Chapter 44
Chapter Forty-Four
Freya
“ O ne more round,” Heidi declared, lifting her hand in the air with her empty martini glass.
Gwen, Freya, Daisy, and Heidi huddled around a small table in the corner of The Anchor pub. Before anyone answered, Erica strolled back to the group with a grin.
“What’s got you happy?” Daisy asked, not caring about her hiccoughs, and swaying on her squat stool.
Erica looked at Freya and winked, then at the rest of them, laughing.
“Our escorts are on their way,” she said and flopped down on her red velvet covered squat stool.
“Thank fuck for that. I can’t feel my face,” Gwen muttered, pressing her fingers into her cheeks. “Or maybe I can’t feel my fingertips.”
Freya burst out laughing, then gave her a side hug, flinging her arm around Gwen’s shoulder.
“Get used to it, Gwenny. They’ll be more nights out like this. You’re a part of the group now.”
With little effort, Daisy draped her arm around Gwen’s shoulders from the other side, on top of Freya’s, as they were packed together like sardines. The bank holiday weekend, the final one until Christmas, attracted a crowd of tourists and locals.
“Copper Island needs another bar. Maybe a gin bar,” Heidi said looking around.
“Or a martini bar,” Gwen suggested.
“Whisky bar,” someone said from behind them, sitting at the bar on a tall stool.
“Yeah, or maybe an entire row of bars with each kind of spirit,” Freya said.
Erica stood, ensuring she didn’t topple the small round table with their empty glasses and half eaten packets of dry roasted nuts.
“Come on, let’s start the staggering now, or they’ll come in here, lift us up like firemen out of a burning fire and embarrass us all,” Erica said.
“Then you’ll be on the front of all the rags. Hollywood actress drunk again,” Daisy said through her laughter.
“I still haven’t forgiven you for underselling Erica,” Gwen muttered.
She bent forward and reached under the table to clasp onto her bag.
“Does a bit of acting,” Gwen muttered mockingly and then closed her eyes on a slow blink. “You could have warned a girl.”
“The look on your face was priceless,” Freya said.
“It was kinda funny. Of all the responses I’ve had over the years, yours was the funniest and sweetest.”
“Was it the sob I let out? Or was it the bear hug I gave you like I’d known you my entire life? Or was it me quoting my favourite lines from my favourite film of yours?”
Gwen let out a noise of triumph and sat up, bringing her slouch bag onto her lap.
“Actually, please don’t remind me of this tomorrow, and I’ll fake not remembering,” she said and then hauled her slouch bag up onto her shoulder and then stood.
Then she wavered, and the girls giggled as if their sole purpose was to get Gwen smashed.
“I think we’ve initiated our newest girl posse member,” Freya declared.
“Oh no, we were too slow,” Heidi said and nodded towards the door.
“Holy smoke, are they all Turners?” Gwen asked as she stared, open-mouthed.
Freya looked to the door to see Archer, Jason, Nate and Keith come for them.
“No. The one smirking is Erica’s, the one giving the smouldering gaze at Heidi is Jason. Nate’s behind Archer grinning at Daisy, that’s her husband and then there’s Keith who I’m guessing is in lieu of my intended as we’re not touching until the wedding,” Freya said.
“Okay. There is definitely something in the water on Copper Island,” Gwen said.
“Sure is,” Erica said as she flattened herself against Archer, bounced on her tip toes and gave him a closed mouth kiss.
“Honey,” his voice rumbled when she went back down on flat feet.
“Thanks for coming,” she replied.
He was still looking down at her when he said, “Always.”
Then Archer swept his eyes across the five of them. “You all ready to go?”
“Yep,” Freya said.
“Okay,” Archer began his instructions. “Erica is with me, plus Jason and Heidi in the back of my buggy. Nate’s driving buggy number two with Daisy up front. Keith and recent addition, and then Freya, you’re at the back. Do not fall out,” he said. “Luke will have my arse if you’re hurt.”
“Gotcha. I’ve only had one drink. These are all the lushes,” Freya said.
“What?” Gwen shrieked.
“Oh yeah. This is Gwen and she’s now part of the girl posse. She’s going to be the new head teacher at the high school,” Freya said. “Which makes her my new boss. So we need to make sure she gets home safely.”
The men introduced themselves with a handshake each and then the group were on the move. No fireman’s lifts were necessary because the pub was so packed that there wasn’t a spare inch of floor to fall on.
Once they were outside in the fresh air, Freya took a long breath in and then out as she grinned at the girls.
“Thanks for a great night,” Freya said.
“Thanks for inviting me. I don’t know if I’ll be fit for anything tomorrow, but I had a fantastic night,” Gwen replied.
“You’re awesome, Gwendolyn Hoskins. Good women are hard to find, so we need to stick together,” Freya replied.
“You got that right,” Keith said.
Everyone agreed on that sentiment.
Archer pulled Erica to the first buggy parked outside the pub, while Jason did with same with Heidi after the girls hugged their goodbyes.
Nate hooked his arm around Daisy’s waist and she snuggled into his side. Freya and Gwen walked side by side with Keith behind them.
“I can walk back to my place. It’s no trouble. I can even remember the way,” Gwen said.
“Why don’t I walk Gwen back and you take the girls up to the estate?” Keith said to Nate. “My place isn’t far and I’m ready for my bed after being away for so long. It will be quicker if I stay in town.”
“All right, sounds good. Freya, you’re behind us in the buggy, no sitting at the back and falling out,” Nate said.
“You’re just as bossy as Luke,” Freya muttered, but went happily to the buggy.
They called out their goodbyes to Gwen. The group were then zooming up the path up to the estate. The long summer had caused to the paths to dry out which made for a bumpy journey up to the cottages. It didn’t stop them acting like rally drivers.