Chapter Fourteen

"What on earth happened?" Joey wondered when she killed the motorbike's engine and took her helmet off.

Charlie had phoned her to say that she had been abandoned out of town and couldn't get back. Joey had immediately hurried out to pick her up and bring her home.

"Angelo finally got the message and realised I didn't want to be with him," Charlie replied unhappily.

Joey hugged her and handed her spare helmet over. Sighing, Charlie put it on and climbed on the back of the bike. They both grinned as she put her arms around Joey's middle, more than ready to go home.

Arriving outside Leah's house, Charlie and Joey both climbed off the bike. Just as Charlie was about to walk inside, Joey caught hold of her hand.

"There was a bit of a problem while you were out," she said awkwardly.

"What kind of problem?" Charlie wondered.

"A Ruby problem," Joey replied.

"What is it?" Charlie panicked. "Is she okay? Is it her diabetes or…?"

"It's nothing like that," Joey said. "Although, now I know she's diabetic, it would be good to check her blood sugar levels. She came home very, very drunk."

Charlie's heart sank.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do with her," she admitted. "I thought bringing her home would stop her from drinking but obviously not."

Joey nodded thoughtfully.

"I'm hoping she's learnt her lesson from all the puking," she said. "But I think you need to sit down and talk to her properly – when she's recovered from the hangover."

Charlie nodded and they walked towards the house together.

"Will you help me?" Charlie asked. "You know, with talking to Rubes?"

"Of course I will," Joey promised.

Joey and Charlie had slept side by side at the house, having stayed up late to discuss what had happened with both Angelo and Ruby. The next morning, Joey groaned when she heard her mobile ringing on the bedside table. Sitting up, she attempted to gather her thoughts before picking up the phone. Immediately distressed that 'Chris' was the name calling her, she ducked out of Charlie's bedroom, leaving her sleeping.

"What do you want?" she barked.

Chris was not a person she liked to speak to.

"If you don't stop hassling me, I'm going to have to take out an AVO," she threatened. "You and I have nothing to do with each other anymore."

She walked through the house and sat outside, not wanting anyone to overhear the conversation.

"It's not my fault!" she protested. "I didn't ask for any of this! I'm sorry you feel cheated but it's not down to me. Leave me alone!"

She hung up and sighed heavily, contemplating her next move. In a state of anxiety, she put her shoes on, jumped on her bike and headed towards the beach.

Ten minutes later, Joey had cut through the Surf Club and up the stairs to the restaurant where Angelo was laying cutlery on each table.

"What the hell were you playing at last night?" she demanded.

"What has it got to do with you?" Angelo snapped back.

Joey groaned in irritation as Chris phoned her again. She cancelled the call and put her mobile on the nearest table.

"You're a real gentleman, you know," she accused. "Leaving a woman out of town with no means of getting back. What a prince! I can totally see why she went out with you."

"I don't owe her or you anything," Angelo replied. "After the way she's treated me, she deserves a hell of a lot worse than being thrown out of a carriage."

"You disgust me," Joey replied.

She turned and left the restaurant, forgetting all about her phone.

Next time… Charlie goes on her date with Joey…