a twin and so was her grandmother. No one ever expected Susan to carry two sets, though. That was a shock announcement a little over nineteen years ago. The younger twins are now at university. Lilly is close by in Cheltenham studying interior design, but Declan decided to go further afield to Exeter to study business. They are both back for the summer, and I can tell by the smile on Susan’s face that she loves having her babies home. She had serious empty nest syndrome when they first went; she’s such a mother hen.

  “Do you want anything to eat, Angel?” Susan asks me. She has always called her children ‘Angel’, and from a young age that included me. That’s why, in the end, Hannah and I decided to name our company Angel Designs. When we came up with our life plan at the age of about fourteen, we decided to name our company after our own names so thought up Mollah. It sounded good to us. But when we really started looking into setting up our own graphic design company a few years later and did some research, we realised that Mollah was a title of respect for a religious man in Turkey. It suddenly lost its appeal to us! So after what felt like months of brainstorming, we finally came to the conclusion of Angel, because it meant so much to both of us. We very quickly decided we were not having any imagery you would expect a company called Angel to look like; we were having no halos, wings or fairy-tale stuff. We went for more of an angels-with-dirty-faces approach. Our logo ended up being black and greys, with just a splash of magenta. The font we chose was edgy, nothing you would automatically put with the word ‘angel’, but it worked for us. We loved it – well, I still do.

  “No, I’m fine thank you; a cup of tea wouldn’t go amiss though,” I say with a smile, knowing there is always tea in the pot at this house.

  “Of course, you sit down and I’ll bring it over.”

  After a few minutes, all five of us are sat around the table catching each other up with what has happened in our lives. I love these moments; I never had them with my family. They never seemed to care enough about what each other was doing. The Morrisons’ house was different though, and was always having ‘family meetings’, as we used to call them as kids. Times like these make me think that I want this with my own husband and kids one day.

  “So Molly, how’s Max?” Lilly asks me.

  “Ah well, that’s sort of one of the reasons I’m here. It’s over, I’ve left -”

  “Thank God for that,” Susan butts in.

  “Susan,” Pete scolds.

  “Oh Angel, I’m sorry but I never liked him; he wasn’t good enough for you. I mean yes, he was nice to look at but he didn’t treat you right.�
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  “No Susan, don’t apologise. You’re right. I knew it was never going to work really; I never loved him, and I know I deserve better. And you know what? I’m going to get it. Today is the first day of the rest of my life.”

  “Good for you, Angel,” Susan says, putting her arm around my shoulders.

  “So, where are you going to live?” Pete chips in.

  “Well, that’s another thing, I -”

  “I’ll go make up the spare room,” Susan butts in again. God, I love her; she doesn’t even bat an eyelid about taking care of me like one of her own.

  “Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. Actually, Ryan has asked me if I will move into his place. I went there last night when I found…um…when I decided to leave Max. We stayed up nearly all night talking and he offered me the downstairs room. I was reluctant at first because he has barely moved in himself but he was adamant he wanted the company, and he knows how much I hate being alone.”

  “Well I think that’s a great idea. We know how much you two have helped each other this year; it will be good to have each other close by,” Pete says, nodding his head at the idea.

  “That was pretty much what we thought as well. I’m really excited; he’s taking me furniture shopping tomorrow and letting me decorate it however I want. I’ve never done that before. Ryan is the one who convinced me to live for me, not anyone else, and I’m firmly following that advice, starting now.”

  “Good for you,” Susan says, smiling.

  “Is Emma around?” I ask. Since the accident, Emma seems to have become the opposite of a recluse. She is never home, but no one knows where she is. We know she’s not always at work, because Susan has rung them before now to speak to her, so we know she is only working part-time but she will not let on where she goes or what she does, other than work. I have only seen her a few times, and she rarely replies to messages or answers her phone now. We are all worried about her and miss her terribly.

  “No, she went out earlier this morning,” Susan says sadly.

  “Oh well, I’ll try to catch up with her so I can let her know I’ve moved. Right, thanks for the tea, but I’ve got to go and sort out ‘new Molly’,” I explain.

  After we have all said our goodbyes, I jump in my car and head to my next destination. It’s now nearly two o’clock so I don’t have much time before I need to be at Shane’s salon, but lack of time has never stopped me before. I pull into a parking space behind my favourite department store and head inside.

  After only fifty minutes, I am walking back to my car with my arms full of bags. Operation ‘new Molly’ is well under way. I put everything in the boot and quickly head over to Shane’s. I don’t want to be late after he has done me a favour.

  It’s now half past five and I have spent the last couple of hours being pampered by one of my closest friends, and I am in a great mood.

  Shane wasn’t surprised at all by what I wanted done – he said he saw it coming. He had texted Chris to say I was going to be there, so not long after I had sat down, he arrived to hear the gossip first-hand and to check I was okay.

  So as Shane worked away, I told them everything. Apparently they also thought Max wasn’t good enough for me. When I told them about living with Ryan, they both starting fanning themselves, asking if he walks around topless all the time and, if so, then can they both move in as well. That made me laugh. Everyone knows Ryan Evans has one seriously ripped body.

  I am now leaving the salon a new woman. Gone are my long blonde locks in favour of shorter rich chocolate brown waves with a full fringe. I realised after seeing the blonde bimbos last night that, without me realising it, Max had managed to get me to have my hair how he wanted. He was always dropping hints about how hot he thought blondes were and how good I looked with blonde hair. It wasn’t until I saw myself in the mirror this morning that I realised how much I actually disliked my blonde hair, and how bad shape it was in after all the bleach. So I decided to go back natural, have the fringe back I used to have, and it cut so it’s just resting where the swell of my breasts start.

  After Shane had finished blow-drying, I asked him if he would put on the new make-up I bought earlier. As well as getting a couple of new outfits, underwear, shoes and a couple of other bits for my new room, I visited my favourite make-up stand and asked for products for my new look. My old grey eye make-up was no longer, and in its place are pallets of purples, teals and pastels to make my eyes really stand out under my new fringe. I showed Shane what I was going to change into, seeing as I still had my work uniform on, and he decided to go with the teal eye shadow pallet to go with the flowers in the loose fitting sleeveless blouse and the bows on the high healed court shoes. Team those with new dark blue skinny jeans, and I was feeling like a million pounds.

  I said my goodbyes and thank yous to Chris and Shane, promising I’d be round soon to help with all the wedding planning that still needs doing, and I left. I had one more stop to make before going home. Ah, I love that that gorgeous house is now my home.

  It’s just after six when I make my way through the front door, dragging everything I’ve bought with me to find Ryan topless and about to pick up a box from my room. I let out an involuntary moan at the sight. I can see all the muscles in his broad shoulders and running down his back to his slim waist. The guys weren’t messing around when they had to fan themselves at the thought earlier, although the real thing makes what I was imagining pale somewhat.

  My moan must have been louder than I thought, as it turns Ryan’s attention to me, revealing the front of his torso in the process. This time I manage to control myself, but I can’t help but rake my eyes over his pecs, ripped six-pack and then follow the V that disappears into his loose jogging bottoms. The light sheen of sweat on his body only increases the definition he has. Oh fuck me slowly, he’s seriously hot.

  When my eyes make it back up to his face I see his hair is a mess and falling all over his forehead, but what I really notice is how wide his eyes are as he stares at me.

  “Holy shit,” I hear him say under his breath as he runs his eyes all over my body. I start to tingle from his attention.

  I realise I need to say something to break the atmosphere we’ve managed to create. “So, I take it you like my new look?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

  “Holy shit,” he says again. He shakes his head like he’s trying to get control of himself. “Yes, you look…I mean…you look…don’t get me wrong, you were gorgeous before, but with the new hair you look stunning. Shit, seriously hot. I hope that dickhead wakes up one day and realises what he’s missing without you, Molls.”

  Wow, I don’t really know how to respond to that. Ryan and I have always been very open with each other. My relationship with him hasn’t been much different to what I have with Chris and Shane, in the fact we knew we’d never end up in bed with each other, so there has never been any awkwardness or sexual tension between us. That is, until now. The look in his eyes is telling me something different to all the other times we have spent together, and I hate to say it, but the look in my eyes probably isn’t much different if I looked in a mirror.

  “Thank you,” I say quietly as I break our eye contact. I feel a weird loss as I look away from him and into the room – my room – that is practically empty. “Wow, this is much bigger than I thought when all the boxes were in it. I bet you can rent a flat the size of this in the city for silly money. Talking of money, I’m paying half of everything by the way.” I state, hoping it won’t cause an argument.

  “No fucking way. You can just pay half the bills,” he argues.

  “I can’t do that. I’m living in your home, I need to pay my way. How about half the bills and a third of your mortgage each month.”

  “I didn’t ask you to move in here for my financial gain, Molly. I asked you because I want you here. I couldn’t care less if you stay for free.”

  “I know that, but it isn’t happening. You know me better than that, Ry. I would never sponge off you.
I need to pay my way, so half bills and a third mortgage?”

  “Half bills and a quarter of the mortgage,” he counters

  “Right, fine. Work out how much it is. Do you want it cash or transferred in to your bank?”

  “You’re not going to argue? Cash would be good; I can do the food shopping with it then.”

  “Oh no you don’t, that will be split as well, mister.”

  “Right okay, give me cash and I will hide it under my mattress for a rainy day. Is that better?” he asks, sounding exasperated.

  “Yes, much.” I know Ryan can afford to live in this place alone, but while I’m here I want to help him out however I can. Thanks to my parents I have money, and if I can use it to help him out then I will. I will just have to find ways to do it that he doesn’t notice.

  Ryan then sees all the stuff around my feet where I now realise I dropped it when he turned around. “Wow, you’ve been busy. New hair, and it looks like a new wardrobe in those bags. What are the suitcases for? You going on holiday?” he asks, eyeing the bright pink and purple flowered suitcases next to me.

  “No, I realised that I don’t have anything to pack my clothes in and I thought they would come in handy if I was to go on holiday.” God, a holiday would go down so well right about now. Sun, sea, relaxing on a beach. Heaven!

  “That reminds me, I need to talk to you about something on that subject. Not right now, though. Let me get the last of this upstairs and we can head out.” Ryan comes towards me, I guess to grab my bags, but as he gets closer he stops. “Have you been crying? Your eyes are a little red.” Wow, looks like I won’t be keeping any secrets from him; he was right last night about reading me like a book.