CHAPTER TWENTY
Shit. Michaela could have kicked herself. Why the hell had she gone and mentioned Trisha? She could have kept her dignity and just told Allison no thanks no way. She grabbed a handful of short hair and tugged on it. But no, she had to go and lose her temper all hurt and sorry for herself and drop the both of them right in the shit. Trisha was right to be pissed.
‘Trisha?’ she called, outside the bedroom door. There was thumping around and cursing going on inside.
The door flew open and a furious Trisha pushed past.
‘Save it,’ she said. ‘Whatever you’ve got to say, I don’t want to hear it, Michaela. You had no right to anything about me.’ She spun around and poked a finger into Michaela’s chest. I don’t have anywhere to go just at the moment, remember. Not all of us have the cushy little lives.’ She turned and pulled open the door, walked down the steps and out into the rain.
Michaela stared after her. Then bent and pulled her boots on. She slammed the door behind her and followed Trisha into the trees. ‘Wait there a minute, Trisha,’ she yelled into the rain. ‘Since when do you get to assume anything about my life?’ Her temper was back, banking suddenly into a good head of steam. A tree branch slapped into her face. ‘Shit, damnit, wait up, will you?’ She pushed on, eyes on Trisha’s back. ‘How the hell do you know anything about my life? There’s nothing cushy about it.’ She stopped and wiped the rain from her eyes. This was ridiculous. She sounded pathetic. Shaking her head she started moving again, trying to catch up with Trisha who was power walking her way around the lake. She tried again before she ran out of breath.
‘I’m sorry,’ she yelled over the sound of the rain on the lake. ‘You’re right, Jesus; I shouldn’t have mentioned you to Allison.’
Ahead, Trisha stopped moving. Michaela caught up and stood to drip. She reached out a hand and placed it on Trisha’s shoulder.
‘I’m sorry, okay. Allison pushed my buttons and I shouldn’t have lost my temper and dragged you into it.’
Trisha stared at her, the rain pounding down on the both of them, soaking them through to the skin. Trisha was only wearing a thin top; the water plastered it against her skin. Michaela looked at her, ran her thumb across Trisha’s cheek.
‘Come here, baby,’ she said, drawing Trisha closer. ‘I’m such a dumb ass, I’m sorry.’ She sought the other woman’s wet lips. They tasted of rain. ‘You being here is the best thing that could have happened.’
Trisha took a step back, looked at her. ‘You going to pick up again with Allison when you get back?’ she asked.
Michaela laughed in relief. Pulled Trisha into her arms. ‘Not if you paid me to,’ she swore. She smoothed the wet curls from Trisha’s face. ‘I was thinking,’ she said. ‘Maybe we could see each other? Properly, I mean. Do the dating thing; whatever?’
Trisha’s eyes widened. She clutched at Michaela’s shoulder and Michaela frowned. ‘What’s the matter?’ Michaela asked. ‘Come on, I said I was sorry, I want to keep seeing you.’
Trisha was shaking her head. ‘Shh,’ she hissed. ‘Look, over there.’