Fly with Me (24 page)

“No. I’ll be
in touch.” She hung up the phone, then stared at it, counting the
seconds.

This time when
it rang she couldn’t do it, couldn’t go through it all again.
Watching the phone, she drank the last of the tea, counting the
number of times it rang. When it rang out, it started again.

Tilly stalked
from the room, obviously irritated by the ringing.

Good example.
Elissa decided to follow it. Getting her bag from the bedroom, she
locked the back and front door and walked out to the road, turning
to start striding along the edge of it.

A myriad of
feelings tumbled around inside her - relief, fear and anger. But it
was the anger that ate at her, the fact that her father was more
concerned about her mother’s feelings than her own. No big surprise
there, he’d always taken her side. Hell, Calum rode her, accused
her, her mother did the same, and her father tried to run the guilt
trip on her. Everyone wanting a Goddamn piece of her, telling her
what to do, what she should do, not caring what
she
wanted.
They all wanted to run her life for their benefit. Well, it was
finished.

“I’m glad I
quit,” she muttered, kicking a small pebble out of the way,
something she’d never actually done before.

Surprised, she
stopped. Holy crap, she’d never kicked a pebble in her life. Never
walked along swinging off her mother’s hand, never made mud cakes
at home because her pretty dresses would get dirty. Roller skating
had been done in secret with Moz and Ash, because it had been
forbidden in case she fell and grazed her face and messed up yet
another audition. Always had to be perfect and neat. Cripes, she
remembered Moz getting into trouble so many times for taking her
out and letting her run wild with him and his mates, but he’d been
only a kid, an older brother who had to do what his parents said,
but when out with her - she smiled. Moz had been a great brother,
he’d let her do what she wanted then try to tidy her up before they
went home.

If it hadn’t
of been for Moz, she hated to think what would have happened to
her. He’d approve of this decision, she knew it. Maybe she’d ring
him when she got home, let him know what had happened, though no
doubt her mother was on the phone to him right now, trying to get
hold of him. That’d be a waste of time. He’d take one look at the
Caller ID and wouldn’t bother to pick up.

Good old
Moz.

Feeling a
little better, she resumed walking. Okay, it had all been
unpleasant but she’d set her path. She just had to keep her goal in
sight…if she had a clear-cut one.

Okay, she kind
of did - no, she
did
. She knew what she wanted, she just had
to step out and do it. A job, then her own little place, be her own
boss for once. Make her own decisions based on what she wanted, not
what everyone else wanted. It was also a little overwhelming.

Tiny steps,
Lis, tiny steps
.

Expecting a
dingy shop, the supermarket was surprisingly modern. The window had
the usual posters displaying specials, and inside was bright and
airy. She’d half expected barrels and jars full of goods and a
counter with one person behind it to serve the town. Talk about
expectations being really wrong.

Picking up a
basket, she wandered around the aisles, checking out what was
available. Like any supermarket, pretty much everything.

Not sure
exactly what everyone would like, Elissa loaded up the basket with
four bags of chips, two bags of coloured popcorn, several bags of
lollies, two family size bars of chocolate and a big bag of salted
peanuts.

Turning, she
ran smack into a lean figure standing right behind her.

“Oh, I’m so
sorry.” She looked up into the narrowed eyes of a lean man in his
early twenties, his black hair shaggy and needing a trim. His
t-shirt was oil-stained, his jeans not much better, a rip in the
knee that looked to be from an accident rather than fashion. Heavy
boots on his feet.

“In a bit of a
hurry?” he asked sardonically.

“I wasn’t
looking where I was going.” She stepped to the side. “Sorry.”

He matched her
step, his thumbs hooking in his pockets. “New girl, huh?”

Not wanting to
cause a scene, she stood still and looked at him. “I’m visiting Ash
and Scott.”

“Ah.” His lip
curled a little. “Them.”

Okay, he could
think what he liked about her, but leave her friends alone. “Yeah,”
she cut back, “
them
. My friends.”

He looked her
up and down slowly, from the top of her head to the tips of her
sneakers and back. Deliberately his gaze lingered on her hips and
breasts, making her squirm inwardly with distaste while outwardly
maintaining coolness.

When he
finally met her gaze, she asked calmly, “So, do I pass
inspection?”

That took him
aback for a few seconds, he actually blinked before he grinned.
“Yeah, actually, you do. I’m not into big sheilas, but I reckon I
could shag you without a problem.”

Talk about
being forward and rude to boot. “Is that so?” One brow arched in
disdain, she looked him up and down just as slowly before saying
with disinterest, “You, however, I wouldn’t shag if someone paid me
a million dollars. The dregs of society are something I can do
without.” Oops, those last words were definitely her mother’s.

Rather than
anger him, her attitude had the reverse effect. Moving forward, he
looked down at her. Oh ho, there was flicker of anger in his eyes
all right, but there was also something more - holy cow, was that
seriously
lust
?

“Got a bit of
a mouth on you, girl,” he said.

Refusing to
back down, she met his gaze unflinchingly. “Only to those who
deserve it.”

“You wouldn’t
be so mouthy if I tamed you.”

“Taming,
Mr-?”

“Dawson. But
you can call me Brand.”

“Mr Dawson.
Taming me is something that won’t happen with you. It’d take a much
bigger man to do that. Now, I must be off.” She stepped to the side
again.

He blocked her
way once more, but there was definite anger in his eyes now.
“Bigger? You don’t think I’m big enough to handle you?”

Shit, she’d
poked the drongo a little too much. “I’m saying, Mr Dawson, that
I’m not interested in you that way.”

“That way,
huh?”

“Excuse me.”
This time she managed to get right past him, only to have his hand
grip her upper arm. Frostily, she looked from his hand to his
darkening face. “Let go.”

“Maybe you
need to find out what a real man can do to you,” he said
softly.

“If you don’t
let me go, I’ll not hesitate in going to the Police and laying
charges of assault and harassment.”

He dropped his
hand, but not before waiting several seconds to make his point. He
looked her up and down once more before leaning forward and
leering. “You ever want a real man, girlie, you just come looking
for me.”

“Hey.”

They both
looked towards the man approaching. An older man, his face was
wrinkled and leathered by sun, time and experience. Dressed in
oil-stained grey pants and button-up shirt, even his hands had oil
stains.

He strode
right up to them both, aligning himself with Elissa. Looking
directly into Brand’s face, he asked quietly, “Got a problem
here?”

Brand stepped
back, his lip curling more as he looked from the older man to
Elissa. “Nah, no problem. But you remember what I said, new girl.”
With that, he turned on his heel and strode off.

The older man
looked at Elissa. “You all right, Miss?”

“Fine,
thanks.”

“You want to
watch out for that bloke, he’s bad news.”

“I kind of got
that idea.”

He nodded
shortly. “Good. Just steer clear of him.”

“Right.”

“You must be
Elissa.” He smiled slightly. “I’m Ben, I run the Auto Repair shop
in town.”

“Ah, Ash’s
boss. Pleased to meet you.” Elissa stuck her hand out.

Ben looked
from her palm to his stained one. “No offence, I’m pleased to meet
you but I won’t shake your hand.”

“Understood.”

“Need a lift
home?” He eyed the basket in her hands.

“I think I’ll
be fine.”

“I’m going
past Ash’s house, it’d be no problem to drop you off.”

“I appreciate
it, but this is all really light stuff. Besides, I’m popping in to
the newsagent to pick up some magazines.”

“Okay, then.”
Ben nodded. “You can always drop the stuff off at the Auto Shop and
Ash can take it home.”

“I won’t
break, Ben,” Elissa pointed out with a slightly wry twist of her
lips.

He looked her
right in the eyes. “Didn’t say you would.”

That direct
look and unexpectedly blunt statement had her a little flustered.
“Oh, um…” She cleared her throat. “Thanks for helping with that
man.”

“No
worries.”

“I really
could have handled him, you know.”

That direct
gaze grew sharper. “That right?”

Cripes, she’d
looked down furious gazes, snide gazes, drunken rage gazes, pretty
much a lot of gazes, but that simple, direct gaze of the older man
had her biting her lip. Geez. “Uh huh.”

Ben’s eyes
didn’t waver, but he didn’t say a word, just waited for her.

“I…um… Look, I
didn’t mean to offend you,” Elissa said in a rush, feeling like
she’d just smacked a loyal old dog. “I just - I’m not totally
helpless. I’ve dealt with jerks like him before.”

Ben just
continued to watch her.

Great.

Clearing her
throat, she looked down at the basket then back up to him. “Thanks.
Really.”

“Really.”

“Yes.”

“You think
you’re handling this on your own?”

Her shoulders
straightened. “Yes.”

Surprisingly,
a faint hint of humour had his mouth twitch. “I think you’re in for
a surprise, Elissa.”

“Huh?”
Confused, she raised her eyebrows.

“You’ll see.”
With a sudden bark of laughter, Ben walked away, leaving her
staring at his back.

What the hell
was that about? Bewildered, she continued to watch until he
disappeared around the end of the aisles. Only then did she slowly
make her way to the checkout.

A grey-haired,
rotund man with a name plate pinned to his pocket declaring him to
be ‘Will’ started putting the groceries over the scanner. Concern
was evident on his pleasant face. “You all right?”

“What?” That
seemed to be the word of the day in this supermarket.

“Saw Dawson
giving you a hard time. I was about to come over and sort him out
but Ben got there first.” Will shook his head. “That boy is bad
news. Steer clear of him.”

“I wasn’t
planning on marrying him.” Okay, going by the way Will gaped at
her, that sardonic comeback probably wasn’t the wisest choice.
Elissa softened it with a smile. “I won’t be seeking him out, I
assure you.”

“Good girl.”
Will grinned. “Near on gave me a heart attack then.”

“He’s that
bad?”

“Nasty piece
of work, let me give you the tip. He comes near you again, you call
for one of us.”

The idea of
the short, rotund supermarket man fronting up the lean, hard-eyed
Brand Dawson was a little ludicrous, but the seriousness in his
eyes was no joke.

That sobered
Elissa. “I can handle him.”

“No lady
should have to.” Shaking his head, Will rang up the total cost.

Not about to
argue that and risk putting him offside, she handed over the
money.

Giving her the
change, Will gathered up the handles of the plastic bags and handed
them to her as well. “Simon’ll sort him out, don’t you worry.”

“What?” There
was that bloody word again, only this time she accompanied it with
a gape of her own.

“Simon,” he
stated with great satisfaction. “He won’t be happy to hear that
Brand laid hands on you.”

“What’s Simon
got to do with it?”

Now it was
Will’s turn to look confused. “Your boyfriend?”

“My
boyfriend
?”

“Yeah?”

“Uh - no.”
Confounded, Elissa shook her head.

“Huh.” Will
stroked his chin thoughtfully, cast her an assessing glance before
raising his eyebrows. “Well.”

When he didn’t
elaborate, she probed, “Well?”

“Don’t worry.”
His smile was a full-on, unexpected beam of happiness. “The other
blokes will sort him out as well.”

“Other
blokes?” Jesus, what was going on? “How many boyfriends do you
think I have here?”

“Oh, not
boyfriends. Except for, you know…” He winked, tapped the side of
his nose.

“No, I don’t
know.”
I really don’t
.

“Sure.” He
winked again.

Totally at a
loss, Elissa tightened her hold on the bags and decided to beat a
retreat. “Okay, thanks, Will. I’ll catch you later.”

“No doubt,” he
returned happily.

Out on the
street, she took several deep breaths and shook her head. That had
to be the weirdest experience she’d had in this small town. Simon,
her boyfriend? Where the heck had Will gotten that idea? Cripes,
she’d only been here a couple of days!

Moving down
the street, she passed the butcher and baker. Glancing into the
bakery, she saw Molly serving a customer. Molly caught sight of her
and waved, a wide grin crossing her pretty face, her eyes sparkling
with mirth.

Wondering what
the heck she found so funny, Elissa waved back and moved
onwards.

The window of
the bookshop showed a surprisingly interesting array of books.
Making a mental note to explore it another day, she walked past the
café and furniture store before turning into the newsagency.

Dee looked up
from where she was sorting through a pile of what looked to be
newly unpacked comics and magazines.

“Well, hello,”
she drawled. “If it isn’t Simon’s new girlfriend.”