Star Fish (21 page)

– Thirty Seven –

Pisces:
Be careful not to jump in with both feet today. Enjoy the ride but beware of Cupid’s poison arrows.

I woke up Sunday morning to Penelope licking my ear. I cringed at the memory of last night, and then laughed, remembering Christopher’s parting comment. Christopher Starr was a bit of a dark horse, I reckoned. He had also said, ‘Don’t ever change.’ Why was it always the men I didn’t want who always said the things I wanted to hear?

My thoughts then turned to Will. Amazingly I had gone to bed without really thinking about him. I checked my mobile. Annoyingly, no reply to my text message. I had to tell him what had happened. He was one person who would find it really funny. I dialled his number, excited at the thought of talking to him, and it just rang and rang. I was surprised that with a business as busy as his he didn’t have a message service. Bless him, I thought. He must be busy. I texted him again
. MORNING BABE. DON’T WK 2 HARD. CALL ME WHEN YOU GET A MO x.
Beep! I excitedly pressed the message button.
LOVE YOU TALK TOM
x.

Monday couldn’t come quick enough. I wanted to live and breathe Will Wallingford. I was driving into work and Will’s name flashed up on my mobile. I find it so exciting when the name of the person I want to hear from most in the world appears on my phone screen.

‘Hey, babe. Just wanted to say I love you – oh and to say try and get a day off tomorrow. It’s supposed to be a crispy, sunny autumn day and I want to take you somewhere.’

‘I’ve got so much to tell you,’ I said smiling.

‘Must go babe, got another call. Let me know re tomorrow.’

Sometimes Will was so infuriating, but I guess that was part of his appeal. He excited me to the core.

When I walked into the office, Liv bounded up to my desk with a bouquet of beautiful yellow roses in her hand.

‘You lucky cow!’ I exclaimed.

‘No,
you
lucky cow. Just picked them up from reception on my way up. They’re for you.’

My heart started to pound. Bless Will, he had been so romantic even as a teenager. I ripped open the card.

To the Wind beneath my Wings! Thanks for using Starr & Sun. Cx.

After the initial disappointment that they weren’t from Will, I then relayed the whole restaurant débâcle to Liv, who ended up laughing so hard a button flew off her tight shirt revealing her pink and white spotty bra. This was a godsend as Mr Parkinson came out of his office to tell us off and had to retreat straight back in as he obviously had got another hard-on.

Will arrived bright and early the next day. He pulled up in a Jeep this time.

‘I hope you don’t have as many cars as women?’ I laughed.

He smiled. ‘Variety is the spice of life and all that, ma cherie. Now let’s go.’

‘Where are we going anyway.’

‘To show you my other venture.’

After a hair-raising ride along the motorway we pulled into a gravel car park. In front of us was a large expanse of water, surrounded by woodland. A timber club-house-type building was to our left.

‘A lake!’ I exclaimed.

‘Not any old lake, darling Amy. It’s my baby.’

I remembered back to the good old teenage days and Will’s obsession with water-skiing even at that young age.

‘I’ve bought it’ he told me proudly. ‘I rent out the land and club-house as a going concern but I can ski any time I like.’

Will never ceased to amaze me.

‘Come on, we’ll park round the back,’ he said. ‘I’ve got my own private car park and jetty.’

It was a glorious autumn day; the water twinkled under the luke-warm sunshine. ‘Thought we could go out on the jet-bike today – if you want to, that is?’

‘Cool, yeah.’

I suddenly felt that same apprehension as when I was about to get on Charlie’s motor-bike. If Will’s driving were anything to go by, his handling of a jet-bike would be another white-knuckle ride.

‘You won’t get wet,’ he announced as I asked him if I should put on a wet-suit. ‘Just keep your feet up, I’ll go steady and you’ll be fine. You go on the front and I’ll lean over you.’

The jet-bike had a big seat and it actually felt really comfortable. I almost felt safe. Will leaned over me and kissed my neck. ‘I really, really love you, you know.’

I had never felt so happy. We surged forward. The wind and spray hit my face. It was exhilarating. It was fun. It was bloody cold!

‘You have a go,’ Will shouted, moving his hands from the controls. I nervously grabbed the throttle and twisted it. It was obviously more sensitive than I thought as we started careering towards the bank. Will tried to gain control but in my fear, I panicked and kept hold of the throttle.

I then turned the steering as hard as I could to avoid the bank, which threw the whole bike into a spin and caused me to career off the seat headlong into the freezing water. I swam to the jetty. My new jeans clung to me and my jumper revealed my now erect nipples. My hair was like rat’s tails hanging down my mascara-smeared face.

‘Nice nips,’ Will grinned as he brought the jet-bike to a halt. He got me a towel from the Jeep.

‘I’m sorry, Amy, I should have given you a lesson before we set off. I’ve got some clean clothes in the car. They’ll be a bit big but at least you’ll be dry. I’ll get the heater on to warm you up.’

I was shivering wildly. Will helped me pull my jumper over my head, revealing my new cream lacy bra from my ‘I’ve got a new boyfriend’ collection.

‘This will have to come off too,’ he smiled, undoing the clasp. ‘Wouldn’t want you getting a chill now, would we?’

He looked at me with a sparkle in his beautiful eyes and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to resist him. My heart was beating faster. I struggled out of my soaking wet jeans and panties and sat naked on the passenger seat. I looked around anxiously.

‘It’s OK, no one can see us. Now let’s warm you up.’

He reached for the towel and gently started to dry me, kissing me tenderly on each part of my body that he dried. I squirmed in my seat as he took his trousers off, revealing the familiar erection that I just knew I had to have inside of me. He pushed my seat back and we awkwardly swapped places.

‘Jump on, sexy, and let’s see what comes up,’ he grinned, and pulled a condom from his wallet. I straddled him on the seat and felt him entering me with ease.

‘God, I want you,’ I said breathlessly.

The exhilaration of being so cold against his warm body and the excitement of maybe being caught caused me to come within minutes. I urgently moved up and down with his body until the familiar moan of ecstasy growled from his lips. I felt at one with this gorgeous creature. I didn’t want to move from this lock of love. I pushed his now sweaty hair back from his forehead and looked at him intently.

‘I don’t love you, Will Wallingford.’

‘Eh?’ he answered, completely bewildered.

‘Because I am completely, one hundred percent IN love with you.’

He looked at me tenderly. ‘And me with you.’

Everything felt so right, so beautiful, and so meaningful. We sat in silence as we were for what seemed like ages just kissing and stroking each other until Will broke the silence with the words I’d wanted to hear for years.

‘Amy? If I asked you to marry me what would you say?’

Without any hesitation I replied. ‘I’d say yes,’ feeling my eyes well with tears.

He hugged me again. I then became animated.

‘But Will Wallingford, I would actually like an official proposal in somewhere more romantic than a steamed-up Jeep in a car park.’

‘Obviously! Your life from now on, Amy Jane, is going to be just one big rollercoaster of excitement and surprise!’

We got dressed. I looked hysterical in Will’s tracksuit that swamped me. Despite this we headed to the club-house for a drink. I was oblivious to the sceptical glances of the wake-board dudes playing pool in the corner.

‘Seriously, I meant what I just said, Amy. I let you go once and I’m not letting you go again. You were my first love and I’m damn sure I’m going to make you my last.’

I looked at him from under my lashes. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me. ‘Realistically though, I’ve got to sort out the selling of my house first before I

can make real plans with you.’

‘I totally understand that. You’ve got loads to sort out but I’m not going anywhere, you hear me.’ I poked him in the ribs. ‘God, you are a bad influence on me.’

‘You didn’t seem to need much encouragement,’ he grinned.

He dropped me back home later that afternoon. ‘I’ve had a great day.’ I said fondly.

‘Why don’t you come back later for dinner?’

‘Yum, Amy Anderson on toast, sounds good. Seriously, I’d really love to, babe, but we’ve got a corporate group in tonight – don’t think I’ll be able to get away. I’ll call you later though, promise.’

I got in and held my knees to my chest on the sofa. I was so happy. Everything I had ever dreamed of was happening to me. My phone beeped.
U R 1 RARE BIRD AND I LOVE YOU.
‘Bless that boy!’ I said out loud.

– Thirty Eight –

Pisces:
Big waves in your pond today will disrupt your path to happiness.

My relationship with Will was certainly the rollercoaster he had predicted. It was a nightmare to pin him down but when I did, the passion and intensity between us was so great it made up for all his misdemeanours. It took just one smile and one look with those eyes of his and I forgave him straight away. Bottom line his work and lake were very important to him. Being text-book Sagittarius the only thing he wanted to be smothered with was freedom.

I tried my best to accommodate to this trait but on this particular night I suddenly saw red. How dare he let me down last minute on a Saturday night yet again! As much as I loved him, I couldn’t be treated like this any longer.

I phoned Liv. ‘Hello, it’s me. What are you up to?’

‘Surprisingly I’m having a night in with a bottle of vino and Robbie Williams. Thought you were with Lover Boy, anyway?’

‘The bastard’s let me down again. Some pathetic excuse that a friend of his is having marital problems and he’s got to go and see him, as he’s worried he might do something stupid. I don’t believe him.’

‘If he is telling the truth, which I’m sure he is, it’s quite sweet that he cares so much about his friends.’

‘Liv, I would really like to believe he’s telling the truth but I’m suspicious. I think he’s seeing someone else. I’ve actually thought it for a while but I didn’t want to shatter my dream of living happily ever after and I didn’t want all of you to think that I had got myself into yet another stupid mess.’

‘Oh Amy, don’t be silly. He’s so obviously in love with you – he tells you every minute.’

‘Call it Piscean intuition, but something doesn’t read right here. He doesn’t always call when he says he will. He has never stayed over for a whole night, his phone is often switched off, and I’ve never been invited to his flat. What other explanation is there? He’s got to be seeing someone else.’

‘I guess when you put it like that, it doesn’t sound good. However, when he is so obviously in love with you, why on earth would he be seeing somebody else as well?’

She could, however, tell how distressed I was. There was a pause and I could hear her mind ticking over. ‘All right then, Minger, a plan of action is required. I could do with a bit of excitement with Jack not being here anyway.’

‘Liv,’ I said, infuriated, ‘this is my life we are discussing here.’

‘I know, babe, sorry. Right, what time is he finishing work tonight?’

‘He said seven.’

‘OK, let me sling some jeans on and I’ll be right over. We can’t go anywhere in your car.’

‘What do you mean, go anywhere?’

‘Olivia Irving, Sex Goddess and Private Investigator at your service. We are going to follow him is what I mean.’

Half an hour later, a tooting came from the road outside my house. Liv was sitting in her car wearing a baseball cap.

‘Get a hat on, Ames, we can’t afford to be recognised,’ she shouted from the car window. ‘Now hurry up and hop in – we don’t want to miss him.’

I had both a feeling of fear and excitement as we set off towards WW Go-Karts. The only hat I could find was a cream woolly one with a pink bobble. I looked ridiculous.

Will had never seen Liv’s dark blue BMW before; in fact he hadn’t even met Liv yet, so he wouldn’t have a clue who she was even if he spotted the car or her. The plan was to wait down the side road opposite the warehouse that stored the karts and as soon as he pulled out we would follow him.

Liv kept the engine running so we would keep warm on this chilly night but turned the lights off.

‘I’ve just had a thought,’ I whispered.

‘Why are you whispering?’ Liv whispered back and we both started hysterically laughing.

‘Oh God, I need to pee now.’ I was trying to contain my laughter.

‘You’ll have to have a rural – be quick, it’s ten to seven.’

‘I can’t pee outside,’ I said indignantly.

Knowing that I’d have to or I’d wet myself, I crept round the back of the car and crouched down. Thinking that it was a No Through road I was horrified when a car suddenly screeched round the corner. It was a battered old Fiesta full of lads anticipating their Saturday night out. As the headlights picked me out, squatting and in midflow as it were, they beeped the horn and one of them hang out of the window and shouted at the top of his voice. ‘Nice beaver!’

I was mortified. Not only had I just revealed all to this group of lads, but we were trying to keep a low profile and all this noise might have drawn attention to us.

I got back in the car, looked at Liv and straightened my hat.

‘Don’t ever think of joining the SAS, will you?’ she grinned. ‘Now what was that thought you had before you so rudely peed all over my back wheel?’

‘Oh yeah, I know. He could be in any one of his cars, so keep ’em peeled Agent Irving.’

‘Peeled and ready, Agent Anderson.’

‘Oh my God!’ I shrieked, my hat bobble hitting the roof. ‘There he is – quick, quick.’ I knew he’d have the bloody Aston Martin, we’ll never keep up.’

‘Calm down Amy, it’ll be fine. God, he drives like a madman!’

Somehow we managed to keep up with him.

‘My poor tyres!’ Liv exclaimed as we screeched around the fifth bend at breakneck speed.

‘He’s pulling in, he’s pulling in, Liv! Go round him – we can’t follow him in there.’

Will had turned into seedy looking pub car park. There seemed to be loads of vans parked outside. We waited five minutes and then pulled into the car park ourselves.

‘The Dog and Duck – nice place,’ Liv exclaimed sarcastically.

‘If he is with someone else he’s not exactly showing her the high life, is he?’

I actually felt quite sick now. I wanted to know what Will was up to, but I was scared of finding out the truth.

‘What now?’ I asked subdued.

‘I tell you what, Ames, rather than sneak round on all fours to look in the windows, why don’t you just call him? We know exactly where he is, so if it’s a blatant lie we know we’re on to something.’

Will’s mobile, as usual, rang for ages. I was about to hang up when he answered. I could hear the familiar sound of clinking drinks and pub chatter in the background.

‘Hi babes, you all right?’

‘Fine, thanks. Just phoned to say I hope that it’s not too stressful being an agony aunt this evening.’

He laughed. ‘Just arrived at the pub that Jake wanted us to meet at. Never been here before, but it’s a real minging place, The Dog and Duck, near Gateley. Do you know it?’

‘Thankfully not,’ I laughed.

‘Anyway, sorry again for letting you down. I can see him at the bar so better go. Love you, babe.’

‘Right back at you, babe.’ I turned to Liv. ‘He’s only just told me he’s here.’ I had a huge grin all over my face.

‘Told you you were mad,’ Liv replied. ‘There’s no way he’d tell you one of his meeting-places if he was up to something, you know that?’

‘Yeah, yeah OK.’ I can’t believe I doubted him. ‘God, I need a drink!’ I exclaimed.

‘I’m actually starving and that Indian restaurant across the street has our names on the menu. Fancy it, Ames?’

‘What if he spots us?’

‘Amy, he’s a man, drinking with a mate. Even if they do decide to go for a ruby it won’t be ’til closing time and we’ll be long gone by then.’

The only free table for two was in the window. I kept gawping over to the pub to see if I could catch a glimpse of Will but it was too dark and dreary to make anybody out. Liv and I spent the entire meal discussing my pending wedding even though he hadn’t even officially proposed yet.

‘I’m too old to be your bridesmaid,’ she told me.

‘I don’t want your tits upstaging me anyway,’ I replied. I finally came to the decision that I would have Brad and Sam as ushers and all of the girls would be at my beck and call for bride-type assistance.

Just as we were getting the bill I looked over at the pub car park opposite. ‘Liv, that’s him!’ I put the menu up over my face and started to do a running commentary in my shock of seeing him. ‘He’s talking to a man, must be his mate. Looks like he’s saying goodbye. He is – look, his mate is getting into one of those vans. Liv, it’s only nine p.m. He must be going on somewhere else.’

‘Amy, will you stop this.’

‘Oh please let’s just see where he goes now.’

‘He’ll most likely phone you and go round to yours.’ She could see the pleading look on my face. ‘I think you’ve gone slightly mad, but OK. I can actually seeing me changing my vocation after this – I’m quite enjoying being a private eye.’

We ran to the car and set off in the same direction as Will. Jake had gone the other way so they obviously weren’t meeting up again.

‘Shall I call him again?’ I asked.

Liv turned to me and gave me one of her special looks. ‘No way. He told you where he was and he said he loved you. He will think you are stalking him if you call again, and that would frighten any man off. He’ll probably get in touch in a minute anyway. If he doesn’t,’ she continued, ‘and he does go home, don’t be mad at him as he is probably knackered. He’s worked a twelve-hour day and he’s doing it again tomorrow, didn’t you say?’

‘OK, OK,’ I replied. ‘But surely if he loved me he’d come straight to me.’

‘Ames, will you stop this paranoia. Now shut up and let me concentrate on my hand-brake turns.’ ‘Where did you say he lived again?’ she enquired.

‘In theory he should turn right at the next roundabout.’

Will took a left.

‘Told you,’ Liv said smugly. ‘He’s heading straight for yours.’

‘Shit, shit, what are we going to do now then? I said I was staying in.’

‘Amy, you’re a free bloody agent. You can say you decided to go out with me as I was at a loose end. Now will you stop being such a Minger.’

‘Stay back Liv, he’ll have to turn here, when he slows at the junction he’ll see us.’

However, instead of turning left towards Reading he carried straight on.

Liv grimaced. ‘Oh dear.’

‘Stay behind him,’ I urged. A feeling of fear went right through me. ‘You know where he’s heading now, don’t you?’ I said quietly. ‘The village where the house he owns is.’

‘Amy, don’t be stupid. Why on earth would he be going there – especially on a Saturday night?’

Just as she said that, Will looked in his mirror. I ducked down, nearly knocking myself out on the dashboard. ‘Fuck, fuck – he’s seen us.’

He hadn’t seen us, he had just been checking his face in the mirror.

‘Vain bloody bastard!’ I exclaimed.

‘Do you know the address?’ Liv asked.

‘No, but I know it’s an old converted barn.’

‘Wow, what a house,’ Liv drooled.

‘Shut up, Liv. Go past, go past – quick – then turn round. I want to see if we can see in there.’

We turned the lights off and parked down the road. I pulled my collar up and bobble hat down and sneaked to the end of the dark drive. A security light came on and I quickly jumped back. As Will was approaching the front door, it opened. A tall blonde girl was standing there smiling.

I ran back to the car, a tide of anger surging through me.

‘The complete fucking bastard. I knew it! How dare he say he loves me? How dare he say he wants to marry me? He’s been shagging her all along. He’s completely lied to me. What a wanker.’

I then started to sob uncontrollably. Liv put her arms round me to try and calm me down but I immediately started ranting again.

‘That is it! I’m fucking going in there. I’m going to let that stupid bitch know exactly what her lovely boyfriend has been up to.’

I went to open the door but Liv stopped me.

‘Don’t you dare,’ she said forcibly. ‘Ames, this is so shit, I know, but please don’t make yourself look a fool. We need to think carefully how we are going to deal with this and it really isn’t that poor girl’s fault. She doesn’t even know what he’s been up to.’

‘Think fucking carefully?’ I repeated disbelievingly.

‘He’s a lying, cheating shit and he deserves to be hurt the way he’s hurt me.’

Liv was quite shocked. She had never seen me this angry before, or heard me swear quite as much. In fact, I was quite shocked myself. James Crook was the only other man in my life who had made me feel like this. I realised then that I must be completely in love with Will Wallingford, as only such a real passion could evoke such a reaction of pure hatred.

‘Liv, get me away from here, please.’

‘Do you want to come back to mine, babe?’ she soothed.

‘No, I don’t,’ I said indignantly. ‘If you don’t mind, can you take me to his Go Kart track? I know exactly what I’m going to do.’

Liv dutifully turned the car around. ‘Amy, just calm down, will you. As I’ve always said revenge is a dish best served cold and all that. You might regret whatever it is you are thinking of doing in the morning.’

I scrabbled about in my handbag, like a woman possessed. ‘Perfect, I’ve got three.’ I hissed.