Chapter Two Hundred and Twenty Five
It was a week later and Joey felt like work and college were both going well. Arriving early to work, the day before Charlie's birthday, she opened up the bait shop and began setting up for the day. Aden arrived a few minutes later and they worked in the comfortable silence of friends who knew each other very well.
Charlie arrived later than Angelo expected her for the third time in the last week. He couldn't help but feel curious about what she was getting up to. With Joey working at the bait shop now, a job that amused him somewhat, considering Charlie was a successful and professional cop, he knew they weren't spending their morning together. He couldn't help but wonder who she was seeing and why. And he couldn't help thinking that Sergeant Charlie Buckton wasn't being as honest with her partner as she pretended to be.
Joey was enjoying working in the bait shop. She liked the freedom and variety of her duties, that Aden was her colleague and the opportunity she had to chat with the customers. She had already grown quite fond of some of her regulars.
"What's up?" she asked, nudging her friend.
"What?" he asked, feigning surprised.
"What's up?" Joey repeated.
He sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"I'm not sure things are going to work out with Nicole," he admitted unhappily.
Charlie sat in her office, immersed in paperwork and looking forward to a wonderful weekend off where she would be celebrating her birthday with her girlfriend. She had informed Joey a couple of days ago as to exactly what she would like to trade her token in for and they had both been busily making plans. Both women were surprised that they enjoyed their role playing games so much, what with the photo shoot on Joey's birthday and their pretending to be strangers while they had been on holiday. It was fun and added extra excitement to their relationship, not that they particularly felt they needed it.
"Hey, do you want to go for lunch?" Angelo asked, poking his head around her office door.
"I'm working through because I was late this morning," she said apologetically.
He stepped further into the room, leaning against the doorframe and folding his arms.
"So, where have you been off to these last few mornings?" he asked curiously, hoping she wouldn't bite his head off again.
He was relieved when she smiled.
"Is it any of your business?" she asked.
He smiled back.
"I was just interested," he said. "I thought friends told each other stuff about their lives."
"I've just been busy with personal stuff," she told him.
He nodded, but his curiosity was far from sated. He left the room anyway and headed out to lunch on his own.
Joey left Aden to staff the bait shop in order to get lunch for both of them. He had fretted all day about the speed of his relationship with Nicole. They hadn't slept together but they were getting more and more physical. Knowing that Nicole had wanted to take things slowly with Liam, and held off sleeping with him, Aden was concerned that their relationship was going too fast for her. He had met Joey's suggestion of talking it through with Nicole and giving voice to his fears, with sheer horror.
"Hey," Joey greeted when she stepped up behind Nicole in the queue at the Surf Club counter.
With the Diner shut, the Surf Club was doing good business but everyone was keen for things to go back the way there were meant to be. Joey and Charlie were particularly concerned about Leah's mental health. She barely left the house these days and she seemed to have lost interest in everything around her, even VJ. It was hard to see and they tried to encourage her as much as possible but it seemed she had lost a lot more than her business on the fateful night.
"Hey," Nicole said.
She didn't look happy.
"How are things going now you're back at school?"
Nicole pulled a face. She certainly wasn't happy to be repeating the year. Joey grinned.
"Hey, you're in good company," she said. "I'm re-learning everything I skipped out on in college."
"How's that going?" Nicole asked. "You're doing catering, right? Aden said you were thinking of opening your own restaurant one day."
"Well, that's the hope," Joey said. "Whether I'll get there or not is another matter."
Nicole smiled.
"I'm sure you can do anything you put your mind to."
Joey thanked her. She needed all the encouragement she could get on that particular subject. Fortunately, everyone at home seemed to enjoy her practising her cooking skills on them, especially with Leah being pretty much out of action.
"Anyway, are you okay?" she asked. "You look sad."
"I'm just worried that I'm rushing things with Aden," Nicole admitted.
"They're going too fast for you?"
"For him," Nicole corrected. "The last person he was with was Belle, the love of his life. I'm worried that..."
Joey took her hand and dragged her towards the bait shop without another word. Someone had to bash their heads together and make them talk and she was more than prepared to be the person to do it.
Charlie picked Joey up after her catering course to bring her home. It was an adjustment not to get to spend every evening with her but she was determined to be encouraging and supportive. Plus, she, Ruby, Leah and VJ really enjoyed the treats she brought home from class.
"Happy almost birthday," Joey said, when Charlie pulled back out of the car park.
The police officer grinned.
"I think I'm more excited about this birthday than I've ever been about any others!" Charlie admitted.
"Because it's your thirtieth or because you get to do unspeakable things with me?" Joey smirked.
"Definitely the latter!" Charlie laughed. "I've been fantasising about it all week. I can hardly wait!"
"Well," Joey said, running a seductive hand up and down her girlfriend's thigh, "one more sleep and you can have everything you want."
Next time... Charlie celebrates her birthday, Angelo jumps to conclusions and Charlie and Joey make a decision about their future...
