Fly with Me (13 page)

“Try two
months.”

“Two
months
?”

Well, to be
truthful it had initially been a month, but two months away seemed
like a good idea. She hadn’t had a real plan in mind.

“Two bloody
months? Where the hell are you?”

“On
holiday.”

“You can’t be
on bloody holiday! I’ve booked you into the Bardot Club! Tomorrow
night, Elissa. Tomorrow
night
.”

“I told you
not to book anything anymore. I told you a couple of months ago I
was coming for Ash’s wedding and to house-sit while she’s on
honeymoon, I even emailed you about it.” She rubbed the hem of her
blouse between thumb and forefinger. “I said I needed a break. In
fact, I told you I wasn’t coming back and-”

“Are you
kidding me?” Calum was furious, his voice harsh, accusing. “Are you
trying to ruin me?”

“No, don’t be
silly. I just don’t want to do this. You know, I told you-”

“Don’t want to
do this?” His voice rose, grating in her ear. “Don’t
want
to
do this? Bloody hell, Elissa, you better start thinking things
over, and I mean seriously. I’m sick of this wishy-washy attitude
of yours. I made you. I got you these jobs. You get your bloody
arse back here by tomorrow. You’re on at the club. You hear
me?”

Her grip on
the mobile tightened, her heart beating in her throat. “Calum, I’m
not coming back for it. You’ll have to cancel it.”

“You are
coming back,” he snarled. “You get your arse in a car, on a bus, on
a train, on a plane, I don’t bloody care which, but you get back
here or there’s going to be a reckoning. You owe me, Elissa. You
owe a lot of people and they’re all counting on you. You hear
me?”

“Actually, I
can do what I like because I didn’t sign the con-”

“If you
think-”

“I paid my
dues, Calum. I don’t owe anyone anything.”

“I don’t want
to listen to your pathetic excuses, Elissa. You’ll toe the line or
I’ll make you very sorry.”

Any peace was
gone, contentedness washed away as surely as the rain washed
rivulets of dirt down the side of a mountain. Blankly, she stared
out at the rain-drenched yard.

“Elissa!”
Calum barked her name out. “Bardot’s Club, tomorrow night. Be there
or-” His voice cut out as she flipped the mobile closed.

Her teeth
clenched.
Owe him. Owe them. Owe them all. After what they did,
they think I owe them. But what about me?
A muscle jumped in
her jaw. There was no her, was there? Just everyone else as far as
they were concerned. If she were harder, more ruthless, she could
take it, but there was still a part of her that just wanted
acceptance. Like that was going to happen. Even her own parents
couldn’t accept her. Well, they’d have to now.

The sound of a
phone ringing inside jerked her head up, had her surging to her
feet. Surely Calum hadn’t guessed where she’d gone? Gotten Ash’s
phone number from her mother?

Chapter 4

Lunging
through the door, she came to a halt, relief flooding her when she
saw Ash laughing as she spoke into the phone while standing in
front of the open ‘fridge.

“Glad the
roof’s not leaking. Elissa is lazing outside with a book, and good
on her. I’m about to make dinner, but…” Ash’s nose wrinkled. “Damn,
no bread. I was going to make us a couple of toasted sandwiches.
Yeah, use up the left over meat, add some onion and cheese. Guess
I’ll find something else.”

Pocketing the
mobile, Elissa managed a small smile when Ash glanced at her.
Almost immediately she saw the change on her friend’s face, the
concern drawing her smooth brows together. Damn, she’d guessed
something was wrong.

“I’ll call you
back-” Ash began.

No. No way. No
way could she face questions now.

Moving fast,
determinedly, Elissa started across the room. “I’ll get some bread
from the service station.”

“Wait-”

“No, it’s
fine. All good. Can I borrow your car?”

“Just wait,
Del.” Holding the phone, Ash started to protest. “Elissa, what’s
wrong?”

“Nothing.”
Smiling wider, forcing a cheer she certainly didn’t feel, Elissa
gestured to several keys hanging on a row of hooks above the
kitchen bench. “Which one is the car key?”

Cradling the
phone in her hand, the ‘fridge door still open and sending
undoubtedly cold drafts up her skirt, Ash’s worried gaze flicked
from the keys to Elissa.

“Please.”
Trying to hold back the frustration, the sadness, trying to
maintain a happy façade and failing bloody miserably, if Ash’s
growing concern was any indication, Elissa clenched her fists a
little, forced them to relax. Forced herself to meet her friend’s
searching gaze. “Please, Ash. A drive will do me good, a little me
time. You know?”

They looked at
each other for several seconds before Ash finally nodded.
“Okay.”

She didn’t say
she understood, didn’t pretend to know, the compassion in her eyes
touching Elissa deeply. More deeply than she wanted to right then,
because to say things she wasn’t ready to share… All she wanted was
to be alone, gather her shaken thoughts. Regather her resolve.
Alone.

“I’ll call you
back,” Ash told Del, switching the phone off as she crossed to
where Elissa stood. Plucking a set of keys from the rack of hooks,
she handed them to Elissa, her gaze unwavering. “We’re talking
later, right? When you’re ready?”

“Sure.” Elissa
took the keys, smiled. “Yes.”

Ahs hugged her
suddenly, a little fiercely. “You know I’m here for you.”

Cripes, she
was going to start crying in a minute, that was so not going to
happen.

Elissa gave
her a hug back, managing to keep that smile on her face the whole
time. “Same back at you.”

Releasing her,
Ash took a deep breath as she stepped back. “You know, we can do
without the bread.”

“I’ll enjoy
the drive. Nice country air, fresh rain. What’s not to like?”
Turning, Elissa strode towards the door.

“Be careful on
the road.”

“Yes,
Mum.”

Ash laughed,
but the joke between them was a little flat.

Stepping out
onto the front veranda, Elissa bent her head and made the dash
across the yard to where Ash’s little car was parked, beeping the
doors unlocked and jumping inside, slamming the door behind her. A
quick study of the controls before she put the key in the ignition
and started the engine, and within seconds she was backing out of
the drive and onto the road.

The rain
pattered on the hood, the side window shield allowing her to roll
the window down to let the fresh air in without the rain.

Almost
immediately she began to relax, breathing deeply, easing her death
grip on the steering wheel.

It was done,
the phone call over. That Calum hadn’t listened to her before she’d
left was nothing new, it wasn’t the first time, but it was damned
well going to be the last time. He had no right to call her, demand
this of her. He’d known. He’d
known
.

Anger bubbled
up inside her, borne of frustration and that lost feeling, the fact
that she was being pressured, that no one was damned well listening
to her.

But it didn’t
matter, he couldn’t touch her here. All she had to do was enjoy her
holiday. Do that first. She’d been enjoying herself already, hadn’t
she? Done something she’d never thought to do - help fix a roof.
Climb a ladder onto a roof. It was something she’d done, right?
Gotten a little dirty, had some laughs with a group of girls who
brimmed with confidence.

Jesus, she had
confidence. She’d always had confidence. But now she questioned it
as she’d been questioning so much for a long time.

The service
station appeared through the gloom and she turned into it, pulling
the car up at the side out of the way of non-existent traffic that
might appear and need to go under the main veranda to fill up at
the bowsers.

The rain had
almost stopped, the merest whisper of a light hint. Getting out of
the car, she hurried around the corner of the building and pushed
through the door, feeling the warmth of the room envelope her.

For the first
time she realised she’d come out in the chill early evening air
without a cardigan, her arms showered with goose bumps, the short
sleeved blouse no protection.

Soaking up the
warmth, she looked around. To her left stood a counter with hot
food steaming behind glass on one side of the cash register, and
another glass counter to the right containing some sandwiches and
individually wrapped slices of cake. On her right stretched several
long shelves holding an assortment of goods. Newspapers and a few
magazines stood on a rack to the right of the door. A big ‘fridge
holding cold drinks and some milk sat along the back wall.

Looking around
for the bread, she spotted a familiar figure near the back. Tall,
broad-shouldered, he held a packet of something in his hand, a pair
of glasses perched on his nose as he read the back of it. Red hair
gleamed under the light, touches of auburn, deep rich red, a hint
of copper.

Simon.

For several
seconds she looked at him, her troubled thoughts tumbling around to
beat hard in her temples.

God, he’d been
the one to find her during one of her crying sessions. One of those
sessions when she’d had too much, had crumbled under a burden she
didn’t want. He’d sat with her, so quiet, so calm, a solid presence
that waited patiently as though he’d had all the time in the
world.

Even now he
had an air of tranquillity about him, his every movement unhurried
as he placed the packet back on the shelf and picked up a tin, his
eyebrows rising slowly as he read the ingredients. One long finger
pushed the glasses up on his nose as he debated the tin, those
firm, masculine lips thoughtfully pursing slightly to one side.

Those lips
might be firm, but they were also soft.

The unexpected
memory hit her hard, taking her breath away momentarily. Cripes,
even his kiss had been unhurried, exploring, kissing her with an
easy assurance that had her heart skip a beat then - and skip a
beat now.

“Evening,” a
pleasant voice said from her left. “Can I help you?”

The words
broke through her spell, making her blink a little stupidly, a
blush steeling through her cheeks as she turned to see a short,
well-built man watching her with a friendly, curious gaze.

“Hi,” she
managed. Giving a mental shake, she moved to the counter. “Do you
have any bread?”

“Couple of
loaves left on the shelf.” He pointed.

Following his
gaze, she saw a rack containing several loaves of bread at the
front of the closest row of shelves. Grabbing a loaf, she set it on
the counter.

“You must be
the new girl in town,” the man said. “Hear you’re staying with Ash
and Scott.”

“I’m Elissa.”
She smiled at him. “Ash’s friend.”

“G’day.” He
stuck out his hand. “I’m Robby.”

Surprised, but
also a little delighted at this unexpected show of friendliness,
she shook his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Heard you’re
also her matron of honour or something at the wedding.”

“That’s the
plan.”

“Nice girl.”
Robby nodded. “And Scott’s a good bloke. They make a nice
couple.”

“They do.” She
picked up the bread. “Ash is waiting for this. I better go.”

“Nice to meet
you.”

“Same here.”
She turned and walked to the door, unable to help but cast a quick
peek over her shoulder.

Simon was
nowhere in sight.

Feeling
strangely disappointed, she walked out into the gloom.

Dropping into
the driver’s seat, she placed the loaf of bread on the passenger
seat and slipped the key into the ignition.

Her mobile
sounded dimly from her pocket and recognising the tune, she leaned
to the side and dug it out, winding the window down to let the
fresh, rain-scented air fill the car as she flipped it open. “Hey,
Moz! How’s it hanging?”

Expecting her
brother’s gravely voice, she froze at the disapproving tone that
came instead. “Elissa, what’s this I hear about you not coming
straight back to sing at the Bardot Club?”

“Mum?” Her
grip tightened automatically on the mobile. “What are you doing on
Moz’s phone?”

“Knowing the
mood you’re in, I figured you wouldn’t answer if you saw my
number.” Her mother’s tone was frosty. “Your childishness in
refusing to answer when you know I’m on here is getting tiresome,
Elissa.”

Elissa stared
out the windscreen. What could she say? She was sorry? That’d be a
big, fat lie.

“I’ve had
Calum on the phone,” her mother continued. “He’s ropable. What do
you think you’re doing?”

“You know I
was coming here for Ash’s wedding.”

“So? This is
the Bardot Club, not one of those grubby little pubs you sneak off
to. This is the
Bardot Club
.”

“I told Calum
awhile ago that I was going on holiday. I told you I was finished
with the singing and the-”

“The Bardot
Club, Elissa. This is where talent scouts go to spot new talent.
God knows you have a talent you seem determined to hide. Come home
immediately, stop being a child about it. You have
responsibilities.”

A muscle
ticked in her tight jaw. “No. I’m here for Ash’s-”

“For God’s
sake, Ash has her own life. She doesn’t need you hanging on her
coat tails. She’ll understand you wanting to come back here to
sing, to be finally discovered for the big time.”

“I don’t care
about the big time, I’m not coming back. You know part of the
reason why.”

“Don’t be
ridiculous.”

“You got
everything you wanted, Mum. I owe you nothing. Leave me alone.”
Closing her eyes, Elissa felt her heart start to thud a little
heavier. Regardless of what her parents had done, they were still
her parents. If only she was harder, tougher, able to walk away
without feeling some hurt. And some guilt, however misplaced. “This
is my life we’re talking about,
my
life now. I’m taking this
time to decide what I-”