He doesn’t want anything serious, that much is clear, and neither do I. This suits me just fine. But is it okay to carry on both? If things go well with Kyle tonight, then I should cool things off with Mr Ledger, but I don’t want to do that either.
Flick’s words echo in my head again. Two guys at once? You dirty slut. I know she was joking, but I’m not that kind of girl. I can’t manage something that complicated, I need simplicity, order… discipline.
I tremble at that word and grin.
‘Fuck,’ I sniff.
I’m about to stand up and go get a shower when I hear two giggling little voices outside my door, and a moment later a folded note is pushed under, followed by unsubtle thundering feet as they scramble down the stairs. I jump up and step quickly across to the door, collecting their secret communication and unfolding it, and then I grin.
Come to our pool party. Now. H + W xXx
I laugh, touching my lips and internally melting at how sweet this is, their invitation drawn in crayons in a variety of colours, with a little unicorn in the bottom corner, its tiny swirling horn all the hues of the rainbow. Then I hear a splash and a squeal of delight outside and I wander over to the window and look out, and freeze.
Mr Ledger is sat by the pool, his legs in the water, his trunks on, and his top off, and my heart stops. He looks up and sees me and then waves while the girls spin in the pool, Willow swimming freely as Harper sits inside her tiny inflatable, both of them waving excitedly as I show them their invitation and nod.
I signal that I’ll be down in two minutes with the V sign and then I try to maintain my balance as Mr Ledger winks, and then I slink back, close the curtains and freak out.
Oh my god.
I take three deep breaths, and then settle myself, and then I remember his gift, the one in the little pink bag, and I dance across the room and open it.
Quickly I strip, pulling on both parts and adjusting them into place before looking at myself in the mirror and blushing. The sizing is perfect. It’s not too revealing, and the pattern is simple.
The man’s a genius.
I close my eyes, grab my towel and then bound down the stairs with a wild grin on my face, but as I’m halfway down I stop as I see Thea’s door open just a crack, and there she stands, looking at me with wide eyes.
‘Are you okay?’ I say.
She purses her lips and looks awkward, and then casts her eyes down before whispering. ‘Do you think… I can come too?’
I smile wide, taking a few steps back up. ‘Of course you can.’
She looks at me, her eyes stopping on my belly button piercing and then my tattoos, and then she sniffs. ‘I’ll be down soon,’ she says, and then she shuts her door.
I wait for a moment, and then I take a few hesitant steps down before I feel the breeze of the open door and smile.
The grass feels cool on my feet as the sun kisses my skin, and I grin as the three of them turn to watch me. I approach the edge, one side round from where Mr Ledger is still sitting, and dip my toe in the cold water as Willow approaches.
‘Just jump in,’ she says. ‘It’s better that way.’
‘Is that right?’ I laugh, dropping my towel.
‘She’s always right,’ says Mr Ledger. ‘I’ve been sitting here trying to work up the courage for five minutes now. Don’t be me.’
‘Okay,’ I nod, laughing as I tie up my hair. ‘Jump straight in it is,’ I say.
Willow gasps and swims back, tugging her drifting sister with her as I take a few steps back. Then I take a deep breath, brace myself, and run, and at the last second, I curl into a ball and bomb into the pool, sending a wave crashing over all three of them as a round of laughter erupts.
I emerge at the far end, my body tingling with cold. Willow is right, it's easier to adjust if you get it over and done with.I glance at Mr Ledger as the girls point and laugh at their dad, wiping water from his eyes and flicking it out of his beard as his skin sparkles in the sun, his face feigning an impassive expression. Then his head turns away and his eyes widen and I see Thea step out into the courtyard, dressed in a black one piece.
Quickly she comes to the side and slips straight into the water, and I smile as her father’s eyes find mine, and then he nods and turns back and watches happily as his girls begin to play.
For a few minutes, I just wallow in the deep end, floating gently and enjoying the cool water flowing over my skin, listening to the kids play and the birds sing, and feeling the sun dapple against my body as I drift.
When at last I look up I find Mr Ledger watching me, his eyes fixed on mine, and as he smiles they drift across my body, leaving no inch unseen as I smile. As my body tingles I push across toward him, his attention returning to the girls, and as I sidle up beside him, he drops down into the water and submerges himself entirely.
When he comes back up he leans back against the wall beside me and breathes, letting his legs float up, and then his fingers touch mine beneath the surface and curl together, and my heart thumps.