Chapter One Hundred and Eighty Four
Joey was home alone when Aden knocked on her door, presenting her with a six pack. She grinned and let him in.
"No Charlie?" Aden wondered as she led him through to the lounge.
"She had to stay late at work," Joey explained, trying not to pull a face at the knowledge that she was working very intently with Angelo these days.
"Oh good," Aden said brightly.
Joey looked concerned.
"Not that I don't want to hang out with her," he backtracked. "You know I love Charlie. But I kind of have a confession to make."
"Ooh!" Joey said enthusiastically, opening a can and settling down to hear the gory details.
Nicole arrived at Liam's place, feeling a little anxious. The talk with Joey had helped and while it wasn't going to be an easy conversation, she knew she had to tell him how she felt.
"Hi," he greeted. "I made dinner. Again."
He flashed a smile. She hugged him.
"Liam, can we talk?" she asked.
"Okay, so that's the rota done," Charlie said.
She and Angelo had been sitting in her office for some time, working out how to keep a round the clock eye on Hugo and spin a story about it being for his protection, not because he was the perpetrator of a horrific series of crimes.
"What about tonight?" Angelo asked, pointing to a blank space on the sheet.
Charlie sighed and sat back in her chair. She played with her pen until she dropped it.
"We can't ask anyone to do it at short notice," Angelo ventured, trying not to sound delighted at the prospect of pulling an all-nighter with her.
"Maybe we can start this tomorrow?" Charlie suggested.
"Wouldn't that kind of defeat the point?"
Ruby and Geoff sat side by side on the couch, holding hands and feeling a little shy.
"So, you really want to do this?" Ruby asked.
Geoff nodded.
"I do," he said.
"Even with your faith and...?"
He squeezed her hands gently.
"I love you," he said. "And I want to spend my life with you."
Ruby smiled. She reached up and stroked his face, leaning in to kiss him.
"And are you completely sure?" he asked.
"I am," Ruby informed him.
"Okay, so, you knew Liam was planning a special dinner or something and you kept her out anyway?" Joey asked, sipping her beer.
Her friend nodded, feeling a little guilty.
"On purpose or did it just happen?" Joey enquired.
"It just kind of happened but I think there might have been underlying intent," Aden said, opening his next can. "Does that make me a terrible person?"
Joey smiled, assuring him that it would take a lot more than that to make him a terrible person.
"Although it was naughty and you mustn't do it again," she said, sounding suddenly very strict.
Aden laughed, already feeling better. Joey opted not to mention that his devious antics had probably saved their friend a difficult and awkward night. She hoped Nicole would be alright telling Liam that she wasn't ready for sex.
"That's never a good way to start a conversation," Liam said anxiously, sitting down on the couch.
His girlfriend came to sit beside him, taking his hand.
"I really like you," she said.
"Are you breaking up with me?" he interrupted.
"What? No! No, of course not. I do really like you. But I'm not ready to... you know, to have sex."
She looked down a little shyly, not wanting to see his disappointed.
"Even though we already did that time?" he asked.
"Especially because was already did!" Nicole told him, looking back up again. "I mean, look how that turned out. I don't want to ruin what we have by making it more complicated."
He held onto her a little urgently.
"It doesn't have to be complicated," he said. "If we like each other then..."
"I'm just not ready," Nicole said resolutely.
He sighed but continued to hold her hand, forcing himself to accept it.
Charlie picked up the phone and called Joey.
"Hello!" her girlfriend said a little too exuberantly.
"Hey," Charlie replied. "Having a nice night?"
"Aden provided me with beer," Joey informed her.
Charlie rolled her eyes but smiled in amusement.
"You're not turning into an unemployed drunk, are you?" she teased.
"No!" Joey squeaked. "I hope not, anyway. When are you coming home? I want to do bad things with you!"
Charlie snorted and promptly told her to stop watching so much True Blood.
"And don't sing!" she added quickly.
Joey immediately stopped herself from beginning to sing the theme tune to what was now one of her favourite shows.
"What's up?" she finally asked.
"I might be working all night," Charlie said apologetically.
"Oh," Joey said, her voice and face flooded with disappointment.
"Sorry, sweetheart," Charlie said. "I'll make it up to you."
"Like how?" Joey asked, perking up.
"I don't know yet but I'll think of something," Charlie promised. "Sorry."
"Well, I'll try and sleep without you but if I wake the whole house up in the middle of the night, on your head be it."
"Well, ring me if you do," Charlie said. "I'm going to be bored out of my mind, sitting in a car, watching nothing and trying to stay awake."
"I'm sure I can find a way to keep you amused from afar," Joey told her.
Ruby and Geoff had been making out for quite some time but the night was drawing in and the dark was getting deeper. They'd decided to plan their night together and make it very special, which meant holding off until tomorrow. Both teenagers wanted to get everything exactly perfect.
"Shall I walk you home?" Geoff offered when Ruby said she ought to go.
She smiled.
"Thank you," she said.
Charlie sat in the passenger seat of Angelo's car, trying to keep herself awake with caffeine. Her colleague sat beside her but they could be watching an empty building for all they knew. Nothing was going on and there were no lights on.
"Maybe they've gone away," Charlie suggested.
"Where the hell to?" Angelo wondered.
Charlie shrugged.
"The car's there," Angelo pointed out.
Charlie merely shrugged again. Her phone beeped for the millionth time. Eagerly, she picked up another naughty text from her girlfriend. She blushed and grinned before quickly typing back.
"Are you going to be doing that all night?" Angelo complained.
"I'm not hurting anyone!" Charlie said dismissively.
"It's not very professional," Angelo told her. "And it's very irritating."
"I didn't ask you to drag me out here all night," Charlie reminded him. "I can assure you that I'd much rather be at home with the love of my life than exchanging text messages with her."
The phone beeped again. Charlie giggled and tried to think of how to reply.
Next time... Joey tells Charlie about Ruby and Geoff's plans, Charlie and Angelo exchange cross words again and Irene returns from Japan...
