Page 115 of You Float My Boat

‘Hi girls, sorry I’m late.’

‘You’re not late, we’re planning to be here all night so you arrived just in time,’ grinned Stella, standing up to wrap Cece in a hug. ‘You want some wine?’

‘God, yes,’ she replied, ‘today’s been so tedious. Linus is quickly becoming the bane of my life.’

‘Oh dear, is this going to be the one and only Rockwell/Carruthers production?’ I patted a space on the booth and held my arm out. ‘Come on, sit down and tell us all the gossip.’

It was as Cecily dropped her backpack on the spare chair and moved to take a seat next to me that a group of girls walked past, the last one passing so quickly she knocked Cecily with her shoulder. Letting out a shriek, Cecily was shoved forward and would have face planted into the booth if Stella hadn’t caught hold of her arm.

It was possible the girl hadn’t noticed Cece, given she was small enough to fit in my pocket, but she’d have definitely felt the force of the impact. Yet she had not bothered to stop and apologize.

‘Are you okay?’

Cecily composed herself far quicker than I would have done and nodded. All three of us tracked the route the girl had taken, trying to figure out what sortof person bodychecks into someone like she was in the middle of a rugby match and walks off.

The glossy black hair was unmistakeable.

Stella turned back to me, her eyes wide.

‘Where did she come from? Shit, was she sitting next to us?’ she whispered, though it was probably still loud enough for Evie to hear. ‘Did you see her sit down?’

I shook my head. ‘No, did you?’

‘No.’

‘Golly, what’s her problem?’ Cecily rubbed her shoulder where Evie had knocked her. ‘She looks like someone murdered her cat.’

‘She always looks like that,’ Stella and I replied in unison, which had Stella grinning wide, while I was trying to ignore the nervous knots going around in my tummy.

‘Do you know her? Who is she?’

‘Charlie’s ex-girlfriend.’

Cecily’s mouth dropped open. ‘And he dumped her for you?’

I scoffed, pulling my gaze away from the direction Evie had gone and focusing back on Cecily. ‘God no. They broke up years ago, she’s been in a relationship since then, she just seems to think she has a claim on him.’

‘You know, I’m beginning to understand why Charlie wanted you to help him in the first place. She’s actually quite scary.’

‘I know. Wonder when she’ll get the hint.’

Cecily leaned back in her chair and watched as Eviefinally stalked out of the pub. ‘Doesn’t appear to be any time soon.’

I glanced back down at the Scrabble board where Stella had rearranged the letters to spell out UNDERSTATEMENT.

‘Sixteen points,’ she smirked, picking up her glass of wine.

20. Charlie:

(Real v crocodile = angry Charlie)

Charlie:

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