The Road to Her by KE Payne Read Free Book Online Page A

stared out the window, watching the scenery speed past us while I drove on, thinking that I should say something in response but not being able to. I was just starting to get uncomfortable, telling myself I really should try to make conversation with her, when Elise spoke again.
    “I think I irritate you, don’t I?” she said, turning her head to look at me this time. “When I suggest things to you during takes and things.”
    I stared ahead, concentrating on the road, but inside I was churning. So at least she was aware that she annoyed me; that was a start.
    “There are ways and means of telling someone something, I think,” I said. It was the most tactful thing I could think of to say.
    “And I guess I haven’t really done much to endear myself to you—or anyone else—have I?”
    I didn’t know how to answer that one, but before I could think of a suitable response, she spoke again.
    “I’ve been told before I’m a bit full-on,” she said, reaching down into her bag and pulling her phone out. “And I know it can get people’s backs up, so I guess what I’m saying is that I’m sorry I’m the way I am.” She bent her head down and started texting, so I wasn’t sure if she was expecting me to reply or whether I should just let her carry on texting in peace.
    “You’re not full-on,” I finally said. “But I think you’re not afraid to tell someone what you think of them.” I paused. “Or tell them what you think of their acting,” I added.
    “I do like working with you,” she suddenly said, putting her phone in her lap and gazing back out the window.
    “Really?” I replied, surprised.
    “Really,” she said, briefly catching my eye then looking away again.
    I looked back at her, expecting to see her smirking, but she was still gazing out the window again, her face expressionless.
    “But you said I was stilted and hesitant,” I said, adding a small laugh.
    “Oh, not that again.” Elise turned and looked at me, exasperated.
    I didn’t like the instant change in her attitude and, wanting to keep her in a good mood, didn’t reply. Instead, I asked her how long until our exit junction and then drove on in silence again.
    My mind was turning over and over. I was totally dumbstruck by what Elise had just said to me, so much so that I began to think I’d misheard her. She’d stunned me by her confession because she’d shown nothing in her words or approach to me over the last week to suggest anything like that, so to hear her actually tell me had shaken me.
    “Next junction, then right round the roundabout.” Elise’s voice jolted me from my thoughts.
    She directed me through a one-way system and down some side streets before we arrived at a smart detached house down a leafy avenue. I could see loads of brightly coloured balloons tied to the bushes in the drive and a small banner shouting Happy Birthday Toby stretched diagonally across the front door.
    “Time to get high on birthday cake and Coca Cola.” Elise unbuckled her seat belt and reached down for her bag by her feet. “I’d invite you in but…”
    “Not at all,” I said. “I wouldn’t expect you to.”
    She turned and looked at me, maintaining proper eye contact for a good few seconds. “Thanks for this,” she said. “I’m really very, very grateful.”
    “No probs,” I replied, smiling. “You okay for a lift back home?”
    “My father’s down from Manchester, so I’ll sweet-talk him into bringing me back,” Elise said. “He’ll grumble about driving into London and the congestion charge like he always does, but he’ll do it for me.” She opened the car door. “Like he always does.” She laughed.
    I watched her walk up the drive and disappear through the opened door without turning back to look at me. I sat in my car for a moment, suddenly feeling a little bit flat, before reversing back out of the drive and heading down the avenue again and back towards the motorway.
    I replayed our conversation over in