Watching Over You (14 page)

‘Time for a cuppa, I think,’ she said to the cat sitting in the window.

Once tea was made, glancing into Ella’s window as she settled down again, Jean was pleased to see her upstairs. She didn’t like it when she went downstairs to Charley’s flat. It wasn’t right that Ella stole in when she wasn’t there, snooping through her belongings.

She peered closer. What on earth was the stupid girl up to now? She’d slipped off her dressing gown and was naked again – dancing, swaying an arm around and over her body. Her hands touched her breasts and then moved lower over her stomach, down further. Oh, my, it looked like she was going to…no! Jean wouldn’t watch, thank you very much.

‘Close your eyes, Tom. You’re too innocent for that.’

When Charley arrived back over an hour later, Ella stood by the side of her window. Dressed in her gown, she held high a glass half full of Charley’s wine, raising a toast to her as she climbed the steps to the door. Charley had indeed been to the shop – she was carrying a small carrier bag. It didn’t look too heavy; probably a few essentials needed to get her through the day. Ella guessed she must have been somewhere else too because it didn’t take that long to walk around the aisles.

She smiled widely, already imagining her jumping with fright at the sight of Dan’s photo moving all on its own. She sipped the wine – Charley had good taste. It was a lovely blend.

Any second now, Charley would go into the living room and be spooked! She laughed; she couldn’t help herself.
Spooked
was such a silly word.

She prayed that Charley would realise the cube had moved. It was only a slight trick, but she would, wouldn’t she? And maybe before Ella visited the flat again, she could think of something else to do that would spook her, make Charley come running to her for comfort. It would be easy to wreck her life if she didn’t play ball.

Charley let herself into the flat and closed the door quietly behind her. Even a walk in the fresh air hadn’t help to ease the throbbing in her head. But she’d just received a text message from Aaron that had her all of a giggle.

She went through to the living room, her heart leaping into her throat when she saw the photo-cube of Dan on the end of the sideboard. She must have caught it on her way out of the room this morning, although she couldn’t recall knocking it.

She picked it up, smiling half-heartedly, and wondered if Dan would approve of Aaron. He was…No, she wouldn’t think of the similarities. She didn’t need to compare; it wouldn’t be fair.

It had been strange to wake up with Aaron that morning but it had certainly broken the ice. She’d felt so warm when they’d kissed and it had been good to be in someone’s arms again after so long. To be with a man, feel his need, feel her arousal. Emotions she’d long ago locked away and buried had surfaced in seconds, and it excited her.

It scared her too.

Was she ready to be with someone new? Only time would tell.

Without another thought, she put Dan’s photo-cube back in its original place.

Chapter Fifteen

At work the next morning, Charley was at her desk, Lynne at hers, when she spotted Aaron walking through the office. He winked at her as he went past. She grinned like a happy
five-year-ol
d, praying he would keep discreet about their rendezvous. She wasn’t going to tell anyone yet. But her reddening skin gave h
er away.

‘You okay?’ Lynne asked. ‘You look a little flushed. Not coming down with anything, are you?

Finding that she couldn’t contain her thoughts, she nodded her head in Aaron’s direction. ‘We had a thing on Saturday evening,’ she said.

Lynne gasped. ‘You had a
thing!
That’s fantastic news. Although about bloody time, if you ask me. He’s been laying it on so thick that everyone knows how much he fancies you. He adores you and worships the ground –’

‘I wouldn’t go that far,’ Charley broke in. ‘And
fancies
? That’s such a teenage word.’

‘But it’s true! You don’t see what I do. I’m so glad you got together. Are you seeing him again? Please tell me you are.’

Charley smiled. ‘I am.’

‘And what about the whole working together thing?’

‘We’re only going out for a pizza.’

‘I know but a-one-a-pizza-leads-a-to-another.’ Lynne’s phoney Italian accent had Charley practically spitting out her coffee.

‘Very funny.’

‘I suppose the only thing I really want to know is,’ she leaned forward for more privacy, ‘is he good in the sack?’

‘I can tell you, but I would have to kill you.’ Charley smirked. She knew that Lynne would be after the gossip straightaway so she would enjoy holding back from her. And she’d have to let people think otherwise rather than tell them the truth. Stripping off and then passing out – she was never going to admit to that!

‘At least that explains your chin.’ Lynne pointed an accusatory finger at her. ‘Stubble rash!’

Charley’s fingers touched the spot where her skin felt raw. She’d tried her best to conceal the redness with foundation that morning. But she grinned at the memories it brought to mind.

‘I haven’t had a proper snog like that in a good while,’ she admitted.

‘Tell me about it,’ Lynne piped up. ‘I don’t miss a man for some things but for others…’

‘So have you never since Derek?’

‘No.’ Lynne sighed. ‘I’m not sure I’d trust a man again after what happened. I feel much safer on my own. Sad, but it’s the way it has to be. But, you,’ she pointed at Charley again, ‘you, my dear, deserve a little happiness. You’re far too young to be on your own forever. I have twenty years on you.’

‘Oh, no, he’s coming over with Gavin,’ Charley whispered. She bobbed her head down behind the computer screen, feeling the heat building up on her cheeks again.

Lynne twirled round in her chair with a crafty smile. ‘Morning, guys. Did you have a good weekend?’

‘Yes, ta, Lynne,’ said Aaron.

‘Me too – or at least I think I did, from what I can remember.’ Gavin screwed up his face. ‘I don’t think I’ve slept since Friday.’

‘Sounds like someone else not so far from me.’ As Charley glared at her, Lynne turned her attention back to Aaron. ‘Get up to much, did you? Anything new and exciting?’

‘No – pub with the lads on Saturday and football on Sunday.’

‘And did you score?’

‘Oh, I scored,’ Aaron nodded. ‘But it was a bit of a home goal. I’m hoping to get a better shot at it next time, though.’ He grinned at Charley. ‘Did you have a good weekend? Fun in Hanley?’

‘I did.’ She felt her cheeks burning up again and cursed inwardly.

‘Did you score a home goal this weekend too?’ Lynne asked with mock innocence.

Gavin turned with a frown. ‘Have I missed something?’

‘She was definitely playing away.’ Aaron threw his head back and laughed. Charley felt her eyes immediately drawn to the neck of his shirt where a few dark hairs curled up sexily on display. She remembered seeing them on his chest yesterday morning, running a hand over them as they had snuggled up together. She wondered when she would see them again, if…

She jumped as he waved a hand in front of her face.

‘Dreaming of someone wonderful?’

‘I – I…’ She picked up her mug, which was still full of the drink she’d made only fifteen minutes ago. ‘Coffee, anyone?’

Ella lay alone in her bed, not wanting to get up to face the day. Her fingertips trailed across her chest and up and down her stomach, sending aches through her body. Even though she’d gone out for sex the night before, she couldn’t stop thinking about Charley: the way she held her head when she laughed; her bare shoulders as they’d sat close when they were chatting in The Exchange; the way she’d tried to encourage her to look at the positive in everything. She was playing hard to get, Ella was sure.

Last week she’d imagined them going out again this evening or, at least, sharing a bottle of wine and having a giggle. Like friends do – everything together. But that had all stopped because of Aaron. She wondered if Charley had even thought about her t
he n
ight before, or had all her feelings been about him? Damn the man for getting under her skin. She hoped it would all fizzle out after a couple of dates.

The photograph thing mustn’t have worked either. Had the cube stayed balanced on the edge or had it toppled over before she’d got back? Ella had hoped it would upset Charley enough for her to come knocking, distressed by memories and feeling unfaithful towards Dan. But there had been nothing, so at eight thirty she’d gone out. It hadn’t been spectacular but at least she’d satisfied the urge – just like old times.

She stretched. What on earth was she going to do with her day? Ah, yes, Google time. With a purpose now, she jumped out of bed. Then she paused – where the hell would the file be? She glanced around the chaos of the room before spotting a yellow cardboard folder on her desk, in the middle of a pile of newspapers. She pushed it all to the floor and flicked through its contents. Then her hand fell on the rent agreement.

She located her laptop and logged onto the internet, clicking first on Google Street Maps. Within moments, she was looking at the house Charley had shared with Dan. It was nothing special in size, one of several detached properties in a line, but it was a home to be proud of. All fresh paint and weed-free block paving on the driveway, with room for two cars. The front door was painted a welcoming pillar-box red, the garden neat and tidy. It had certainly had some love and attention given to it.

But the one thing that stood out to Ella was that it looked homely and inviting. Her eyes brimmed with tears. Why couldn’t she have had that? She knew she might have settled if she had.

Like hell you would. You’re a waste of space.

‘How would
you
know?’ Ella wiped at her tears and clicked on print. She’d keep the photo to look at. One day she would have a home like that.

Yeah, IF you can ever act like a normal human being.

‘I am normal!’

Not if you stop taking those tablets.

Tuesday evening came round before Charley knew it. Absent-mindedly, she wrung her hands as she glanced up and down the avenue, waiting to spot Aaron’s car. Her mind was obsessing over whether it was better to go straight out to greet him or for him to call in for her. If she went out to him, he might think she didn’t want him inside her flat. If she invited him in, would he think she was offering more than she was willing to give yet? But then he had been really sincere on Saturday night. And despite the banter with Lynne and Gavin yesterday morning, Aaron hadn’t mentioned it to anyone else.

What should she do? It felt as if she hadn’t known him for years, as if he was someone she was meeting for the very first time. Should she go out or stay in? The question ate her up inside so much that she felt a little queasy. She rushed to the bathroom, holding onto the sink for support, praying that the nausea would pass.

She grinned at her reflection in the mirror, eyes all bright and shiny despite how she was feeling: better not tell Aaron that she was sick at the thought of seeing him again.

Her mobile phone beeped and she rushed to it, all of a panic again. Don’t say he was going to be late – or worse, call the whole thing off. She opened the message: it was from Ella.

‘Do you fancy meeting up tonight? I’ve made too much pasta this time.’

Charley sighed. It was the second night in a row she’d had a message like that. Last night, she’d genuinely been tired after the weekend’s events caught up with her so she’d had a long bath followed by an early night in bed with Ian Rankin – she’d found it hard to put down his latest book.

At the time, she’d sent a message back to decline but had received no reply. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to spend time with Ella, just that she didn’t want to be with her too much. They were only neighbours – it wouldn’t do to be too friendly. She decided not to text her now.

But a few minutes later, there was a knock at her front door. She frowned and went to answer it – had she missed Aaron’s arrival?

Ella stood in the hallway smiling at her, barefoot and wearing only a dressing gown. Charley noticed a bruise on her right knee before catching her eye.

‘I’ve ran out of sugar.’ Ella held up a cup. ‘Do you mind if I pinch a bit from you?’

‘Sorry,’ said Charley. ‘I don’t take sugar so I can’t help you there.’

‘You haven’t brought any in for visitors?’

‘No, sorry.’

A car horn peeped outside.

‘I suppose that’s Aaron?’ Ella snapped.

Charley frowned. What was with Ella’s sharp tone?

‘Yes,’ she told her, ignoring it for now. ‘We’re going out this evening. I’m a little bit nervous about it if I’m –’

Ella put up a hand and stopped her in mid sentence. ‘Yeah, I know. Off with him again. No time for me.’

Charley couldn’t ignore her hostility this time. ‘Ella, I think –’

‘Have fun.’

Ella was already halfway up the stairs when a knock came at the entrance door. Charley rushed to it.

‘Hi.’ Aaron smiled, looking as self-conscious as she felt.

‘Hi, yourself.’ She beamed and then blushed. Shocked by the juvenile feelings taking over her, she beckoned him in. Instantly, she forgot the weird conversation with Ella.

‘You look gorgeous.’ Aaron drew her into his arms and kissed her lightly on her mouth. ‘Mmm, you smell gorgeous too.’

‘Thanks.’

Charley cringed inwardly.
Thanks
– is that all she could come up with? She would have been better saying she ‘carried a watermelon’ like Baby in
Dirty Dancing
. All at once her skin burned up again. If she was blushing now, how was she going to get through the night?

From her window, Ella looked down as Aaron opened the car door for Charley; watched her slide into the passenger seat of the car, short skirt, legs on show but covered with opaque black tights, and heels. She scowled
–
Charley was all smiles and girlish flicks of her hair. A laugh came up through the open window to taunt her. It was just as well they were going out, though, as Michael would be here in forty minutes.