Consumed by Matt Shaw Read Free Book Online Page A

strangers in the house no doubt luring them from whatever they’re up to. Now, can I get you a drink whilst we wait for your friends to arrive? Lemonade?”
     
    “Sure, that would be nice,” said Charlotte not wishing to appear rude.
     
    “Three lemonades coming right up,” said Andrea. She turned back to the door just as Tammy and Suzanne made an appearance. “Ah, girls, come in...Meet our guests.”
     
    “Who you talking to?” asked Tammy - her voice soft and delicate. Another sting of jealousy rushed through every fibre of Hayley as she realised Tammy really was the perfect girl. It didn’t help that they were close in age.
     
    “Come in,” Andrea repeated herself, “don’t loiter in the doorway.”
     
    The girls walked into the room and said hello. Hayley couldn’t fail to miss the look on Dan’s face when he spotted Tammy.
     
    “Hi,” he offered his hand for a shake, “pleased to meet you. I’m Danny. Or Dan if you prefer.”
     
    “Hi Dan if you prefer,” said Tammy. She wasn’t stupid. She knew the effect she had on men and already Hayley could see that she was the sort of girl to use it to her advantage.
     
    “Hello,” said Charlotte.
     
    “I’ll leave you all to get acquainted,” said Andrea. “Three lemonades coming right up.”
     
    Andrea left the room.
     
    “What brings you out here?” asked Suzanne. “We don’t normally get visitors.”
     
    “So your mum tells us,” said Dan who had suddenly become sociable despite being so quiet earlier when it was just the girls and Andrea. “It’s a nice house you have, I’m surprised you don’t have more visitors,” he did a little laugh as though he had made a great joke. Never once did he remove his eyes from Tammy.
     
    “We broke down,” said Hayley - clearly irritated that her boyfriend was attempting to flirt with these girls. “Your brothers found us.”
     
    “Oh,” said Tammy in such a way it made it painfully obvious to everyone that she didn’t really care why they were there. She looked at Dan, “Did you want to look around the house?”
     
    Before Dan could answer her, Andrea came back into the room with a tray of drinks. One for each of the guests and one for her and her daughters. Hayley let out a little sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted to do was go on a guided tour of the house with some bimbo.
     
    “Here we go,” said Andrea. She set the tray down on another coffee table; this one was set in front of the settee where everyone was standing. “Please...Take a seat.”
     
    Dan and Charlotte sat on the settee. Before Hayley could take her seat, Tammy took it, placing herself next to Dan much to Hayley’s annoyance - not that Dan noticed the fact she was clearly irritated. She turned around and sat on one of the other arm chairs whilst Suzanne sat on the last one, leaving her mother to stay standing.
     
    “Hopefully your friends won’t be too long,” said Andrea. She walked over to the window, which overlooked the front garden, to keep an eye out.
     
    “Are you staying for dinner?” asked Suzanne.
     
    “I believe so - yes,” said Dan. Despite his best efforts to get out of the situation earlier, it didn’t seem to bother him as much now. Something else that Hayley noticed.
     
    “Yummy,” sighed Tammy with a little laugh.
     
    Hayley rolled her eyes.

 
     
    CHAPTER SIX
     
     

 
     
    Michael was sitting on the grass verge by the road - the opposite side to where the van had come to an untimely stand-still. He took a puff on his cigarette as he nodded acknowledgement to Joel who was approaching, having left Lara in the van.
     
    “Alright?” he asked.
     
    Joel didn’t say anything. He simply took a seat, on the grass, next to Joel.
     
    “Sorry if I’ve been a prick today,” said Joel.
     
    “You’re apologising today? What about all the other days you’re a prick?” asked Michael, a smile on his face.
     
    “Just feel on edge...It’s strange being around Lara