Ahead of the Darkness Read online

  “I’m good. Thank you.” I handed Drew back his water bottle and sweaty towel, scrunching up my face. “Sorry ...”

  “Aye ... ye good,” he mumbled under his breath. “I mean, ye welcome, it’s no bother. I dinnae plan on getting so worked up, I mean. I’ll nae need the towel ...”

  I nodded to him, and headed off towards the change rooms. I couldn’t help the small smile that broke out on my face. A flustered Drew was entertaining.

  “Mia?” I turned back to Drew, and hid my smile. “I cannae have ye collapsing again. Get changed and meet me out ‘ere. We’re getting breakfast.”

  “Haven’t you already had breakfast?”

  “Aye, but I haven’t had a second one. Get a move on, I’m starving. Besides, ye dinnae write me a shopping list.”

  “Fine, but you have two minutes or I’m leaving.” He laughed, and jogged off to the men’s.

  Drew was out the front of my change room waiting when I re-emerged. I had tried to freshen up as much as possible, but it was pointless without a towel.

  "Cannae have ye leaving without me."

  "They really need a back door here." He laughed heartily, swinging his arm around me and moved us forward.

  "What are you doing?"

  "Keeping up appearances. Just play along. Ye started it, remember?"

  I looked to what's-her-face at the front desk to see her scowling in our direction.

  "Fine, but you kiss me and I'll sock you."

  He tried to suppress his laughter while we walked past, but as soon as we reached the exit he leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Feisty, I love it." He squeezed my arse as we walked through the door.

  "Hey!" I elbowed him in the chest, and he howled with laughter as we went down the stairs.

  "Ye said I cannae kiss ye. Ye dinnae say anything about pawing ye."

  "Keep your big paws to yourself!"

  "Aye, dinnae be so uptight. But with an arse like that, I nae say ye can help it." I gaped at him, then walloped him with my duffel.

  "Alright, alright I give in. Dinnae hurt me."

  I scoffed at that. "As if I could. What are you built of, iron?"

  "Ye trying to say ye think I'm fit?" He flexed his arm as he opened the door to the street to prove the point. It was a struggle to be indifferent. So fit! I shook my head at him as I walked out.

  "You really do have a big head."

  "Well ... I've nae had any complaints in that department." He winked at me. It was my turn to be flabbergasted. He laughed heartily at my stunned expression, but it died as soon as it started. He followed me out but kept his distance, and that's when it clicked.

  We'd been sprung by Mac coming out of the gym together.

  "Well, look at you two, all laughing and exercising together. Cute, real cute."

  "You can't go anywhere here without bumping into someone. Who's next? Jules at the supermarket, no doubt." What was I doing? "I'll see you two later. Mac." I smiled at her a little too sweetly. I almost made my own skin crawl. "Drew, try not to trip on anyone."

  "I'll do me best. Tonight, 4pm?" There was a hint of sorry in the brief smile Drew gave me as I nodded and walked off. The strange sensation in the pit of my stomach didn’t sit well with me.

  "Oh so you just ran into each other?”

  "Aye, this is the only gym in town, Mac. Ye cannae expect to not see anyone ye know."

  "Whatever. I've seen the way she looks at you, and you don't even know her. She could have been stalking you." Bitch, please!

  "Ye can be real daft, ye know that ..." And that was the last I heard. If only she knew it was more like Drew hounding me, not the other way around. I didn't want Drew. I didn't ...

  I did eventually find a supermarket. It should have only been two blocks from the gym, but I just went the long way. I grabbed a basket and started mentally making a list. I really didn't feel like doing a real shop so I stuck to the easy go-to staples: Marmite, bread, cheese, peanut butter, tinned soup ...

  "Did ye get lost?"

  I jumped at the sound of Drew whispering behind me, dropping the can in my hand. "God. Stop doing that."

  "Doing what?" He seemed highly amused, the bastard. "Aye, I cannae help it, like. Ye’re so fun to rile."

  "I won't be so much fun if you give me a heart attack." Be still, my beating heart. Ha, no really, please stop.

  "Ye ran off ..."

  "I walked off and we were done, right? Besides, I didn't fancy getting the third degree from Mac. You're welcome, BTW."

  "For what?"

  "For not ruffling her feathers and fabricating the turn of events. She acts like a disgruntled girlfriend or something."

  "Thank ye ..."

  "Is she the reason?"

  "The reason? The reason I will nae ... Wait, what reason?"

  "Never mind. I don't want to know." I picked up the can I'd dropped and put it in my basket, hoping Drew would take the hint.

  "There's naught to know. Why’re ye in a strop for?"

  "Strop-free, Drew. Why are you here?"

  "Well, ye see, they call this place a supermarket, and folks buy things here, usually food things."

  "Goodbye, Drew." I began to walk off, and he reached for my hand.

  "Aye, I'm sorry. I came to find ye. Ye said ye were going shopping, and I wasn’t done with ye, but Mac can be a right prick. Besides, I need to make sure ye eat."

  He looked at my basket and frowned.

  "It's a good thing I did, mind. Ye tryin’ to starve yerself?"

  I looked at in my basket and shrugged. "I couldn't be arsed." I retracted my hand from Drew’s and continued on, but he followed behind. “It’s just some staples. What did you mean, you aren’t done with me?”

  “Oh.” He paused and ran a hand through his hair. “Aye, ye dinnae give me a list of things ye want for the bar.” It sounded like an afterthought.

  “What things? Oh, you mean for cocktails? Ah, olives?”

  “Aye. What else?”

  “It depends on the cocktails, Drew. I don’t know, what have you made before?”

  “Nothing really, not until ye started.”

  “So why are you now?”

  “Because ye know how to make ‘em.” He shrugged. “I’ll be fun, like, something new and now the others will have to get on board.” I get it now.

  “Well, make a cocktail list or something, and I’ll tell you what we need to keep on hand.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “What? Wait, I have to make the list?”

  “Aye.” I groaned and walked off. “Where are ye going?”

  “Away.”

  “I cannae let ye do that.” He kept pace as I wondered around aimlessly.

  “Sure you can, it’s easy. You stand there, or go that way, and I keep walking this way.”

  “Ye so cute when ye get frustrated at me.”

  “Sod off, Drew.”

  “Ye cannae tell me to sod off.”

  “I just did.”

  “But I’m ye boss.”

  “Oh, now you want to be my boss? How convenient.”

  “What ye on about?” His boss-side came back to play.

  “Nothing. I can’t make you a cocktail list.”

  “Why? Ye not going to eat that, are ye?”

  “What? Oh.” I’d picked up a can of anchovies instead of olives. “I don’t know your clientele, Drew. How could I know what to make for them?”

  “They drink anything, like.” I stopped and started at him. “Alright, test a few things on them tonight and we can work on it tomorrow, aye?”

  “Fine. What time do you want me on a Monday?”

  “We’re nae open on Mondays, so just come in when ye want.”

  “So why are we coming in?

  “To work on the list. Ye don’t have to come in later, if ye don’t want.”

  “I don’t have anything better to do, and besides, how will I know what to add on the list after only one shift? You didn’t break me that hard at the gym.”

  “I’ll have to try ha
rder tomorrow, then.”

  I scoffed but I think he was serious.

  “Here.” I thrust the few staples I’d need tonight at him one by one, filling up his arms.

  “What’s this, then?”

  “Olives, maraschino cherries, mint leaves, brown sugar, and I’ll make simple syrup and bring it in.” I left him looking at the loot, confused.

  “Where are ye goin?”

  “Home. Oh, get some fruit, too, and a blender.”

  “What fruit?” I was too far away to reply. He’d work it out, or not.

  Chapter Eight

  R U awake?

  I had a feeling he would be, even first thing on a Monday morning.

  Aye, already @ the club, mind.

  What time do U want me in?

  Well, ye awake now?

  No, I’m just texting in my sleep.

  Aye, I mean come in now, ye numbty.

  OK in a little while.

  Aye, just bring ye gear, ye can go to the gym after.

  How did he know?

  Fine.

  I just wanted to get this cocktail thing over with. Last night had been so uncomfortable that I was looking forward to two days away from everyone. I’d left Drew at the supermarket presumably all sorted, but less than two minutes after I’d left, he’d sent me a text message in a tizzy. I’d forgotten I put my number on the employment form. After a handful of text messages he had gotten the right fruit, and I was finally left alone, but I wished I’d stayed in my room. Mac had been impossible the whole night ...

  “So, Mia. We haven’t had any girl time. I don’t know anything about you.”

  “There isn’t much more than my name to know.” I had tried to shrug it off, but she wouldn’t have any of it.

  “Sure there is. Where are you from, and why are you here?” Rude much?

  “Her favourite colour is green, and she like to be on top.” Jules appeared from the other side of the bar. Apparently he needed to add his two cents.

  “I do not. Well, at least I never said I did.”

  “Ha, I knew it.”

  “Shut up, Jules. Mia has too much sense for your shite. Go play elsewhere.” I’d rather shoot myself ...

  “You heard the wench, I mean, Mac.”

  Jules had chuckled to himself, leaving us alone.

  The endless questions including where I came from, and what was I doing in this manky little town didn’t stop. If I dodged or didn’t answer to her satisfaction she would just reword her questions, pretending they were new. I presumed it was all because I’d stepped in on her turf, and getting caught out and about with Drew clearly hadn’t helped. So unless Drew was around she would not leave me alone, but then she’d glare at me whenever Drew was too close, or talked to me. It was a lose/lose situation so I tried to spend the quiet times rearranging the alcohol and cleaning everything, twice.

  I took my time getting ready, and dragged my feet all the way back to the bar. I had no idea why Drew was so impatient. He’d spent most of the night before badgering me about all the different ingredients I’d made him get, and asking how many different drinks I could make with them. It had gotten to the point where I had to tell him to leave me alone, and remind him I was coming in tomorrow so he could quit badgering me.

  I was going to knock, but something made me try the door handle. After all, he was expecting me, and sure enough, it was open.

  “Mia? Lock the door behind ye, would ye?” Drew hollered from somewhere out the back.

  “Drew?” I could just make out a soft mumbling sound in the distance, and walked past the bar towards it. “Marco?”

  “Polo.” I about died when his voice came loud and clear from behind me, and I spun around on my heels to face the bar.

  “God damn it, Drew.” He chuckled lightly to himself. “Where on earth did you come from?”

  “Aye, well, ye see, when a strapping lad and a wee bonne lass ...” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and laughed at my darkening scowl. “Aye, all right. I was in the cellar, like. Ye rather jumpy, did ye know that?” No shit, Sherlock.

  “No more than any other normal person. You just have an uncanny ability to appear out of nowhere, and often seem to get your jollies scaring the bejesus out of me.”

  “I cannae lie, it’s a wee bit funny.” I wondered if he knew the reason I was so on edge all the time how funny he’d find it then. It was almost worth telling him; I bet he’d feel like a real arse.

  “I wouldn’t antagonize the help, Drew. I’m of mind to let you do this yourself.” He put his hands up in defeat.

  “Dinnae do that. It will make what I got ye moot.” He ducked down and popped up with a wrapped box. “It’s not really a gift, like, but ye’re the one who’ll be using her the most so, here.”

  It was a blender. I smiled, despite my best efforts.

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “Aye, I know it’s a bit naff, but ye should be set to make whatever ye want.”

  “The girls will be pleased. If it takes off, you might need a few more jugs to go with it. Otherwise it will slow us down having to clean it straight after every use.”

  “Aye, ye’ve got six.”

  “Oh. That’s great.”

  “So, let’s get to work on this list then. “ He left the bar and walked off. “How many do ye think ye can make now?” He threw over his shoulder. He had a bad habit of doing that, but I wasn’t following him like a stupid puppy. Not this time.

  “Too many. How many do you want on the list, Drew?” I stepped inside the bar to get a better look at what exactly we had to work with. “Do you want a seasonal one? Winter? Summer?”

  “I dinnae think of that.” He was back with a pen and paper.

  “I guess it could just be a standard list, and you could have a, I don’t know, sort of limited edition, or special cocktail of the week, or something.”

  Drew handed me the paper with a huge grin on his face.

  “You like?”

  “Brilliant!”

  “Okay.” I started jotting down a few seasonal drinks.

  “Aye, it’s a cracking good idea. I dinnae know why I didn’t think of it.”

  “Well, I clearly have all the brains, and you all the looks in this relationship.” Ah, basier! “I mean ...”

  “Ye think I’m purdy?” He bats his eyelashes at me, and I burst out laughing.

  “You’re incorrigible, you know that, right? What I meant was ...”

  “Aye, I’m the handsome one. Got it.” I took a deep breath. His ego was suffocating. “But dinnae get distracted, mind. If ye can help yerself.”

  It was a knee jerk reaction. One second I was writing, the next Drew was dripping wet and I had the hose in my hands. My free hand flew to my mouth in shock. I’d just sprayed him with soda. Drew gaped at me, the soda running off his nose, and that was it. I doubled over with laughter.

  “It had to be done,” I blurted out between fits of laughter. “Your ego needed cooling down.” I got a stitch in my side I laughed so hard.

  “Aye, is that so?” Uh-oh. I fought to get myself under control, and my eyes widened as Drew reached for the other hose. “Well, two can play at that game.”

  “No ... ah!” I squealed as the cold spray hit me. “You win, you win!”

  “Too right.” I was dripping wet, much more than Drew.

  “I’m soaked. No fair, Drew, you got me completely wet.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me and laughed.

  “Aye, and I dinnae even touch ye.” That gave me pause. He laughed some more, and I scoffed at the dirty bastard.

  “You clearly did it wrong. I’m all sticky.” I couldn’t help it; we both laughed at that. “Now what, we are both dripping wet?” We couldn’t work like this.

  “Come on. “ He took my hand and led us out of the bar. My heart rate skyrocketed.

  “What? Where?” Oh, God! My adrenaline spiked, but died just as quickly when he reached down to pick up my duffel and turned left around the bar instead of straight, where
his office desk was ...

  “I’m taking ye home.” Oh! “We can clean up there.” Oh ...

  “Drew, do you plan to walk home dripping wet?” Because that wouldn’t have been awkward at all.

  “No, I’ve got Jules’s car, we’ll drive.” I froze. “Dinnae fret, love. I’m an expert driver. Besides, it’s only a wee trip.”

  “But, ah, we’ll get his seats all wet.” I didn’t want to get in the car, even if it was for five minutes down the street. He paused and turned around to look at me. I schooled my mild anxiety, hopefully before he saw.

  “Did ye bring a towel?”

  “Yeah ...?”

  “Aye, then sit on that, and if ye still dinnae want to get in the car with me then ye can drive.”

  “I don’t ... fine. You drive.” He tilted his head to the side and looked at me.

  “How old are ye?”

  “Twenty-three. What does that have to do with anything?”

  “Ye cannae drive?”

  “Oh. No ...”

  “Why?”

  “I never got my license. Why are you looking at me like that?” He was looking at me as if I’d grown two heads.

  “But ye do know how to drive, right?”

  “I never wanted to.” Ever.

  “Aye? Well, we’re going to have to do something about that, then.” He took my hand again and stalked off.

  “What? Wait, not now.”

  “Aye, later.” I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Hopefully he’d forget, and that would be the end of it.

  We reached the little grey car. Drew unlocked my side of the death-box and started to open my duffle, pulling out fresh underwear with my gym towel. He picked them up before I could snatch them from him.

  “Oh, God,” I went scarlet as he stretched them out to get a better look and I reached forward, snatching them out of his hands.

  “Nae need to be like that. I’ve seen ye naked.”

  “What?”

  “I mean, I felt ye naked and washed ye panties, remember?” He smirked, and my eyes widened. I’d been trying to forget.

  “You’re so uncouth.” I pushed past him, and a little overzealously closed the door. He laughed all the way to his side and climbed in, still chuckling to himself.

  “Ye’re so couth, Mia. Ye need to live a wee bit.”