I'm not entirely sure how bowling became such a central storyline in this but let's go with it! Lol. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter Ten
Sitting on the bathroom floor, Joey was surprised and embarrassed to burst into tears. Angelo had brought them home just in time for her to throw up. Ever caring, Charlie had held her hair back and stayed close, trying to comfort her and just about managing to point out that it was her own fault and that she wouldn't get sick from bowling – something she thought was now likely to become a long running joke.
"Sorry," Joey mumbled as Charlie gathered her carefully into her arms.
"It's okay," she said softly.
"I bet you never get like this on one of your exciting bowling nights, do you?" Joey smirked.
But she looked pale and vulnerable. As infuriating as she was a lot of the time, Charlie couldn't help but feel a little moved.
"Maybe you should try it and find out," she suggested.
Joey sighed and sank against her, exhausted.
"Okay, sweetheart, we need to get you into your PJ's and ready for bed," Charlie said.
She blanched at the word 'sweetheart' and wondered where it had come from. She was grateful when Joey didn't comment.
"Joey?" she prompted.
Her charge attempted to sit up but sank back against her immediately.
"Joey, we need to get up," she persisted.
When Joey just cuddled up closer to her, Charlie gave up. She awkwardly reached into her pocket for her phone and called Leah, who appeared in the room immediately.
"Uh oh," the personal assistant said, hurrying forward and helping Charlie get Joey to her feet.
"Leah!" Joey mumbled, sounding somewhere between drunk and half dead.
"What kind of state have you got yourself into tonight?" Leah remarked as she and Charlie took Joey through to the bedroom and laid her on her mattress.
"I did speak to Mr Collins about it but he said not to interfere," Charlie said, feeling like she had failed in letting Joey get into such a mess. "Just to look after her. And make sure she didn't break the law."
Leah nodded and assured her she wasn't blaming her for anything.
"Help me get her shoes off?" she asked.
Charlie nodded and they took one foot each. Leah undid the belt of Joey's jeans and then opted to leave it at that. There was no harm in sleeping in your clothes so long as you were comfortable.
"If you lift her up, I can move the covers so they're on top of her so at least she can be tucked in," Leah said.
Charlie obeyed and they did their best for Joey who was sound asleep.
"Time to call it a night," Leah decided, eager to get back to her own bed.
Charlie nodded and turned to her own room. She paused at the door and turned back to Joey, sleeping soundly on her side. She crouched beside her bed and stroked her hair.
"Why do you do this to yourself?" she wondered quietly. "What's it going to change for you to stop?"
"I wish I could be like you," Joey mumbled sleepily.
"I bet you do," Charlie joked, thinking of her own life as nothing but a failure.
She moved to stand up but Joey held onto her neck, pulling her closer. Charlie rested on her chest for just a moment, feeling comforted, before extracting herself and heading into her own room.
The next morning, Joey woke up feeling considerably unwell. Pre-empting it, Charlie headed down to the pool bar and made her one of the mocktails that she had previous enjoyed so much.
"You read my mind," Joey groaned, hauling herself into a sitting position and sipping gratefully when she brought it up to her.
Charlie perched on the edge of the bed and smirked at her.
"Really?" she asked. "Your mind is readable in such a state?"
Joey snorted and then winced from head pain. As if by magic, Charlie presented her with painkillers.
"You're like an angel!" Joey stated, taking them and swallowing them quickly. "A sober, bowling angel."
Charlie laughed.
"Wow, you actually remember some of last night?" she asked.
"Some of it," Joey admitted. "Some."
They smiled at each other.
"Thank you for looking after me," Joey eventually said.
Charlie failed to mask the surprise on her face. Joey Collins didn't strike her as a grateful kind of girl.
"Don't look so shocked!" Joey complained. "I do say 'thank you' sometimes."
"Just not very often, hey?" Charlie teased.
Joey grinned back at her and sank against the pillows. She closed her eyes and Charlie was surprised to find herself gazing at her face. Even hungover and exhausted, she was beautiful. Don't even go there, Charlie warned herself. In a different life, nothing would matter if they liked each other. But in this life, Charlie was Joey's bodyguard and she couldn't take advantage of her station. And besides, they didn't like each other.
"What are you thinking?" Joey asked, her eyes flashing open and making Charlie jump.
"Not much," she replied quickly, hoping she wasn't too red.
"You must have been thinking something?" Joey said, a teasing tone in her voice.
"I was wondering what traumas you'd like to put me through today," Charlie covered.
Joey half smiled at her.
"Well, I was thinking we could do something that you'd like to do," she ventured.
Again, Charlie was startled.
"I am a nice person, contrary to popular belief!" Joey insisted, although she didn't seem offended at all.
"Contrary to demonstration," Charlie remarked.
Joey poked her tongue out at her and then resumed drinking.
"So, what would you like to do?" Joey asked. "Bowling, per chance?"
Charlie laughed.
"You realise bowling was an example, don't you?" she said. "I'm not a serial bowler with my own ball and shoes or anything."
Joey laughed.
"That's just what you want me to think!" she declared.
She returned to her earlier question.
"I don't know," Charlie said anxiously.
An offer to actually enjoy herself hadn't exactly been what she'd been expecting that morning, even if Joey had been quite sweet the night before.
"Bowling it is, then," Joey said. "Would you like to invite anyone?"
"Um…"
"Like Leah or Aden or one of your other colleagues?"
Charlie raised her eyebrows, looking seriously at the younger woman.
"What is your game, Joey?" she asked directly.
"No game," Joey said, her voice sounding innocent enough.
"Then yes," Charlie said cautiously. "Let's go bowling. And I'll invite some people."
"Cool," Joey said. "Now, please leave me to my hangover."
Dismissed, Charlie exited the room.
Next time… the staff take some persuading to spend time with Joey, Leah is concerned that Charlie has feelings for Joey and the bowling night goes ahead…