Spirited

Chapter 22

I felt my wrists being grabbed as he pushed me away from him.

‘What the . . .? Lisa?’

‘What?’ I smiled up at him, swaying a little despite his grip on me. He manoeuvred me to the side of the room where it was quieter.

‘You’re drunk,’ he stated.

‘I may have had a little bit to drink, I’ll admit that.’ I tried to focus on his face, willing him to kiss me.

‘And you thought you’d make a pissed pass at me? Well, thanks, but no thanks.’

‘What?’ My smile disappeared.

‘Oh come on, Lisa. You’ve made it perfectly obvious that you’re not interested I me. I really couldn’t have got the message any clearer.’

‘Lorcan! But . . .?’

‘Forget it, Lisa. If this is a game, I’m not playing. And why now? After all, you’ve had plenty of time to give me some, in fact any indication that you were interested in me.’ He then answered his own question before I had time to speak. ‘It’s because of Faith, isn’t it? She likes me and suddenly I’m all attractive? That’s it, isn’t it?’ I opened my mouth to protest, but couldn’t. Shit. ‘So, this is all because of Faith. Well, well, well. So if I’m good enough for your best friend, I’m suddenly good enough for you? Although I doubt she’d still be your best friend if she could see you now. I’m surprised, Lisa. Really I am . . . after what Matt did to you.’

‘You don’t know anything about Matt,’ I retorted.

‘Admittedly only what Faith has told me.’

‘Which was?’

‘That he cheated on you.’

‘He didn’t cheat on me. That’s what I told everyone, including Faith, because the truth was so unbelievably embarrassing. He took me out on my birthday. To a club somewhere in the depths of Soho where he got me dressed up in bondage gear and encouraged me to take part in an orgy as a special treat. For my birthday!’

‘Fuck.’

‘Quite. So you can get off your moral high horse in case you get saddle sore. And I hope they’ve found another room for you tonight because you’re not sharing mine,’ and I wrenched my hands out of his grip and stalked off back to my room.

They must have found him a room as his clothes and bag had already been moved. I was relieved. I really didn’t want to speak to him tonight. Or, well, ever again.

I was late down to breakfast the following morning, having slept badly, and ate alone. I only saw the others as we met to take the shuttle bus back to the airport. I had my sunglasses on and kept my head down.

Lorcan immediately steered me away from the rest of the group.

‘About last night,’ he began.

‘Don’t.’

‘It never happened, OK?’

I lifted my head from where it was hanging shamefully. ‘It was a stupid thing to do. I was stu-’

He interrupted me. ‘It never happened.’

‘OK. Oh, and I have one of your socks they missed from when they moved your clothes. I’ll give it you back later.’

‘You sure you don’t want to keep it as a souvenir?’

‘No. It smells.’

‘It does not!’

‘Well, OK, perhaps it doesn’t. But one sock isn’t much good to me, is it?’

‘Depends how you wear it.’

I shook my head at him, but managed a small smile. ‘Sorry.’

‘For what? Nothing happened, did it?’

It hadn’t, but my body still wished it had even though my mind was telling me what an idiot I’d been, and I had to work out a way to deal with both of those reactions.

We were all separated on the plane on the first leg, and, after an incredible rush to make the connection, I was sitting next to Finlay for the London leg, for which I was mightily relieved, and managed to sleep for most of the flight. When Finlay moved to stretch his legs, Lorcan flopped into his seat.

‘OK?’ he asked.

‘Yes thanks.’

‘Lisa?’ I looked up at him, still sheepishly embarrassed. ‘Still friends?’

‘If you want to be friends with an idiot.’

He grabbed hold of my hand with both of his and squeezed it. ‘You’re not an idiot, you’re the cleverest, bravest, sanest person that I know. Not sure that actually says a lot, but you are.’

‘Yeah, right.’

‘Lisa, you are. You’re one of the very few people I can trust absolutely and who I know will be totally honest with me. You know, in terms of quality, you’re probably my best friend.’

I didn’t want that. I wanted to be his lover, his girlfriend, but I guess I’d just have to settle for friend.

‘In the whole wide world?’ I asked childishly. It was about as mature as I could manage at the moment.

‘In the whole wide world.’

‘In that case, you should change your ring tone to another Queen song.’

‘Oh I don’t know, “Flash” always gives me such happy thoughts,’ and, grinning, he moved to allow Finlay back to his seat.