Chapter Three Hundred and Sixty Seven
"I'm just not sure what he wants," Charlie said unhappily over breakfast with Joey and Ruby.
"That's why you're going to the meeting," her daughter said through a bite of toast. "To find out."
Yesterday, the police officer had been phoned by one of her superiors, Inspector Joyce, to arrange a meeting. And with the fallout from Angelo's indiscretions, Charlie was rather nervous.
"But what if it's awful or…?"
Joey put a gentle hand on her girlfriend's arm, looking directly into her blue eyes.
"You haven't done anything wrong," she said firmly. "It won't be anything bad."
Romeo sat on the beach in his school uniform without any intention of heading to class. This morning, he had woken up to a note from his mother informing him that she had left town. He was devastated. For a moment there, he had really believed that they could work things out and start afresh but obviously he had just been deluded. He looked longingly at the bait shop, hoping that Joey might arrive early to work. She always knew the right thing to say.
"Okay, good luck," Joey said.
She had wangled the morning off work so that she could take some measurements of the room above the Surf Club and really get to grips with her plans for the restaurant. Charlie had originally intended to help but the meeting with Inspector Joyce had put a spanner in the works, somewhat.
"I'll call you when I'm done," Charlie promised.
Joey leant in and kissed her.
"Please listen to what he has to say without panicking," she begged.
"I'll try," Charlie promised, kissing her one more time.
"Where's Joey?" Romeo wondered when he saw Alf opening up the bait shop.
The older man turned and explained that she had the morning off in order to measure up the restaurant venue.
"Oh," Romeo sighed, looking glum.
"Anything I can help you with?" Alf wondered.
The blonde surfer just shrugged.
"Is it about your Mum?" Alf asked kindly. "I noticed all her stuff was gone this morning."
Romeo nodded.
"She left nothing but a note," he admitted. "And now I don't know what to do or how I'm meant to feel."
Alf reached out and patted his shoulder.
"Joey's checking out the venue above the Surf Club," he said. "Maybe she'll appreciate some help."
Nodding gratefully, Romeo headed back up the beach.
Charlie tried not to look as nervous as she felt as she sat across the table from Inspector Joyce in a private room of the police station.
"I'll get straight to the point," Joyce said.
Charlie couldn't even read the tone in his voice. She had no idea what was on his mind.
"Your work over the last couple of years has been exemplary," Joyce told her.
Charlie just looked startled.
"Even with the personal crises you've been through, like the murder of Grant Bledcoe and the problems with your daughter, your work has been remarkable," Joyce said. "And we don't think that a mere promotion to Sergeant is good enough."
Charlie chewed the inside of her cheek until it hurt. He was saying nice things but she was still terrified that she might lose the promotion she had worked so hard for.
"So, we're promoting you to Senior Sergeant of this station," Joyce said, finally managing a smile. "It comes with extra responsibility and a higher wage."
Charlie just stared at him.
"Are you serious?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Very serious, Senior Sergeant Buckton," he assured her. "You should be very proud of yourself."
"I'm not being very helpful, am I?" Romeo said.
He was so miserable that he sounded like Eeyore.
"Of course you are," Joey said brightly. "You're holding the end of the measuring tape!"
He managed a smile and dutifully read out the length of the room.
"Thanks for letting me hang around," he said.
"It's fine," Joey assured him. "I just wish I could do a bit more than keep you busy."
"You're helping," Romeo assured her. "And hey, it could be worse. I could be Tony or Rachel."
Joey paused and looked confused.
"What's wrong with Tony and Rachel?" she wondered.
"Oh, they were having a big row about boxing or something when I came up here," he explained.
Joey frowned, knowing how much the classes meant to Tony. She hoped nothing would go wrong.
At lunch time, John met up with Gina in the beach. As they strolled along the sand, they held hands.
"So, have you thought about my question?" he asked anxiously.
Gina smiled. She still couldn't believe that he had asked her to move in with him.
"I've thought about it," she said carefully.
John stopped walking and turned so that he could face her.
"And?" he asked nervously.
"I haven't come up with an answer yet."
It was late that evening when Charlie and Joey found themselves sitting on the beach together under the stars. Excited about Charlie's promotion and how easily things for the restaurant had come together, the couple had been eager to go out and celebrate.
"How about a dip?" Joey suggested, nodding toward the calm sea, glinting in the moonlight.
"We don't have swim stuff," Charlie pointed out.
Joey raised her eyebrows suggestively, offering a challenge.
"No way!" Charlie protested. "I don't think getting caught for public indecency will help me keep my promotion!"
Joey grinned and kissed her possessively. Drawing back, Charlie caught the look in her eye.
"Who says we'll get caught?" she said.
"Joey…!" Charlie tried.
But her girlfriend was already stripping off, ignoring the irony considering what had happened with Angelo.
"Come on!" Joey yelled, slipping out of her underwear.
Charlie looked up at her from the sand. Too much wine and the joy of their current life were clearly going to her girlfriend's head.
"I'll be lonely on my own," Joey pouted.
Charlie licked her lips, looking Joey up and down in the moonlight. Against her better judgement, she allowed her to pull her to her feet and undress. Holding hands, they charged into the sea together, laughing with nervous excitement.
"Shit, this is cold!" Charlie protested as they walked further and further out.
They paused when the water level reached their waists before they ducked down to put their shoulders under the water. Charlie smiled as Joey brushed up against her, wrapping her strong thighs around her waist.
"Can I warm you up?" she asked, her voice low and seductive.
Charlie's smile was all Joey needed in response. She kissed her mouth and the point on her shoulder that always seemed to drive her wild. She cupped Charlie's breasts and ran her tongue over them, tasting the salt that was now on each of them. Charlie tilted her head back and closed her eyes, giving in to every pleasure Joey was offering. She was sure that at this stage in their relationship, some of the passion should have worn off. But it hadn't. And she hoped it never would.
"Mmm," she moaned quietly, as she felt Joey's fingers beneath the water, toying with her.
Joey smiled and kissed her neck while her fingers carefully explored, finding her clitoris and teasing it immediately.
Charlie moaned again and kissed Joey's mouth. It was a strange sensation to have Joey's fingers inside her in water. Her girlfriend found her rhythm and penetrated her gently but firmly, building speed and passion. Charlie clutched her harder as she broke into orgasm.
Twenty minutes later, having splashed about in the water a little more, Charlie and Joey reluctantly made their way back onto the beach where they hoped nothing had happened to their clothes.
"Wait," Charlie said when only their feet were covered by the rippling waves.
She pulled Joey round to face her, melting their bodies together. Joey was more than a little startled to find herself being lowered onto the wet sand. Charlie moved onto top of her, kissing her passionately.
"What about public indecency?" Joey wondered.
The question fell out of her head the moment she felt Charlie's tongue between her legs. The police officer worked hard immediately, and not just because she was worried about getting caught. Sometimes, when she looked at Joey, she was overcome with passion. She had to be intimate with her right then and there and make sure she knew just how wonderful and beautiful she was. Now was one of those moments.
"Charlie…" Joey murmured, closing her eyes and clutching handfuls of sand as she felt her girlfriend's tongue expertly bring her closer and closer to climax.
She cried out, releasing everything she was feeling and clutched at Charlie who rested against her, exhausted.
"This was quite the night, hey?" the Senior Sergeant smirked.
"And it's not even over yet," Joey replied suggestively.
Once night had officially fallen and the rest of the house had fallen asleep, Alf crept down the stairs. Grabbing Mr Oddly from where Marilyn had thoughtlessly placed him at the kitchen table, he took him outside, determined to get rid of the horrible thing for good.
Ruby poked her head out of her room when she heard her parents come in.
"I don't even want to know why you're covered in… mud?"
"Sand," Joey informed her.
"I still don't want to know!" Ruby decided. "Good night!"
She hurried back to her room. Holding hands, Charlie and Joey skipped off to the bathroom together.
Miles was getting a glass of water from the kitchen when Alf returned to the house. The older man looked particularly startled to see him.
"Are you okay?" Miles asked worriedly.
"Yeah," Alf replied. "Just… I was burying a dead bird."
Leaving Miles still confused, he hurried back to bed, hoping to have left Mr Oddly far behind him.
Having got carried away in the shower, it was even later when Charlie and Joey finally got to bed. Wearing nothing, they met in the middle.
"This was definitely an amazing night," Charlie whispered.
Joey grinned and kissed her. She surprised herself with a yawn.
"Oh, you're not tired, are you?" Charlie asked.
"A little," Joey admitted.
"But we were turn taking," Charlie reminded her. "I owe you one…"
Joey giggled.
"I'm suddenly very awake!" she declared.
Next time… Angelo goes for a tarot reading, Joey suggests a replacement for her at the bait shop and Monica gets an exciting job offer...
