Your Lying Eyes

Your Lying Eyes Chapter 20

"Be careful what you say mate," said Gary, his hand on Howard's arm.  "You don't want to say the wrong thing to her now that you've made a bit of progress."

Howard shook his arm free.

"I want to know what's going on that's all," he told him quietly.  He looked through the doors towards where Joe was sitting waiting for Anna to return.  "Maybe he's the one I should go and have a word with eh?"

He started towards the door, taking hold of the handle and began to pull it open.  He stared at Joe, remembering how he'd looked at Anna.  He recognised that look on his face and didn't like it.  His jaw clenched and his fists tightened so that his knuckles showed white.

Anna looked at herself in the mirror, checking her make up.  Her hands were shaking as she dried them under the blowdrier.  She wanted to get out of the hotel as soon as she could.  Jason was still sat in the restaurant and she'd noticed that Gary's seat was empty.  She hadn't enjoyed the evening at all.  Joe was making her feel uneasy with the unwanted attention he was paying her.  All that she needed now was for Howard to come in and think the wrong thing.  With a bit of luck, they could be out and away before that happened.

She looked at her watch.  8 o'clock.  He usually stayed at the apartment until 8.30, putting Maisie to bed.  Maybe he'd wait a little longer tonight as he would want to talk to her.  She'd tell Joe that she had a headache and that she wanted to go home.  They should be back at the apartment within twenty minutes.  Having made her mind up, she pushed the door open, and stepped into the foyer again.

"Howard!" she gasped as she saw him pulling the door open and about to enter the restaurant.  He turned back towards her as she called his name, his face dark with temper.

"Surprise!" he said coldly to her as she came over to him.  "I bet you didn't expect to see me just now did you?"

"I, I thought you'd still be at the flat with Maisie and Chloe," she managed to get out.  "I was just going to tell Joe that I wanted to go..." she faltered, feeling uneasy as he stood looking at her impassively, his face expressionless.

"I bet you did!  Chloe told me you were working late.  What kind of work involves you eating out with strange men?" he demanded, looking closely at her, watching for her reaction.

"I am working late," she told him, "he's my new boss!  I've been promoted to his personal assistant as of next week!"

"That was quick," he remarked.  "Just how personal did you have to get for that?" he asked her.

"I don't like what you're implying Howard," she said feeling her cheeks heat up.

"No Dougie, give her a chance to explain," Gary interrupted him.

"Keep out of this Gaz.  I've been trying all week to explain to her what happened and she didn't give me a chance.  Did you?" he asked her.  "Every day I tried to get in touch and you didn't answer.  No wait.  You did.  The once.  To tell me not to keep sending you texts."

"I thought it would be better to talk in person rather than on the phone or by texts," Anna tried to tell him.  She could tell now that he was really angry.  He'd obviously decided for himself what was going on.

"No wonder you were so determined to get out of the hotel with Maisie.  Start living your life as a single woman again," he carried on, his eyes flashing with anger.  "You've not wasted much time have you babe?  You got a room booked?"

"You bastard!" she hissed as her hand made contact with his cheek.  "How can you even think that?"

She stood glaring at him, stunned by what she had done, her breath coming in  heavy gasps.  Her eyes glittered with unshed tears.