Page 8 of Chasing Storm
“I know, sorry,” I murmur, hurrying over and placing my coffee on the counter. “Got waylaid by two arseholes who can’t handle their booze and lack of sleep.”
She snorts and rolls her eyes. “Lucky you. Everything okay, though?”
“Yeah, fine.” I sigh. Elle is my best friend outside the two hungover knobs I live with. I tell her everything, so this decision is something that I should probably mention to her. “Just got stuff on my mind about Charity.”
She frowns. “Charity? What about her? JP isn’t going to make a play, is he? No offence, but she’s not really his style… Like, she has standards.” She chews her lip, not wanting to betray her friend if it turns out my best friend did want to be with her, and she got in the way of that. As much as I love Elle, I haven’t revealed our plan to her yet. I’m not sure how she would feel about it. It’s unconventional to think about sharing a woman with your two best mates, but it’s not in a demeaning, sexual way. It’s thrilling and the idea of having someone, the same someone, we can all be close to is a feeling that gives me goosebumps every time I think about it.
I smile and let her off the hook. “No. Not Charity, but someone, you know? All of us are getting to that stage in life, I guess.”
She nods knowingly, relieved she didn’t step in it. “You getting broody there, tiger?” She punches me on the arm. She hits like a pro boxer.
“Oww,” I mutter, rubbing my arm, which is going numb. “You know me, I brood.”
“This is different! This is exciting!” She claps her hand in glee.”Maybeyouand Charity? You would be a great match…”
“Nope and don’t get your hopes up. It’s a dawning realisation, not an immediate event.” Trying to convince the two Lotharios will be virtually impossible. I think JP only listened to me earlier to shut me up. I’m not bitter. I know my friends. And that’s why I brought this upnowwhen it’s a mere, passing thought, and not an immediate need that has to be dealt with. I’m giving them time to get used to the idea, time to realise that we do need to start thinking about this. Advanced notice with big decisions is always the best way. I learned this a long time ago when I first started hanging out with them. They’ve been tight since school, but I met JP about seven years ago on a night out, and we hit it off. Two years later, he asked me to move in with him and Thatcher, and I readily accepted. We have bonded over the years and we are now a tight-knit group. My quieter side nicely offsets JP’s pep. Or my brooding, as everyone loves to point out.
Elle snickers. “They’re lucky to have you guide them, you know.”
“Thanks.”
Further conversation is put on hold as we are inundated with customers, so we focus our attention, and soon, I’m lost in the world I adore, brief thoughts of the cherry girl flitting in and out, making me smile and determined to track her down, so I at least know her name. I’m not as easy as the other two to impress. They’ll go after anything with a pussy and a pulse. I’m more choosy, although I do get tarred with the same brush as them, to my ire. I enjoy the company of women, and they’re a necessity sometimes. Not thatIhave to have sex every day, but I become overly horny if I don’t get some now and again. Not that I have sex as much as they do, but I do try to plan in advance and find someone I can go have fun with and it being an experience we both enjoy, but know that a future probably isn’t in the cards, so I never go back twice. Having as many dalliances as JP and Thatch do, doesn’t sit right with me. Not that I’m judging, you totally do you. It’s just not for me.
So this is probably where my reputation takes a hit, but in all honesty, I try to have the best intentions, and I’ve never had anyone complain or expect more. It’s just what people see from the outside, so I try not to let it get to me.
But Cherry—for lack of a better name, isn’t just someone I want to have sex with. That’s how I know she’s different. Special.
And complicated.
7
STORM
As I slowly make my way back to the flat, I decide there is only one way to confront this, and that is head-on. Yes, my mother and father will say I told you so and demand that I leave the job immediately, but that’s none of their concern. I have bills and rent to pay, plus I actually do like it there. Well, I did. Angela has moved the goalposts, and now I’m not so sure. Still, the fact remains that jobs don’t grow on trees, and I need a certain level of salary to be able to afford the rent on my flat, never mind everything else. I have to stay, which means I have to do this.
Pushing open the door to my building, I take the stairs up to the first floor and open the front door. I kick off my shoes and strip off the cardigan. Pulling on the laces of the top to loosen them, I whip it off, along with my skirt and curse myself for wearing white. I go the opposite way, which also sort of fits my mood now and choose a pair of black pants, a vest top and a black cardigan over the top. I slip into a pair of black ballet flats, wondering how things would’ve played out if I’d left the house dressed this way earlier. I might not have tripped over a Cockapoo and lumbered myself with a double dry cleaning bill. Speaking of, there is one on the way to my parent’s practice, so I gather up the stained clothes and then scoop my phone out of my bag to ring my mum.
She answers after two rings.
“Everything okay?”
“Yes, don’t panic. Are you free, though? I need to ask you something.”
“You can never be too careful, living on your own. You really should move back in with Daddy and me.”
“Nope. Are you free?”
I love her, but I’m not going back there to live off their money. I’m sure a lot of people would, but not me.
She sighs and gives up. “I’m just about to go into a consult, but I’ll be free in about half an hour.”
“Okay, it’ll take me that long to get there.”
“See you in a bit. You sure everything is okay?”
“Yep.”
We hang up, and with grim determination, I head back the way I came but turn left instead of right and walk in the opposite direction to Robb & Robb. I could catch a bus there, but I need the fresh air and time to kill. My ankle feels fine in my flats, so I breathe and try to enjoy the walk.
