Escapism (CL 16)

11. Harsh Truth

"And where exactly have you been all this time?" Anna smirked as Laura walked back into the apartment.

"Where's Mike?" Laura asked, looking around and realising he was nowhere to be seen.

"Don't know, don't care." Anna shrugged. "On a flight back to London with a little bit of luck."

"What did you do?" Laura groaned, pulling out her phone to call him.

"I haven't done anything." Anna reassured her. "He wasn't here when we got back. I didn't give him a key either so wherever he went when he left the track, he didn't come back here."

"That doesn't make me feel any better." Laura sighed, dialling his number. "What if something happened?"

"I think you mean what if he's off somewhere being the cheating bastard he is." Anna commented dryly, and Josh nodded in agreement behind her.

"Can you two just stop it?" Laura sighed, pausing for a second as the call she was making to Mike went to voicemail.

"I'm going to keep telling you what a generally shitty human being he is until you actually listen to me one day." Anna shrugged. "Where have you been anyway? You obviously weren't with Mike if you don't know where he is."

"It doesn't matter." Laura mumbled, redialling Mike's number to try him again.

"You're blushing. That means you've been with Charles." Anna smirked. "How was your garage tour?"

"I can't believe you made me give up a garage tour with Charles Leclerc." Josh grumbled.

"Oh come on, when Laura marries the guy you'll be set for garage tours for life." Anna joked. "Come on, sit. I'll get you a glass of wine and you can spill."

"I think this might be my cue to leave." Josh sighed, getting up off the sofa. "I'll get the wine, you two sit."

Laura reluctantly walked over to take the place Josh had just vacated on the sofa beside her friend, ready for the interrogation she knew was definitely coming.

Josh returned a second later with two glasses of wine, handing them over before quickly retreating in the direction of his and Anna's bedroom, leaving the girls alone to talk.

"So, tell me everything." Anna grinned, turning to face Laura and looking at her expectantly.

"Nothing happened." Laura shook her head. "You must've known I wouldn't do that to Mike."

"I'm not normally one to condone cheating, but he really, really does not deserve your loyalty." Anna sighed. "But anyway, enough about that absolute waste of space for now. You haven't just been there all that time staring and Charles in silence. Even if nothing happened, I need details."

"It was nothing." Laura shrugged. "He showed me around the garage, the car and all that. We talked for a bit and then we cycled down to the harbour so I could get the shoes I left behind on his yacht last time."

"I'm sorry, go back a second." Anna stopped her, taking a sip of her wine before she continued. "When you were on his yacht last time?!"

"It's a long story." Laura sighed. "Doesn't matter."

"It's absolutely does matter." Anna protested. "Go on, tell me."

"It's silly. Last time I was here, I left the club with him and went back there. He said something and I left in such a hurry that I left your shoes behind." Laura told her, skimming over the details.

"You left in such a hurry you forgot my shoes, came straight back here, packed your bags and went running straight back to Mike?" Anna asked her in disbelief. "What the bloody hell did he say to you?"