The Driver by Mandasue Heller Read Free Book Online Page A

hesitated and flicked a surreptitious glance at Joe before asking Cheryl if it was all right to smoke.
    Guessing that he was checking if Joe was cool with it or not, she said, ‘Don’t worry, he’s one of us.’ As soon as she’d said it, she remembered the tenner Joe had given her. ‘Oh, my God, I’m so sorry!’ she apologised, clapping a hand over her mouth. ‘I completely forgot about your weed.’
    ‘Don’t worry about it,’ Joe said, shifting his weight onto his other leg because Mel was leaning against the ledge beside him and had started to press her hip into his.
    ‘I’ve spent it,’ Cheryl went on guiltily. ‘But I can pay you back on Monday, if that’s okay?’
    ‘It’s fine,’ Joe insisted. ‘I’ve gone without for months so a few more days won’t kill me.’
    Carl had pulled a pre-rolled spliff out of his pocket. Lighting it, he looked at Joe as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. ‘You haven’t had any for months? Jeezus, I’m climbing the walls if I don’t have it every day , me.’
    ‘That’s ’cos you’re a junkie,’ Mel sniped under her breath.
    Catching it, Carl’s humour faded. ‘What have I told you about calling me that? You know I never touch that shit.’
    Unfazed, Mel held his gaze and downed her drink before coolly turning her back on him to pour herself another.
    ‘Oh, don’t start, you two,’ Cheryl moaned. ‘It’s my first party in years – don’t ruin it.’ Giving them a warning look now when another knock came at the door, she said, ‘Behave, or we’re going to fall out.’
    A heavy silence fell over the kitchen when she’d gone to answer the door and Joe felt awkward as the couple gave each other daggers across him.
    Cheryl bounced back in a few moments later, dragging two women in with her; one a slim brunette, the other a small chubby redhead with enormous breasts.
    ‘Look who’s here.’ She beamed at Carl and Mel before turning to Joe. ‘This is Lisa, my old mate from school. And this is Vee – she used to live on the first floor. And this,’ she told the girls now, ‘is Joe – our new neighbour.’
    ‘Ahh, so you’re the one, are you?’ Vee drawled, giving him a slow smile. ‘You were right, Chez – he is fit.’
    Hissing at her to shut her mouth, Cheryl turned to the drinks to hide her blushes. ‘What you having?’
    ‘Whatever’s going,’ said Vee, still eyeing Joe.
    Looking around, Lisa flapped her hands. ‘All right, where’ve you hidden my future husband?’
    ‘He’s at my mum’s,’ Cheryl told her, grateful for the change of subject. ‘But you’re not having him, so give it up. You’ll be sixty by the time he’s old enough.’
    ‘Er, try thirty-two, you cheeky cow,’ Lisa protested.
    ‘Whatever!’ Cheryl laughed, handing their drinks to them and heading for the door. ‘Anyway, come and see what I got him from Primark the other day. They’ve got a sale on, and I got a gorgeous trackie.’ Pausing, she jerked her head at Mel. ‘You too. I’m sure Carl can manage without you for a minute.’
    ‘Women,’ Carl said wearily when they’d gone. ‘Can’t live with ’em, can’t live with ’em.’ Grinning at his own joke, he said, ‘I take it you’re one of the sensibles, Joe?’
    ‘If you mean single, yeah.’
    ‘Wish I was,’ Carl muttered, offering the spliff to him. ‘Here . . . you must need it by now. And if you don’t, you soon will, ’cos that lot’ll do your head in when they get going.’
    Saying, ‘Cheers,’ Joe pulled out the other stool.
    Carl leaned back against the wall and peered at him. ‘Have we met before? Only I’m sure I’ve seen your face somewhere.’
    ‘You have,’ Joe told him, taking a deep drag on the smoke. ‘Loads of times, in the corridor. Or, should I say, I’ve seen you, ’cos you didn’t look like you’d seen me.’
    ‘I bet you thought I was blanking you?’ Carl asked. Rolling his eyes when Joe shrugged, he said, ‘It isn’t personal.