Page 4 of A Colourful Country Escape
Had that been part of his attraction, she wondered with a shudder. Had he brought out her ‘save-the-pandas’ instinct, with his big dopey eyes and ineptitude to cook a beansprout?
‘What is your job, anyway? Backpacking blogger? Person who faffs about on Instagram all day?’ Tabby interrupted Lexie’s train crash of thoughts.
‘Hey! I’m a social media manager.’
‘You’re working part time in a shop,’ said Drew. ‘And I mean this constructively. But you can be so flaky, Lex. You never stick to anything. I used to think it was because you were artistic and entrepreneurial like me. But, actually, you’re just too scared to let yourself be good at anything. You’re happy to canter along as someone else’s workhorse.’
Lexie tried to ignore the trembling of her chin, which was just the tip of her internal iceberg. She turned to Tabby, who was all but pulling out the popcorn. ‘Can I ask what you do?’
But Tabby just looked perplexed, like having a job had never actually occurred to her.
‘Ladies like us do not need to work,’ Drew’s mother overenunciated, as though explaining something to a silly child. ‘So you gave up the cleaning? Because I could really do with another … ’
‘That was never my job,’ Lexie said firmly. Not that she would be embarrassed if it were – her mum had been a very good cleaner. ‘It was one of your son’s lies. A bit like “Tabby’s just a fan – I think she’s stalking me.” I should have known she wasn’t a groupie, in a twinset and pearls.’
The meerkat-ish shop girl began sniggering, and Tabby shot her a look.
‘This iscaashmere.’ Tabby stretched out the word, such a fine material clearly deserving extra vowels. ‘And I don’t even like rock music. It’s dreadful.’
‘I do a delightful range of South Sea pearls,’ the shop owner butted in. ‘Extremely rare.Frightfullyexpensive.’
‘Oh good! We’ll take the tray,’ said Mrs Chadwick, before she’d even set eyes on them. ‘Do bring it over.’
The shop owner sang a spiel about pearls symbolising wealth and wisdom as he scurried away, rubbing his hands.
‘My music is dreadful?’ Drew’s tiny brain had finally caught up.
‘Everyone should have a hobby, sweetie.’ Tabby patted Drew’s back as if encouraging a spaniel. ‘You’ll be working with Daddy in the business when we marry.’
Now it was Lexie’s turn to laugh. She knew full well Drew’s band was everything to him. They would never be huge, but he didn’t do it for the money. Like Tabby, he didn’t need to.
‘What is your job, Drew? Faffing about with a plectrum all day?’ And with that surprisingly brave quip, Lexie was ready to flee.
She could never win the war against these people and their money. She was unworthy, or unsuitable, or whatever the hell Drew had said. She probably always would be. But at least she’d thrown a cat among their well-coiffed pigeons; that was the best she could hope for.
She rushed to the door, her head bursting with tears which were desperate to escape. But what was that shape moving towards her?
‘And of course, pearls signify new beginnings,’ it was saying, as it held out a tray.
Arggggghhh.
The tray hit Lexie in the gut and flew upwards, releasing its contents to the heavens. Exquisite pearls hailed down everywhere, and as the party moved to avoid them they began slipping and tumbling like a room full of skittles.
Oh God, oh God, oh God …
Lexie hopped to the door, sensing the enraged shop owner hot on her tail. If he didn’t skid on his precious gemstones, she prayed the trail of her rain sludge would at least slow him down.
She burst through into the damp outside air, straight into a pair of outstretched arms. Her homeless friend. Thank God.
‘You did it – I’m so proud of you. Now run! And thanks for everything.’
Lexie choked out a sob as she felt the warmth of the stranger. She gave her a quick squeeze, but it was time to run. The shop owner was probably gunning for both of them. They tore away in opposite directions, hoping the art of confusion would see them safe.
Not that Lexie had to feign bewilderment. As she caught a last glimpse of her favourite duckling raincoat disappearing into the distance, she wondered when she’d started kidding herself. How long had she been floating serenely above the water’s surface, when her feet had been paddling like a frantic duck?
And where on earth was she going to run to now?
Chapter 3
