I Kissed Ya
Chapter 37
"So, what d'you think, Rubes?" Charlie asked anxiously as they left the property.
"Awesome!" Ruby said in true teenager fashion.
Charlie glanced quickly at Joey who had just joined them after remaining behind for a few moments to speak to the estate agent. Joey raised her eyebrows and rolled her eyes.
"Well, yes, it is an awesome place, but would you consider living there?" Charlie tried from a different angle.
"Is it really for me to say?"
"Rubes, you're not making this very easy!" Charlie said; starting to get a little irritated.
"Charlie, I've said the place is awesome, what more do you want me to say?"
Charlie looked back at Joey who shook her head and gave her a 'leave it for now' look.
"Well, who's for a coffee at The Diner?" Joey suggested, brightly.
"Na. Can you drop me at Nic's place?" Ruby said, taking out her mobile phone.
"But we need to discuss..."
"Yeah, that's fine." Joey said, interrupting Charlie.
***
"See you later." Ruby said as she climbed out of Charlie's car.
"Not too late, Rubes!" Charlie called as the teenager wandered off.
"Whatever."
Charlie sighed and looked at Joey; sitting beside her.
"Oh, Joey! What's going on with her at the moment?" Charlie asked in frustration.
"A boyfriend?"
"Dunno. She hasn't mentioned anyone in particular, but – oh, I don't know."
"Well, don't let it get to you, sweetheart."
"I just hope it's not an adverse reaction to all this with us." Charlie said biting her lip.
"Charlie, Ruby is a smart kid and she loves you very much. Maybe she is a little concerned, but if it was anything major, she would have spoken about it by now."
"How can you be so sure?" Charlie asked in surprise.
Joey took a deep breath. She hadn't wanted to tell Charlie of the little informal chat she and Ruby had shared some weeks before, where Ruby had given Joey a warning.
"Charlie, if Ruby has a problem with me, she would let me know about it, I can assure you of that. We have an arrangement."
"An arrangement? What sort of an arrangement?"
"Well, if you must know, if I do anything to rock the boat where you're concerned, she'll beat the crap out of me!"
"What!" Charlie cried.
"It's alright, honey, it keeps me on my toes!" Joey grinned, leaning over and kissing Charlie's concerned face.
"I don't believe her!"
"She loves you, Charlie, that's what I'm trying to tell you."
Charlie looked straight ahead; out into the dark night and sighed.
"God! It's like living with the Mafia! My love life has bugger-all to do with her!"
Joey chuckled.
"Of course it has, Charlie, just as hers has with you! She cares and looks out for you! What would you have done if it hadn't have been for Ruby a short while back when I was giving you the run-around?"
Charlie looked down into her lap and sighed.
"Just give her some slack. She'll come round." Joey said, taking Charlie's hand.
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
Charlie looked up into Joey's dark, brown eyes and took comfort from their warmth.
"You should ring Bobby tonight and invite him over for dinner tomorrow. I'm sure he'll pep us up!" Charlie said with a smile.
"Yeah. Good idea." Joey said leaning over and kissing Charlie's lips. "Come on, let's go home."
***
"I'll get it!" Joey called out as their guest knocked on the door.
Joey walked through to the kitchen and opened the door.
"Joey darling!" A flamboyant man in purple trousers and a red shirt cried, handing Joey a bottle of fizz.
"Bobby! Lovely to see you! Come on in." Joey said, standing back and allowing the gentleman past.
Bobby looked around Charlie's kitchen which was in full, domestic chaos.
"Ooh, rather you than me love!" He said, casting a glance at a whole array of greasy pots and pans cluttering up the sink.
"Don't worry about that, there's far worse to come!" Joey said with an evil smile.
"Ooh! You're such a caution, Joey Collins. Now, where is that lovely lady of yours?"
"Just putting on her face. She won't be a moment." Joey said, lifting a bottle. "Wine?"
"Ooh, just a smidge!"
Joey handed Bobby a glass and took up her own.
"Have you heard anything from our mutual friend?" Joey asked, avoiding Bobby's eyes.
"Funny you should say that, no."
"Oh."
"Why do you ask? Has she been causing problems again? I saw that delightful picture of her and your Goddess in the local rag a while back. I guessed something would come of it; the scheming little bitch!"
"Actually, she's been getting at my parents." Joey said, swirling the wine around in her glass, distractedly.
"The cunning little vixen needs a sound thrashing!"
"I just wish she'd get it through her thick scull that I'm with someone else now and to leave me and mine alone!"
"Well, I could talk to her, but a fat lot of good it will do. And I rather think by me telling her to lay off, will only add fuel to the fire. You know she only wants what she can't have!"
"Maybe that's the key!" Charlie put in as she walked into the kitchen. "Good evening Bobby, how are you?" She said, kissing Bobby on the cheek.
"Oh my goodness! Just look at this vision of loveliness, Joey!" Bobby enthused as he looked Charlie up and down. "What I wouldn't give for hands like these!" He said, taking Charlie's hand in his own and gallantly kissing it. "Joey, you're a very lucky girl."
"You don't have to remind me!" Joey said, weaving her arm around Charlie's waist and giving her a kiss on the lips. "I am extremely lucky." She said, looking into Charlie's bright blue eyes.
Charlie blushed with all the attention.
"What a wonderful gown, my dear! It accentuates your legs, beautifully!"
Charlie didn't know what to say.
"Shut up, you old fart; you're embarrassing my girlfriend!" Joey said, protectively. "What did you mean by 'maybe that's the key'?" Joey said, frowning back at Charlie.
"Maybe give Amy the impression there might still be a chance for her; then she'll leave you alone." Charlie suggested, with a grin.
"You're not serious, are you?" Joey said; her eyes widening in apprehension.
"As if I'm gonna let that happen!" Charlie said, with a warm smile.
"And how is Miss. Buckton, junior?" Bobby asked. "Is she going to grace us with her presence this evening?"
"She'll be along any minute now." Charlie said, giving Joey a quick look. "If she can sort out her attitude problem."
"Oh dear! Teenagers. I'll have to work my magic on her!" Bobby said; his eyes flashing.
"Yeah, magic her back to normality if you can!" Charlie suggested, hopefully.
And as if by magic, Ruby bounced into the kitchen and announced her presence by throwing her arms around the flowery, middle-aged gentlemen.
"Ruby darling!" He enthused.
"Bobby! Lovely to see you! I've missed you!"
"And I've missed you!"
"Well, if everyone is ready, let's make our way into the dining room to eat." Charlie suggested, taking Joey's hand. "Perhaps you'll escort Bobby, Ruby?" Charlie said, smiling at her sister.
Ruby nodded her assent and the two couples walked in to dinner.
***
Bobby uncorked the Champagne bottle after Joey had made a complete hash of it as they were about to eat dessert.
"There's a knack to it, young woman." Bobby advised as the cork popped out of the bottle. "Never bomb the cork – it's a sign of ill breeding!"
Everyone laughed and Bobby began to fill their glasses.
"Charlie took me to a horse-riding class the other day!" Joey said, as she sipped her wine.
"God Lord! Did you stay on, darling?" Bobby asked, in mid-pour.
"Just!"
"Especially when her horse bolted." Charlie grinned. "I lost eight lives that day!"
"Sounds like you're a natural, Joey sweet! You should have a word with old Ryan Petworth; he owns a couple of horses and is always bleating about needing someone to exercise them for him. Poor old love is getting a bit beyond it now; not that he'd admit to it."
Joey's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"Whoa there cowboy! Before you get too enthusiastic," Charlie said, fearing the worst. "You've had one riding lesson. Don't even start thinking about riding the range, yet!"
Ruby smirked and Bobby smiled at Joey over the top of his lorgnette.
"Okay, it was just a thought!" Joey said; smiling back at Charlie's anxious face and taking her hand under the table.
"I'm sure Joey is more than capable of looking after herself on horseback." Ruby said stoutly; smiling at Joey.
"Your sister's right honey! It will take more than one lesson." Joey said with a smile.
Ruby smiled back shyly; her cheeks blushing.
Joey winked at her.
"Well, if you change your mind, I'll speak to Ryan about it." Bobby said, crossing his legs.
"We're thinking of moving house, too!" Ruby said, as she sipped on the half glass of Champagne which Charlie had allowed her to have.
Charlie glared at her and Joey closed her eyes.
"Well, sorry! I didn't know it was meant to be a big, fat secret!" Ruby hissed at her sister.
"Not leaving the area, I trust?" Bobby said, looking at Charlie.
"No, I err..."
"I've asked Charlie and Ruby to live with me." Joey chimed in; hoping to take the embarrassment from her girlfriend.
"A very sudden and big step, might I say? Congratulations!" Bobby said standing and kissing Charlie's slightly flushed cheek. "You won't regret it, not with this one." He said, smiling back at Joey.
"I know I won't." Charlie said, looking at Joey and squeezing her hand. "But Ruby might, if she doesn't learn a little discretion!"
Ruby blushed and glanced at Joey secretly, as she finished her vanilla and mint mousse.
***
The friends sat around the table chatting for a while until Charlie rose to clear away. Bobby rose likewise, being a gentleman and Joey began to remove their used dishes.
"Ruby, take Bobby through to the lounge and I'll make coffee." Charlie said as she set the percolator in motion.
Ruby took Bobby by the hand and led him away.
Joey put down the dishes on the drainer and wound her arms around Charlie's middle.
"Try not to get too intense with Ruby. It was natural for her to speak about the move." Joey said, kindly.
"I know. She's just wound me up so much just recently. I'm beginning to wonder if it might be an idea to leave her here and move without her!"
Joey chuckled.
"Well, perhaps Bobby can worm-out what her problem is!"
"You always manage to make everything seem better than it actually is!" Charlie said, leaning against Joey. "I do love you, Joey, you know that, don't you?"
"I think I've noticed the signs." Joey replied, touching Charlie's lips with her own. "You'll see; it'll be okay."