Free Playing My Love by Angela Peach Page A

they'll relax over time"  Darcy said as I flexed them, frustrated.
      "But I want to know how to play now"  I growled, peering at the angry welts embedded in the tips of my fingers.
      " Ah, but then I wouldn't have a car out of our deal, would I?"
      After another twenty minutes, she removed the guitar from my un-protesting hands and replaced it with one of the mugs of hot tea Gray had brought in for us.  I wrapped my fingers around it, letting the warmth soothe them.
      "At least his tea's good for something"  I muttered, just as Darcy nearly choked on hers.  "Oops, forgot to warn you!  Sorry!  He can't help it, I'm afraid.  Something in the way he makes it seems to destroy the taste entirely."
      "Alison"  she leant forward conspiratorially.  "I'm a student.  I drink student tea, which is sometimes made using a teabag that has been used several times already.  This"  she held her cup toward me as if it contained acid, "is infinitesimally worse!  In fact, I'm inclined to say…hey!  Thanks for the tea!"  she said loudly.  Gray had walked in and was peering at the bookshelf.  He looked at her, smiling.
      "Really?  Ali says I make vile tea.  If you want a top up, I th ink there's still some left in the teapot?"  He turned to walk back out to the kitchen and Darcy's eyes widened in mock alarm.  She glanced at me, shaking her head emphatically, before biting her knuckles in a comical 'what have I done' gesture.  I laughed out loud before I could stop myself.
      "Something funn y?"  he asked, turning to look at me at the door.  I stifled the giggle and shook my head.  But then, out of the corner of my eye I could see Darcy smiling innocently at Gray's back, while pouring the tea from her mug into one of my pot plants!  That set me off again, and Gray smiled.  Puzzled at my humour, he glanced over at Darcy who simply shrugged, looking just as bemused by my giggles as he did.  Shaking his head, he left the room.
      "Hey, I liked that plant!"  I hissed when the door had shut, but she was giggling herself now.
      "A sacrifice had to be made, and the plant volunteered to save my life!"
      " Nothing would voluntarily drink…oh, hey!  Did you forget something?"  I asked brightly as we gulped down our hysteria on Gray's return to the room.
      "My book.  What's going on in here?"  he asked, eyeing us with suspicion.
      "Nothing darling."
      We were saved by the phone ringing and I rushed to answer it.
      "Hello?"  There was such a long pause, I almost hung up, but then I heard some rustling from the other end.  "Hello?"
      "Oh, Ali, sorry.  I was signing paperwork.  Didn't hear you answer.  How are you?"  It was Jazz and she had her abrupt 'client' voice.
      "Really good actually.  Are we still okay for next weekend?"  I asked, hoping she wasn't about to cancel.
      "Yes, yes.  We'll be down Friday, leaving Sunday.  Are you picking us up from the station or will we have to catch a horse and cart?"  
      " Just let us know what time your train is due to arrive and we'll come and collect you."  I replied, smiling.  There was a pause from the other end and I wondered if she was signing the paperwork again.
      " Fab.  Who's that talking to Doc?"  she suddenly asked, and I realised she'd been listening to their hushed conversation in the background.
      "Um, that's Darcy, the girl I told you about?"  Actually, I'd only told Jazz that I'd met her in the park and she was now giving me guitar lessons.  I was saving the news that I'd given her a car for when I felt a bit braver.
      "Oh yes!  I spoke to Doc the other day, he told me you had a girlfriend!"  she sang gleefully, professional manner completely dissolved now.
      "Did he really?"
      "Mm-hm!  Said you picked her up in a playground and she's still at school or something."
      I silently cursed Gray and blushed.
      "Yes, Darcy is studying Psychology at the University, but she's twenty four"  I said trying to sound