Flying Change

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

“Don’t you dare,” I glared at a very chipper looking Dan through my dark glasses. Angie and I were cradling our coffees’ and nursing our heads after a very festive evening.

“Ah what’s wrong? Can’t hold your liquor?” He chirped in a mock Irish accent as he leaned against the ramp of the lorry.

“No, I just didn’t spew mine all over an innocent pot plant on the way home.”

“Oh she’s got you there,” Jos guffawed as Phillip and he appeared looking far too fresh for the amount of alcohol they had consumed.

“How?” Angie whimpered gesturing at them and wincing as Val and Marie clanged buckets down next to us. 

“Two Asprin, black coffee and a greasy breakfast,” Nat smiled walking up and looping her arm around Dan’s waist. She too looked far too healthy for the amount she had consumed last night, she had learned some drinking skills since she had moved. She shot me an unsure smile and there was a silence in which crickets wouldn’t have been unsuited.

“So is this cold war going to carry on for long or are we just going to sit in silence and pretend this isn’t awkward as f…” I shot Jos a dirty look, “flowers, flowers, I was going to say flowers.”

“Awkward as flowers?” Val snorted her laughter and thumped another bucket down in a way that was, I am sure, purposefully louder than usual. Why did I have to have such cruelly perceptive friends?

“No, we’re good,” I smiled at Nat, “She’s still my maid of honour.” I smiled and took a swig of my drink as Phillip feigned fainting and Angie and Val half feigned being insulted that they were only bridesmaids.

My amusement faded instantly as Joe Baines breezed up, hair slicked back looking almost as slimy as his smile.

My headache was still thumping and all grace had deserted me, “How did you get back here? You need accreditation.” I pointed out bluntly. I didn’t need Phillip to tell me I was being rude, I knew I was, and I was okay with it.

“Well, you know, connections and all that,” He smiled and waved his cup of coffee in the air in salutation as people murmured greetings. “Headache this fine morning?” he half sneered, bating me. Phillip took a speculative sip of coffee and I could practically feel him waiting for the explosion.

“Not at all,” I smiled sweetly, feeling Nat and the rest stifle their laughter at my sickly sweet sarcasm.

“Good to hear,” he pulled his lips back into a grimace of a smile and threw his still half full coffee into the metal trash can nearby, making it ring like Big Ben on the hour. My head squealed and I resisted the urge to use a very unladylike word.

There was silence and I could feel eyes on me as I forced myself to relax and bit my tongue, he was looking for a rise.

“You should come look at our sales horses, I’m sure we’ll have the perfect fit for you,” I smiled and stood up. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…” I trailed off and walked past him, nose in the air, with the satisfaction of seeing a flicker of disappointment when I didn’t take the bait.

I waltzed over to the stables and started wrapping the horses’ legs. I had a nameless song buzzing in my head and my thighs were stiff from the ridiculous dance moves we had pulled out the night before. The horses sighed and munched on their hay and soon enough they were loaded up and I had plopped myself into the passenger sear of Phillip’s car.

I popped my feet up on the dashboard and plugged in my ipod, leaving the door open and pulling on my aviators. The sunshine was trying, and it was not pleasing on my eyes, not this morning.