Chapter Twelve

Joey sat on the couch in the Surf Club with Angelo and Watson. They had been drinking in the bar when she'd finished her shift and invited her to join them and so far she was having a nice time.

"So, can you tell us any naughty secrets about our Senior Constable?" Angelo asked.

"Angelo!" Watson protested, although she couldn't help but be interested in the answer too.

So many, Joey thought to herself.

"She's far too innocent to have naughty secrets," Joey said aloud.

"Yeah, right!" Angelo laughed. "She is so hot. I wouldn't mind creating some naughty secrets with her. Seriously… she is so very hot."

"She's also so very behind you," Joey pointed out.

Angelo whipped his head round. Seeing nobody there, he turned back and glared at Joey.

"Tease."

Joey and Watson both laughed.

"Sorry. I can't help it. It's a natural urge."

"Oh really? Well, I wouldn't mind some of that too," Angelo grinned.

"Do you ever give up?" Joey asked. "Watson's more my type than you are, sweetheart."

Watson tried not to perk up too quickly. She also tried not to spill her beer.

"And Watson, would Joey be your type?" Angelo asked.

He'd been curious about her since their very first meeting.

"Um, uh… well… um…"

"Angelo, you can't just ask a girl something like that," Joey scolded, letting Watson off the hook.

Watson shot her a grateful smile.

"Hey, do you think Charlie would ever be into that kind of thing?" Angelo wondered.

"Charlie's straight," Joey said a little too firmly.

"Speaking from experience of a knock-back, are we?"

Joey took a second to decide whether to be offended or remain jolly.

"Well, you can't blame a girl for trying, can you?" she said casually. "She is stunning."

Joey had never liked conflict.

"That she is," Angelo agreed.

"Yep," added Watson.

"What are we all agreeing over?" Charlie asked, approaching their corner.

"Nothing!" all three said in unison.

Charlie looked a little bemused and seated herself beside Angelo and opposite Joey.

"Would you like a drink?" Joey asked.

"I'd love one. Thanks," Charlie said gratefully.

Every time she saw her, Charlie was touched by Joey's sweetness. Joey stood and headed to the bar.

"So, what were you guys talking about?"

"Lesbianism," Watson said. "Again."

"I should have known. Angelo's here."

Angelo attempted to look offended.

"I am purely interested in a world that I'm not a part of. It's about sharing cultures and experiences, understanding someone different to me. And figuring out if more than one girl at this table is in the club."

Charlie froze.

"Fine!" Watson sighed. "Yes, I'm a fully paid up member."

Angelo grinned. He'd known she would crack eventually.

"And Joey told us that you're straight," Angelo added, turning to Charlie. "I mean, if you turned her down, you must be!"

"She told you I turned her down?" Charlie asked.

Joey felt her heart leap into her throat when she returned to the table. She'd have a lot of explaining to do later.

"So, how was your shift?" Joey asked, changing the subject completely.

"Not as interesting as your drinks apparently," Charlie said, making significant eye contact.

Joey shot her an apologetic look, aware that Charlie looked uncomfortable.

Half an hour later, Charlie was in the bathroom and Angelo was at the bar getting more drinks. Joey was tempted to follow Charlie. She hated the tension between them as Charlie obviously tried to work out what had been said about her and if it was incriminating or not. Finally deciding to get up ad follow, she started to get out of her seat when Watson's nervous voice stopped her.

"So, um, Joey?" she began.

Joey sat back down and looked at her.

"I was wondering if maybe you'd like to catch a movie with me or something sometime?"

Joey was a little taken aback, unsure of exactly how to respond. She was flattered but she knew the answer had to be 'no'.

"Oh, um… well, um… maybe a group of us could go?" Joey suggested.

Watson looked crestfallen. Joey felt terrible. Charlie came back from the bathroom and sensed the tension.

"I think I'm going to head home," Watson said, standing up.

"You don't have to go," Joey called unhappily.

Watson hurried past Angelo who was returning to the table with their drinks.

"You know, I think I'm going to go too," Charlie said.

"I'll walk you home," Joey offered, leaping to her feet.

"You really don't have to," Charlie said coldly.

Joey followed her anyway.

"I just bought four beers!" Angelo complained.

"Charlie! Would you wait?" Joey called, as she tried to catch up with her girlfriend who was storming ahead of her.

Finally, Charlie spun around and faced her.

"What the hell were you telling them about me?" she demanded.

"That you were straight!" Joey insisted.

Charlie searched Joey's face, battling with her own paranoia.

"But I said it a little too quickly and Angelo started asking questions. I had to think on my feet so I said something dumb about hitting on you and you turning me down. That was it. It was nothing. I swear," Joey said.

She reached for Charlie's hands.

"Charlie, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Do you really think I'd stuff it up over drinks in a bar with your colleagues?"

"I just… panicked," Charlie said.

"I know. I know how fragile this is. I've been on edge all evening because I knew how you were feeling and there was nothing I could do about it. It honestly did start as me trying to protect you, Charlie," Joey said gently.

Charlie nodded. She squeezed Joey's hands and tugged her into starting walking.

"So, are we okay?" Joey asked meekly.

"We're perfect," Charlie said.

Joey sighed with relief and leant against Charlie's shoulder. Charlie broke contact with Joey's hand and slipped her arm around her waist.

"What was up with Watson?" Charlie asked.

"She kind of asked me out," Joey said awkwardly.

Charlie stopped walking, broke contact and turned to face Joey.

"She what?"

"She wanted to go and see a movie with me."

"Like a date?"

Her voice was high pitched with jealousy.

"I think so."

"You said no, right?" Charlie demanded.

"No, I said yes and told her I'd bring her flowers," Joey said sarcastically.

Charlie looked unhappy but took hold of Joey's hand again and continued walking home.

"I can't believe she asked you out," Charlie muttered.

"I'm not that hideous," Joey sulked.

"No! I mean, I told her not to."

This time it was Joey's turn to stop walking.

"You told her not to?" Joey asked.

"Well, I didn't want anyone trying to steal you away from me," Charlie said defensively, pulling her back into motion again.

"And what was your reasoning when you warned her away?" Joey wanted to know.

"That you were complicated," Charlie replied quietly.

"Ha! I'm complicated. Pot, kettle, anyone?"

"Yeah, okay!" Charlie wailed. "I'm complicated and high maintenance. I know and I'm sorry. But I love you so please forgive me."

They both froze. Joey forced Charlie to look at her. While Joey had known that she had loved Charlie from first sight, neither of them had actually said the words yet.

"You um… you love me?" she asked.

"Maybe a little bit," Charlie said casually.

Joey smiled and blushed.

"I might love you a little bit too," she admitted.

"Just a little," Charlie teased.

"Maybe more than I know how to handle."

She grabbed Joey's hand and led her onto the beach. Finding a quiet spot in the dark, she kissed her passionately.

"I love you more than I could ever express in words, Joey," she said.

"I have other ideas on how you could express it," Joey giggled.

"Here?"

"Right here."

She nodded firmly. Charlie looked around to make sure nobody was nearby. When she turned back she found that Joey had unbuttoned her shirt and lain back against the sand. It was all the coercion she needed.