Chapter 8 #2
Dane locked up the truck. Around us, the birds danced and flitted between the trees, and a couple of lazy clouds scudded overhead in the soft, blue sky.
‘Evan’s a bit of a stuffed shirt,’ announced Dane.
‘You’ve just got to take a look at some of his mates.
They’re all designer running shoes and TAG watches. ’ He snorted. ‘He needs to lighten up.’
I realised with an odd stab that I suddenly didn’t want to participate in this verbal critique of Evan. It didn’t feel right. Ok, so Evan had received a call from Sacha last night, which had thrown me, but talking about him this way and seeing his own brother mock him? It felt wrong. Deceitful.
I switched the conversation to Dane’s music. ‘So, you write all your own material?’
‘Oh yeah.’ Dane gazed across at me. His gravelly, Scottish accent carried. ‘I’m very creative, especially when I see something beautiful.’
I smiled. ‘Talk about having the gift of the gab.’
‘It’s true,’ he laughed. ‘We all need to get our inspiration from somewhere.’
I stifled an amused smile.
Yes, he was a little over the top, but he was fun and creative; not like some men I’d met recently.
We moved off, crunching our way over the strewn twigs and bark. The air was heavy with the sweet, tangy scent of damp moss.
‘So, you’re an actor?’ asked Dane, his light, icy eyes scanning my face and coming to rest on my lips. He was a born flirt. He did it as easily as breathing.
‘That’s right. I trained in Glasgow, got my degree and have worked in a lot of theatre productions. Then I got the part of Tammy in that ITV drama Sinister…’
‘I saw that! I thought it was great, actually.’
‘Really?’ I was oddly touched; with so much on TV these days, I wasn’t sure whether many people had actually seen my show.
‘Absolutely.’ He smiled. ‘Me and the guys are performing at a local pub tonight. Fancy seeing me in action?’
I considered his question. ‘Is Evan going?’ I asked as airily as I could.
Dane laughed. ‘No. He never comes to see the band play. Our sort of music isn’t his thing.’
A night out of The Ramblings, not having to see Evan. That sounded like a plan. ‘Ok. Thanks.’
‘Great. It’s a date then.’ He grinned down at me as the sun shimmied through the trees. ‘Come on. I’ll show you this special place – I think you’ll love it.’
Dane suddenly took his cue and moved off in big, long strides, leaving me staring in his wake. I watched him hurry on ahead. ‘Hey. Hold on a sec. Let me catch up.’
I picked up speed, feeling the sun tickling my back through my T-shirt.
Dane, however, was focused on his destination and was walking even faster now. All I could see was the back of his black T-shirt and glimpses of his swinging ponytail. ‘Dane. Can you wait for me, please?’ I called.
His faint voice echoed back. ‘Come on, Daisy. Let’s get there before the light changes. I want you to see it.’
In my hurry to catch up with him, I’d not been looking where I was going and planted my foot down on something hard. ‘Argh! Shit!’ A burning pain shot up my leg. I’d twisted my right ankle on a jutting rock.
I hopped about on my left foot on the path, still swearing. ‘Dane!’
From the ether, I heard an irritated voice. ‘Yeah. What is it?’
‘I’ve just twisted my ankle.’
‘Och, you’ll be fine. Come on. You need to see this view.’
What?! I waited to see if he might dash back, just to check that I was alright, but he didn’t. Instead, I caught a glimpse of him taking his phone out of his combat trouser pocket and recording the view.
Frustrated, I set my right foot back down on the path, but a few indignant throbs from my ankle soon made me lift it back up again. ‘Ow!’ I glowered into the distance. ‘Dane? Dane!’
But he didn’t reply. He’d gone off without me.
I hopped on my left foot, incredulous. The sun was warming my skin even more through my cotton T-shirt, and I had no clue where I was.
Now what?
I put my right foot gingerly back down on the path, but it was still hurting. I winced and tried to move myself so that I wasn’t putting any pressure on it. I really was having a great day! First I almost choked on some toast, and now I’d injured my foot?!
I had to make it back down to Dane’s car. I didn’t want to try to find him. I could end up getting lost or falling over. But if I did reach his car, I didn’t have the car keys anyway. He had them. Bugger! What now?! What should I do?
Fury ate into me. This was my fault. I should never have said yes to Dane asking me along.
Why the hell had I? I’d just wanted to show Dane I was grateful to him for what he did at breakfast. But was there something more to it than that?
Something I didn’t want to acknowledge? Was it because I wanted to annoy Evan?
Make him jealous? Get back at him because Sacha rang him last night?
Let him think I wasn’t interested in him?
I wasn’t anyway, of course. Had I come on this walk with Dane to get away from Evan’s simmering presence for a while?
A combination of all of them? No, of course not. That was ridiculous.
Wait. I had my phone with me. I could ring for help. I dumped my bag at my feet and swiped one brow across my sweaty forehead as I pulled out my phone. I tapped the screen.
My shoulders sank. There was no signal.
Panic was rising in me faster.
‘Need a hand?’
I almost stumbled over in fright as I twisted round.
It was Evan.
It took me a few stunned moments to process that he was standing there, talking to me. I gasped in surprise, almost forgetting my throbbing ankle. ‘What are you doing here?’
He shrugged. ‘Thought I’d take a morning stroll.’
‘At exactly the same place as Dane and me?’
‘A happy coincidence.’
I narrowed my eyes. ‘How did you know we’d be here? Did Dane tell you where we were going?’
Evan shook his head. ‘He always brings his lady friends up here. He’s a creature of habit.’
I stiffened under his enquiring eyes. ‘I’m not one of his lady friends.’ In my indignation, I forgot about my delicate ankle and set my foot hard down on the path. ‘Aaargh!’
‘What is it? You ok?’
With two strides on those long legs of his, Evan was right in front of me. I could make out the curve of his upper lip under his stubble and the prick of his ebony lashes. ‘You’re not having a great day so far, are you?’ he asked, with a hint of amusement.
I fought to look calm and collected. ‘I’ve twisted my ankle, but it’s fine.’
‘It doesn’t seem like it.’ Evan peered around. ‘And where’s Thor got to? Breaking up tree trunks with his bare hands?’
Despite my tender toe, I laughed. ‘He was taking photos on his phone, and I seem to have got left behind.’
Evan’s lip curled up with evident disapproval. ‘Very gallant of him to leave a lady in distress.’
‘Well, he did perform the Heimlich manoeuvre on me earlier.’
‘Only because I didn’t get to you first.’
‘Oh, sorry about that. Next time I’m choking, I’ll make sure I give you a head start.’
With one swift movement, he took my left arm and draped it around his neck. I could feel the warm glow of his skin against my arm. ‘Just stop being mardy for two seconds, Daisy, and let me help you.’
I swallowed. ‘What are you doing?’
‘Well, we’re not about to do the Argentine Tango.’
I tutted at him.
‘We’re going to head back to my dad’s car, and then I’m taking you home to The Ramblings. You need to rest your ankle.’ He nodded down at it. ‘Is it broken?’
‘I don’t think so. I can waggle it.’ I gave it another wiggle and winced. It was still tender but not raging with pain like it had been ten minutes ago.
‘Right. Let’s go. Just keep holding onto me, and don’t let go.’
Our eyes sought out each other.
I jerked my head away and trained my attention on the trees ahead. How come he could be so charming and attentive towards me one minute and almost stand-offish the next?
I took gentle steps, the solidity of Evan a reassuring and intoxicating presence, as he guided me along. ‘What about Dane?’
Evan assisted me back along the path. ‘What about him?’
‘Don’t you think we should tell him what’s happened? I couldn’t get a signal on my phone just now, though.’
Evan clicked his tongue at the mention of his brother as we carried on walking; well, me hobbling and Evan supporting me.
Evan’s muscles glanced against the side of my body every so often.
I took a deep breath and tried to focus.
Think about Sacha. She called him. There’s history there, and what looks like unfinished business if she’s ringing him as soon as he gets back to Forrest Bank.
Evan’s voice made me concentrate again. ‘He should’ve thought about you instead of taking off like some long-haired Bear Grylls.’ He sighed. ‘Ok. Let’s get back to the car and I’ll see if I can call him or text him from there and tell him I’ve got you.’
There was that lingering, dark look again. A wisp of breath caught at the base of my throat. ‘Thank you,’ I managed.
After another five minutes or so of dogged determination on both our parts, the picnic area appeared. I’d never thought a car park could look so beautiful.
We stopped while Evan fished one hand in his jeans for his car keys. He assisted me round to the passenger side and unlocked the door.
Evan braced himself. ‘The door’s open. Here.’
Ever so gently, he stooped over and helped me into the passenger seat. I got a cloud of his tangy, citrus shampoo.
I tugged at the neck of my T-shirt for something to do.
My car door was still open, and I was glad.
My cheeks were on fire. Maybe the woodland air would take the sting out of them.
‘I’ll try to call Dane now,’ said Evan, gazing down at me as I arranged myself in the passenger seat. His expression was soft; thoughtful.
Then he seemed to check himself and reached for his phone from his back pocket.
‘Thank you,’ I blurted. ‘For coming to my rescue.’
Evan halted his fingers on his phone screen and nodded. He returned his attention to his phone. ‘He’s not picking up, so I’ll send him a text.’ I watched Evan’s fingers flash over his phone screen. ‘There. Done.’
He stalked round to the driver’s side, and I closed my door. ‘Now, let’s get you back. You need to rest that ankle for a bit. Something cold on it, and maybe some arnica cream.’
I nodded. ‘That sounds like a good idea, seeing as I’m going out tonight.’
Evan switched on his car’s ignition. ‘Oh?’
‘Dane invited me to go and see him and his band play at a local pub.’
His expression tightened. ‘Did he?’
I nodded.
Evan steered the car out of the picnic area and indicated to turn right and back out onto the main road. ‘I’ll see you there then.’
An odd, flickering feeling like an escaped bird took off in my chest. ‘You’re going?’
Evan shrugged. ‘I might as well. Even though Dane does act like a prick a lot of the time, he’s still my brother.’
There was a loaded silence in the car.
‘Right, peg leg,’ he teased, negotiating us back down the country lanes. ’We need to get you sorted, otherwise Cinderella won’t be going to the ball.’