The Decoy Date

Chapter Nineteen

There’s no better feeling than waking up in somebody else’s arms, Imogen thought to herself as she snuggled into the warmth of the quilt and the body spooning her. Then it dawned on her, there were arms wrapped around her; alarm tensed her body as she tried to remember what had happened the night before, she hoped the alcohol hadn’t blotted out all her memory. I didn’t drink that much, I remember the karaoke, then the snow and Charlie! Charlie slept over here! Charlie has his arms around me!

Her eyes opened and she tried to look at the person behind her without moving but it was impossible, instead she looked down at her own hand that was intertwined with another hand that wasn’t hers. Yep, that was definitely Charlie’s hand; she had it bad if she knew exactly what his hands looked like. She smiled as she moved her fingers slightly in his and began tracing patterns on his skin with her thumb, they looked almost perfect together.

Behind her Charlie began to stir and pulled her tighter to him, she’d forgotten how nice it was just to be held and the thought of staying like this forever crossed her mind. Cold air hit the back of her neck and her shoulders as Charlie pulled away from her, she turned her head to see what was wrong and met his eyes with hers. They bored into her with such intensity she wanted to look away but couldn’t bear to, they shared the same longing look as hers and in that moment she thought maybe just maybe he felt the same way as her.

It seemed like forever that they simply stared at each other but in reality it was only seconds before his face dropped down to hers and his lips found hers. This time there was no hesitation he pulled her body close to his and pushed her into the pillows leaving her hot and breathless. Imogen moved her arms around his neck and let them wander down his back, playing with creases in his t-shirt. His right hand moved down her back to cradle her hip and sneaked under her t-shirt to touch the bare skin of her waist; making her gasp.

“Imogen, Imogen are you up yet? . . . Oh Sorry!” She pulled back from Charlie as she heard her mother’s panicky tones, she was panting slightly as she looked to the opening at the top of the stairs and saw her mother looking embarrassed and flushed. “I didn’t mean to disturb the two of you, when you’re ready Imogen I need your help with Daisy.” Her mother began to creep back down the stairs.

“What’s wrong with Daisy?” Imogen asked trying to clear the lust and longing from her head, Charlie was no longer touching her and she felt at a loss without his arms around her. When they had both seen her mother standing there they had broken apart instantly like two lusty teenagers when one of their parents walked in. Her mother stopped on the third step and looked back at her.

“She and Sam got into a big argument last night and she’s saying that the wedding’s off and she no longer wants to marry him. I’m going to meet her for breakfast and was hoping you’d come with me.”

“They were fine last night, I’ll get up now.” Reluctantly she pulled the duvet from her body and instantly felt cold; it wasn’t just the fact she was leaving the warmth of the bed, it was losing the warmth of Charlie and the moment they’d just had. She looked up at him and gave him an apologetic glance before searching for a pair of jeans and a clean t-shirt to put on. “Sorry, it’ll probably be just some huge overreaction to something Sam’s said while he’s been drunk, Daisy’s one hell of a drama queen.”

“Don’t worry about it, family’s family. I’d do the same if it was Catherine or Molly.” He smiled but it never reached his eyes where disappointment settled in the deep pools of blue, matching her own feelings exactly. There had been something different about the kiss, neither of them were playing around or waiting for the other to respond, both of them just let their feelings and passion flow.

She trudged over to the stairs and looked back at Charlie sitting on her bed, thinking how wonderful he looked just lounging there in a t-shirt and his boxer shorts. “I don’t know how long this will take, knowing Daisy probably all day. If I don’t see you before then, I’ll see you at the rehearsal dinner.” He nodded and smiled before she crept downstairs to the bathroom, secretly wanting to strangle her sister for disturbing the best moment with Charlie.

Showered and dressed she made her way to the kitchen where her mother was waiting for her, her father was reading the paper over his coffee and nodded an exasperated good morning to her. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a mug from the cupboard and was about to pour herself some coffee when her mother rushed over and grabbed her wrist preventing her from getting any out.

“We haven’t got time for that, your sister’s just been on the phone again in tears. We need to go right now!” Imogen looked longingly between her empty cup and the coffee pot before reluctantly putting both down and following her mother down the stairs. Outside a taxi was waiting to whisk them away to meet Daisy, both got into the idling black cab and it took off.

“So what exactly happened? The two of them were loved up all of last night, it must have some big argument for her to call off the wedding.” Imogen watched as the streets of North London passed by in a white and grey blur, the roads had been cleared of snow but the pavements and gardens were still covered in a white blanket.

“I don’t know for sure, from what I can gather through the sobs and crying they got into an argument about the hen and stag dos last night and how extravagant the wedding is going to be.” She huffed and crossed her arms, leaning back in the seat. “He always knew what Daisy’s plans were and even agreed with everything, I don’t know why he’s suddenly not very happy. I mean he got his way over the swan ice sculptures for Christ’s sake.”

“Mother, they were two grand and wouldn’t have lasted two hours, there would have been two giant puddles on the dancefloor and I don’t think Daisy wants a Singin’ in the Rain themed wedding.” Imogen laughed to herself at the thought of Daisy and Sam splashing around the dancefloor singing and waving umbrellas.

“Well I think they would have looked beautiful!” Imogen rolled her eyes at her mother as the taxi pulled up at some traffic lights and thought back to Charlie being in her bed.

                                 *

Charlie climbed down the stairs wondering what he was going to do all day to stop himself from thinking about Imogen and the way she’d just kissed him. He walked into the kitchen and found Imogen’s father sat at the breakfast bar and suddenly he was nervous. Father's were always protective of their daughters particularly Ian of Imogen and now he had to face the father of the daughter he’d just been caught practically dry-humping.

“Good morning Sir.” Charlie went to the counter and picked up an empty cup Imogen must have left for him and poured a cup of coffee. He then went and sat at the breakfast bar as well waiting for the onslaught of threats and violence from his neighbour.

“Morning Charlie, the girls just left.” The man put down his copy of the times and swigged the last dregs from his coffee cup, Charlie swallowed the lump in his throat and took a sip of his own drink. “Have you got any plans today? No, how would you like to come and see Sam with me and get his side of the story. Personally I think it’s most likely just a huge misunderstanding. We’ll go when you’ve finished your coffee.”

Charlie drained his mug and sat back in mild surprise, Ian hadn’t mentioned anything about his escapades with Imogen and he’d invited him along to help with a family crisis like he was one of their own. Behind him Ian was shrugging on a coat, Charlie stood and pulled on his own coat and scarf and followed the man down to the street. “I thought we could walk over to Sam’s place it’s not too far from here, there’s something I want to talk to you about on the way.”

Oh here it goes. Charlie readied himself for what was coming and looked at Imogen’s father out of the corner of his eye, he didn’t look angry or annoyed so that was a good start; however the nerves still crept up on him.

“Don’t worry there’s no need to look nervous, Carole told me how she found the two of you. I believe flagrant and outrageous were her choice of words, she still thinks both our daughters are virgins and will be until they get married. Me, I’m more of  a realist and I know when two young people are in love they can’t keep their hands off of each other; Carole and I were the same at your age, although she won’t admit it. All I want to know is that you’re treating her with respect and not messing her around.”

Ian kept looking straight ahead only glancing at Charlie every so often to make sure he was listening. “Imogen had a tough time at school and she’s finally got to where she wants to be, I’ve never seen her so happy to be honest. And I believe you’ve got something to do with that, I trust your intentions for my daughter are honorary because you seem like a really nice bloke.” Ian stopped in the path and forced Charlie to look him straight in the eye. “Because if not, I will hunt you down and kill you. I will pluck every hair from your body, coat you in petrol and set you on fire. Comprende?”

It wasn’t the comment so much as the look that scared Charlie to death, as he described how he would torture and kill Charlie a wide smile spread across his face and evil danced in his eyes. Nobody would want to go against this man’s wishes, nobody in their right mind anyway. “I promise sir all my intentions are honorary, I have no plans to hurt your daughter.” Guilt and fear made his throat tighten and the sentence came out a little more hoarse and quieter than he would have wanted it to, but Ian didn’t really seem to notice.

“Good! Now for the bloke in my other daughter’s life.” Ian strode two houses further up then cut into the right into the front garden of an Edwardian terraced house. Charlie followed and stood at the back as Ian pressed the buzzer for Sam and Daisy’s flat.

“”Daisy? Is that you?” Sam’s tired and fraught voice came through the intercom at them.

“No it’s Ian and Charlie.” He put the phone down and buzzed them up. When they had gotten into the second floor flat they found a complete mess, Sam looked tired and red-eyed like he’d been up all night crying. There were clothes and papers strewn over the floor and the TV was on silent on one of those daytime shows where people look round three or four houses and don’t end up buying any of them.

“Have you heard from Daisy? I’ve been trying to call her all night but she’s not picking up. We got in a fight last night and now she’s called off the wedding and I don’t know what to do.” He was on the verge of tears as his voice broke, Ian walked over to him and put an arm around his shoulder, pulling him down onto the sofa. Charlie made himself useful and put the kettle on for a cup of tea; tea always seemed tomake  even the worst situations that little bit better.

“What was the argument about Sam?” Ian was still comforting him when Charlie carried three mugs over the sitting area.

“I was a little drunk from the cocktails at the karaoke bar and said something about those stupid swan ice sculptures again and she just blew up at me about the wedding and how much it meant to her. Then she said it wasn’t important to me, that we should call the wedding off and stormed out without taking anything with her. Now she won’t answer any of my calls.” Sam looked down at the floor between his legs, tear rimming the bottom of his eyes.

Charlie pulled out his mobile phone and went over to the window to call Imogen and see how Daisy was holding up. “Hi, what’s going on?” He smiled down the end of the phone when he heard her voice, he didn’t know about tea but Imogen definitely made him feel better.

“Hi, I’m just at Sam’s place with your dad, he’s a total mess. I just wondered how Daisy was getting on.”

“Not great. They’ve got into an argument over some stupid ice sculptures that they aren’t even having at the wedding. It’s just been blown way out of proportion.”

“Can you put Daisy on the phone, there’s something I want to tell her.” There was a pause before Daisy’s tired, sorrow-filled voice came on to the other end of the phone. “Charlie? . . .”

“Hi Daisy, I’ve got someone here who wants to speak to you. Look he’s devastated and lost without you, you and Sam are meant to be together and you clearly love each other. Don’t just call off the wedding over some frozen water,” He smiled into the phone and turned towards the window before whispering: “besides, make-up s*x is the best s*x ever!”

He turned back to the room hoping Ian didn’t hear his last comment and passed his phone to Sam who looked confused but so elated when he put it to his ear. Charlie picked up his mug of tea and went to sit in the chair opposite, satisfied with his mornings work. It wasn’t long before the wedding was back on and the two young lovebirds were whispering sweet nothings down the phone line to each other.

When they finally hung up Charlie took his phone and made to exit, he still had some marking to finish off for next week before the rehearsal dinner tonight. However he didn’t think he was going to get much done, the memory of Imogen in his arms and in her bed pinged into his head as he saw his own bed at home and he couldn’t help but relive the moment from this morning.

                            *

Imogen was standing in the foyer to the restaurant where the wedding party had gathered for one last dinner before the big day tomorrow. She was hopping from one foot to the other impatiently waiting for Charlie to arrive; the receptionist and all the waiting staff that had passed through must have thought she looked like some demented kangaroo that needed the loo.

Every time the door opened and a gust of cold air blew across the marble floor she got her hopes up that it would be him but they were dashed by the time the heavy door clicked shut again. Once more the door swung open and this time she was ecstatic to see Charlie standing there in his black coat, stripy scarf and woolly bobble hat. She smiled as he took the garments off and handed them to the receptionist.

“I like the hat.” He smiled as she took him through to the dining room where everybody else was seated already, all the disappointment of not seeing him when they’d dropped Daisy off at Sam’s had completely evaporated now he was sat next to her again. “How was my dad this morning when you came down for breakfast?”

He smiled as he looked at her father then back to her. “We had a nice little chat about my intentions towards you; I felt so guilty when I was telling him I wouldn’t hurt you, knowing we’re going to split up in a few days anyway.” Her heart sank at his words, she tried to keep the smile on her face however it was hard not to feel devastated. They were definitely splitting up then, he wasn’t interested in her or having a proper relationship with her; the look she thought she’d seen this morning couldn’t have been real just her mind playing tricks on her in love heart.

She shook the disappointment from her body and set out to enjoy the rest of the night in spite of all her hopes being dashed. “Yeah, that reminds me Jack should be back in the city now. He went to China for the museum.” She watched as a flicker of disappointment or sadness danced across his eyes, but it was gone before she could really evaluate what it really was. They chatted about everything else but themselves for the rest of the night, both unwilling to discuss their relationship now that it was coming to an end.

Daisy stood at the front with a champagne bottle in her hand and called for silence as the speeches were about to begin. Without any warning the cork popped out and headed with speed in their direction, hitting Charlie square on his left cheek. Everyone cheered oblivious to the fact he’d been hit and grabbed a flute of champagne ready to toast the happy couple. Imogen’s hand flew to Charlie’s cheek where there was now a huge red bruise and the swelling was forcing his eye shut.

She grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the kitchen where she gathered some ice from one of the chefs and pressed it in a tea towel the side of his face. For a long moment they looked at each other the same way they had that morning, both longing to say something to the other but not finding the right words. Instead their faces leant towards each other ready for another kiss.

“Are you alright? I saw the cork fly across the room towards you and the next thing I knew the two of you had disappeared.” Jess stood in front of them as they sat on the marble steps in the front foyer again. She looked concerned and a little annoyed that the two of them were alone again. Imogen removed the ice pack from his face and noticed the swelling had slowed a little but the red mark was turning purple.

“s**t! That looks painful.” Jess’ hand flew to her mouth as she saw Charlie’s face.

“Yep! It’s lethal being around you two. I’ve been punched multiple times, fallen off a moped, nearly fallen from the top of a Ferris wheel, been threatened with having all my hairs plucked out, being doused with petrol and then set alight and now I’ve been knocked out by a champagne cork. It’s not safe being anywhere near you, maybe I should stay away for a while.” He was laughing as best he could while grimacing at the pain but his comments had cut her like a knife, she knew they didn’t have long together and that soon they wouldn’t be together anymore. That’s what hurt her the most.