Flings and Arrows (26 page)

Si started the van up. Waiting for a lull in the traffic, he reversed back into a private driveway and surveyed the road. There was a pub next door to Barry’s apartment block. Si shot forward and drove into the pub’s forecourt. How fortunate. The car park ran all the way to the rear of the pub which just happened to be adjacent to the flats’ communal gardens. Any ear-piercing screams and he should be able to hear. Si parked up. A notice was strategically placed.
Patrons Only.

Locking the van up, Si walked round to the entrance. Inside the pub was a Landlord who appeared to be drinking the profits. Si bought a bottle of orange juice and some peanuts. Picking up his purchases, he headed back to the van. He’d barely got stuck into the peanuts when he froze. For there, walking toward the van was Steph. Si slid down in his seat. Oh God. Had she spotted him? He pressed his spine as hard as he could into the driver’s seat, willing his body to blend into the van’s interior. Steph had stopped. She was gazing this way and that. Now she was moving again. Si exhaled as Steph disappeared through the entrance. Bloody hell. That had been a close shave. Si looked at his watch. Half past seven. Steph was early. Si assumed she’d popped into the pub to use the loo. Refresh her make-up. His heart was thumping unpleasantly. He abandoned the peanuts and gulped down the orange. Si desperately hoped Dawn was making fast progress with Barry. He hadn’t heard any hair-raising yells. Si checked his mobile phone. No messages. No missed calls. Steph re-appeared. This time she had her back to Si and was walking purposefully away. Si took a shaky breath and looked at his watch again. Twenty five minutes to eight. He gulped. This was it. Showdown time.

Chapter Fifty Six

Dawn leant back against Barry’s sofa. He was sitting next to her. Holding her hand. And now he was about to lean in and kiss her.

Dawn had ignored the butterflies in her stomach as she’d stood outside Barry Hastings’ apartment block. Despite the nerves, in a perverse way she’d been looking forward to this meeting. As she’d put her finger on the intercom button, she’d wondered if Barry Hastings would look as good as his photograph. Seconds later the intercom had crackled.

‘Hello?’ The voice had been deep and melodious.

‘Hello Barry. It’s Dawn.’

‘Hi! Come on up.’

The automatic door had released. Seconds later Dawn had stepped inside. For a moment she’d stood inside the lobby getting her bearings. There had been three doors around her. No lift. Straight ahead was a sweeping staircase with ornate rails. Very posh. From somewhere above a door had opened. Sounds had floated down the stairwell. Barry’s apartment was 2A. Next floor up. Dawn had taken a deep breath and headed up the stairs. At the top had stood a man so devastatingly good looking, she’d nearly fallen off her killer heels. Dawn had clutched the banister rail for support. Barry Hastings’ profile picture didn’t begin to do him justice.

‘Dawn!’ Barry had stepped forward as she reached the landing. ‘How lovely to meet you again.’

Dawn had given what she’d hoped was a smile of recognition. ‘You haven’t changed a bit.’

Barry had grinned broadly. ‘Forgive me Dawn. I still don’t remember you. But never mind. Let’s get re-acquainted. Welcome to my humble abode.’

And he’d led her into the hallway of his tasteful minimalist apartment. Dinner had been keeping warm on a low oven setting. But Barry had suggested leaving it for a moment or two. So they’d sipped champagne from crystal flutes while she’d tried to instigate talk about the
good old days
. But Dawn had barely been able to concentrate. She’d felt as though bindweed was tugging at her. Pulling her closer to Barry. And then Barry had invited her to sit down. She had sunk into the depths of a squashy leather sofa. He had sat next to her. There’d been a few more sips of champagne. But no talk. Instead they’d just sat there gazing at each other. He’d taken her hand. She’d leant back. And now, here he was gently moving towards her. She’d been in his apartment barely five minutes. It had been so easy. Like taking candy from a baby. The heartbreakers always were the easiest to seduce. And Dawn knew with every quivering nerve ending that Barry had a history. But it didn’t matter. Right now she was going to rescue Si’s marriage and enjoy herself in the process.

Dawn closed her eyes and surrendered herself to Barry’s mouth. It was warm. His kiss was sensuous. She wound her arms round his neck. His fingers tangled in her hair and it tumbled down. And that wasn’t the only thing that came down. Down went the zip on Dawn’s PVC dress. Down came Barry’s trousers. Dawn’s eyes roved over Barry’s body. His skin was golden brown from a recent foreign sun. He was in great shape. Despite being in his forties, he had a washboard stomach and well defined pecs. Dawn automatically sucked her tummy in.

‘Come on gorgeous,’ Barry held out a hand. ‘I might have known you for all of five minutes, but I have a feeling I’m going to spend the rest of my life with you.’

Dawn threw back her head and laughed. Not only was he a rotter, he was a smooth talking bastard as well. How amusing. ‘Where are you taking me?’

‘To my bedroom of course,’ Barry guided Dawn out of the lounge and down a short hallway, ‘to spread you out on sheets of silk.’ He pushed open a door. ‘Well, cotton actually,’ Barry grinned disarmingly and led her over to a vast bed.

Dawn wondered exactly how much action this particular bed had seen. Barry tossed scatter cushions onto the floor and flung back the covers. The cotton almost crackled with freshness. Dawn noted this. He’d obviously planned on seducing Steph. Typical bad boy. And now he was once again taking her in his arms, his mouth finding hers. Even though Dawn had sussed Barry out, she couldn’t get away from the peculiar feeling that being with him felt right. She wasn’t usually given to fanciful imaginings. But a part of her felt...like she was coming home. How odd. Together they tumbled onto the bed and for a while Dawn was lost.

Eventually Barry propped himself up on one elbow. ‘I’ve known you barely one hour. And I’ve fallen in love.’

Dawn smiled. ‘You don’t have to flatter me Barry. I’m a bit long in the tooth for sweet talk or romantic games.’

Barry put a hand up to stop her. ‘I’m utterly serious Dawn. I don’t know where you’ve truly come from, because I don’t believe for one moment you went to Blackfen Primary. But I don’t care. All I know is that you are the woman I’ve been waiting all my life to meet. And if I have to spend the rest of my days proving that to you, so be it.’

Dawn felt bewildered. Barry Hastings sounded completely sincere.

‘But right now,’ Barry smiled, ‘I’m absolutely starving. Let’s have dinner.’

Dawn made to get up.

‘No. Stay right there. We’ll have it in bed.’

Dawn giggled. ‘Okay. Dinner in bed it is. Don’t be long lover boy.’

‘Two minutes,’ Barry winked, ‘and then–’

But Dawn didn’t know what else Barry was going to say because at precisely that moment there was a knock on the apartment’s door.

Chapter Fifty Seven

Steph stood outside Number 2A and waited for the door to Barry Hastings’ apartment to open. She couldn’t quite believe she was here.

Steph had felt out of sorts all day. Even though she had told herself that nothing was going to happen with Barry Hastings, she knew going to his apartment was tantamount to playing with fire. Losing her mobile phone had compounded the feeling of edginess. And as for the whereabouts of her laptop. Well, that had just about finished her off. Clearly Steph was losing not just her marriage but her marbles as well. Her mind trailed back to Si. The look on his face when he’d seen the new underwear on the bed. Steph hung her head in shame. It was all very well insisting she’d bought flashy underwear for her own self-esteem. But in truth her conscience had pricked.
Ooh I say
, it had taunted as she’d fingered the purple satin and black lace.
Why are you buying this Stephanie Garvey? Is it some sort of insurance? Just in case any shenanigans take place? So that you’re not caught out in your usual sock-grey stuff with the overstretched elastic?
Steph had irritably pushed the nagging thoughts away. She didn’t want to examine the psychology of buying sexy underwear for the evening ahead. An evening in the home and company of a man who wasn’t her husband.

From the moment Steph had left 42 Jessamine Terrace, her conscience had not let up. She’d walked to the bus stop. And nearly headed back. She’d arrived at the train station. And almost turned around. When she’d stood outside the apartment block’s communal door, she’d finally made up her mind. She was definitely going home. And then she’d spotted the pub next door. She’d decided to have a drink. Purely for medicinal purposes. Something to combat her jelly legs. And then she would retrace her steps to the station. Steph had ordered a double brandy. She’d tossed the drink down, enjoying the sensation of fire as it hit her belly. A minute or two later, her nerves had steadied. Walking past Barry’s apartment block, she’d hesitated. Once again she’d stood outside the communal door, dithering whether to press the button for 2A. Eventually she’d become aware of a person standing behind her. Turning, she’d come face to face with a grumpy old man.

‘Are you going in or not?’ he’d snapped.

‘Oh!’ Startled, Steph had taken a step back. She’d promptly trodden on the old boy’s foot. It hadn’t endeared her to him. ‘I’m so sorry. Here, let me–’

‘Young lady! Will you kindly move out the way?’

The old man had sucked on his false teeth, muttering oaths under his breath. Steph had shifted to one side. The pensioner had produced a key. Shuffling forward, he’d paused.

‘In or out?’

‘Gosh, I, er, well–’

‘For goodness sake young woman,’ the old boy had huffed, ‘do make up your mind!’

‘In.’ And Steph had scampered into the lobby.

The old man had creaked over to a door on the left. For a moment Steph had stood there, gazing uncertainly around. Barry’s apartment was obviously on the second floor. She’d looked at the staircase for almost five minutes, deliberating whether to go up or not. But in the end she had. And now she was here. Despite her procrastination, it wasn’t quite eight o’clock. Steph nervously smoothed her denim skirt and waited for a response to her knock.

There was a sound of movement from within.

‘Just a moment,’ a voice called.

Barry’s voice. Steph felt herself relaxing slightly. She imagined Barry inside, flustered as he flapped about in a cloud of steam. Saucepans hissing on the hob. Maybe flicking on the extractor fan. Giving a last look around the apartment. Nodding in satisfaction that everything looked presentable. But hang on – rushing over to plump that cushion. Nervously swallowing as he now opened the door.

The door inched back a fraction. Barry’s head appeared like a puppet on a stick. Steph’s first impression was that Barry didn’t seem nervous. He did, however, look very confused.

‘Steffy?’

‘Hello darling!’ The brandy had well and truly hit its spot now. Steph felt adequately emboldened to call Barry by the endearment. She pushed past Barry without a second thought, oblivious to the resistance he’d put up against the door. Standing in the hallway she looked around. Nice pad. Very sexy. Very
Barry
. How ridiculous to have been panicky about coming here! Behind her Barry was shutting the door. She turned to face him, a smile on her face.

‘Gosh!’ Steph exclaimed. Her smile wobbled. Barry was completely starkers. His hands clutched at his private parts in an attempt to cover his modesty.

‘Um, Steffy. You’ve rather caught me on the hop.’

‘Oh I’m so sorry,’ Steph clapped a hand over her eyes. ‘I know I’m a bit early. You go and get dressed. I’ll wait in here.’

Steph pushed against the nearest door, hoping it might be the lounge. It wasn’t. It was a bedroom. With a bed the size of a football pitch. And there, languishing across the rumpled sheets was a woman. A very naked woman. Apart from the sky high stilettos on her feet. She had a horribly familiar face.

‘Hello again,’ said Dawn.

For a moment Steph could only stare. She was aware of her jaw being overcome by gravity. Was this some sort of bad joke?

‘You!’ she spluttered.

Dawn inclined her head. ‘Yes. Me.’

‘B-but, I don’t understand. Why are
you
here?’

‘I’m here at Barry’s invitation. And we’re just about to have dinner together. Lobster.’ Dawn put one hand to her mouth and kissed her fingers in a gesture of deliciousness. ‘But right now we’re just enjoying some post-coital champagne.’ Dawn raised her glass to Steph. ‘Cheers.’

Steph recovered. She closed her mouth and glared at Dawn.

‘You’ve got some front,’ she snarled.

Dawn looked down at her bare breasts spilling everywhere.

‘Yes. That’s what Barry said.’

Steph swung round to face Barry. ‘My God. No wonder you’ve had six wives you bloody bounder! This is the woman I was telling you about.’

Barry sidled into the bedroom and grabbed a scatter cushion off the floor. ‘Do you two know each other?’ He looked from Dawn to Steph in utter bewilderment.

‘Know her?’ Steph laughed mirthlessly. ‘Not as such. But Si does. Extremely well. This woman is having an affair with my husband.’

‘Now you listen to me lady.’ Dawn made a long arm to the bedside table and put her champagne glass down. She stood up. In her killer heels she towered over Steph. ‘And you listen well. I am not, repeat
not,
having an affair with your husband. Never have. Never will. And if you have a modicum of sense, you’ll go home and start being a proper wife before somebody else snaps him up.’

Steph opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t find any words. Dawn wasn’t having a fling with Si? She stood there, mouthing like a goldfish, looking from Dawn to Barry. The only thing she knew for sure was that Dawn was most definitely having a fling with Barry.

Steph had to get out of here. The double brandy was threatening to make a comeback all over Barry Hastings’ cream carpet. She spun on her heel and fled into the hall. Yanking open the main door, Steph tore across the landing and clattered down the staircase. At the bottom she nearly cannoned into the grumpy old man who’d made a reappearance.