Page 45 of Chasing Storm
“Yeah.”
“Mixed tape!” he bellows, leaping off the bed.
“Way ahead of you…” I lean over to the bedside table and drag the old cassette out of the drawer. I had to ransack my parent’s attic for this and something to mix it and play it on. Luckily, my mum doesn’t chuck stuff out lightly.
“You were going to do this without us?” Thatcher asks, getting annoyed.
“No, I was going to tell you when it was ready. I don’t need you hounding me night and day. It’s not easy to get this shit together, you know.”
“This is good!” JP says, clearly not bothered about my secret gift. “This is really, really good.”
“Yeah, I know, so please don’t fuck it up. Keep your ex-girlfriends and psycho dads away from her until we can stand outside her window and play this for her to sweep her off her feet, RomCom style.”
“Yes, done and done,” JP says, punching Thatcher on the arm to agree. “This is going to be so good. But I have a better idea than playing it outside her window….”
Thatcher and I sit back and listen to JP’s idea, which, I have to admit, is pretty fucking fantastic. It can take everything else we know and have planned and roll it all into one, and she will be swept off her feet, no doubt.
We’ve got this.
28
STORM
I’m dithering.
I don’t know what to do about the situation with Sadie. Do I confront Angela and demand to know what’s going on, or do I leave it and see what happens?
I glare at the practice from a hundred feet away but then jump when a car slides up to the curb next to me. The window slides down silently to reveal David Robb.
“Everything okay, Storm?” he asks, his jovial face slightly concerned.
I always thought he was nice, but now I’m wondering if he’s the same as Angela: a snake.
“Uhm, yep,” I mutter.
“You sure?”
I nod.
“Okay, see you inside.” He slides the window back up and drives off, turning down a side road which leads to the parking at the back of the practice.
Inhaling deeply, on the look out for prowling stalkers, I put my head down and motor forward, stomping up the steps and shoving the door open.
My heart is hammering in my chest.
It leaps into my throat when I see Angela hovering.
“Oh, Storm,” she says. “Might I have a word?”
I nod and gulp, knowing this is it. Sadie is already here, gloating like a fuckhead. I give her a filthy look just to make myself feel better. She sneers and ducks her head as Angela passes by with me trailing after her. She pushes open the side door, and I follow her down the corridor to her office.
“Close the door, please,” Angela says, sitting on the edge of her desk.
I do as she asks and then sit in the chair she indicates with her glasses which she has removed, to peer at me closely.
“About yesterday,” I start, gathering my courage.
“Never mind that,” she says, waving her hand. “It was a bit unprofessional with a client waiting, but you made her day.” She smiles tightly.
