by Jay, Donna
“Oh, I don’t doubt that, but I’m sure you were screwing each other well before then. I figured Kelly was getting it from someone else, but never thought to look under my own roof.”
Jo tapped Kelly on the shoulder, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Is she always this obnoxious, Kel? Sheesh, no wonder you never wanted me to meet her.”
Anger contorted Paula’s features. “Who asked you, pipsqueak?”
Okay that was pushing it.
Reigning in her fury, Kelly spoke in a low, controlled voice. “If you know what’s good for you, Paula, you'll walk away. We received your message, and will do your final bidding.”
Unbeknown to Paula, she’d done Kelly a favour. Once they got home they’d no longer have to hide their relationship.
Concern gnawed at Kelly’s insides when Lucy wouldn’t meet her gaze. But she wasn’t about to ask what was troubling her while Paula was within earshot.
When Paula’s gaze locked on something, or someone, over Kelly’s shoulder, the tension that rolled off her was so thick it was palpable.
“There you are, sweetheart.”
There was no mistaking the tenor of Colette’s voice. Like fingernails on a chalkboard the high-pitched screech made Kelly cringe. She didn’t turn around though, it was more entertaining watching the emotions playing out across Paula’s face. None of them happy.
Her cheeks turned crimson, whether from anger or embarrassment, Kelly couldn’t be sure. Probably both. The fact Colette was now calling her boss sweetheart was almost laughable.
“I told you, I’d meet you in the tearooms.” Paula breathed heavily .
Kelly wouldn’t have been surprised to see fire burst forth from her nostrils.
“I know, but you’ve been gone for so long, I started to worry you got lost. It’s a big place, you know?” Colette whined like a petulant child.
In that moment, Kelly didn’t know who she pitied more, Colette or Paula. On second thoughts, they deserved each other. The thought made Kelly smile.
After a brief stare down with Paula, Colette finally took stock of the three women before her.
Feeling smug, Kelly smirked and waved. Jo and Lucy stood mute.
Ignoring all three of them, Paula held a finger to Colette’s lips. “I’ll be right there, now go.”
“Fine, just make sure you don’t give any money to gold digger over there.” Acting like the self-entitled bitch she was, Colette poked her tongue out at Kelly then spun on her heels.
The comment bounced off Kelly like a poorly aimed dart. While she didn’t doubt Colette had always thought Kelly only dated Paula for her money, she no longer needed to defend herself.
Somewhat proud she’d resisted the urge to call after Colette, “enjoy my leftovers,” Kelly took the opportunity to turn the entire debacle back on the person making a scene.
Folding her arms across her chest, Kelly quirked an eyebrow. “Pot, kettle, black? How long have you two been cosy?”
“It’s not like that.” Paula looked at the floor, her bravado gone.
The fact Paula’s obnoxious P.A. was now calling her sweetheart suggested otherwise.
“Tell it to someone who cares.”
Kelly entwined her fingers with Lucy’s and linked her other arm with Jo’s. “Come on, ladies, there are more entertaining exhibits to see than this...this…” Kelly trailed off leaving Paula to fill in the blank.
***
After nabbing Tim on their way past the bathroom, Kelly put her arm around Lucy’s waist and guided them toward the ground floor .
Tim walked with a stoop, his ear close to Jo’s mouth as she no doubt gave him a rundown of the drama he’d narrowly avoided.
The good-natured humour they’d all enjoyed had been replaced by a dark gloomy cloud. One minute they’d been exploring the wonders of the world, the next a volcano had erupted and spewed shit on them.
“You okay?” Kelly squeezed Lucy’s side, pulling her closer.
“No.” Lucy shook her head. “But I will be.”
Her sad smile punched Kelly in the gut. Fuck Paula and the high and mighty horse she rode in on.
Back outside, loitering around the front entrance, Tim spoke first. “I have a work van. If you need a hand to move, I can follow you back to Palmerston.”
A strong desire to launch herself at Tim rocked Kelly to her core. “You really are sweet, aren’t you?”
He shrugged.
Jo burrowed into his side. “He is.”
Looking at her little sister, all grown up, Kelly swallowed the lump in her throat. If one good thing came out of today, it was knowing that Jo had met a good man.
Lucy let out a humourless chuckle. “That’s a lovely offer, Tim. The thing is, I have no idea where I’m moving to.”
The penny finally dropped, and Kelly could’ve kicked herself. No wonder Lucy had looked so distraught. At the time, Kelly’s mind had immediately flicked to the fact Paula had done them a favour. She’d overlooked the bigger picture. Lucy was soon to be homeless.
Actually, no she wasn’t, not if Kelly could help it.
“You can stay with me.” Kelly beamed, feeling proud of herself, and excited by the prospect.
Jo’s eyes lit up. “Great idea.”
Lucy’s piercing gaze bore into Kelly. “Don’t you think we should talk about that first?”
“Oh yeah,” Jo said, sounding as flat as Kelly felt.
Even though what Lucy said made sense, Kelly couldn’t deny the disappointment that weighed heavily on her shoulders. Her emotions were all over the place.
The next thought made Kelly’s stomach lurch. What if Lucy moved back to New Plymouth? Surely she wouldn’t.
“How about Mum’s place?” Jo asked.
“That could work,” Kelly replied. “Mum would love the company.”
“I couldn’t impose on your mother.” Lucy shook her head, her black hair fanning out like a raven about to take flight.
On second thoughts, perhaps it wasn’t such a bright idea. Kelly’s mum appeared to have come to enjoy her own space, to such an extent that a few weeks ago she’d asked Kelly to text ahead of time if she planned on visiting.
At the time, Kelly hadn’t thought much of it. Now though… No, she wouldn’t go there, not while there were more pressing matters to take care of.
Zeroing in on something over Kelly’s shoulder, Jo’s eyes went wide. “Don’t look now.”
A sense of Déjà vu crawled up Kelly’s spine. However, unlike the night Lucy had uttered those same words, Kelly didn’t turn around. She didn’t need to, she could sense Paula’s presence.
Craning her neck, Lucy glanced behind them. “Shit, here we go again.” After what felt like forever but was only a matter of seconds, Lucy exhaled a breath, shoulders relaxing. “It’s okay, they’ve turned left, toward the carpark. At a guess, not only did Paula piss on our parade, but she’s ruined her day out as well.”
“Damn, and I thought I could turn scarlet,” Tim said, looking equal parts appalled and amused. “That woman’s angry scowl could give a vampire squid a run for its money.”
“Say what?” Lucy scrunched up her face.
“Another time.” Tim grabbed Jo’s hand. “You two need to talk. How about we take a rain check on the cable car until next time you visit. Because there will be a next time. You’ll get through this.” He spoke with such conviction, Kelly’s spirits lifted.
“Yes, we will.”
Jo launched herself at Kelly, wrapping her in a fierce embrace. “Love you, Sis.”
“Love you too, Jo-Jo.” Kelly stroked Jo’s long mousey brown hair. Lucy hadn’t been far off the mark when she’d quipped that Jo and Kelly looked alike. They had the same blue eyes as their dad and the same thick mop of hair as their mum.
With a final squeeze, Jo extricated herself from Kelly, turned to Lucy, and held out her arms. Lucy stepped into the embrace like a lifelong friend.
Watching them hug made Kelly tear up. She couldn’t recall Jo ever hugging one of he
r girlfriends, much less be anything more than cordial.
After bidding Tim and Jo farewell, Kelly’s smile faded. She took Lucy’s hands in both of hers. Her expression matched Kelly’s, anxious, but whereas Kelly’s hands were dry, Lucy’s were hot and clammy.
“Nerves getting the better of you?”
Lucy smiled, but it looked forced, painful even. She pulled her hands free and rubbed her palms together as if the friction would dry them out.
“It’s hot.” She looked away, and Kelly let it go.
In spite of being pissed off that their day had turned to shit, she was determined to stay positive for Lucy’s sake.
“Everything will work out. I’m a firm believer in the saying, ‘When one door closes, another opens’.”
The twinkle in Lucy’s eyes made Kelly feel self- conscious. She wasn’t normally one for making sentimental declarations. But then again, her entire perception of what a relationship was all about had changed.
“Nice analogy, Kel.”
“Oh.” Kelly chuckled, finally understanding why Lucy looked amused. “I meant when a door figuratively closes, not literally.”
“I know.” Lucy fiddled with her shoulder bag. “I planned on moving out within a month or two anyway. I won’t miss all the social hob-knobbing.”
“See, you’re already finding positives. Now give me a genuine happy smile.” Kelly put a finger on each side of Lucy’s mouth and pulled her lips up.
“Stop it.” Grinning, Lucy smacked Kelly’s hand away.
“Better.” Kelly’s heart inflated, like it always did when Lucy flashed her a smile, one that reached her eyes and lit up her face.
Kelly’s phone chirped. For a minute, she considered ignoring it. Then her mind ran rampant. It could be Jo, her mum, Nicole, or worse, Paula .
Lucy started walking toward the carpark. “You gonna get that?”
Kelly fell into step beside her. “I should, it might be Mum.”
It was Jo. “You’ve got a good woman there. Let me know what happens, I’m worried about you. About you both.”
A huge smile spread across Kelly’s face. On impulse, she grabbed Lucy by the arm and yanked her to an abrupt stop.
“Oops, sorry,” Kelly apologized to a scowling couple as they stepped around her.
“Here.” She shoved her phone into Lucy’s hand. “Read this.”
Eyeing Kelly curiously, Lucy shielded the screen from the sun. Her frown morphed into a silly grin. “That’s sweet. But I don’t want her to worry about me.”
Across the road, a green sedan made a hasty exit from the service station leaving a puff of exhaust fumes in its wake.
Lucy wrinkled her nose and coughed. “I hate the smell of petrol. ”
“I kinda like it,” Kelly confessed.
“You like petrol fumes but hate petrol heads. Got it,” Lucy said with a decisive nod.
Even under duress she was on form. It was another trait of her personality that Kelly found alluring.
“Let’s grab a cold drink for the road. We have a two-hour drive to figure out what to do, okay?”
“Sure.” Lucy punched the button by the zebra crossing.
A breeze ruffled the bottom of her slacks and drew Kelly’s attention to her strappy sandals. Kelly couldn’t say she was a foot person, but Lucy had beautiful feet, long and elegant, like the slope of her neck.
“What are you looking at me like that for?” Lucy narrowed her gaze.
“Like what.” Kelly feigned innocence.
Lucy leaned in close and whispered in Kelly’s ear, her warm breath sending tingles up Kelly’s spine. “Like you want to eat me.”
“Oh, that. That’s my normal look around you.”
The little green man flashed, and the walk sign dinged. They crossed the street, swept along with the crowd like a piece of driftwood floating downstream.
Chapter 26
Half an hour later, they were well on their way home. As the traffic thinned so did the tension radiating off Lucy.
“You really don’t like the motorway, do you?” Kelly asked.
“No. I feel like I have to have eyes in the back of my head. Not only that, but with all the one-way streets, if I’d miss a turnoff we would’ve been screwed.”
“And not in a good way,” Kelly mumbled.
Well aware time was of the essence, Kelly was impressed that Lucy stuck to the speed limit, a hundred kilometres.
She had no clue how much furniture Lucy owned or how long it would take to move it, but she did know where it could be stored if need be. Certain it was another thing Lucy would argue about, she didn’t bring it up right then .
“Speaking of being screwed,” Kelly said. “You told me why it didn’t work out with the guy you dated. What about the women?”
“Woman,” Lucy said, her wary gaze on the Sunday drivers weaving in and out of traffic like they had a death wish.
“Huh?” Kelly asked, sounding like a moron, and wondering what Lucy had meant by the singular word woman.
Her mind flicked back to the conversation she had with Lucy on their drive from the bar back to her flat. Kelly clearly recalled saying, “You’ve slept with both men and women, right?” And Lucy’s reply hit her with just as much clarity. “One man, two women. But who’s counting.”
“Is that steam I see?”
Taken aback, Kelly whipped her head around and looked out the passenger window. Waves crashed against rocks and sprayed high into the air.
“It’s mist.” Kelly bit back a smile.
Rather than look offended, Lucy reached over and tugged her earlobe. “I meant you, dummy. Smoke’s practically pouring out of your ears. Tell me what’s burning up that overactive brain of yours?”
“This isn’t about me and my inquisitive mind, Lucy. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“I don’t mind answering your questions. The conversation’s a pleasant distraction. We can’t do much until we arrive back in Palmy. So, hit me with it.”
“I’m sure you said you’d been with two women. But you said woman like it’d only been one.” Suddenly feeling shy, Kelly’s cheeks heated. “Not that it’s any of my business.”
“Don’t play co…”
“La, la, la, la, la.” Kelly plugged her ears, delighted when Lucy burst out laughing.
Between them, they were doing a wonderful job of avoiding the bigger issue.
“It was one, it’s now two. You’re the third person I’ve had sex with.”
Shock and honour warred within Kelly.
Lucy gave her a sheepish look. “This is probably going to sound conceited.” She turned back to the road. “I know I’m easy on the eye, some might even say attractive.”
“Fucking gorgeous,” Kelly interrupted, unable to contain herself.
“Thank you, but at times, that’s been a curse. It brings new meaning to pubs being meat markets. It’s a rare occasion that I can enjoy a drink with a friend or work colleague without being hit on. Most people assume I’ve been around the block a time or two.”
She let out a self-deprecating laugh. “I’m sick of hearing, oh you’re twenty-nine and single, not ready to settle down yet, too busy playing the field?”
Feeling like she’d opened a can of worms, Kelly was tempted to apologize. The thought of Lucy accusing her of being the C word again, stopped her.
“What about the other woman? Did she spank your arse? Tie you up?” Kelly held her breath wanting to hear the answer, yet terrified of how it would make her feel.
A snort burst out of Lucy. She slapped the steering wheel as if Kelly had just told the funniest joke ever. “Good God, no.”
Amused, and somewhat confused, Kelly quirked an eyebrow. “What’s so funny? I thought you loved being restrained? To the point you’ve tied yourself up?”
“My ex, Candy...”
Beating Kelly to the punch, Lucy waggled a finger. “No, she wasn’t a porn star, far from it, unless you’re talking about a star who does nothing but lay flat on
her back.”
“I don’t mind that so much.” Kelly put a hand on Lucy’s thigh, loving the flex of her muscle when she stepped on the clutch and shifted down a gear.
The car slowed as they crept up a steep hill. The sea had given way to paddocks of cattle grazing, sheep on one farm, cows on the next, and the odd horse here and there.
“Right, but you like being in charge, and you give as well as take,” Lucy said. “When it came to sex, Candy was all take, she’d spread her legs and say, Oh, eat me, baby, eat me.”
Kelly snorted. “She didn’t.”
“No, not those words, but you get the point and those words were fitting considering her name.”
Indeed, it certainly brought new meaning to eating candy.
“When I suggested she restrain me, Candy chewed her lip and said, but then how are you going to please me?”
“That’s sad,” Kelly said, feeling Lucy’s pain. Being sexually incompatible, unfulfilled, sucked.
While some didn’t think sex was the be-all and end-all of a relationship, it went a long way toward making lovers just that, lovers.
“How many women have you bedded, Kelly?”
Just before Kelly replied a bug splattered against the windscreen.
When one of her father’s favourite jokes sprung to mind, Kelly snickered. “What’s the last thing that went through that bug’s mind?”
The corner of Lucy’s mouth twitched. “Its asshole.” Her eye roll confirmed Kelly’s joke was old and lame.
She sprayed window washer and flicked on the wipers, effectively smearing the mess. “Don’t think that shit’s going to stop you from answering my question either.”
“Now who’s being the witty one?” Kelly quirked an eyebrow and Lucy shot her a playful smile.
“Spill.”
Unable to avoid the question any longer, and not at all ashamed of her past, Kelly shrugged. “A handful,” she paused before adding, “Or two, but in the words of a wise, sexy lady, who’s counting?”
Even as she said the words, Kelly’s brain did the maths, an average of two women a year could hardly be considered bedhopping.
When Lucy didn’t reply right away, a pang of anxiety clutched Kelly’s insides and short-circuited her brain. Without thought, she blurted out, “Don’t worry, I’m clean. So are you.”