Page 32 of Cuts Like An Angel: Part 3

As if sensing she wanted to enjoy the view, William rode slower so she could sit herself up and look around. If they ever moved, this was where she wanted to live, a little home in the middle of nowhere. Just her and him.

“Oh, God,” she squealed when William turned the bike onto a steep incline, and she felt gravity fight with her and try to pull her back. She clutched onto William, fisting bits of his clothing to hold herself in place. It was almost a relief when he took a turn through a gated area and the ground evened out again.

“Sorry,” he laughed, when he’d stopped the bike and pulled off his helmet. “You okay?”

Rosie was still clinging to him. Her skin still vibrating with the feel of the road that had been under them. But mostly, the feel of that damn hill they’d just gone along.

“I’m alive,” Rosie said.

“You can let go now. We’re stopped.” He wedged the bike between his legs, holding it still without kicking on the stand. Several seconds of silence passed them as she let herself absorb into the place and sat back.

“Wow,” she said, removing her own helmet a few seconds later. “This place …”

“Great, isn’t it? We can’t see it all today. It’s a big hike, but sometime in the summer, or …”

“Summer, yes. When it has warmed up.”

“William … William Carter …”

Both Rosie and William turned at the sudden mention of William’s name.

“Shit. I thought it was you.” A man got out of his car. “Fucking hell, I haven’t seen you in forever. I thought you were dead. How the devil are you?”

Absently, William helped Rosie down off the bike, and then he walked from her and went over to this strange man, leaving her alone, standing behind them. The man held his hand out to William and as William took it, Rosie watched with horror as her William was forced into an embrace she knew without a doubt he’d be hating. She tensed, waiting for him to fling himself out of it and ask this strange man what the hell he was doing. Hell, she wanted to know herself.

“Mark Hampson,” William said as he pulled back. “My god, how many years has it been?”

“Way too long.” He sniffed the air and looked around. “I love it up here. I see nothing changes with you either. Still coming up here?” he nodded towards Rosie. “Still bringing the ladies?” He winked towards her, but it was nothing like the one William would give her, and it made this place suddenly seem soiled.

He’d brought women here? Other women, before her? She wasn’t one to care about such things, but for whatever reason, this time she did. She felt her cheeks heat with the idea that she was another woman being brought here.

“This is Rosie. Rosie, this is Mark. He and I went to school together.”

Rosie nodded, stepped forward and held her hand out to the strange man. “Pleased to meet you.”

Mark didn’t shake her hand, though. Instead, he bowed his head and kissed her knuckles. “American? Nice. I spent a year or so in New York. Crazy place.”

“I-I’ve never been to New York,” she stammered out like a blithering idiot and her face heated again, but this time it was through shame. However, William stole him away before Rosie could embarrass herself any more.

“What are you doing back here? I thought you were the big city boy now?”

“The old man’s sick. He needed my help, and since my mother … Well, someone’s got to do it.”

“Really? I’m sorry to hear that.”

Mark shrugged. “It’s nothing serious. Just gone and busted his leg. Silly old fool fell off the shed roof trying to get the television aerial working. And you can’t tell him it doesn’t work because they switched the analogue signal off. Nope. Convinced it’s all some story to make the world go digital and then get hacked and have our souls stolen through the computers.” When Mark raised his hand, the white band on his wedding finger was noticeable. It didn’t help that Mark was tanned and toned. The ring had obviously been in place for some time and gone recently.

“Ah shit. I’m sorry.”

Another wave of Mark’s hand. “It’s fine. Life, right? Shit happens and all that. We deal with it,” he laughed. “Course, if you’d asked me that a month ago, I might have smacked you for it. It was almost nice when my dad called and asked if I was busy. I mean, if you can’t come and help your parents once in a while, what can you do?”

Help your parents. The thought made Rosie want to laugh. She’d help William’s parent, right out the window she’d help her. But she kept that to herself. First impressions and all that.

Mark’s mobile rang just then, sending a loud shrill of some pop song Rosie couldn’t identify out into the otherwise quiet air. He pulled the phone out, waved a hand at them to signal them to wait a minute, and turned his back. And, like they were synchronised up together, William’s phone echoed its own awful tune, signifying Maria was calling.

“Already?” Rosie kept her voice low so Mark couldn’t hear her. Maybe Mark knew about William’s mother, but maybe he didn’t. If Mark was William’s friend, though, it would be hard not to know what Maria was like. Maybe he had known Maria when she was at her peak working years.

“That’s the third time. Didn’t you feel it when we were riding?” William asked.

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