Carla tentatively stepped out of her bedroom, her eyes falling to her sofa and the man who lay there, softly snoring in his sleep. She allowed herself to lean against the doorframe, standing and just watching him for a few quiet moments as the sunshine streamed in through the flat.
She had an array of emotions coursing through her when it came to that man: hurt, anger, an unbridled lust to rip his clothes off and pull him down atop her on her bed, an overwhelming protectiveness to help him through his demons, a gratefulness that he was there for her last night...
But of all the emotions, there was one that unsettled her the most. A feeling right in the pit of her stomach; the kind of feeling that made her feel giddily happy and yet nauseously sick. A feeling she hadn't felt since Liam...
Maria!
She quickly turned back into her bedroom, grabbing her mobile from the side table. The blonde hairdresser popping quickly into her mind gave her the opportunity to focus on something besides the man who was currently stirring awake on her sofa. She scrolled through her contacts, settling on Maria's name and pressing the call button. She kept an eye on the door as she held the phone to her, listening as the line trilled in her ear.
"Carla?" Maria's groggy voice came through, "I 'ope this isn't like a 'Devil Wears Prada' type of PA job where you're calling to ask me for coffee..."
Carla couldn't help but laugh, "Ha! If only Underworld were that glamourous! Besides I only get my coffee from Roy's, any road. But I'm sure my staff will tell you I'm more of a dragon than that Miranda Priestly woman..."
Maria chuckled, "well they are prone to be a tad overdramatic, aren't they? Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, everything's fine, love. I'm just going to be a bit late this morning, and was wondering if you could open up for us?"
"Yeah no problem. It's actually good that you called, my alarm didn't go off and I would slept right through and been late myself. You sure everything's alright? Your voice sounds funny."
Carla swallowed, her voice was incredibly hoarse from having been induced to vomit for an hour in the hospital less than eight hours prior, "Oh yeah I'm fine," she lied, her eyes moving towards the living room and seeing Peter yawning as he came to stand in her bedroom doorway. She smirked briefly "I must of had a bad reaction to whatever Peter made last night, I spent most of the night with me head in the toilet." Peter raised his eyebrows, smirking back at her and shaking his head slightly at her white lie.
"Oh that sounds horrible! Are you sure you're alright? You sure you're up to coming in today?"
"Yeah I'll be fine, i just need a quick shower and a bit of breaky and I'll be right as rain."
"Okay, but if you change your mind give me a ring, yeah?"
"Of course, I'll see you soon, alright?"
"Okay, ta"
"Ta, love." She ended the call and looked up to the bookie. "Morning."
"Morning. How are you feeling?" he asked, entering her room and sitting next to her on the bed.
Carla looked to the ground, nodding her head before meeting his eyes again, "Yeah, a bit exhausted if I'm honest, and uhhh my throat feels really raw."
Peter's raised his hand to her back, rubbing it in small circles, "I'm not surprised. Whatever medicine they gave you must have emptied out anything you had to eat or drink over the last 48 hours," he joked, "you were on an IV drip for a while before they discharged you."
Carla chuckled, "not the most ideal way to drop a few pounds, innit?" She looked away from him, "honestly, I'm okay. I'm a bit more embarrassed than anything."
"What for?"
"I've always been so careful. It's happened once before in me life, I mean, you'd think I'd know better."
Peter's face scrunched in concern, "it's happened before?"
Carla shifted on the bed, unsure what it was about him that made her want to open up about the things she kept private from most people, but continuing to tell him anyway, "yeah, it was the day before my 22nd birthday. I were at a house party on our estate. I didn't remember drinking very much, but next thing I knew I was waking up in Paul's flat with Michelle, her boyfriend Dean, and her brothers. Michelle had gotten so drunk, they were afraid to take her home to her parents because of little Ryan, you know? And uhh, I had apparently blacked out. Liam said I were acting strange, and he called Paul to come pick us up."
Carla took a sip of her water, before continuing, "One of the guys there that knew Liam from uni, Mike, he was being overly flirty with me and getting a bit handsy, and Liam weren't having any of it;" she said, smiling fondly at the memory of Liam being so protective, "but then Michelle got sick and he went to find Dean. He took his eye off me for a split second, and when he came back I had disappeared. Apparently, Paul had already shown up at that point, and he found me upstairs, propped up against the wall, almost unconscious, with Mike trying to open the door to a locked bedroom. Liam told me he had it right out with Mike, telling him I was obviously drunk and asked what he was playing at trying to take advantage. Mike must've called me sommit insulting because Paul walloped him and carried me out of there."
"Good on Paul," Peter gritted out, the hand that was rubbing circles on Carla's back, moving to now stroke her hair.
"Yeah, we figured I must have been slipped sommit because I couldn't remember anything. I had never blacked out from drinking before, and Liam assured me I hadn't drank that much; he just assumed I hadn't eaten anything that day and it hit me faster than usual. Anyway I didn't want to go to the hospital. So I ended up staying at Paul's for the rest of the day after Liam and Michelle left; he knew my mum were useless really, so he looked after me," a smile tugged at her lips, "he bought me flowers, and a cake for my birthday. He ended up asking me out that evening; that were the second time we kissed, you know? The first was at a spin the bottle game a year earlier on his 27th birthday," she laughed, "Michelle was tipsy and wanted us to play a game like we used to in school. So she brought out this wine bottle..." she paused for a moment, "you know I think Paul set that up with her now, come to think of it. He took two spins before it landed on me, making excuses on the first two about it not counting because it were getting stuck on the carpet."
'Smart man' Peter thought, his eyes drifting to her lips and remembering the kiss she planted on him last November when she confessed she had feelings for him, 'I don't blame him, one bit'
Carla saw his look, her breath hitching slightly in her chest and she quickly stood up, "Sorry, I dunno why I went into all of that. Coffee?"
Peter stood up, "Are you sure you want to go into work today?" he asked carefully
'No I'd rather stay here with you in that bed if I'm honest...' she thought, licking her lips and breathing out audibly
"Yeah, I have a big order to secure or we may be forced ever closer into liquidation." she responded evenly
Peter nodded, "Okay, well tell you what? I'll make the coffees, and you go grab a shower. And maybe we can arrange for a do-over for yesterday..."
'You use men, Carla,' Peter's contemptuous voice filled her head, 'You use them to feel better about yourself and to forget about Liam; and once someone else sparks your fancy, some other married bloke perhaps, you get your fill and cut them loose.'
"I don't think that's a good idea," she responded, stepping back from him and hugging her arms around her body
Peter knew she was remembering the horrible things he said to her, "Carla, look, I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean any of it, I was just trying to hurt you."
"More than you did at your wedding blessing?" she snapped suddenly, anger rushing back behind her now steely gaze.
Peter sighed, "yeah. I'm a right idiot." she shook her head, her eyes looking out of her bedroom window, "Carla, please let me make it up to you. I promise it will be an actual dinner, no games. What do you say? Tonight?"
She thought for a moment, "No, tonight's not good. I can do tomorrow?"
"You sure?" he asked cautiously
She bit her lip, "And we're going to talk? Properly talk?" At his nod, she narrowed her eyes at him, "Anymore of what happened last time Barlow, and it'll be the last I ever speak to you," She lowered her voice, "I mean it, Pe'er."
He gave her a reassuring smile, "I promise."
"Okay." she agreed, offering a lopsided smile. "I best get a wiggle on."
Peter smiled following her out to the kitchen area while she went into the bathroom. He looked at the counter, did a quick spin around, his eyes falling on this odd looking contraption that he was pretty sure he saw Leanne looking at when they were registering for wedding gifts. 'I think that thing makes coffee?' he thought, about to call out to Carla, but hearing the shower turn on, he turned his back to look at the machine and the discs next to it.
'well, shit...'
"Morning, love" Carla said cheerily to Maria as she walked into the office carrying two cups of coffee from Roy's.
"Ohh so I'm Miranda Priestly now, am I?"
"Yeah, yeah don't you get used to it missus." Carla teased, handing Maria her cup and shaking off her coat. "Sorry for being late. They haven't given you too much of a problem have they?" She gestured towards the staff
"Nah, they've been alright, really." Maria began, "I had this mad dream about Frank's house." She began with a giggle, "i dreamt I couldn't find it, and when I did, all the lights were off and he had gone to bed!"
Carla laughed, "oh you'll be fine." She told her encouragingly, but suddenly feeling a sense of dread overtaking her.
She sat at her desk, watching Maria as she held up the sample Julie had made. She knew Frank had shown an interest in Maria; it was one of the reasons she initially thought sending Maria on her own would help sweeten the deal with Frank; after all, Liam had sent Carla to many client meetings for the same purpose: a bit of flirtation was harmless, after all. But Liam had put a stop to it, when a few of the clients had tried to get handsy with her, getting rough to point where she had to get up and run. She insisted to Liam it were fine, that the business was more important, with some clients anyways. Not all. He hated working with these men, knowing what they tried on with Carla, but she knew he blamed himself more for letting her go on her own.
Carla had a very different upbringing then most. There were many things that occurred to her while growing up that forced her to adapt to all kinds of uncomfortable and despicable conditions. She learned how to push everything down, put whatever occurred to her into a box and stored it away, never to be opened again. And every box she stored was like adding another brick to the wall she built around herself. She could put aside what those men tried to do to her for the better of the business, but Maria was no Carla; and to be fair, after the incident at the mixer the night before, Carla wasn't sure she was the same Carla either. It was one time too many for her, and those boxes that were piling up were starting to get top heavy...
"You know what, Maria? I think it's best if we go to Frank's together tonight." she said carefully
Maria looked at her disappointed, "do you think I'm not ready to do it on me own?" She asked clearly crestfallen
"No, no not at all. Maria, I have every faith in you. I just," she sighed, "look I just don't want to get into too many details alright? But I'm just remembering a handful of times that going on me own to a meeting wasn't the best of choices. I would just feel a bit more secure, if I were there with you, especially as you're not meeting in a public place..."
Maria nodded, a welcoming rush of relief coming over her, "Okay. As long as you're sure?"
Carla nodded. "Tag team for the win, yeah?"
"Oh hell yeah!" Maria agreed. "I can meet you at yours around 7:30ish?"
"Sounds good." Carla smiled, feeling a bit more at ease as she watched Maria turn in her chair and continued typing away at the spreadsheet on her computer.
Carla didn't think Frank was the type of man to push his luck with a woman. He'd been nothing more than a gentleman every time she'd met him in the past. Even at the mixer the night before, he was incredibly courteous and attentive to her.
But after the incident at the pub, after whomever had tried to take advantage of her by slipping something into her wine, she just couldn't take any chances of Maria getting into an unfortunate situation like she found herself in last night.
She would never forgive herself if anything happened to Liam's widow...