Sunlight glimmered off the gold wedding band Bella absently twirled around her finger. “It’s not what you think.”
Lisa held up a hand. She didn’t want to hear any more. “Save it for someone who gives a damn.” She turned and strolled down the driveway, her mind in turmoil.
As soon as she made it inside, she changed into a pair of shorts, slipped on her training shoes, and headed out again. She needed to burn off the barrage of emotions Bella had stirred inside her.
All kinds of questions tumbled through her mind as she jogged down the street, away from her house, away from Bella.
When and why had she moved back to town? Where was her husband? Lisa hadn’t seen a man, but the work boots and wedding ring suggested Bella had married.
Half an hour later, feeling more grounded, Lisa jogged back up her driveway. The phone was ringing, and she couldn’t get the key in the door fast enough.
“Hello,” she answered, trying to catch her breath.
“Oh, my. Did I interrupt something?” The cheeky tone of Cherie’s voice made Lisa chuckle.
“Nothing like that. I’ve just been for a run.”
“Go you. You lean, mean, fighting machine.”
She owned the lean part, but violence was something Lisa loathed. She’d been in one fist fight at school when a high school bully provoked her, pushing her until she was forced to defend herself.
She’d come out the victor, but that just annihilated her more. Even the negative attention stopped. Her peers feared if they looked at her the wrong way, she’d either punch their lights out or worse pass on her lesbianism.
That had been ten years ago—1995. A year she would never forget.
She reached for a towel, wiped the sweat off her forehead, and tuned back into Cherie. “What’s up?”
“Are you coming to pool club tonight?” The tinkle-tinkle of Cherie stirring a drink echoed down the line.
“Nah. I had a bit of a shock this morning. I think I better stay home.” She was joking about staying home.
“What?” Cherie screeched. “It’s the semi-final. You can’t miss it. We’re top of the leader board.”
“Gee, nice of you to be concerned about my shock. I can feel the love all the way down the line.”
Cherie snorted. “You getting a shock’s hardly news. You’re an electrician.”
“I don’t go zapping myself at work.”
“Just at home?”
“Can we stay on track?”
“Oh, right. Pool. See you at seven tonight, okay?”
“I’ll be there.” Lisa disconnected the call and put the phone back in the charging dock.
She’d met Cherie at the local pub a few years ago. They’d had a brief fling, but it didn’t take long to realise they weren’t a good match, sexually or romantically.
However, when it came to shooting pool it turned out they were the perfect pair. They’d teamed up and won more than their share of trophies in the two years since.
Chapter 2
That night, after six games of pool, they were through to the final round. Elated, Lisa celebrated with a pint of beer and a few shots of Sambuca.
By eleven o’clock, she was exhausted, and her bed was calling to her. “Okay, I’m outta here.”
“What?” Cherie cupped a hand around her ear trying to hear over the pub noise.
“I said I’m off.”
“So soon?”
“Afraid so. I need my beauty sleep.”
“Someone doesn’t seem to think so.” Cherie nodded in the direction of Alice, who’d been making her presence known all night, whooping and jumping up and down, tits bouncing each time Lisa sank a ball.
“I’m not going there again.”
“Look at her. She’s practically drooling. I bet she’d do anything you told her to.”
Lisa didn’t bother explaining once again that Alice was too needy for her liking. “I’m going to call a cab. You coming or staying?”
Cherie’s gaze was on the other side of the pub, sizing up Alice. “Are you really done with her?”
“I am.” And if Lisa hadn’t been before, she was now. There was a new girl on the street, and she didn’t want Bella to see her arrive home with a casual fling in tow. “Yes, we’re done.”
“You mind if I…” Cherie left the sentence hanging.
Lisa snorted. “You’re such a pig.”
“Oink.”
“You’re welcome to my leftovers, but not tonight.” She towed Cherie towards the phone mounted on a pillar. “You’re coming with me.”
“Ooh.” Cherie waggled her eyebrows. “I didn’t think you played drunk.”
“I don’t, and nor should you. Trust me, you’ll thank me tomorrow.”
Cherie swayed, and Lisa grabbed her, leaning her against the pillar.
“Stay.” She picked up the phone, one eye on Cherie who was fading fast.
“Hello, Tabitha’s Taxis.”
“Hi, can I have a cab to the Lion Pub, please?”
“Sure. Number of passengers?”
“Two.”
“One moment.”
There was some beeping and muttered talking in the background, and then the receptionist came back on the line. “There’s a taxi in the area. A driver will be right with you.”
“Thanks.” Lisa hung up, aware Alice hadn’t taken her eyes off them the entire time.
She was at a bar leaner with five other people, all laughing raucously in that way people did when they were drunk and everything seemed ten times funnier. Only, Alice didn’t look like she was having fun. Her puppy-dog eyes were trained on Lisa.
Trained? Huh! No pun intended. But that was Alice. She wanted a full-time mistress, and Lisa couldn’t be that person for her.
“Come on, woman.” She slung Cherie’s arm over her shoulder and picked up their pool cases. “Let’s get out of here.”
Cherie felt like a lead weight as Lisa dragged her out into the cool night air.
“Fuck, don’t you hate that?” Cherie held onto Lisa as if her legs were about to give out.
“What?”
“Fresh air’s supposed to sober you up, but I feel pissed as a fart.”
“You are pissed as a fart.” Lisa laughed. “And don’t you dare throw up.”
“Never.”
Lisa was yet to see Cherie puke when she was drunk, but there was a first time for everything.
The cab pulled up, and Lisa helped Cherie into the back seat, then jumped in the front, pool cases propped between her legs.
The cab driver glanced past her, staring out the passenger window. “She with you?”
Lisa turned and cursed under her breath. What the fuck was Alice doing standing on the sidewalk watching them? She couldn’t just leave her there, alone in the dark.
Lisa cracked open the window. “You okay?”
“No, I need a ride. Can I come with you?”
“Sorry, cab’s full. The next one won’t be long.” Lisa wound up the window. “Can you call another to come get her?”
“Sure.” The driver grinned but didn’t press for more. One chick trying to get away from another was probably nothing compared to some of the sights she saw on her nightly rounds.