‘Are you okay?’ It was Danny, the very last person she’d wanted to see.
‘No,’ she snapped. ‘I’m not okay. I’m fed up and I’m going home.’
‘Home? But you’re booked into the hotel tonight.’
‘I know, but so what?’
‘Well, how are you getting home? Have you booked a taxi?’
Brooke remembered that she had Danny’s phone in the pocket of her trousers and was suddenly worried that he’d realise that and ask for it back. ‘Lee’s taking me,’ she said hurriedly. ‘I have to go.’
‘Lee?’ Danny grabbed her arm. ‘You’re not seriously getting in a car with him, after what you said earlier?’
‘It’s just a lift, Danny, that’s all.’
He looked deeply concerned, which at any other time would have warmed her heart. ‘What’s wrong, Brooke? Has someone said something or hurt you in some way?’
‘No! It’s okay, I’m fine. I just need to go home. Oh! Where the hell is my bag? Sod it! I’ll go without it.’
‘But wait, you’ll need your keys and?—’
But Brooke couldn’t take the risk of Lee leaving without her. She fled through the doors and into the car park.
At least the Subaru Impreza was hard to miss. Brooke wasn’t really one for car makes but she recognised the bright blue saloon with the yellow flash easily enough. Now, where was that moron?
Lee swaggered out of the hotel at last, his eyes bright and laughing as he caught sight of her standing by the car.
He clapped his hands in glee then sniffed several times. ‘Ready to go?’
‘Yes.’ Brooke eyed him doubtfully. ‘Have you been drinking?’
‘Me?’ He gave her an indignant look. ‘Not touched a drop. I’ve been on coke all night, darling. Ask anyone.’ He laughed as if he’d said something hilarious and got into the car, then reached over and opened the passenger door.
Brooke, who’d been about to get into the back seat, hesitated, but then she heard Danny shouting her name and panic overrode common sense. He’d probably remembered she had his phone, but she needed it. She wanted to show the photograph to Kirsty. Besides, she didn’t want Danny to see it. It would break his heart. Once she’d had it out with her bitch of a cousin she’d delete it. No man should have to see his wife in that situation.
She dived into the passenger seat and Lee started the car.
‘Woohoo! Let’s go!’ he whooped.
The car rolled forward and, as it did, Danny leapt into the back seat.
‘What the hell are you doing in here?’ Lee demanded.
‘She’s not going anywhere without me,’ Danny said firmly.
‘No! You need to get out,’ Brooke screeched. ‘Go!’
Lee only seemed to hear the word ‘go’, because he put his foot down on the accelerator and the car sped off down the drive and out of the hotel grounds, on its way to where destiny awaited.
21
BROOKE
‘No, no, no.’ Silas was seriously unimpressed. ‘How on earth can you forget the lyrics? They’re pathetically simple. A child could remember them.’ He nodded at Florence and Immi. ‘These two children have no difficulty! It’s you adults – if I can use the term – who seem incapable of storing information in your brains for more than thirty seconds.’
‘Like goldfish,’ Bill said cheerfully, while Ronnie did what he clearly considered to be a goldfish impression with his mouth, much to his mate’s approval. Brooke watched, amazed, as the two of them fell about laughing as if they’d done something hilarious.
‘I never thought I’d say this,’ said Percy, surveying them with a sigh, ‘but I actually think I preferred it when they were sworn enemies.’
