Heart Beat

Be careful....

Monday had been very constructive. He knew that the shoot was going to be professional, polished, and everything he'd been led to expect from both Kevin and their phone conversations. It was obvious Simon knew his stuff, and from some of the examples he'd seen, the finished results were going to be fantastic. Thanks in no small part, as Simon went to great pains to point out, to Angie.

He'd tried not to obsess. Failed miserably, though. She was just too intriguing. Too unlike anyone he'd come across for a very long time. He had a feeling they were going to hit it off, and now, at last, today was the day.

He'd finally get to meet his newest and funniest friend. For friend was how he definitely considered her. There instant rapport on the phone had seen to that. She obviously treated him with the good-natured contempt his sisters always maintained he deserved and truth be told? He loved it! He'd ended up deliberately not asking Simon anything about her, not her age, her looks, definitely not her relationship status. He wanted her to be a surprise. A really nice surprise.

Not like the one he'd currently "enjoyed." As he was leaving for the shoot, suit carrier in hand, a clip-clip of stilettoed heels behind him had announced its arrival.

"Susie... how... surprising... to see you again so soon, love!" he smiled and hugged her, deftly avoiding her lips, making her kiss his cheek. She looked at him a little hurt, and he felt a stab of regret.

"Think I've a cold coming love, don't want my girl getting a snotty nose now do I?" he said as he opened his car trunk and deposited the bag. It made him smile to think of Angie's expression when she saw the contents. "You just caught me, I'm off to that publicity shoot I was talking about - you know, the one in town. I'll be gone all day, I'm afraid..." he walked around the other side and paused. She hadn't moved.

"That's ok lover," she cooed. "I wangled a day off work so I can come with you!" she beamed. Tom smiled, trying to disguise his probably unwarranted disappointment. "OH! Right, sure, great love, climb in." he slid into the drivers seat, cursing his own bad manners. Poor Susie, none of this was her fault. It wasn't Angie's either. It was his.

Susie sat and turned to him, looking a little deflated. "I thought you'd be pleased? We hardly get to see each other these days. You're so busy, and I'm away with work such a great deal now." her smile was strained, and he felt dreadful. She had tried, for him. He needed to do the same. Try to be honest, at least.

"Darling, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to spoil your surprise. I've just had a lot on my mind lately. " he kissed her quickly and started the engine. "Tonight I'll take you for lovely dinner, just the two of us, no interruptions. Ok?" he smiled at her, and she nodded.

"Of course darling. Whatever makes you happy. I'm just being silly. I just miss you so much."

"Oh Susie, love, I saw you yesterday, you silly pudding." he tried to be light and cheery, tried not to resent her increasing clinging.

She fluttered her eyelashes and pouted, her red lips forming a perfect rose. "But Tommy! last night was so far away." she giggled. Once that giggle had made him laugh. Once her calling him Tommy in that little girl voice had made him smile. Now, it made him grind his teeth.

Not now, Hiddles, he told himself. Not now. He roared off towards the shoot. It wasn't going to be the day he'd planned. Not at all.

Angie woke and stretched, it was morning already? God alone knew where the night had gone. She'd climbed into bed around two, having finally been happy with the preparations for today's shoot. Day 1 of a new chapter. And today, she met him. At long last, after all the banter, the teasing and the outrageous flirting. Today was professional head-screwed-on-make-this-a-success-day. If this one went well, who knew where it might lead for Simon, and then he couldn't retire could he!

Simon retiring had plagued her mind since that fateful conversation by the pond. She knew he deserved it. She knew he'd worked for it. She knew she would be bereft without him. Like cutting off her left leg and twice as painful. She knew she had no right to be so selfish. So she'd smiled and hugged him and let him think she was happy for him. She also knew he hadn't believed a word of her lies, and that made them both happy in a twisted way.

Getting out of bed, she glanced at the clock. And looked back.

HOLY SHIT SHE WAS LATE!

Instead of the usual 6.30 it said when she hauled herself into the living world, it now said 8.15! She needed to be at the studio for 8.30 - Tom was arriving at 8.45.

"FUCK A BLOODY DUCK!" she shouted and bolted for the shower. She contemplated skipping the teeth cleaning but then thought better of it. Not today, not when.... GET A GRIP.

Fifteen minutes and a frantic call to Simon later, she was on her way. It took her an hour to get there, usually. She considered an Uber in the hopes that he would be more likely to drive like a hooligan if bribed enough. Then she thought better of it. What if they got stopped? What if he got fined - would SHE have to pay it? Would SHE end up in court for aiding and abetting a criminal? That wouldn't go down well AT.ALL.

In the end she drove herself as normal. Because of their location, they had the luxury of a tiny carpark and even if Tom parked his... was it still an F-type she wondered briefly... she'd have a space. The traffic that day was... horrendous. Road works sprang up where previously there had been wide unencumbered street. Cars decided today was a good day to give up indicating. A van parked in the middle of the road blocking a junction for ten minutes. It was, not to put too fine a point on it, like something from her own personal purgatory.

She called Simon, hands free of course, she didn't need THAT added complication.

"Angie, where the blazes are you? Tom's just pulling up. We're going to have to start without you. NOT cool, Angie." It was as near angry as he had ever been with her. He couldn't quite bring himself to shout at her.

"Oh, Si, I'm so sorry. I was so tired I slept through my alarm. Im on my way. I promise I'll be there as quick as I can. " she was almost crying with frustration and guilt.

"Hey, calm little one, calm. It's ok. I'd rather you got here late than not at all. Drive safe. See you soon. We can manage, you did great work last night, and you won't BELIEVE the results. That drumkit set is well... get here and see for yourself. I think someone has been taking notes...." With that, he hung up, and Angie let out a breath.

Of all the days to be late. She concentrated on not thinking about Tom all the way there. So much so that she should probably have just admitted she was actually thinking about him.

As she got out of the car, she could hear rock music. Loud rock music. At the back door, a petite blonde stood chatting on her phone. She looked at Angie and smiled a broad, smug smile. Angie just nodded and walked past.

"Yes, yes, he's here now. No,Im having dinner with him tonight... maybe dunno. He said he didn't want us disturbed. Ooh you think so? Would be nice, yes. Would I? What do YOU think?"

Angie didn't hear any more as she slipped into the studio and stood at the back.

Already the atmosphere was electric, the lighting, low and ominous adding to the mood. The heavy rock music pounded out through the speakers. So intense, she could feel it in her chest from where she stood, almost twenty feet away. She couldn't take her eyes off him.

Tom? Loki? Rock God?

THE PHONE CONVERSATION!

Oh. Good. God.