Beautiful Curses: Book One (2 page)

Gabriella smiled to herself as she past her sister in the hallway. Denise was bumbling on about some gossip she'd just heard about Lewis Pimms, but Gabriella couldn’t care less. One of her many talents was pretending to be interested in what they had to say, but in actual fact, most times, she only tuned in when she heard something she could use to her advantage. Seeing her sister, and that friend of hers, reminded Gabriella of the previous evening.

She'd opened the front door and smiled recognising Spencer's voice, pleased he had come home early for the Christmas holidays. In a rush to see him, she dropped her bag and flung her coat on the hall stand, but stopped briefly to examine her reflection in the mirror. She ran her finger lightly over her lips admiring the new tanned lipstick she'd bought to match her eye-shadow colour, then flicked her hair over her shoulders, before walking towards the kitchen.

Everyone, accept Jo, looked in her direction as she entered the room. Her sister was busy ringing out a cloth in the sink and mopping up spilled water on the bench. The old kettle had obviously overflowed again. Gabriella side-stepped a wet patch on the floor, then sidled up to her brother, giving him a quick hug. “Hey, we didn't expect you till later in the week.”

Spencer bent down to kiss her cheek, his brown eyes twinkling. “Well I hope that means you weren't planning on going to any wild parties before I arrived? You know I'd want to come!” 

She laughed. “Parties are never wild without you!”

He gave her a quick smile, before he diverted his gaze to look over her shoulder. Gabriella turned her head and sighed inwardly, offering a tight smile to Jo’s supposed new friend. “So Beth, you’re out
late
tonight. Are you
intending to stay
for dinner?”

   “Um ... no.  Jo um ... just helped me out today with my little brother. I'm heading off home soon,” Beth replied softly, and flicked her emerald coloured eyes down to stare at her clenched fingers.

Gabriella resisted the urge to grimace, at the pathetic, shy girl, act. She was only being polite, because Spencer was standing there. Normally she’d just ignore her and pretend she didn’t exist.

   “Here you are, I'll go and get Jack,” Jo said as she handed Beth a cup of tea, before rushing from the room.

Spencer still hadn't said much, which was unusual for him. He stood with his arms folded, gazing down at his long legs while Beth stared into her cup, her long brown, straggly hair almost touching the tea as she leaned closer and closer to it.

Unable to tolerate the awkward silence any longer, Gabriella turned to Spencer. “What are your plans tonight? I've been dying to see that new movie, Poets on the Edge.”

Spencer didn't respond and she had to nudge him for an answer. “Well?”

“Sorry? What?” He said looking up at her, his eyes distant as he tugged at his short brown locks.

   “That new movie. Poets on the Edge. It had a couple of good reviews. We could go and see it.”

   “Um ... I planned to catch up with Matt and then spend the night at home,” Spencer said, patting her shoulder. “Maybe we could go another time and invite … some other friends as well.”

Gabriella pouted and fluttered her long eyelashes. This usually worked with Spencer, but today it had no effect. She noticed he glanced at Beth when he mentioned going out with other friends
. That wouldn’t be happening.

Jo rushed into the kitchen carrying a small, blonde haired, blue eyed child chewing on a headband and gripping the collar of her shirt. Beth jumped up and took him from Jo and he quickly snuggled up into her shoulder, while Beth kissed him repeatedly on the cheek.

“I'd better take Jack home for his dinner. Thanks so much for watching him Jo,” Beth said, smiling at the child.

   “My pleasure,” Jo said, rubbing the kid’s cheek. “Happy to help anytime.”

Gabriella cringed. Having Beth here was one thing, but looking after her brother, particularly one who had special needs, was not her idea of a fun afternoon and Jo encouraging it, annoyed her.

Beth bent down to pick up Jack’s bag, but Spencer intervened. “Here, let me help you,” he offered as he flung the bag over his shoulder.

   “Thanks, that’d be great,” she said, briefly meeting his eyes, before looking away and turning to Jo. “Um, thanks again, I’ll see you at school tomorrow.” Beth glanced at Gabriella, “Um …bye. Nice to see you again.”

Gabriella gave a small nod, but didn’t smile or return any sentiment, she didn’t want Beth feeling like she could visit anytime she wanted. Turning to look out the window, she waited while they all disappeared. Looking down to admire her newly manicured nails, she couldn’t help flicking her fingers so that the light from her precious, sapphire ring reflected patterns on the polished steel sink.

If her suspicions were correct, and Spencer was somehow attracted to this friend of Jo’s, it wouldn't last more than a week. She wouldn't allow it. After years of manipulating and controlling everyone, and everything, this new development wouldn’t present much of a challenge. More of a slight annoyance.

Gently tracing her forefinger over the casing of her ring, she chuckled. Playing games always amused her. And playing around with Beth could be entertaining. She smiled wider and then raced upstairs to her bedroom. She had plans to make. And coming up with one was always the best part.

Jo scuffed her feet in the dust as she made her way up the gravel driveway to their farmhouse. Jo loved growing up here. The old stone house set amongst acres of green fields was surrounded by a neatly manicured lawn with various garden arches in amongst the dormant winter flower beds. The house had been converted from a barn built in the seventeenth century. The first owners called it
Provins Rose Farm
because of the fragrant roses growing wild in the hedgerows. The original wooden name plaque still hung over the large oak front door.

 As Jo drew closer she noticed an old green Peugeot parked next to Spencer’s two door Ford escort. Not a car she recognised. She sighed, assuming Spencer’s friends must have arrived. She hated meeting new people. Unlike her attention seeking sister, Jo was the total opposite. She always saw herself as a grey kid, someone who blended into the carpet and paintwork, someone whom no one was ever interested in or ever bothered about.

 Opening the front door, laughter and chatter came from the back den. Good, that would give her time to go upstairs, sight unseen. Silently she closed the door and moved through the hall. Baxter, their golden retriever sidled up to her and Jo patted him on the head as she admired the sun filtering through the house. Being a converted barn, most of the living rooms had high ceilings and large windows, which complemented the bright furnishings her aunt Sarah had chosen to decorate with. She wished she could flop down on the big red couch and read her new book, but Spencer would discovered her, and insist she be sociable.

 Sighing softly, she decided to creep upstairs, to collect her thoughts and suck up some courage. She opened her bedroom door and quickly hung her bag on the hook accidently catching her purple ring in the buckle. In a panic, she twisted her wrist back and forth, her heart beating rapidly as she struggled to set it free. Finally loosening the ring, she sank onto the floor, panting like she’d just ran a marathon. Checking her ring over and over she made sure the purple gem hadn’t moved from its normal position.

 Flopping her head back against the cold wall, she took a deep breath and dropped her hand in her lap, closing her eyes, in relief. The ring was very special. Her father had sent a ring for both her and Gabriella on their eighth birthdays. The only time they had ever heard from him. Jo had received an amethyst stone, while Gabriella had a sapphire one. Each setting was completely different. Where Jo's ring was fairly plain, Gabriella's had an intricate casing protecting the stone. In the brief note, her father had said the rings were family heirlooms he wanted passed down to the next generation. Jo guessed they both must be very old. She never got a good look at Gabriella’s though. She never took it off. And never spoke about it. Not surprising though, because she never spoke to Jo about anything unless she had to.

 Jo wished she could write to her father and ask him about the rings. But that wasn’t possible. He’d left when she was a baby and she had no idea where he lived now. He never gave a forwarding address or made any other contact over the years. All she could do was to keep it safe. If her mother hadn’t been killed in an accident seventeen years ago, and her father hadn’t disappeared, she might have the answers she so desperately wanted …

 Loud laughter from downstairs interrupted her thoughts, and she blew out another big breath, knowing Spencer would come looking for her if she didn’t make an appearance soon.

 After pushing herself off the floor and checking her ring one more time she made her way downstairs and entered the kitchen. She quietly opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water, slowly undoing the lid. Opening her mouth to take a swig, she jumped when Spencer called, “Hey, Jo, come in here and meet my friend James.”

 
  Jo grimaced. There was no chance of escape now. Taking a quick sip from her bottle she forced herself to walk through the doorway into the den. Her eyes met Gabriella’s first. As Jo expected, she sat casually on the chocolate coloured couch, playing with her hair and smiling radiantly. Then her gaze drifted to land on the guest who Gabriella was obviously revelling in getting all the attention from.

 “Hey, Jo, nice to finally meet you,” the lad who must be James, said as he leant forward with a big grin on his very lovely face.

Jo’s heart started to race and her mouth suddenly went dry, she felt almost giddy.

Okay, that was new.

 “Um ... Hello,” she replied softly. Not sure why she was reacting that way. This was a different kind of nervous and she shot a glance around the room to try and steady herself. "Are the others visiting the village?" she asked, not looking at anyone.

 James smiled again. “Well, Spencer talks non-stop about his two
favourite
sisters. I wanted to be the first one to meet you both, so I bribed the other lads to stay away this time.”

 Spencer ruffled his short brown locks and shook his head. “The others had plans, so we’re stuck with James. Anyway, I barely mention you, unless he asks. He’s been begging to come to the farm. He’s a bit hard up for female company.”

 James rubbed his chin and laughed. “Yeah, most girls leave me for dead once they meet Spencer—the ladies can’t get enough of him.”

 Then he winked at Jo and she suddenly needed to sit down. The more James spoke and flashed those lovely blue eyes at her, the more her heart raced and her legs became unstable. She literally dropped down on the couch next to Spencer and took another sip of water.

 Gabriella hadn’t shifted her eyes from James. Laughing lightly, she flicked her long black hair over her shoulder, drawing James’s gaze. “I find that hard to believe. Those London girls must go around wearing blindfolds.”

Jo suppressed the urge to gag, she had seen Gabriella in action more times than she could count, but this time for some strange reason, it really annoyed her.

In an attempt to divert her thoughts, she turned to Spencer, “I ... um ... asked Beth about the movies ... she can make it on Friday night. Is that okay?”

 A smile tugged at Spencer’s lips as if he were remembering something good, then he shrugged. “I suppose. What do you think James? We’re all going to see that new movie about the extreme Poets.”

 “Yeah,
I read a review and they rated it. I like the lead actor.”

 Gabriella tucked her slender legs up onto the couch making her pleated uniform rise to expose her black tights. Once again James’s eyes wandered over her and Jo felt the heat rise in her cheeks.  She shook her head and took another sip of water as Gabriella continued to flirt.

“Lance Rivers, I really like him too, James,” she continued, fluttering her eyelashes. “Did you see that last movie …”

 Jo tried to be interested as they discussed the actor she couldn’t care less about, but her mind wandered. She’d heard Spencer mention James a few times as they shared a room at university, but she didn’t know anything about him. Usually she didn’t bother thinking about boys with Gabriella around. There wasn’t much point. But with James’s long dark locks, three day growth, and the thin scar running down one side of his cheek, she couldn’t help it. He was one of the best looking boys she’d ever seen. He kind of reminded her of those scruffy rogues in those trashy historical romances. Not that she had read many. She got a few free from her book club, and was curious, so ...

 “What actors do you like, Jo?”

 
Huh?
 No one ever interrupted Gabriella’s conversation and James had just cut her off in mid-sentence to talk to her.

 Jo twisted the cap on the water bottle. “Um … um … no one in particular,” she stammered.

 “You never remember their names, Jo,” Gabriella interjected. “I’ve seen you pine over those dreary actors in those boring BBC dramas you like so much.”

 James continued looking at Jo, completely ignoring Gabriella. “What about movies? What's your favourite?”

 “Um ...” Jo clenched her fingers in her lap. Plucking courage from somewhere she managed, “Mostly historical dramas … and novel adaptations, when the movie stays true to the story.”

 “I hate it when movie makers wreck a good story,” James stated.

  “Don’t get Jo started,” Spencer chimed in. “That’s her pet hate. She goes on and on about it ...”

Jo wanted to smack Spencer about the head, and seriously considered it, but James kept watching her, his blue eyes sparkling under his long dark lashes.

Wow, he seriously had nice eyes.

Jo’s pulse continued to race, and she took yet another big swallow from her water bottle to stop from staring at him.

  “Well, how about we watch Pride and Prejudice?” Gabriella crossed her legs, picked up the TV guide and flicked through to the page Jo had earmarked. Jo couldn’t believe she wanted to watch that. She hated Jane Austen. In fact she hated anything that required intelligent thought. “We could all sit and criticise how it doesn’t measure up to the book. I hear the movie adaptation wasn’t very good. Did you see it James?”

 James laughed. “I can’t believe I’m admitting this. But Elizabeth Bennett’s a great character. I liked the actress who played her.”

 Gabriella turned to Jo. “Didn’t you say the actor who played Elizabeth Bennett was dull?”

 Jo wanted to smack her in the head as well. Why she was suddenly claiming they’d had an actual conversation … and why she was acting like she was a movie critic all of a sudden.... Jo clenched her water bottle hard and bit her inside cheek. “Um … I can’t remember … but, yeah, Elizabeth Bennett’s one of my favourite characters too.”

 James smiled at Jo and then glanced sideways at Gabriella, “Maybe we’ll leave the classics for another night. What else looks good?”

 They all tuned into a re-run of some old sitcom, Gabriella finally settled on, after flicking through fifty plus channels. Glad of the distraction, Jo sighed. Happy she didn’t have to partake in any more conversations. She needed to work out these strange feelings. Feelings she’d never had before. Every now and then she snuck a peek at James, and once or twice he caught her eye, making the butterflies in her stomach launch into overdrive. By the end of the evening she was exhausted and went to bed feeling very dazed and very confused.