Illicit Affairs (Andy Barber x OC)

9 - Suspicions

Rose sat with just a glass of water as Laurie sipped her coffee across the table from her. This couldn't be anymore messed up if it tried.

"Not a coffee lover?" Laurie noted the water.

"I'm on a health kick." Rose lied, although she supposed that was true. "Trying to cut back on the caffeine, it's going well so far."

Her life was anything but 'going well'.

"Thank you for this...I'm finding it harder to trust people at the moment. Especially after what happened with the journalist." Laurie sighed.

"What made you trust me?" The words fell from her mouth before she could stop them. She wanted to know. Rose wouldn't have trusted herself if she was in Laurie's situation.

Laurie paused. "I guess because you work with Andy, perhaps I feel a little more comfortable that someone on the inside isn't going to screw me over."

What Rose truly wanted to say right there and then was 'technically I have screwed your husband' but remained tight lipped until the right words finally came to her, "Well I'm glad you can trust me. If I knew anymore about the trial then I'd tell you, but I just make the coffee and forward emails." She shrugged, "Unfortunately I don't really have much to do with cases. I leave all that to the professionals."

"Andy knows more about how things are handled. I think if we didn't and he wasn't there to tell me all the jargon and official terms then I'd surely be going out of my mind."

More than she already was?

"Lynn has always said that Andy's one of her best, even with things the way they are, she still thinks a lot of him. More than Neal anyway." Even now just talking about Andy, Rose could feel her hands begin to shake.

Laurie appeared to notice this too. "Hey, are you ok?"

"Yeah...low blood sugar." Rose lied. "Another side effect of my wonderful health kick"

She couldn't talk about him. Not anymore. The bile was threatening to rise and she grabbed her water and took a long sip. What the hell was she doing? It was all well keeping friend close and enemies closer, but this? This was more dangerous than actually sneaking around.

They spoke a little more, Rose trying to keep the conversation from turning to Andy, before they decided to part ways. "I hope we can do this again?" Laurie said as they got to their cars.

Rose nodded. "Of course. I'm glad I could help, even if I really didn't."

Laurie now suggested they swapped numbers and Rose knew that she couldn't say no, punching her number into Laurie's phone as the other woman did the same to hers.

This was going too far, and Rose was drowning in the deep end.

**

Andy eyed Laurie as she returned with the groceries. She'd always go to the store when it opened so as not to receive the hate that the family been getting the last couple of weeks. The news crews had thankfully disappeared from where they'd been camped outside in the street, awaiting any glimpse of Ben Rifkin's 'killer'.

"You ok?" He frowned as she silently put the bags down and began to put things away. It was rare that they spoke about anything other than Jacob or the case lately. He'd been trying to keep his focus on Jacob; however Rose and the baby were still pushing their way into his thoughts at various moments.

He yearned for her, to just see her, but she'd ignored his calls and messages. There had to be a way around this. Surely?

"Yeah...I erm, I actually had coffee with someone who you work with." And then saw his face. "Look I know I messed up with the journalist, and I was hesitant, but I recognised her and she helped me when I dropped my things."

"Was it Lynn?" Andy frowned, wondering why his boss would be scooting around the grocery store at that time of the morning.

Laurie put some things into the cupboard. "No, Rose? Do you know her?"

Shit...

"Rose..."

Laurie turned. "Yeah? Lynn's secretary I think."

He nodded. "Yeah she is. Name is familiar – I never really had much to do with her." he lied. Oh he had a hell of a lot to do with her and was now trying to work out the consequences of their actions from it.

"She's sweet. Asked how Jacob was and you, of course."

Of course.

"I see, she say anything about the case?"

Or him?

"No, we just talked. It felt nice to speak to someone who wasn't going to write a story about me and publish it in the press for all to see."

Andy didn't look at her, choosing to pretend to look at something on his phone. "Yeah, she seemed like a nice girl when I met her. She took over from Jennifer earlier this year." and opened his messages, finding Rose's name but then deciding against it.

Some things were best left unsaid.

Laurie eyed him, but said nothing. Andy had been distant for weeks, months even and the thought of him seeing another woman had crossed her mind a couple of times. Instead she'd swept it under the carpet, knowing that he wouldn't do that to her or Jacob. He'd had a big case before the murder had happened and that had taken its toll on him, and now this? It was a new kind of stress. Laurie had let the idea of potential infidelity slip away from her just as easily as she'd become embroiled in the idea that Jacob could have killed Ben. He was her son, but there was something there. Something that made her question his innocence, and it shouldn't be like that. But it was.

"I think I remember her from the office party we went to for Lynn's birthday?"

Andy shoved his phone in his pocket again. "Yeah, she was there. I had to drop her home."

He had no idea why they had to carry on talking about Rose. It was hard enough thinking of her 24/7, let alone Laurie now apparently befriending her. It wasn't a good idea.

He had to see her. "I need to head out, i'll be back later."

"Where are you going?"

"Just need a drive to clear my head. I won't be long." and grabbing his car keys, made his way out, dialling Rose's number as began to drive.

She answered within a couple of rings. "I know why you're calling..."

"I'm coming over." He announced.

"Andy..."

"I'm coming over Rose! And you're gonna fucking let me in! We need to talk."