‘Are you heading home?’ he asked.
‘I’m trying to.’
‘Come on, get in.’
I threw a quick glance up at the board again. Still four minutes.
‘Are you sure?’
‘Of course. Get in before you’re entirely soaked.’
I quickly ran round to the passenger side that was now a little open, thanks to Charlie leaning across, and slid into the warm, comfortable, quiet interior of the luxury car.
‘Thank you. My bus seems to be stuck in a time warp somewhere.’ I tried to smile. By the look on Charlie’s face, he wasn’t buying it. His eyes lingered on me a few moments longer and then, checking his mirrors, he pulled back out into the traffic.
I kept my eyes forward, but in my peripheral vision I could see Charlie casting glances at me. ‘I’m assuming you don’t want to talk about it.’
‘Not much to say. Besides, you’re Alex’s friend and I don’t want to put you in the middle of anything.’
‘I’m your friend too, Libby. Don’t forget that.’
I swallowed and then gave a quick nod. ‘I know. Thank you.’
We drove for a few more minutes. ‘Did you have a row?’
‘No. For us to have had a row, both of us would have needed to be there.’
Charlie pulled up at a red light and faced me. ‘He stood you up?’ In the dim light of the car’s interior, I could see the tension in his jaw and heard the studied control in the question. It wasn’t a side I’d seen before. From what I’d seen of Charlie in the months I’d known him, he always played his emotions close to his chest. Terribly British. But, for whatever reason, tonight that façade had slipped a little.
‘Yes.’ I saw his brow furrow more deeply. ‘But so far as I can make out it was a work thing. I think.’
‘I see.’ Those two words were loaded as the light changed and we headed closer to my flat.
‘Charlie. I’m fine. Really. Please don’t say anything. I’ll handle this myself.’
‘I told him to look after you.’
‘What?’ I could hear the sharpness in my tone.
Charlie lifted one hand from the wheel, scratched his neck twice then let it rest back on the soft leather.
‘Don’t be like that.’
‘I’ll be exactly how I want to be! And I don’t need you telling people how they should and shouldn’t act with me!’
‘Look, Libby. Alex is a player. Always has been. I didn’t want you to just be another notch on his bedpost!’
‘It’s not about what you want, Charlie! It’s what I want and I’m quite capable of looking after myself, thank you! I’m not looking for anything deep and meaningful like you are. I’ve seen what happens. Who’s to say that Alex wasn’t going to be another notch onmybedpost?’
He didn’t reply but the tension had spread to his whole body now. His fingers gripped the wheel as a thick, uncomfortable atmosphere settled around us. Suddenly I felt worse than I had all night.
‘Charlie…’
‘No. It’s fine. You’re right. It’s up to you. I shouldn’t have said anything.’
‘I know you meant well and—’
‘Libby. As you said, this is between you and Alex.’ He pulled into the apartment’s parking area and put the car into neutral. ‘I hope everything works out the way you want it to.’
