‘Designated driver for the night,’ says Dan. ‘I dropped the others in town. Just thought I’d come back and see how things are,’ he says, and at that point I collapse into a heap of drunken tears against his broad chest.
I wake with a thumping headache, in a strange bed. It’s light. It must be the morning. I look around, trying to work out where I am. It takes a while for me to take in the floral curtains, the velour headrest, the fringed lamps. Then I hear a voice on the phone.
Oh God, I’m in Rosie’s chalet, in Dan’s bed! I sit up and check to see what clothes I have or haven’t got on. I seem to be wearing most of them. The door opens and Dan is standing there holding a mug.
‘Tea?’
‘Oh my God, we didn’t, did we?’ I say straightaway, not giving him a chance to answer. ‘I mean, not that it wouldn’t have been lovely, but … y’know.’
‘No, we didn’t,’ he laughs, putting the tea on the bedside table. ‘I slept on the couch. And am still feeling it.’ He rubs his neck and rolls his head from side to side with a wince. ‘I’m hoping to trade you for a massage later,’ he says with a smile, sitting on the bed.
‘Oh, no,’ I groan as it all comes flooding back in glorious Technicolor detail. I grab a pillow and hold it over my face.
‘Oh thanks.’ Dan stands up and I quickly drop the pillow.
‘Oh no, not you, I mean, just … everything.’ I fall back into the pillows and pull the other one over my face, but the unfamiliar smell makes me take it away again. ‘Look, Dan, I said a lot of things that I—’ I start.
‘It’s forgotten.’ He gives a quick, bright smile. ‘Now then, how about lunch?’
My stomach flips over and not in a good way.
‘You OK?’ He stands up quickly and backs away. I can’t help but like Dan, he makes me smile, like a dopey older brother.
‘You don’t give up, do you?’ My stomach settles and I fall on the tea.
‘I like to get what I want in life,’ he beams.
I’m beginning to think that this isn’t a bad thing. At least he knows what he wants. But right now I have work out what I want.
‘It’s just that I was thinking. We work well together, you and I,’ Dan says, as I blow and sip my tea, wondering how to let him down gently.
‘Hey,’ Margaret bursts in through the sliding patio doors and I’m relieved at the interruption. ‘I’ve been looking for you. That was some night, eh? Hope Sean wasn’t too mad at you.’ She looks as fresh as a daisy.
Dan looks frustrated. I, on the other hand, don’t want to have the ‘friends’ conversation with him again.
‘Actually,’ I tell Margaret as I finally manage to take a good swig of tea, ‘he sacked me.’
‘No way!’ Margaret shrieks, making my head bang. ‘For having a few birthday drinks?’
‘In fairness, it was more than a few drinks, and he hadspecifically told me not to have people back to the farm.’
‘Why not, for God’s sake? And after you saw off those thugs, I hope you told him about that. Ah, tea, lovely.’ She takes the tea Dan is holding and then looks at it doubtfully.
‘Actually I didn’t. Didn’t get a chance. He sacked me last night so I stayed here with Dan.’
‘Really?’ Margaret’s eyes light up over the cup she’s holding in front of her.
‘Not like that,’ I tut and blush.
‘On the couch,’ Dan joins in.
‘Nothing happened,’ I say at the same time.
‘Well, leave Sean Thornton to me. I’ll go up and have a word,’ Margaret says boldly.
‘No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I think Sean just needs to be given a wide berth right now.’
Once Margaret and Dan leave, I fall back into the pillows, pull the covers over my head and stay there for the rest of the day.
