The Finest Line (13 page)

“We are fine thank you Mairead,”
Vanessa sat down next to James on the couch. “But please get
something for yourself. You have certainly earned it.”

Mairead became painfully
conscious of her messy hair, lack of make-up and sweaty body. There
was even a hint of body odour.

“I’ve been cleaning... oh and
dancing.” She tried to keep her eyes on Vanessa but a glance at
James made her extremely nervous. Had he come to complete a verbal
thrashing or worse in front of Vanessa?

“You have incredible talent
Mairead.” Vanessa seemed genuinely awed. “James has told me how
brilliant you are but until you see for yourself...”

“I’m really very sorry I used
your name the other night. It was a really thoughtless and horrible
thing to do and I apologise so much.” As the words blurted out the
tears quickly followed.

Vanessa was up immediately
taking Mairead’s hands in hers. “Mairead, you mustn’t believe for
one moment I was offended.” At eight inches taller, Vanessa bent
down to smile into Mairead’s face. “To have my name given to such a
magnificent performance is one of the greatest honours I’ve ever
had. Your apology is not accepted because you have nothing to be
sorry for.”

Putting an arm around Mairead,
she led her to the couch and gave James a kick to his shoe. “You go
on the other chair. Mairead is going to sit down with me.”

James complied and Mairead
reluctantly allowed herself to be held by the very woman she was
trying hard to hate. The smell of her industrious day drifted up to
her nose to seal her unease.

“I really should have a quick
shower and change my clothes.” She gently tried to release herself
from Vanessa’s attention and looked shyly at James. “Could I please
have five minutes?”

He smiled and nodded. “Let her
go and have a shower Vanessa.”

Vanessa sighed and smiled. “Of
course she can.” Her smile shifted to Mairead. “Call out if you
need anything.”

Mairead nodded and hurried away.
Call out if you need anything? Like what, Mairead thought crossly,
my back scrubbed, bigger tits, blonde hair? She managed to set a
new record for showering, dressing and tying her wet hair back in
less than five minutes, and allowing the lightest application of
make-up.

Her visitors were talking
quietly when she returned and was greeted by Vanessa’s smiling
face. They had exchanged seats and James was back on the couch.

He stood up. “Mairead, I really
should introduce you formally to Vanessa.”

She would have preferred that he
didn’t because the mere thought of hearing the words ‘my
girlfriend’ threatened to bring her undone.

He was looking at her when he
continued. “She is my closest ally and dearest friend, and can be
extremely irritating when she takes it upon herself to point out
what she sees as flaws in my character. She is also a very deviant
lesbian whom I would not leave alone with my female friends for two
minutes.”

Mairead’s mouth fell open as she
looked from James to the woman grinning in the armchair.

Vanessa scoffed as she got up.
“Utter nonsense. My attention and availability to women stems from
a deeply compassionate nature.” She smiled at Mairead. “I am very
pleased to have finally met you Mairead, and I want to hear more
about you but first James has something he would like to say.”

He didn’t look happy. “Would you
sit down with me please Mairead?”

She complied reluctantly. The
danger of being on a couch with James was certainly not lost on
her.

He spoke quietly. “Vanessa has
pointed out quite persistently that my treatment of you last night
was extremely harsh. After several hours’ reflection, I tend to
agree with her.”

Vanessa interpreted, “He means
that he realises he was a complete moron.”

“Shut up Vanessa,” James
growled.

Mairead had to stifle a grin at
their interaction.

James continued. “Once again
I’ve allowed my words to wound you and I am truly sorry. I am going
to endeavour not to make it a habit, if you will give me a chance
to make it up to you.”

Tears were stinging her eyes as
any answer failed her. All she could do was nod.

“If you are free tomorrow, I
would like us to spend the day together in a social capacity.

“Of for god’s sake James,”
Vanessa groaned. “Take the stick out your arse and ask her for a
date.”

James glared at her but a wisp
of a grin belied his anger. “I’ll take a stick to your arse in a
minute.”

Vanessa laughed. “I’d like to
see you try.”

James shook his head and turned
back to Mairead who was giggling at them.

“Mairead,” He tried again.
“Would you please do me the honour of going out with me
tomorrow?”

All she could do was nod.

CHAPTER TWELVE

“A lesbian!” Kylie launched from
the couch spilling red wine onto the carpet. Mairead giggled at the
shock in her face as she retrieved a cloth to sponge up the mess.
“Don’t worry about the carpet Mairead, and for the hundredth time,
the flat looks fucking amazing. Just tell me what happened.”

“When I’ve cleaned the carpet,”
Mairead dabbed at the spills whilst Kylie paced around her. She
took her time making sure the stain was removed before returning to
the couch.

Kylie dropped down next to her.
“I’m going to hurt you if you don’t tell me everything this very
minute.”

Mairead grinned. “Well finding
out Vanessa was into a little carpet cleaning her self was enough
of a shock...”

“That’s munching sweetheart but
go on.”

“The next shock was when James
apologised to me.” Mairead fell silent for a moment before she
could continue. “He told me that he was truly sorry and hoped...
that I would forgive him.”

Kylie took her hand and brushed
a tear away.

“He wants to take me out
tomorrow to make up for it.” Mairead employed her most innocent
face and voice. “I said I would have to check with you first in
case you had made plans.”

“Well, I just don’t know.” Kylie
sat back thoughtfully. “You did do a reasonable job of cleaning the
flat, but there is this patch of garden outside that really needs
some attention.”

Mairead leapt and straddled
Kylie’s lap clutching her shoulders and looking straight into her
face. “Oh my god Kylie, if you don’t let me go, I’m going to die
and you are going to be responsible for killing your best
friend.”

“Hell your lifestyle is going to
kill you long before I do Girlfriend.” Kylie grinned and embraced
her. “Go on your special date and I hope you get to fuck him
senseless.”

Mairead giggled. “Me too, I’m
over this virginity shit.” Her innocent face returned. “He gave me
his private cell phone number. Could I please use your phone?”

“You get to talk to him for five
minutes and not a second longer.” Kylie reached across and took her
phone from the coffee table. “The rest of this night is going to be
about me and movies and red wine. Understood?”

“Understood,” Mairead snatched
the phone and was off to make her call.

Her hands were trembling as she
punched in the number. There was the dial tone and then came his
simple ‘Yes?”

“It’s me.” Mairead said quietly.
“I’m free for tomorrow.”

“Is this your new phone
Mairead?”

“It’s Kylies. I don’t have a
phone.”

There was a moment’s silence
before James spoke again. “You should always have a phone on you.
Your father has been trying to reach you.”

Before he could scold her
further, she quickly asked, “Are we still going out tomorrow?”

“I will pick you up at nine,”
His tone was slightly softer. “Please be ready.”

“I will be.” Mairead waited for
him to say something more but after a few seconds silence she
quietly bid him goodnight.

“Goodnight Mairead.”

It certainly wasn’t the pre-date
chatter she had hoped for, but then again James was not the usual
type of date. It was too hard to gauge where she stood with him
still and she was thankful she had Kylie to divert her attention.
It was going to be a long night.

Kylie’s enthusiasm for Mairead’s
happiness was evident the next morning as she fussed over her,
taking charge over what to wear, straightening her hair and making
her sit down for breakfast.

“Get your mind off your twat and
onto your stomach or you will not be going the distance.”

Mairead feigned indignation. “My
mind is on no such thing and my stomach is just one big knot.” She
had laid awake half of the night reflecting. “What if he doesn’t
even want to fuck me? This might just be a purely innocent day
out.”

“With you, nothing is purely
innocent and if he doesn’t want to fuck you, then he’s gay and I
might have a crack at him myself.”

Mairead looked down at her
jeans. “Maybe I should wear my dress. He looked like he was going
to blow in his pants the last time I wore it.” Mairead giggled with
the memory. “Oh my god, I’m not on contraception. I won’t be able
to do anything.”

Kylie retrieved a small
overnight bag from the floor and placed it on the table. “They’ve
got this new invention, called condoms and I’ve put ten into this
bag, along with two changes of underwear, your favourite dress,
your brush, make-up and toothbrush.”

“Oh Kylie thank you,” Mairead
hugged Kylie and frowned, “But won’t that look a bit obvious?”

Kylie scoffed. “God knows the
man needs some kind of clue. You keep pitching but he keeps
missing.”

They waited outside sitting on
the front fence and right on nine o’clock a bronze Audi pulled up.
Mairead was perturbed to see Vanessa sitting in the front passenger
seat, but her mood lifted as James got out.

He was dressed casually but
somehow managed to make a white hooded top over faded jeans look
fantastic. His dark sunglasses were back along with a day’s facial
growth. This new look was as appealing as the tailored one.

“Damn,” Kylie whispered as he
approached.

James shifted his glasses to his
hair and grinned. “You’re looking really wonderful Kylie, if you
don’t mind accepting the opinion of a total arsehole.”

“Total was definitely not the
adjective I used.” Kylie laughed and gave James a hug. “Good to see
you James.”

James smiled at Mairead who was
trying miserably to be calm. “Are you ready to go?”

She managed to nod and got
nervous again as Kylie handed James the bag who showed no reaction.
“I thought I should bring a change... I didn’t know where we were
going... and I thought...

“First off we’re going to the
airport to drop Vanessa off.” James saved her. “She’s off to
Queenstown for a few days.”

“Talk about obvious,” Kylie said
under her breath and received an elbow in her ribs from
Mairead.

James opened the back door
whilst Mairead hugged Kylie goodbye and got in behind Vanessa. When
he had shut the door, Kylie called to James.

“How did you know where I
lived?”

The sunglasses were back in
place. “We went back into the club. Your friend Miranda was a
wealth of information.”

“I bet she was,” Kylie sighed
and watched the car pull away. She knew only too well that Miranda
had trouble keeping quiet. “Well Mairead, if you wanted him to know
how you feel about him, he certainly does now.”

Vanessa dominated the
conversation to the airport. “I’m going to go sky-diving and get
thrown off a bridge with a rope tied around my feet.”

“Bungy,” Mairead told her. “I
did the one from the cable car. It was incredible.”

“Not exactly what I had planned
but spontaneity is the spice of life and I’m quite looking forward
to it.”

Mairead felt terrible. “I’ve
interrupted your holiday haven’t I?”

Vanessa turned around and smiled
happily. “Sweetheart, you have been the highlight of my holiday,
and if the impossible ever happens and some big idiot of a man
doesn’t sweep you off your feet...”

The car suddenly lurched and
then righted. Vanessa looked at James. “Is there a problem?”

“Just a lunatic on the road,”
James shot a glare at her. “Maybe we should remain quiet now so I
can concentrate in this traffic.”

“As you wish,” Vanessa casually
pulled the visor down with its little mirror and used it to give
Mairead a grin and a wink. Mairead suppressed a giggle.

It was strangely sad saying
goodbye to her. In less than two days she had gone from despised
enemy to a formidable ally. Mairead left her window up to give them
privacy outside the car but watched through the tinted windows.

To strangers, they might have
looked like a gorgeous couple with his arms around her waist and
her arms locked about his neck but the kiss was short and sweet and
then she was gone.

James opened doors and Mairead
got in front, feeling very timid and nervous. She had ridden in a
car with him a thousand times before and yet this felt so very
different.

She glanced at him as he
navigated back into traffic. “So where are we off to?”

“Back to the city to buy you a
phone,” James told her quietly. “Mairead, where is your cell
phone?”

She smirked, “At the bottom of a
swimming pool on the Gold Coast.”

He gave her a critical glance.
“You should have a cell phone on you at all times. I’ve already
received several calls from your father wondering if I had seen you
here.”

Mairead slumped and pouted. Less
than five minutes alone with James and she was already being told
off.

“Daddy had no right to ring
you.”

“Your father is constantly
worried about you Mairead and not without good reason.” James
reached across to his own phone on the console and tossed it into
her lap. “Call him.”

She reluctantly made the call,
wondering where the nice apologetic James had disappeared to. Well
at least she wasn’t feeling nervous anymore. She knew this James
all too well.