Chapter Fifteen #2
‘You can tell me to piss off. It’s nothing to do with me.’ He gave a shrug. ‘You’ve got your reasons. Emily warned me. Said you don’t like talking about it.’
I’ll just bet she did, wait until I got hold of her. Stunned, I stared at Daniel who was unable to hide the disapproval etched clearly in the lines around his mouth and the furrow under his fringe.
I finally found my voice, or rather it found me. I exploded, my words tumbling out in a loud explosion of sheer frustration and fury.
‘Daniel Caldwell,’ I yelled, and lashed out with my hand at his chest pushing him over onto his back and looming over him.
‘Do you,’ I poked him hard in the ribs with my index finger, ‘honestly THINK,’ a much firmer poke, ‘that I, me, would go out with a married man! DO YOU?’ I growled at him in low, menacing tones.
Lying beneath me, at the mercy of my finger digging into his ribs, he stared up, his face a picture of confusion and concern.
I leant back into my heels, my chest heaving. We stared at each other, until my breathing slowed.
Daniel looked horrified at my outburst and sat up.
Now that he was facing me, I felt a dangerous wobble. Please don’t let me cry. If I burst into tears now, it would be a seriously bad mistake. I was bloody furious with him. I needed to stay angry.
He opened his mouth but I wasn’t about to let him to take charge.
‘Daniel,’ I said icily, meeting his gaze. ‘I repeat, do you honestly think that I would go out with a married man? Really? After everything, everything that happened with Mike. After what you went through with your mother? You think I . . . would do that . . . to someone else?’
He inhaled deeply, his eyes narrowing as if about to say something but I cut him off.
‘Just how long have I been having this imaginary affair?’ I asked dangerously. ‘Just so I know,’ I added, my lips twisting in an exaggerated sneer just in case he was in any doubt.
His eyes flashed and his mouth curled. ‘Since Ben’s birthday party,’ he snapped, folding his arms.
‘That long. God, I hope the sex was worth it. Have I had a good time?’ I looked down, studying the golden hairs on his forearms, tanned against the white cricket shirt.
‘Stop being bitchy, Olivia. It doesn’t suit you. How was I to know Emily was lying? You’ve not exactly been forthcoming of late, have you?’ There was a sarcastic note to his voice. Rising to his knees as his gaze bored into me and his eyebrow quirked in challenge.
‘What the hell is that supposed to mean?’ My fists were clenched, my voice tight. How dare he be angry with me? I hadn’t done anything wrong.
‘We used to be friends. Remember? Now you avoid me like the plague.’ His voice was cold, the words snapped out, like ice breaking.
‘Excuse me? I avoid you? What am I supposed to do? You’re going out with my flatmate. I can hardly hang around being green and hairy.’
‘As you weren’t around much, I assumed you were busy with your married man, which under the circumstances is perfectly reasonable.’
‘You . . .’ Who did he think he was, trying to justify himself? ‘Reasonable?’
‘Yes. Little clues like the stray brick.’
God, I wanted to punch him. ‘What the fuck has that got to do with anything?’
‘Don’t swear. That doesn’t suit you either.’
‘And don’t change the subject,’ I shouted at him, uncaring that I might be overheard. ‘How the hell does that . . . prove . . . I’m having an affair with a married man?’
‘An irate wife,’ he suggested snidely.
‘Crap,’ I said turning my back on him, rising to my feet, ready to walk away.
‘I saw your and Emily’s faces that night.’ Putting his hand on my arm to halt me, he stood up and said, ‘Don’t deny it, you knew who was behind it. Didn’t you?’
He had me there. I turned slowly, his hand slid down, and the fingers gently encircled my wrist.
‘I promise you,’ I said looking up into his face, slowing my words, ‘That was nothing to do with a married man.’
His blue eyes studied me for a moment. ‘So there’s no married man?’
I shook my head. Frowning he asked, ‘So why did Emily say there was?’
I shrugged. ‘You tell me. I have no idea.’
We stood in silence both of us lost in thought. What could she gain from telling him that? Suddenly I knew. ‘When did she tell you?’
He frowned again. It took him a moment to answer. ‘I told you, that night at the party.’
That made sense. Sadness washed over me. ‘What exactly did she say?’ I pressed.
‘God, I can’t remember . . . something like “Poor Olivia, it’s a shame she has to come to things on her own all the time. He’ll never leave his wife.” ’
I felt light-headed for a second.
‘Then, she said, “Please don’t let on I told you, she doesn’t want anyone to know.”’ I could picture it all too clearly. Emily earnestly clutching his arm and whispering urgently in his ear as I walked out of the room.
‘Wait ’til I get hold of her,’ I said, remembering the feeling of bleakness when I’d come back to find her lips locked with his.
Daniel frowned looking right through me. ‘Yes,’ he said absently, letting go of my wrist. He seemed miles away.
‘Oy, Dan,’ called one of the team coming over with a loping run. ‘As you’re out, can you come and do a spot of scoring?’
With a rueful look, he called, ‘Be right with you.’ He glanced at me, his mouth looking grim. ‘Talk about timing.’
‘Hmph,’ I muttered crossly.
‘I’ve got to go, Olivia.’ With that he turned away and then immediately turned back, an odd expression in his eyes. ‘We need to talk.’
* * *
Heavy-footed, I walked slowly back to the pavilion, oblivious to the sights and sounds around me, my thoughts were back at Ben’s party.
Cringing, I could remember the flirty banter with Daniel at the start of the evening, when he’d greeted me with the line, ‘Wow, you’re looking gorgeous tonight.’
Things were going swimmingly with lots of sparkly-eyed conversation until I was dragged away to supervise my brother’s birthday cake. A sugar-paste triumph in the shape of a bat and ball.
Drifting through the clubhouse into the ladies’ toilet, I gazed at my flushed face in the mirror. I leaned against the cool glass for a moment. Was that when things had gone awry? Had I stood a chance with Daniel that night?
Going back over that evening in my head, I remembered that awful kick-in-the-stomach sensation I’d got when I returned from sorting the cake out to find Emily wrapped around Daniel, her arms encircling his neck, kissing him deeply. At the time I’d nearly doubled over with the pain of it.
The memory still made me feel sick and embarrassed.
Turning on the cold tap in the cramped toilet, I splashed water on my face, glaring at myself in the mirror.
God, Daniel must have found it hilarious, that night.
Me, throwing myself at him. What an idiot.
Of course Emily was going to be his type, a petite, sexy blonde with curves in the right places. I stared at my reflection.
So had Emily’s lies put the barriers up? And now that he knew the truth, did it make any difference, or was I about to make the same mistake all over again? What if all Daniel wanted to say was, ‘You’re a really nice girl but . . .’
* * *
Events were determined to thwart us. Daniel’s team won the game, so he was in big demand.
Not that defeat seemed to have bothered the opposition, both sides were celebrating equally.
The clubhouse was packed, the pints were flowing and the bar filled with empties.
Clusters of men were grouped around the tables, discussing in great detail every ball.
How did they remember? They spoke another language and I could hear strange incomprehensible snippets: ‘Defensive drive . . . just caught the edge . . . bowled a googly . . . silly mid-off’ as I circulated, chatting to wives and girlfriends.
Towards the end of the evening, I went out onto the veranda to cool down and watched as the barbecue embers gave off a final, redundant glow.
It was then that a very chummy Mike arrived beside me, breathing beer fumes, obviously taking advantage of Tracey’s trip to the bar.
‘Olivia. Gotta talk to you. I hafta splain.’ With dusk falling, he couldn’t see my look of bored resignation. ‘Y’know I was goin’ out wi’ Tracey . . . then you came along. Shoulda told you after the first night but I couldn’t resist you . . . couldn’t stay away. Your fault.’
I might have had a bit more patience with his drunken rambling but he made the mistake of trying to blame me. Great. Nice to know I was irresistible to someone.
‘Never gave me chance to splain. You walked away. That wash you,’ he moaned.
What a day. My temper, which is normally well hidden under layers and layers of ingrained politeness, had been simmering all afternoon. I only needed the slightest excuse to light the touchpaper.
‘You bastard,’ I hissed at him, ready to let rip but Daniel materialised at my elbow. His timing stank.
‘Olivia, there you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.’ The breath whistled out of me as Daniel firmly took my arm. ‘Excuse us,’ he said, before adding. ‘Mike, you’re a dickhead. Thank your lucky stars that she’s too nice to go and spill the beans to Tracey.’
Wheeling me away from Mike, we walked a few steps and now the moment was finally here. Sod’s law, I was desperate for the loo.
Would he hang around and wait for me or would I lose this window? ‘Sorry, I really need to go to . . .’ I indicated with my head and fled towards the ladies.
When I came out I almost tripped over him, leaning lazily against the wall. Was that a good sign? Was he was determined not to let me slip away? His arms were folded and a lazy amused smile was on his lips.
‘Fancy meeting you here,’ I said aiming for a flippant tone. ‘Looking for someone?’
‘Yes.’ He flashed me a smile. ‘A tall, gorgeous blonde.’
My heart did a little flutter. I missed a breath. It all went quiet.
‘Fancy a walk round the boundary?’
‘That would be nice,’ I responded, suddenly lost for words. I winced. Nice. Where’s the witty repartee when you need it?