I've just got to the end of this story too so it will end at chapter seventeen. I hope you enjoy the rest of the ride. Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter Ten
"Where are you from?" Joey asked, as they snuggled down together.
"Born and raised in the city," Charlie replied. "You?"
"Born and raised here," Joey told her.
"Have you never wanted to stretch your wings?" Charlie wondered, although her tone was not judgemental. "Break out of small town life?"
"I've wanted to," Joey admitted. "I spent a year away in training, of course but… somehow I ended back here."
She laughed self-consciously.
"What ties you here?" Charlie asked, surprised at how genuinely interested she was. "Family?"
Joey laughed again, this time bitterly.
"Definitely not family," she said.
Charlie eyed her quizzically.
"We don't get along due to their deep rooted homophobia," Joey explained. "It's strange to be able to exist in the same town and not have actually spoken for years."
Charlie exhaled a little incredulously.
"How about your family?" Joey asked. "Are you close to them?"
"Well, my Mum passed away a couple of years ago," Charlie revealed.
"I'm sorry," Joey said sincerely.
"But I'm pretty close to my Dad," Charlie added. "And very close with my sister, Ruby."
Joey smiled. She had always longed to experience sibling affection.
"She's a teenager now and a right tearaway with a real attitude but she's the loveliest, kindest, most well-meaning girl in the world," Charlie enthused.
"What's your Dad like?" Joey wanted to know.
"He's a retired Detective," Charlie told her. "He was pretty strict growing up but he's very mellow now. He's just tentatively started dating someone new. It's pretty sweet, actually."
She smiled to herself. Joey smiled with her.
"So, did you become a cop to follow in his footsteps?" Joey asked.
"Pretty much," Charlie admitted. "What about you? What made you go into law enforcement?"
Joey chuckled.
"To piss my family off!" she said. "They've never been the type to turn to the law for help. They prefer setting their own rules."
Charlie laughed and kissed her temple.
"Wow, is this affection?" Joey teased.
Charlie laughed and nodded.
"I guess it is," she said. "But don't get too used to it."
"I wouldn't dare!"
They kissed more tenderly than they ever had before.
"So, what does tie you to Summer Bay?" Charlie enquired.
"Friends, I guess," Joey said. "It used to be relationships too but…"
She pulled a face.
"I uh… I heard on the grapevine that you didn't have many good stories to tell in that area," Charlie ventured.
"I thought you didn't play 'share my pain'," Joey quipped.
"Oh, it's fine if it's your pain," Charlie joked.
Joey chuckled and shook her head.
"Um… well, I had a girlfriend that I thought was amazing and… she wasn't," she said.
"What was wrong with her?"
"Nothing major," Joey said. "Just you know, controlling, mean, selfish, violent…"
"Violent?" Charlie squeaked in horror.
Joey raised an eyebrow.
"Careful there, Charlie," she teased. "You might come off like you care!"
Charlie chuckled.
"We wouldn't want that," she agreed, kissing her.
Joey closed her eyes, enjoying the affection.
"I am sorry though, for what you went through," Charlie admitted.
Joey smiled, gazing at her.
"This is way too sappy," Charlie decided quickly, clearing her throat.
"Totally," Joey agreed.
"Have you got the energy to…?"
She raised her eyebrows suggestively. Grinning, Joey pulled her in for a more passionate kiss.
Several hours later, Charlie decided that it really was time to go home.
"I've had a wonderful day," she said, getting dressed for the second time.
Joey lay back in bed, smiling. Charlie had even been prepared to cuddle afterwards this time. Don't start getting attached, she warned herself. She's not that kind of girl.
"Me too," she said.
Charlie pulled her jacket on before leaning down and kissing her.
"Let's definitely spend more time together," she said, disappearing from the room and sneaking out to her car, which was parked round the corner.
Next time… Watson and Angelo promise to keep Joey and Charlie's secret…