by Donna Jay
And just like that, Katie was smiling. “You’re such a goof, bro.”
“Oh, hey, sis. I thought it was my mate.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
“Don’t be stupid. What’s up?”
“I was wondering…”
“Hang on, let me close the door so the cows don’t come in.”
The phone clattered in her ear, a door banged, and Simon was back.
An image of black and white cows lining up on the doorstep made Katie chuckle. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Yep. But the second I leave the door open blowflies think it’s party time.” He sounded out of breath.
“Did I interrupt something?”
“Nah, I was just outside tinkering with the car. What’s up?”
“Our Christmas party’s coming up.” She was unable to inject any cheer into her voice.
“Sounds like fun, why so glum?”
“I was wondering if you’d mind if I ask David to be my date.”
“Why would I mind?”
“We had that rule when we were at school. No dating besties.”
“A rule you made, and David and I are no longer besties. I think he’s jealous of the big titties I get to pull every day.”
“You’re disgusting.” Katie couldn’t keep the smile out of her voice.
“What can I say, the girls like me.”
“I’m happy for you. Now, can I please have David’s number?”
Simon’s voice took on a sombre tone. “He’s always had the hots for you, sis. So, if you think you might be…you know.”
“What?” She knew what he was getting at, but she wasn’t ready to label herself.
“Just be careful, okay? I don’t want to have to punch him in the nose.”
“Always, bro.”
After disconnecting, Katie took a deep breath and dialled David’s number. It wasn’t a call she wanted to make, but with limited options a girl had to do what a girl had to do. Live a lie until she was ready to come out.
After three rings, a deep voice greeted her. “Hello?”
“David?” Katie asked.
“Nope, I’ll just get him.”
She hadn’t thought to ask Simon if David still lived with his folks or was flatting. Given he didn’t have any brothers, she assumed it was his flatmate who’d answered the phone.
“Dude, it’s for you.”
“Who is it?” That was definitely David.
“I don’t know, some chick with a sexy voice. Want me to ask?”
“Piss off, mate.” She heard a slight scuffle and then David’s voice came down the line. “Hello?”
“Hey. Hi. It’s me, Katie. Simon’s…”
“I know who you are, Katie Parker. I’d recognize your sweet voice and pretty face anywhere.”
Bile rose up the back of Katie’s throat.
Ignoring what was obviously intended as a compliment, she got straight to the point. “I was wondering if you’d be available to accompany me to our Christmas work party, as a friend.” She let out a nervous chuckle. “Hell, we’ve known each other since we were five, we’re practically related.”
“Thank goodness we’re not, because that would make dating a no-go.”
Ugh.
“It wouldn’t exactly be a date. Think of it as a friend doing a friend a favour. I spoke to Simon and he said you’d be the perfect escort. A gentleman.” She didn’t mean to put words into Simon’s mouth, but she wanted to be as transparent as possible.
“You’re cute. Playing all hard to get.” He lowered his voice. “I always liked that about you. You weren’t like the other girls, batting their eyelashes, ready to put out to any guy who paid them attention.”
“Nope, that wasn’t me.” She chuckled like an airhead.
“Wait,” David sounded alarmed. “I don’t have to get dressed up, do I?”
Her mind flicked back to David the dark-haired teenager in ripped jeans and black T-shirts.
“Do you own any dress pants or shirts?”
He chuckled. “Both. I thought it might be a fancy-dress party and I’d have to dress up like Rudolph or Blitza.”
“Blitzen,” Katie corrected, feeling slightly better about her date choice. If nothing else, David had always had a quirky sense of humour. That alone would keep her entertained for the night.
“When’s the party?”
“A week from Saturday, dinner and dancing.”
“I’ll put on my fancy shoes,” David said. “We can make like John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Go grease lightning, go, go.”
Not bothering to correct the lyrics, Katie chuckled at his poor imitation of John Travolta. “I hate to break it to you, but I hear some of my workmates know all the fancy dance moves.”
“We’ll see,” the cocky tone of his voice was infectious.
Even though Katie wasn’t much of a dancer, she hoped the night wouldn’t be a bust after all.
***
Nervous excitement pulsed through Katie’s veins as she twirled in front of her mirror. The skirt on her red satin dress swished around her thighs and settled just below her knees. The sweetheart neckline and puffy short sleeves complimented her figure, without drawing attention to her breasts. At least she hoped not. She hated it when guys spoke to her chest.
Although at times she wished she hadn’t inherited her mother’s ample cleavage, she would never complain about inheriting her thick, blonde hair.
A quick lick of makeup, a comb through her hair, and she was done. Without the task of getting ready to focus on, anxiety kicked in.
Telling herself everything would be fine, Katie blew out a breath and exited her room.
“Oh, look at my baby!” Her mum’s hand flew to her mouth. She circled her finger. “Give us a twirl.”
“I’m not a ballerina,” Katie joked, feeling self-conscious.
A wolf-whistle pierced the air as her dad strolled into the living room. “Wow, look at my little girl, all grown up.” His eyes shimmered with pride. “I’m proud of you, honey.”
He pulled her into a hug, and she inhaled the scent of his deodorant, Blue Stratos. He smelled like the sea and sky bottled in one.
With his hands on her shoulders, he looked her dead in the eye. “I know you’re responsible and old enough to look after yourself, but I also remember what it was like to be a teenager. Be careful.”
“Like father, like son.” Katie grinned.
“Huh?”
“Simon already gave me the same lecture. Said he’ll punch David in the nose if he steps out of line.”
“That’s my boy.” Her dad beamed.
“Excuse me,” her mother interjected, arms folded across her chest. “Since when do we condone violence?”
The toot of a horn made Katie’s eyes bug out.
“He’s here.” Her heart raced, and she had no clue why. She’d known David since she was a kid, and it wasn’t as if they were dating.
A rap on the door made their heads turn. Her father was the first to move. He pulled open the ranchslider and held out a hand. “David, it’s good to see you.”
“Hi, Mr Parker.” He turned to her mum. “Mrs Parker.” His gaze landed on Katie. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thank you. You don’t scrub up too badly yourself.”
He wore dark blue trousers, a light blue shirt, and a red pencil tie which could’ve been cut from the same fabric as her dress.
“If that’s a compliment, I’ll take it.”
“It was.” Katie didn’t want to encourage him, but she couldn’t lie either. He looked handsome.
“Your chariot awaits.” He offered his arm.
Feeling good about the night ahead, Katie looped her arm through his. “Don’t wait up.” She shot over her shoulder as they headed for the door.
Her parents grinned like lovesick fools, and Katie hoped for their sakes, by the end of the night, she found herself attracted to David.
Perhaps fate had dealt her another hand,
and the office party would put her on the straight and narrow.
Chapter 12
Like a perfect gentleman, David held the door open for her when they arrived at the dance hall. Strobe lights danced off walls, the scent of cinnamon and pine infused the air, and the combination of disco music and excited chatter made it hard to hear.
David spoke into her ear, his breath warm on her neck. “Where do you want to sit?”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ron waving and a huge grin split her face. He wore a bright green suit embossed with red-and-white candy canes. The ensemble was topped off with a gold earring dangling from his left ear.
Eight people were seated at the table, two empty chairs remained. Whether they’d been saved specifically for her or not, Katie wasn’t sure. Either way, she felt an immense amount of relief when Ron waved her over.
She introduced David to a myriad of her work colleagues as they made their way across the room. As she stepped up to the table, Janet leapt to her feet.
“Katie, glad you could make it.” Her voice was full of cheer. Janet held out a hand. “You must be David.”
When he didn’t reply, Katie nudged him in the side.
He let out an oomph. “Sorry, I was admiring the decorations.”
He appeared to be eyeballing Ron, but Katie didn’t read too much into it. After all, his suit was pretty eye-catching.
While they were still standing, Janet made the introductions.
She pointed to a handsome man on her right. “This is Ben, my current squeeze.” That earned her a pinch on the bum.
Everyone chuckled.
Janet continued. “Hillary, Wayne, Ron, Mike, Raewyn, and Selwyn.
“For those of you who haven’t met our wonderful office junior, this is Katie…and her boyfriend, David.”
The implication made Katie wince. Her smile fell before she had time to plaster it back in place. Ron gave her a knowing look and she felt like a fraud.
“Hi, everyone, I’m Katie’s main squeeze.”
He shot Ben a cocky grin as if to say he’d one-upped him, but the guy just picked up his beer and chugged it back.
Sighing inwardly, Katie reached for a chair. The last thing she needed was a pissing match, and David needed to watch himself. Ben had at least ten years on him and more than fifty pounds of solid muscle.
Before her hand made contact with the back of the chair, David swatted it away.
“Allow me.” He pulled out the seat and Katie thanked him gracefully.
The noise level rose along with the consumption of alcohol, and the next few hours passed without incident. Katie stuck to soda water and lime, and David, thankfully, paced himself with two beers.
Once the meal was cleared away, the DJ called out, “Who’s ready to boogie?”
ABBA belted out ‘Dancing Queen’ and chairs screeched across the hardwood floor.
David put an arm across the back of her chair and squeezed her shoulder. “Wanna dance?”
Happy to people watch for the time being, Katie politely declined. “Maybe soon, okay?”
Janet, Ben, Hillary, and Wayne practically ran for the dance floor. Raewyn wobbled on her heels, followed closely behind by her man laughing and holding her elbow to steady her.
That left Katie and David sitting opposite Ron and Mike who were deep in conversation.
Mike was a bear of a man, not at all the type of guy Katie had pictured Ron with. They were polar opposites.
Whereas Ron’s face was smooth as a baby’s bottom, Mike had a full beard and tufts of hair peeked out from under the neck of his shirt. His eyes were striking. They sparkled, especially when he looked at Ron.
Watching them interact made Katie feel all warm inside, until David went and threw a bucket of cold water over her happy mood.
He tapped her on the shoulder. “Hey, are they turd burglars?”
“What?” Katie scowled at him.
“You know, faggots.” He dangled his wrist.
Mortified, Katie pushed his hand down. “Shut...the fuck up.” She gritted the words out. Wide-eyed, she chanced a glance in Ron’s direction.
When he stood, her heart pounded in her chest. God, the last thing she needed was a scene. They’d be the talk of the 1986 office party for years to come.
Her worries were unfounded. Ron was too suave for that. Mike headed for the bar, and Ron made his way around the table. He stood behind them and they swivelled in their seats.
“I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.” Ron gave David a friendly smile, but Katie wasn’t fooled. He was up to something.
He held out a hand, and David stared at it blankly.
“Yeah we have. The other office lady…”
“Janet,” Katie supplied.
“Yeah, her. She introduced us when we got here.”
Dragging an empty seat from the table behind them, Ron got comfy. “I didn’t catch your name over the racket.”
“It’s David.”
Ron offered his hand again. “Nice to meet you. Now shake, man to man.”
“Nah, I’m fine.”
What the hell was his problem?
Ron put a hand on David’s shoulder and squeezed. “Take care of Katie here, she’s a good kid.” He patted David’s hand and stood. “I’ll leave you to it, my man might need a hand carrying our drinks.”
He blew an air kiss in David’s direction, and David’s shoulders rolled up around his ears.
“I’m going to the bathroom.” He stormed off, leaving Katie bewildered and embarrassed.
Her stomach roiled and like the coward she was, she used it as an excuse to bolt. Grabbing her purse, she followed David to the bathrooms.
His eyes widened in surprise when he stepped out of the gents and saw her leaning against the wall, clutching her stomach.
“Are you okay?”
“No, I’ve got cramps. Do you mind if we leave early?”
Ten o’clock wasn’t that early, but she doubted many of her co-workers would leave before midnight.
“Sounds like a good idea to me.” He looked far too relieved.
Droplets of water glistened on his neck. Was he sweating? Surely not. It was warm, but not that warm.
Katie pulled his collar back. “Your neck’s wet.”
“I washed it.” He rubbed away the droplets.
Katie’s mind flashed back to Ron squeezing David’s shoulder. Hoping she was wrong, Katie asked why.
“Because that fucking pansy you work with had the nerve to touch me. I had to scrub my hands and neck.”
Katie laughed at the absurdity of his words. “Do you think being gay’s contagious?”
“Of course not, but I don’t plan on dying of AIDS.” He shuddered. “I don’t know how you can stand working with him. Aren’t you worried?”
Wondering how she’d made such a shitty choice for a date, Katie shook her head no.
She felt angry and sad at the same time. Angry David could spew such bullshit, and sad that he believed just because Ron was gay, he had AIDS, and worse, that he believed he could contract it through touch alone. But she had to admit, sadly, he wasn’t alone in that belief.
“You can’t get AIDS from touch,” she said.
“Whatever. I’m not going to risk it. Come on, let’s get out of here.” He pushed off the wall and held out a hand.
For a minute, she just looked at it.
The sound of giggling and high heels approaching from behind gave her the kick up the arse she needed to slide her hand into David’s. It made contact just as she heard Joyce’s voice.
“Katie! There you are. I’ve been trying to make my way across the hall all night to say hi.” She looked at their joined hands. “This must be your boyfriend, a very handsome man indeed.”
“David, this is Joyce, she manages the bedding department.”
“Nice.” David nodded slowly. “That must be an interesting job. Imagine the stories a bed could tell.”
Joyce slapped his shoulder
playfully. “You’re too young to know about such things.” She pushed on the toilet door. “Save a dance for me.”
“Actually, we’re heading out,” Katie said, “I’m not feeling well. Something I ate, I think.” The lie soured her stomach, giving some truth to the words.
Concern flashed in Joyce’s eyes. “Do you want me to call a cab?”
“I’ve got my car.” David squeezed Katie’s hand. “I’ll get her home and tuck her in.”
Gritting her teeth, Katie fought the insane desire to slap the cocky grin off his face. The smarmy look implied they were running off to jump into bed together.
“Off you go then, kids.” Joyce’s grin was as wide as David’s. “Play safe.”
David fingered his back pocket as if he had a stash of condoms there. He probably did and that made Katie’s heart pound with trepidation.
Did he know what no meant? Was he planning on putting moves on her? Driving up to Pork Chop Hill and making out alongside all the other horny teenagers?
As soon as they were in the car, Katie did her best to dispel any notion they were anything more than friends, at best. Over the last hour, her estimation of him as a human being had diminished considerably. It was people like him that made it hard to come out.
“Thanks for coming along. I’m sorry it wasn’t much fun.”
“Don’t sweat it.” He pulled out of the parking lot. “It wasn’t all bad. The meal was tasty and the ladies you work with seem nice.” He shot her a sideways glance then turned back to the road. “None of them as nice as you, though.”
Feeling awkward, Katie chuckled. She didn’t want his praise. “Thanks. You’re like a big brother to me.”
He gave her a tight-lipped smile. Katie didn’t know whether to feel relieved or alarmed, so she said nothing.
Chapter 13
They drove through town in silence. Ten o’clock on a Saturday night, it was closing time at the pubs. Patrons milled around on the streets, some heading for nightclubs, others climbing into taxis. A girl who appeared to be no older than twenty, drunk as a skunk, tripped over, landing on her hands and knees.
Her skirt rode up and her knickers were on display for all the world to see. The shame of it made Katie blush. She vowed never to get that drunk.
Two guys wandered up. Laughing, they put a hand under each of her arms and hauled her to her feet.