Free Taken Identity by Raven McAllan

loud and astonished. “Why on earth didn’t you say so?”
    “Oh, yeah, right.” Sarcasm dripped from every syllable. “When would you like me to have fitted that bit of information in? While you were on the phone? Giving me or Sean orders? Shouting loud enough for the people in the next village to hear? Get real, Gray. Suck it up and realize there’s more than just you affected by all this crap.”
    Her disgust was obvious, and she didn’t care. Outside, someone was whistling Flower of Scotland . At least there weren’t bagpipes as well, or she would scream.
    “I know I said I wasn’t busy, Gray, but that doesn’t mean I sit on my backside all day drinking coffee and eating biscuits. I do have commitments, have a life here. I can’t just shoot off to Crete for however long it takes without some warning. You know, cancel the papers and get someone to feed the cat, everyday things like that.”
    It was obvious Gray was baffled and couldn’t understand why on earth she was being so snippy.
    “You don’t have a cat,” he said in a falsely patient tone that set her teeth on edge. “Papers?” he went on, oblivious of the steam metaphorically coming out of her ears. “Ring up and cancel them, easy.”
    Jules could tell that as far as he was concerned, there was no problem.
    “Why are you staring at me as if I have two heads? Truly, Jules, you have me baffled.” He shook his head slowly as she glared at him. “What? What have I said now, Jules?”
    “You really do not get it, do you?” Perhaps, if she gritted her teeth, she wouldn’t scream at him like a fishwife.
    Funny, she had never realized you could talk through gritted teeth until that moment. She knew she was managing admirably.
    “Obviously not,” he replied stiffly. “As far as I can see, there is nothing to get . It is a simple progression. We cancel your papers, pack, fly, ask questions, hope we get answers and then continue from there.”
    Jules shook her head. “Then all I can say, is I am truly sorry for you, Gray, if your life is so empty you can do things like that.” She hoped the look on her face showed she was sincere in her regret. “However, I, on the other hand, cannot just take up and go. I have commitments, promises I’ve made and a family who would be incredibly distressed if I went abroad without giving them details of my travel plans. Oh, bloody hell,” she finished explosively. “You’ve even got me talking like a stuffed shirt now. What is it with you?”
    Whoever said discretion was the better part of valor was correct. Jules decided that at one time, Gray had listened to that person and followed their advice. She reckoned he had also judged that now was not the time to answer what he probably hoped was a rhetorical question. He stayed silent, just watching. What on earth was going through his mind? She couldn’t even begin to imagine. She knew she had an expressive face, and as her thoughts crossed her mind and were discarded, she couldn’t help but show them. He, however, was the epitome of stone-faced—like a statue, or someone who had an excess of Botox. Or, she admitted with a hysterical giggle, Dom-like.
    “Okay, I admit what you said was true. I don’t have anyone else to think about. Well, I do have a mum of course, who I Skype every week and email or text most days. But I can do that from anywhere. So could you. Mum’s in Sydney with Ralph, her other half, and reckons I’m big enough and ugly enough to take care of myself. They’re doing a world tour before, as mum says, her pins wear out or she pops her clogs. So as long as I have access to phones and the ’net, I can do all that is necessary regarding my business.” He smiled mockingly. “Do you know, I had never considered my life empty. Now, you’ve got me wondering.”
    It seemed like several minutes, but was probably no more than one, before Jules could clear her voice of emotion and speak calmly again. It sounded a sad and empty life to her.