Page 24 of Spiralling Skywards
She finally looked up, her soft, glassy gaze from earlier was now hard and cold.
“No, it’s nothing like that. I don’t need a different man to take me out every weekend, or to stay in with for that matter. I’m more than happy with a girl’s night, or in my own company.”
I attempted to give her my best smile, hoping that she would realise that I was just teasing.
“Well that’s good to know, Luke did mention-
“Luke? You’ve been talking aboutmetoLuke?”
She interrupted me with panic in her voice.
Her bright blue eyes turned stormy as she drew her eyebrows in together.
“What exactly did Luke say about me?”
“Nothing, this was way back when—’’
She threw her head back and laughed, but I knew in an instant it wasn’t genuine.
“Don’t lie to me.” She almost spat the words as she stood up and pushed her chair back loudly. “Don’t lie to me, and don’t fuck with me, Liam Delaney. You may be my brother’s boss or whatever, but don’t think that your status or your dirty talk impress me...”
What the fuck? I hadn’t heard her swear until then, she was obviously pissed off. Really pissed off.
“What the fuck, what are you talking about?”
The few people still seated in the restaurant seemed to turn in our direction at once, and I lowered my voice. “Sarah . . .”
“I’m not that kind of girl, Liam.” Her lips trembled as she spoke, and her eyes filled with tears. I remained silent as I looked up at her from my seat. “I’m gonna call a cab, you can share and let me pay for the fare home, or you can make your own way. Right now, I don’t give a fuck. I’m leaving either way.”
And with that, she turned and left.
I sat staring after her, not entirely sure what I did, apart from getting her sense of humour wrong. I’dmonumentallymisjudged that. I was teasing. I thought she was enjoying the flirty to and fro we’d had going on all night, butfuckmeif I hadn’t obviously gotthatwrong too.
I quickly paid the bill and made my way outside, unsure of what I was gonna find.
Sarah was standing on the very edge of the path between the parked cars. The collar was up on her coat and her arms crossed over her chest so she could hold her small bag against herself.
I ran my hand through my hair and then over my beard.
“Fuck,” I said aloud but aimed at no one in particular.
She was a nice girl. A good girl. I remembered her brother telling me that much. She didn’t date much, and he’d never heard of her ever even having a boyfriend, I was remembering all of this a little too late.
I knew I could come on a bit strong sometimes, but I honestly didn’t mean anything by it. Perhaps the age difference was a problem. I knew she was only twenty-two, but when I talked to her, I forgot about her age. She didn’t act anything likemostgirls her age.
“I’m so sorry, Sarah. I’ve no clue what I said or did back there, but it was never my intention to offend or upset you.”
She turned and looked at me, mascara running down both her pretty cheeks, and I felt like the biggest arsehole on the planet. Even bigger when she burst into tears.
“I’m not likeher, Liam. I don’t know what he’s told you, but I’m not likeher. I’ll never be anything like her.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, pretty girl. What the fuck, likewhobaby?”
I pulled her into my arms and held her against my chest as she cried. She didn’t just cry, she heaved out heart-breaking, wracking sobs, and I had no clue what to say or do to make it better.
A black cab pulled up alongside us. “Sarah?” the driver called out from the open window.
“Yeah, mate,” I responded, keeping her tucked against my chest as I guided her into the cab. Once inside, I pulled her into my lap and held her against me while I gave the taxi driver the name of the motel I was staying at.
