Page 25 of Your Carriage Awaits in Crumbleton
‘Coffee?’ said Caroline, already reaching for the pot. ‘You look like you need it.’
‘Please,’ said Michelle. ‘Mind you, after the morning I’ve just had, maybe I should be sticking with decaf!’
Caroline quirked an eyebrow at that, her gossip radar was clearly online and ready for action.
Michelle shook her head. ‘Nothing juicy, I’m afraid. Just the parental units finally finding out about Lawrence.’
‘Ouch!’ said Caroline, with a sympathetic wince. ‘You okay?’
‘Actually, yeah,’ said Michelle, realising that it was true. ‘Though I kind of wish I’d been a fly on the wall… there was a phone call between him and Mum?—’
‘Urgh, that’s not what you need!’ said Caroline, wrinkling her nose.
Michelle shook her head. Her friend was well aware of Lawrence’s unwarrantedgolden boystatus.
‘Let’s just put it like this, he’s no longer flavour of the month,’ said Michelle, unable to keep a smirk off her face. ‘In Dad’s words, Mum “tore Lawrence a new one!”’
Caroline let out a snort. ‘Okay, I’d have paid for front row seats to that conversation!’
‘Right? Mum was gloriously angry!’ Michelle let out a long sigh. ‘Anyway, it’s a relief. One thing less for me to have to tiptoe around.’
‘Well, as news goes, that was a good snippet,’ said Caroline with a smile.
‘Sorry… I didn’t come to offload,’ said Michelle.
‘Don’t apologise!’ said Caroline. ‘That’s what friends are for. Though I’m all ears for the next bit.’
Michelle nodded, biting her lip. Was she really ready to let the next cat out of the bag?
‘Caroline… I need to ask you something.’
‘Let me guess,’ said Caroline with a knowing smirk. ‘You want the inside scoop on Crumbleton’s most eligible bachelor mechanic?’
Michelle felt her cheeks flood with heat. ‘That’s… not why I’m here. Well, not entirely.’
‘Aha!’ Caroline set a mug in front of Michelle and perched on the edge of her desk. ‘So, thereissomething going on with you and young Danny Dalton. I knew it!’
‘Caroline—’
‘Don’t you “Caroline” me. I’ve known you forever, and I remember exactly how you used to moon over that boy at school. I mean, not that I blame you—who could resist those dark eyes and leather jacket? Shame he thought he was too cool for the likes of bookish little us, eh?!’
‘I didnotmoon!’ Michelle protested, taking a defensive sip of coffee and immediately regretting it as it scalded her tongue.
‘You absolutely did. You got all flustered whenever he walked past in the corridor. And now he’s swooped to your rescue like some sort of knight in shining tow truck.’ Caroline’s eyes sparkled with mischief. ‘Very romantic, if you ask me.’
‘How did you know about that?’ said Michelle in surprise.
‘Come on, girl. Have you been away so long you’ve forgotten how fast news reaches my ears?’
Michelle buried her face in her hands. ‘Urgh, I hope Dad doesn’t know!’
‘I can’t reveal my sources,’ said Caroline, with a twinkle in her eye, ‘but let’s just say that this particular movie star only reveals the best gossip to his girlfriend!’
‘Jack saw us?!’ said Michelle.
‘I can neither confirm nor deny that my other half has eyes in the back of his head,’ she chuckled. ‘Don’t worry, he’d never tell Brian.’
Michelle let out a sigh of relief.
