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“No.”
“Okay, it’s not everyones cup of tea I guess. I’ll see you tonight?” He took my spade, shaking his head at my name being painted on it with nail varnish. I’d even painted on little flowers. “Don’t judge, it’s my favourite spade.”
“Of course it is.” He handed it back to me, his thumb brushing over the inside of my wrist. I watched him walk away. Somehow, that touch was more intimate than a kiss.
I felt like the whole group was watching me. My cheeks flushed, I got back to work. Alfie wasn’t one to let things go and I had a feeling he was going to make me pay somehow for not going with him today.
Twenty-Four
By the time Monday morning came again I was thoroughly exhausted. Between working on the school garden by day and being ravished by Alfie at night, my body was worn out.
As usual, I watched him dress, then he watched me dress, and he drove me to work. We’d managed to avoid being seen so far. Mark was still off work and Rosie was in her own world as ever. At lunch, Keira called to ask if I could help her finish decorating and I agreed to come over that night. I’d been in Alfie’s dick sand (as Keira put it) all week, so coming up for air would be good for me.
It was hard to remember that he was temporary, but it was a good excuse to ignore those red flags that were still waving at me. Why worry about the behaviour of a man who would be gone soon?
I sent Alfie a text telling him I wouldn’t be seeing him tonight. Taking the night off wouldn’t be a bad thing. I knew he was missing a lot of work to spend time with me.
The end of the day rolled around and as I hopped up into my van my phone started ringing. As always, my heart fluttered when I saw Alfie’s name on the screen. I answered immediately.
“I’m sending Elliot to collect you from your house. He’ll be there soon.”
“Hello to you too.” I rolled my eyes. This was becoming a habit. “I’m going to Keira’s tonight, Alfie. Didn’t you get my text?”
“Yes, I got it. I want you to cancel.” There wasn’t a hint of a joke in his voice.
“No.”
“You’re being difficult.”
“And you, on the other hand, are being the epitome of rational and reasonable.” I huffed out a breath as my van sputtered back to life. This was Saturday at the school garden all over again. “I’ve told you before, I don’t take orders.”
“You don’t want to see me?” he said, as if such a thing wasn’t possible. “That’s ridiculous.”
“I’ve seen you nearly every night this week, Alfie. Tonight, I made plans with my friend. I don’t want to cancel. If you want to see me, you can call me andask.I’ll see you tomorrow.” I hung up, not waiting for a response. I guess controlling Alfie had only been gone this week because he’d been getting everything he wanted—me in his bed every night. This very real side of him was why I needed to remind myself to be careful. To not get attached.
“This feels like a really bad idea.” I was standing at the bottom of a ladder in paint-splattered dungaree shorts and a white cut off t-shirt, holding a glass of wine in one hand and a tub of gloss paint in the other.
“You’ll be fine, we’re nearly finished,” Keira urged, nudging me towards the rickety ladder while she held the bottom steady.
“If you’re so certain I’ll be fine then why don’tyougo up the ladder andI’llhold it steady?”
“Because I’m afraid of heights, you know that.”
“It’s four feet in the air!”
“I get vertigo! Besides, if it’s only four feet in the air then you won’t have far to fall, now will you?” She arched an eyebrow and jutted her hip. I couldn’t argue with her logic so I shrugged and took another sip of nerve wine. I was starting to think maybe drunk decorating wasn’t the best idea Keira had ever had.
I put my foot on the first step of the ladder and stumbled as the bloody thing snapped under my foot.
I looked down at the remnants of rotten wood, then back up at my friend. “Oops. How long did you say you’d had this ladder?”
“I don’t know, I found it at the back of my dad’s shed. Go on, the other steps look alright.” I didn’t know when she’d suddenly become an expert in ladders, but she took a sip from her glass with such confidence that I believed her.
I raised my foot, aiming for the second rung this time, and found it much more sturdy. After successfully climbing the rest of the ladder, I put my tub down on the top and jimmied the lid off.
“Paint brush.” I held out my hand, she looked at me confused. “Where’s the brush, Keira?”
“Hmmm.” She looked around herself, as if it might suddenly appear. “Kitchen I think, hang on.” She trotted out of the room with her wine glass in hand, slipping slightly on the dust sheet with a giggled “Whoops!” She returned a moment later with a tiny paint brush, but as I reached for it, my weight shifted backwards, the ladder lost its stance, and suddenly everything was falling.