The Way Home Read online

  “Drinks and dancing?”

  “Okay, I need to get wankered.”

  “Splendid.” They clinked bottles. “So tell me everything.”

  “Maybe later, when I’ve had more to drink. I’m gonna take a shower, want to sort some food out?”

  “Sure thing.” Jess smiled a perfect smile, and the girls went in. Cap whined, she knew what was in store, the poor girl hated being alone.

  Em wore a royal blue form-fitting dress, which was too short, and too tight. She put on her tan heels, and her hair was pinned up in loose waves. She put on her cherry lipstick.

  Cap whined by the door and cowered, and Jess made little sympathy noises.

  “She is so manipulative. But I can’t blame you, sweetie, no, mummy can’t.”

  Jess laughed, “Oh my God we have to get you laid soon.”

  Em stood on one hip. “I have an idea, wanna see them?” she peeked out the window. There were a couple of cars parked at his. “Let’s go introduce ourselves and ask them a favour.” Em gave Jess a smirk, and she nodded.

  They went out, and Cap followed when bid. Em picked up her outside water bowl and with Jess at her side, they strutted over the road. She rang the bell. There was a cry of “We’re in the back.” And they went to the open gate. The collection of men were hanging out in the garden, which consisted of a plain lawn and patio.

  “Boys.” Murmurs of greeting. It death stared her. “This is my good friend Jess.” Kevin introduced everyone.

  It had a name, Ryan. Jess shook hands with everyone, even Ryan. That stung, so it wasn’t all women he hated, just her, not that she was surprised, what had he called her? Arrogant and abrasive. She looked each of them over as Jess made small talk. The tanned guy, Lewis, was attractive and polite. Carl was blond, beautiful, and cocky, and Em noticed his prosthetic hand as it rested on his lap. Ben, shorter and dark, was quiet and only smiled tightly when introduced. Kevin had an easy manner that Em liked a lot. He was in his wheelchair, with two prosthetic legs on the floor next to him.

  She doubted whether to ask for his help, but she frowned at the water bowl in her hand and Cap snuffling about the lads and made herself speak.

  “Kevin, I have a massive favour to ask.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Cap here, hates being alone, she tends to pick on something and destroy it, and if I put her out back, she’ll bark all night. I was hoping you might watch her, only if you fancy it, she has eaten and walked, and she just wants belly rubs and company, maybe a piss at ten.”

  “Sure thing, happy to. Where you off to?”

  Em smiled. “The Tavernhouse, it’s pretty fun. Thanks, Kevin, I owe you, hey maybe I could mow your lawn sometime.” She gave him a smirk as she lowered her voice.

  He laughed. “Maybe.”

  Em turned down to Cap, squatted, and looked into her dog’s eyes.

  “Be a good girl, and don’t be a tart. It’s not ladylike.” She kissed the dog between her eyes. She waved bye to the guys but stopped at Ryan.

  “Bye Ryan.” She was dead faced when she said it, and she felt him watch her as they walked back around to the front as a taxi pulled down, and Cap barked. Kevin stroked her. Em waved as a guy got out and kissed both girls on the cheek. Every one of the men moved to watch them go through the gap of the gate as they got in the cab.

  “Well. That was intense.”

  “I know it’s so weird.”

  “What’s this?” the guy, Dan, was lanky and sweet, and Em’s only other friend.

  “Those guys and one in particular fancies Em.”

  Em choked on air. “He does not.”

  “I think he protests too much.”

  “No, I know that sometimes emotionally stunted deranged boys can be mean to the girl they fancy, and vice versa, but he actually dislikes me. Besides I hate that bullshit idea, if a guy is mean, I should be grateful because he secretly likes me, and therefore I should tolerate his abuse.”

  “Okay, okay, it’s all right, calm down. Why do you think he hates you?”

  “I’m abrasive and arrogant.”

  “You were teasing him,” Dan smirked, knowing Em pretty well, it’s what she’d do.

  “It’s like catnip, how could I not torment him? He just gets pissier with me.”

  “If you were frightened of him, you wouldn’t tease him. There must be something instinctively that you feel that makes you think, no this dude is not going to hurt me.”

  “Hey, I never said I thought he might hurt me, I said he doesn’t like me, no actively hates me. There isn’t really any threat there, I think. I kind of like someone hating me, for no reason. It’s funny, and I can defend myself.”

  “He’s a big fucker, though.”

  Em stage-whispered as she laughed. “Imagine the size of his balls.”

  The pub was busy when they entered, and the music was loud. Em carried drinks over to the narrow bar that edged the place, and they stood huddled together. They took a shot and sipped their drinks, swapping news until heading out to the dancefloor.

  The three had a dynamic that worked well for them. Dan was out, but he was cautious around crowds that weren’t primarily gay. He’d had the crap beaten out of him when he was in school, and he’d been pretty reserved since. Em was not interested in picking up guys, but they often had other ideas. The two would flirt and be as outrageous as they dared to go with the other, usually ending in hysterical laughter.

  Jess was more outgoing, and Em and Dan were able to make sure she was safe. The three were dancing together, appearing pretty up close and personal, when Jess’s eyes grew large, and she mouthed several swear words.

  Em turned, she saw four of the guys, including tall-dark-and-my-name-is-Ryan-the-arsehole walk in. They zeroed in on Em; she smiled and turned back to Dan. Em was in a Jess and Dan sandwich, and they undulated together with the music.

  The music changed, and the trio made their way back to the bar. Em stopped at the crowd of guys. Dan stopped and shout-whispered in her ear. “He lurves you.”

  “Fuck off.”

  He only laughed as Em leant into the group. “Hey, I thought you were babysitting my diva dog.”

  “Kevin is.” The tanned guy that had taken the beer from her, Lewis, spoke up.

  “So you fucked off out and left him alone. Some friends you are.” Her eyes sparkled.

  “Hey, we were already heading out, trying to persuade him to come out, but you,” he pointed at Em, “gave him an excuse not to.”

  The sparkle vanished. “I’m sorry guys; I didn’t know. I’ll find someone else next time, promise.”

  Lewis smiled. “You better.”

  Jess joined them, and Dan hung back a little until Em introduced him. The trio downed a shot, and Dan leant down to Em.

  “Seriously he can’t take his eyes off you, and I think he wants to kill me.”

  Em responded with an evil expression. “Wanna dance?” Dan laughed.

  “Sure, it might be wise to stop pissing him off because he looks scary as fuck.”

  “Maybe. I can’t seem to help myself.”

  “Do you think it’s because you might like him a little bit?”

  She narrowed her eyes. “I would, even if he doesn’t like me, but he’s too,” she gesticulated.

  “I know. Not my type either.” They laughed, and he pulled her back to the dancefloor, Jess rolled her eyes as she talked with Carl. The others, Ben and Lewis, talked to girls, flirted, danced a little. Ryan didn’t move, his eyes on Em, making her uncomfortable, and her mind wandered backwards, other things lurked there, unpleasant ones. Her body vibrated with unease.

  “You okay?” Dan was watching her.

  “You know, you were right.” She shouted into Dan’s ear. “I baited him, and now I’m starting to get freaked out.”

  Ryan looked away when Dan caught his eye, he took Em’s hand, and they went over to Jess, talking to some random guy.

  “
Time to go. Em’s creeped out.” All three saw Ryan staring into his drink. Jess nodded and said goodbye to her new friend.

  Dan left Em with Jess, but he went over to Lewis before following the girls outside, he seemed the friendliest of all of the guys.

  “Can I have a word?”

  “Sure.”

  “Your friend, Ryan, is making Em uncomfortable. He’s been staring at her for ages, and he’s freaking me out a bit. To be honest, Em gets a lot of attention, most of it is harmless, but now and again, it can be worrying. He knows where she lives. Does she need to be worried? I’m not trying to be a dick, but I need to look out for my friend.”

  Lewis scowled, seeing Ryan looking like the epitome of misery.

  “Ryan’s had a difficult few years, he would never hurt anyone, and if he realised that he was frightening her, he’d take it badly. I don’t know what’s up with him; he rarely pays women any attention. I think he actually likes her.”

  Dan shrugged. “That’s what I said. She doesn’t believe or endorse that.”

  The two men shook hands. Dan exhaled, and his bravado went with it as he left the club with Em.

  Outside, the air was cooler, and Em breathed deeply.

  “Lewis says Ryan likes you, and he’d never hurt a woman.”

  “Define hurt.”

  They fell into the cottage and leaving her shoes on the porch, and she went over to Kevin’s. Cap nearly knocked her over when Kevin called her in. She knelt on the floor, fussing Cap.

  “I saw your light on. How was she?”

  “Like gold.” He put down the games controller and hoisted himself into his wheelchair.

  “Thanks for doing this.”

  He smiled. “I like having a dog about.”

  “We saw your friends.” He raised his brows. “Yeah, can I ask you a question?”

  “Let me guess, Ryan?” she nodded. “Hey, we’re all out of the service. Ryan is a good guy, but like the rest of us, he’s been through shit.”

  “Should I worry? Lewis says not to, but I’m not sure.”

  “No, really, he doesn’t know what to do with women generally, and he’s polite but distant. He noticed you first, as soon as you came out onto your porch. I think he…”

  “Yeah, yeah, likes me.”

  “He’d run a mile before he speaks to you. I had to make him talk to you. I think he’d rather not see you at all and then he won’t have to deal with it. Which you could do, or, you could be in his company more. He might become immune, or face his feelings.” He made a face.

  She made a similar one. “Gross. I’ll think about it. If he comes near me and I’m unhappy, I can do him some damage, and Cap will take his dick off. I wasn’t joking. Just so we’re clear.”

  “Ma’am, yes ma’am.” He grinned.

  “Goodnight Kevin.”

  “You too.” She beamed and left with Cap.

  Em, Jess, and Dan drank and danced around the living room for a while. They had changed into casual clothes; Em sported green cotton shorts and shirt set. They were Single Lady-ing themselves about the house when a knock at the door brought them up short. Em shushed everyone and crept to the door, fully expecting a police officer to be standing there.

  It was not. Ryan leant against the doorframe, blinking at nothing.

  “Is he…?”

  “Utterly hosed.” Dan stood closer to her, which caught Ryan’s attention.

  “Can I talk to you?”

  “I don’t know, can you?” he crumpled. He was vulnerable but vulnerable was dangerous. Something drew her to him and she couldn’t put her finger on it. He wasn’t her type, she would never date him, but still, there was something.

  “Em, this is a bad idea.”

  She ignored Dan. “Are you all right?”

  “No.”

  “Come on. Let’s get you home, okay?” he nodded. “Hang on.” She went past her friends and put her robe on. When she went outside, he was sat on her porch steps with his head in his hands. She sat next to him.

  “So.”

  “Lewis said you were frightened of me.”

  “I am.”

  “Why?”

  “Why? Jesus. Because you look like you want to kill me every time you look my way, and you looked at me all night.”

  “Is he your boyfriend?” he nodded his head to her house.

  “That doesn’t matter. If he is or not should make no difference to basic humanity, and the application thereof.”

  He frowned at her.

  She put two fingers at the ravine between his eyebrows and pushed it apart. “No. I think you’re stuck with it. Well, shit for you. Come on.”

  She stood and held out her hand, he didn’t take it, but stood and walked past her. “I’m sorry.”

  She nodded and gave a tentative smile. He glanced at her mouth. Well, she knew that look. Balls.

  Three. Push and pull

  Two weeks, and she saw little of the ex-military boys. She took to working inside, being a coward, but she gardened, she did chores, and she wrote.

  She was kneeling in the flowerbeds, finally tackling the front garden, wearing a black vest and old cargo shorts that she had cut off at the top of her thighs with her hair up in a red scarf. She was wrestling with a deep-rooted bugger that kept coming back when a shadow fell over her.

  She thought the humidity was finally going to break with a good thunderstorm; she hoped it would, it was becoming unbearable, but alas, no.

  There she was, arse up in the air, swearing and yanking furiously at the poor weed, when the light darkened. She let go and turned her head. Boots, jeaned clad legs – who wears jeans in that heat – and a t-shirt, then atop sat Mr Scowly-wanker-pants. She sat up and stretched her back.

  “May I help you?”

  “Kevin wants to know if you and your friends want to come out with the guys tonight.”

  “I’ll text them, but I’ll come out, I haven’t been out for a while.” Two weeks to be exact, when he looked at her like he wanted to kiss her, not that she thought about that, nope, not once. He nodded. She took off her gloves and brushed the dirt off her knees as she stood up. His eyes did not reach her face in time, and she repressed a smile. He tried to look anywhere but her tits.

  “Anything else?”

  “Sorry about being drunk, the other night.” He was back to emotionless robot mode. Nice.

  “It was all right, and it’s usually me in that state anyway.”

  “I hope your boyfriend wasn’t too pissed at me.”

  Oh, he was fishing, okay she’d bite.

  “Dan isn’t my boyfriend.”

  “I thought…”

  “I give off that impression to spare myself unwanted attention.”

  “Doesn’t he mind? I mean pretending to.”

  “Yes?” she was all innocence and doe eyes. His mouth flattened, and the scowl returned. “See, we almost had a conversation. I bet you feel the need to bleach yourself of my presence now. Off you go.”

  He blinked and wandered away, shaking his head.

  She laughed and proceeded to conquer the weeds like a queen.

  Jess was up for it, but Dan wasn’t. She tried to convince him that there was man candy, but he wasn’t having it.

  She had a long talk with Cap before she left her with a pile of toys to chew. She put away her shoes and remotes, and the other things the dog loved to destroy when she was on her own.

  Em wore a dark red dress to her knees, there was a slit up the back, and it was tight, with a sweetheart neck. It was a gorgeous lined silk, and she wore patent black heels.

  Her hair was immaculate, unusual for her, managing the forties updo just right. She beamed at Kevin when he stood on his new prosthetics.

  “Well, bugger me. How does it feel?”

  “Great. Bit weird. But cool. I had other ones, but I’ve been waiting for these babies for weeks. I have robotic knees.”

  “Like a c
yborg?”

  “Kinda.”

  “I love it.” She turned to him. Every time she did, she regretted it. He scowled and looked away. “Ryan.”

  He nodded, and she gave a pointed look to Jess. The taxi came a few minutes later. Muscles was next to Em, who was next to Jess. It was the first time he touched her. His whole side ended up pressing into her, making his jaw tick.

  “How was your week, Jess?”

  “Pretty dull. Mother is bugging me to bring home a man. It’s starting to piss me off.”

  “Poor you. Tell her you’re gay.”

  “She wouldn’t give two shits, and she’d just tell me to bring home a girlfriend.” Everyone laughed. “I could take you back, pretend we’re a couple, and it would spare poor Dan.”

  “Poor Dan my arse. He doesn’t mind women that much.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “I did wonder.”

  “It’s not like he’d shag me, but he doesn’t mind feeling me up a bit.” Em laughed. “Win, win.”

  “I guess. But you’re not going to get any with Dan copping a feel.”

  “Maybe we could be gay, make things situationally easier.”

  “Would it?” Kevin turned to the girls, who laughed.

  Em narrowed her eyes. “Maybe. Boys are weird.”

  “Girls are...”

  “What, exactly?” she tipped her head.

  “Nothing, my mistake.”

  “Correct answer.”

  “So, Em.”

  “Yes, Jess.”

  “You ready to step it up a bit?”

  “I’m not snogging you so you can pick up guys.”

  “I didn’t mean that. I mean, you should try to meet someone.” Jess persevered.

  “Why, why do you do this to me? If I meet someone, I meet someone, but I am not trawling bars for it.”

  “You need some fun if you know what I mean.” Em gave Jess a flat look.

  “Can we not discuss my love life with two men and our charming cab driver listening?”

  “Aw, guys do you mind if we discuss Em’s love life?” All three said no, the bastards, and even the wanker spoke.