The Complete Memories Series (26 page)

“It's where I get my crazy from, Lexy. It’s stored up as I paint.” She grins, and winks.

“You win,” I concede and make it back into the front room. The stripy wallpaper is finally up, and both boys are collapsed on the main sofa. Jen claps her hands.

“Up! You have painting to do! I'm not paying you to sit on your arses.”

“You're not paying us at all,” Bing replies dryly. “There's no pizza, no money, no beer. Nothing.”

“I'd go and get some, but I don't have a car.”

“And you can't drive.”

Jen coughs. “I can drive, thank you very much.”

“Driving people up the wall doesn't count, Jennifer.”

“I passed my driving test first time, six months after my seventeenth birthday, Samuel.”

Bing looks at Alec in disbelief. “Is that true?”

Alec nods. “She passed before me. I just got a car first.”

Jen smiles widely.

“Fuck,” Bing curses. “Here.” He grabs his keys from his pocket, and chucks them at Jen. “Scratch my baby, and I'm gonna kick your ass. And for fuck sake, don't do anything that'll get you pulled over.”

Jen dangles the keys from her finger. “I didn't know you had a car.”

“Well, I do. No need to sound so surprised. Now, for that pizza?”

I hold out a hand. “Now, for that money?”

“What?” Alec looks between us then at Bing.

“We're students.” I put a hand to my chest. “You can't possibly think we have money for pizza
and
beer.”

Bing huffs and pulls out his wallet, shoving a twenty pound note in my direction. “I want the change.”

I slip my feet into my boots, grab my cardigan, and open the door. Jen giggles as she passes through, and I shoot my brother a final smile. “It's not likely. Sucker!”

“Bitch!” he shouts after me.

“Takes one to know one!” I yell back. “Bye now!”

I shut the door and run after Jen, giggling with her. I sigh happily and show her the money.

“I think I fancy a bottle of rose wine tonight, Lexy,” she muses. I point her towards Bing's Ford.

“You know what, Jen?” I grin at her over the top of the car. “I think I do too.”

BING

I watch my sister and Jen leave the flat, gritting my teeth together. Jen winds me up like no-one I’ve ever met before, and I know exactly why it is.

It’s because I’m as attracted as hell to her cocky little ass, and there’s sweet fuck all I can do about it. If she was any other girl, I’d take her by the hands, lock her in that pretty pink bedroom of hers, and keep her there until we’d worked the attraction out several times over.

Alec smirks at me. “Got an itch you can’t scratch, Bing?”

I grunt. “I’m pretty sure that girl from Laura Ashley today could give it a good fuckin’ scratch for me.”

“So call her.” Alec shrugs.

“I will when I’m done here. Lexy would kick my ass if I walked out now just to fuck someone I’ve only just met.”

“But she expects it, right?”

“Yep. That’s why I ain’t gonna do it,” I say resolutely.

“Changing your ways?” Alec laughs.

I shrug a shoulder. “Maybe it’s time to calm down a bit. I’m almost twenty-one. It’s not like I’m a horny teenager anymore.”

“Just a horny twenty-something.”

“Well, yeah.” I smirk. “Maybe I need to find one girl who can deal with that horny.”

“And the attitude, and the snarky comments, and the falling down jeans, and the ego, and…”

“All right.” I punch his arm. “That’s gotta be one helluva girl,” I mutter, staring at the front door.

“Damn right she’s gotta be,” Alec agrees. “She’s gotta be just as cocky and sarcastic as you to be able to put up with your shit.”

“Heidi seemed to have a bit of an attitude.”

Alec shakes his head, sighing. “Heidi? The Laura Ashley girl?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

“You know her name?”

“Mate, if she’s hot enough for me to consider doing her more than once, then yeah, I know her name.”

“You sleep with girls more than once?”

I punch his arm again. “It’s been known to happen. Depends how good in the sack they are.” I look at him, grinning, and he laughs.

“Then you should go scratch your itch tonight. You never know…” He raises his eyebrows. “She may be worth three times.”

“Hey.” I point at him. “Don’t fuckin’ push it.”

We both chuckle, and he’s right. I need to get my fucking itch scratched, because the busty blonde babe putting that itch all over me isn’t gonna scratch it anytime soon.

~

ALEXIS

Are you coming out tonight?

Yep. See you at Red?

Nine. DON’T be late.

I purse my lips, and put my phone face down, staring at my wardrobe blankly. I have no desire to go out tonight and get drunk. I have no desire to see my old friends who are on a total different wavelength to me. For them... All that matters is partying and getting drunk.

I want more than that in life. I want an education, a life, a husband, and babies. I want it all, and it wasn't until Devon I truly realised that. It wasn't until Alec followed me home that I realised I want it all with him.

Sure, I've only known him a little under three months, so it's probably kinda naïve and absolutely ridiculous for me to say that – but if Grammy taught me anything, it’s that the heart controls all matters of love. I can't control that. If I did, he probably wouldn't be with me in London right now.

My heart wanted Alec. My heart got Alec. And now, my heart wants Alec for always, and as long as he feels the same, my heart will get it.

Some things in life aren't worth fighting. But I'll always be glad Alec never stopped fighting.

I kiss my fingers, and press them to the glass in front of the smiling image of Grammy and me from this summer. It was one of the times I was helping her in the garden. We were both completely covered in mud, and Mum snapped a picture. It's also one of my favourites, simply because of the look of pure joy on her face.

Every time I look at the picture I remember the pain I felt a few weeks ago when I found out the truth about Grammy's illness. I remember the pain I felt when I found out Alec knew all along - but then I remember the happiness I felt before all of that. If I'd known about her heart problems when I arrived in Lilac Bay, I wouldn't have had that happiness.

Grammy always said you can't have a smile without a little pain, and she was right.

Because of that pain, I can appreciate the smiles I have a little more.

I swallow the lump in my throat, and look at my clock. Six. I need to get ready.

I type a message to Alec telling him to be here at eight-thirty, and cross my room, pulling my wardrobe doors open. Rows of dresses I love stare back at me, and instead of the usual tight outfit I'd pick, I pull out a white baggy dress that cinches at the waist with a thick brown belt. I grab a pair of brown heels, and set the outfit out on my bed.

I look at it and sigh, wishing I was curling up in front of the tele with Alec instead. I'm eighteen, I should be wanting to go out, and I should be excited. I guess I'm either odd, or I just did an awful lot of growing up this summer.

Chapter Three

ALEXIS

I take Alec's hand as we pass through the door of Red just after nine. The name isn't very inventive since the whole club is red and black, but hey, who am I to judge? Music pounds into me, and I take a deep breath, pulling Alec towards the bar.

“Busy,” he says into my ear.

“Always is,” I shout in reply. “Red is the place to be at the weekend.”

He nods, looking around. Joe, my favourite bartender, leans over to me.

“Finally legal, Lexy?” He grins.

“Finally!” I laugh.

“And who’s that?” he asks appreciatively, running his eyes over Alec's figure. Alec looks and double-takes.

I giggle. “That's Alec, my boyfriend, so back off, Joe.” I wink.

He sighs dramatically. “Always the good ones!”

“One day you'll find yourself a hot piece of summin' summin', J, I'm sure of it!”

“For that sentence, honey bun, first drinks on the house.” He leans forward and puts his mouth by my ear. “That, and if I give you a free one, Mr. Hunky there will hang around a little longer.”

I laugh, and slap his arm. “You're terrible.”

“You love it, Lexy. What are you having?”

“Pint of Carlsberg and a Malibu and cranberry juice, please.”

He winks and turns.

“Um.” Alec coughs. “Who was that?”

“Joe,” I tell him. “The best and gayest bartender the city of London has ever seen. Don't ever ask him for a cocktail. He mixes a mean one.”

Two glasses are put in front of us, and after a salute, Joe turns to serve another customer. Alec blinks at the pint.

“Shit. That was fast.”

“Told ya.” I raise my eyebrows, and have some of the drink. Cheeky sod made it a double.

“Lexy!” Jayna's voice screams over the music.

“Hey!” I turn to her with a fake smile. “How are you?”

She hugs me. “I missed you! You should have come and seen me before now.”

You could come and see me, you know.

“I've been busy, sorry! I had to help Alec and Jen settle in.”

“Mmph.” She looks at Alec, running her tongue across her lips in what she thinks is a seductive move. She thinks wrong. “This is Alec?”

If I was a dog, my hackles would be up right about now. “Yep. Alec, this is Jayna. Jayna, Alec.”

“Nice to meet you.” Alec smiles tightly at her.

“Polite? I don't do polite!” Jayna shrieks, and throws her arms around Alec's neck, rubbing her body against him. His eyes widen, and he gently extracts her from him.

“Apparently,” he says dryly, stepping to me and wrapping an arm around my waist.

I control the smug smile wanting to form on my lips. Jayna purses hers.

“I hope you have time to give me a birthday dance later,” she flirts shamelessly.

“It's not likely,” he says politely. “But I'll keep it in mind.”

“Stop fuckin' harassin' my sister and her guy, Jayna,” Bing yells. Bing? “Go find yourself another poor shit to annoy.”

She turns to him, and flicks her hair, pouting. “What about you, Bing? Are you free?”

“About as a free as a guy in jail for life.”

She huffs, and looks at me. “We're in the corner. Come over soon.”

I nod, knowing it's unlikely, and watch her leave. I exhale deeply when she's out of sight.

“Wow. That's your best friend?” Alec asks in surprise.

“Was,” I reply. “She was.”

“She's about as friendly as a fuckin' piranha,” Jen quips, stepping from behind Bing.

Jen?

“Is there some kind of party going down I don't know about that? What are you doing here?” I look between my brother and Jen.

“I thought you could do with a little moral support. I was right.” Jen glances in the direction Jayna left in. “And I brought Bing with me.”

“I was going out anyway, but she rang the house, and wangled her way into coming with me to see you,” Bing says tightly.

I smile. “Thanks, guys.”

Alec presses his lips to my temple, and I sigh. “Okay, Princess?” he asks.

I nod. “Yeah. I knew it would be bad when I saw her, but wow. Just wow.” I shake my head. “Whatever. I'm not going over to see her. Let's have this drink and go home.”

“Oh hell no! Hell to the fricking no!” Jen exclaims. “I got all dressed up to come party with you, you are not bailing on me! Who needs that pig nosed, well, pig? You and I will take London by storm. Come on. Drink up. We're gonna get us some shots and do this tonight. Let our hair down before uni.”

I open my mouth and close it again.

“Do it,” Bing orders.

I smile wryly. “Since when did you get off telling me what to do?”

“Since your boyfriend is being eyed up by half the girls in this club and has no idea how to deal with a city girl besides you. These girls are vultures.”

“Oh, and I suppose you're the perfect person to show him, right?” Jen raises her eyebrows at Bing, and gets Joe's attention.

“Don't start, Jennifer!”

“I'm not starting anything, Samuel. Four squashed frogs,” she adds to Joe. “I'm merely saying I don't think you're the best person to teach him to fend off girls. You tend to attract them instead of repelling them.”

“So you're saying I'm a chick magnet?” Bing smirks.

Jen hands me a shot glass, and clinks hers against mine. We both down it and she hands me the other one. We down those, putting the glasses on the bar.