Page 6 of Take Her On

Chapter Three

Maya

Caught off-guard, the others in the room looked at Maya, waiting for her to say something. But everything she wanted to say died in her throat.

She wished she could tell Jamie to get out of her seat on the sofa. To wipe that stupid smile off her face and get the hell out of her house. But all she could do was look Jamie Mellor in her freakishly blue eyes.

Something hot and volcanic spread low in her stomach.

Jamie Mellor. In my house.

It felt like an age before her mum broke the silence. She shuffled in awkwardly behind Maya, placing her black handbag beside the shoe rack. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realise you’d be here so soon.” She shot an apologetic look at Jamie’s parents. “I’ll just get changed out of my work clothes, and then I’ll start on dinner.”

“Oh, no, don’t worry. We’re just having a little tea break from packing. Jeanette was kind enough to invite us in.” The red-haired woman craned her neck towards Grandma, as if we didn’t know who Jeanette was.

“Oh.” Mum relaxed beside Maya, letting out a breath. “Good. I’ve still got time to have a quick soak then. Scrub that airplane smell off me.” She laughed, a little too loudly for the room, and disappeared into the kitchen.

Maya glanced down at herself, cursing her stupid face for reddening. “I’m gonna get a shower too,” she said. She didn’t even want to think about what her hair looked like.

Not that I care about what she thinks.

She headed for the stairs, but on the third step, her grandma’s voice called her back. She turned, meeting her gaze.

“Aren’t you going to introduce yourself?” Grandma widened her eyes, encouraging her with a nod towards the Mellors. If only she knew that they would never be friends. The very idea almost made Maya snort—but if she wanted to stay on Grandma’s good chocolate-biscuit-eating side, she had to play nice.

She sighed and took a step backwards, briefly scanning the group. Her spine clicked audibly as she straightened up. “Hi,” she said, addressing Jamie’s parents, her voice scratchy in her throat. “I’m Maya. Nice to meet you.”

Jamie’s dad looked between her and Jamie. “Do you two know each other?”

“No—”

“Yes.”

Maya’s attention snapped to Jamie. A smug smile rested on her lips, the corners turned upwards. Her short blonde hair was shaved at the sides, wavy curls styled on top, which she probably spent hours in the mirror achieving.

“Oh?” Jamie’s dad scratched uncertainly at his beard. He had one of those faces that looked familiar—or maybe it was the way his hairstyle and neatly trimmed facial hair seemed to mirror most men’s his age. Maya couldn’t place him.

There was an uncomfortable silence while they watched each other. Jamie was leaning with one arm over the back of the sofa, dressed in a simple oversized black hoodie. Her nonchalance was insulting, as though this were her house and Maya the guest.

Typical Harrier.

“I’d say we’re pretty good friends,” Jamie said.

“Oh, lovely,” Grandma cooed, clapping her hands together.

“No.” Maya cleared her throat and unclenched her jaw. “You must have me confused with someone else.”

Jamie’s eyebrows quirked together, the smile on her lips growing bigger. “I don’t think so, I wouldn’t forget. We go way back.”

What did she even mean by that? Maya didn’t know if she should be offended or not. Jamie’s comment had made her angrier, regardless. Her pulse pounded in her ears. She needed a shower to cool off and wash the sweat and dirt off her skin.

She gestured to the stairs, her words lost somewhere in her throat. She looked at Grandma instead. “Well. I’m going to go and—”

“Do you want a Starburst?”

Maya glared back at Jamie, eyeing the outstretched bag of sweets. Where did she even pull those from?

Mum re-entered the room, having missed the entire interaction. “Ooh, don’t mind if I do!” She dashed over to dip her hand into the bag, and Maya took her chance to leave.