Silly Games

Part Thirty Six

It took a few moments until Laura realised where they were heading, the car eating up the miles of the Pacific Coast Highway. A stunning road that hugged the rugged and sandy coast as it wound away from the City towards Malibu. She was glad of the distraction of the sea to take her mind away from her impending doom. And the conversations coming.

Adam swung the car into the driveway and stopped outside his modern glass fronted home. Cutting the engine he got out then strode around to Laura’s side, as the automatic gates closed, sealing them inside the contained area.

Laura looked up at Adam nervously, but then sighed with relief when he opened the car door and extended a hand at the same time he smiled. An Adam smile. Her shaky legs and pounding heart took over from her anxiety at the thought of arguing, or being abandoned. She took his hand and left the car as elegantly as she could, in heels and a dress.

                “So this is my home.” He offered stepping back so she could view the house. He was proud of it, it was modern, and whilst he did love the character of old buildings, a beach front property clearly should be like this, glass, views and a haven of sun. He smiled as she nodded appreciatively, she was nervous, the way she bit her lip told him so much.

                “Have you lived here long?” She asked trying to make small talk, following him into the large bright and airy hall.

Her comment was met by a chuckle from Adam, “I can no way start on small talk. Come in here, sit down.”

The lounge was more impressive than the hallway, the whole side of the room was floor to ceiling glass, and they view out over the small veranda and hot tub to the perfect Pacific Ocean was divine. Laura immediately envied him this, she’d loved the cafe in Wales, but the weather was nothing like this, and that part of the grey stormy Atlantic was nothing like the clear Pacific. In front of the window was a huge dining table, surrounded by chairs, and the some casual sofas gathered around a large flat screen TV, the area was flanked on the far side by an open plan kitchen.

And that was where Adam had paced, opening the fridge he pulled out a couple of beers, cracking the top of one before handing her the other, “I need this!”

He took a long slug then smiled at her, “talk?”

Laura nodded, and then sipped her beer; she needed him to speak first. But he was playing the same game. So she shrugged, attack is the best form of defence. “So your girlfriend’s not here?”

Adam’s eyes flared then he shook his head slamming the bottle down on the work surface of the kitchen island that separated them. “For Christ’s sake Laura! Kristi is...” he searched for the right word. “She’s someone I dated for a while, a long time ago. I went to a dinner with a few weeks ago...”

Laura hid the gasp at the speed and intensity of the pain that fact caused. Within weeks of leaving her he was ready to date her? “I’m glad you got over things so quickly...arguing with my father that is...” She quickly added.

Adam stalked around to her standing in front of her with his hands on his hips, “Jeez Laura, you just don’t get it do you?”

Scowling she squared up to him, “I get every inch of it Adam Purcell. You left that hotel after promising me everything, then fell straight back into a fling with the bloody super model!”

                “NO!” He grabbed for her arm rather too tightly, “YOU rejected me! You chose your father over me, and I GOT that! I really did. I didn’t get him rejecting me. But that didn’t hurt, not really. I’ve gone thirty years without him, what does a few more matter? It was YOU that hurt me Laura! You!”