Page 30 of Captive Hearts
Thirteen
Ashley was fuming. She couldn’t believe she’d been so stupid as to share personal details with Gina. However, she did have to admit that Cheryl Cole thing was quite good. But to truly even the score, she was going to squeeze a few more details out of the situation, put some pressure on. ‘So this picture of Cheryl Cole? Was it on your phone?’
‘Laptop,’ Gina said.
‘Just a normal picture? I mean, was she dressed? Or in her underwear?’
‘Just normal,’ Gina told her.
‘Group shot with Girls Aloud or…’
‘She’d gone solo by this point. It was just her.’
‘Was she actually Cheryl Cole by then, or was she still Tweedy?’
‘I think maybe Cole.’
‘And how old were you again?’
‘Fourteen.’
Ashley nodded to herself. ‘I see.’
‘Can we stop talking about this now?’ Gina asked, looking a bit like she wished she’d never brought this up. Which was exactly how Ashley wanted her to feel.
‘Couple more questions,’ Ashley said. ‘I think I’d just like to know a bit more about your stepmother.’
Gina sighed. ‘Fine.’
‘Did you get on with her?’
‘How do you mean?’ Gina frowned.
‘I mean, did you like her?’
‘In what sense?’ Gina asked quickly.
Ashley allowed herself the smallest of smiles. ‘I just meant, was she nice? But now I’m starting to wonder…’
‘What?’
‘Was she maybe a little younger than your dad?’
Gina looked rather unhappy about this line of question. ‘A bit, yeah.’
‘And when did she marry your dad? How old were you?’
‘Twelve.’
‘Cusp of puberty,’ Ashley noted. ‘Did she by any chance…’ Ashley took a little pause, getting ready to drop the bomb. ‘Did she look abitlike Cheryl Cole?’ Ashley asked.
Gina’s mouth swung open. ‘What?! No! Not really.’
Ashley chuckled to herself. ‘She did, didn’t she? And then she caught you fiddling with yourself to a picture of, well, basicallyher. No wonder you never talked about it.’ Gina started sputtering a denial, but Ashley paid it no mind. ‘Last question. Do you think maybe part of youwantedto get caught by her?’
‘Right, that’senough,’ Gina said, annoyed. It was a new shade on her. The woman she’d met slouching in Bernie’s office was gone. She was straight-backed with anger. Ashley adored it.
‘Well, I think we could say we’re even now,’ Ashley said, satisfied.
