Love Drunk: Chapter Two

Lainie Robertson and Roxy Harmon are now happily settled into their flat above the old bistro. Having met their neighbours, all there is left to do now is get to work on Lainie's dream diner! But unfortunately, making friends with your neighbours is not easy as Lainie is about to find out...

 Charlotte Kennedy was thrilled to have some females living in the building, she was also excited about them coming to visit! Lainie had said she and Roxy would pop over sometime! It had been a week now and every day Charlotte got up, fed her cats and baked some cakes in anticipation of the girls visiting. "So today I'll bake a sponge, lemon drizzle cake perhaps! What do you say to that Mr Fuzzickles???"

 "I wonder if Lainie likes toffees. I always eat the strawberry creams and leave the toffees, it's all I have left...who doesn't like toffees eh? Well...except me!" Charlotte giggled to herself, it was Saturday, surely Lainie and Roxy would come today?

 "I can always take the biscuits round to the boys, waste not want not! But I'm sure Lainie will come..." Although Charlotte seemed like the crazy cat lady, behind the kookiness lay a very sad and broken young woman. When she was 18, she met a boy named Lewis at university who swept her off of her feet. By 19 she was married and hopelessly in love! By 23 he had left her for a younger woman, got her pregnant and demanded a divorce. Charlotte had always wanted a baby of her own, and a husband to share the joy with. But when Lewis told her he'd only married her for her father's money, Charlotte was never the same again! Feeling worthless and used, she retreated into the flat her father and brother Rob had bought for her, and hardly came out. One day Rob arrived with a little female kitten, a stray he'd found in the bins around the back, and Charlotte finally got her baby! Over the years she'd adopted and cared for over 20 cats but now she only had Mr Fuzzickles and Mrs Ubercutes and worked at the sanctuary three days a week. She'd found her purpose, once a helpless and broken young woman, she now helped helpless and broken animals!

But to have girls in the building...she waited a little longer, maybe Lainie and Roxy were busy and were coming along later..."We'll give them half an hour Mrs Ubercutes, then I'll go give the boys some cakes!"

Roxy and Lainie were indeed very busy, snubbing Charlotte was not deliberate! After adorning their walls with photos of their first day in the flat, the girls had made a start on the diner...

 Having stripped the walls completely of any stray wallpaper and taking up the scratched and dirty linoleum to show the beautiful wooden floor beneath, the girls were exhausted! A whole week's work done and now they were ready to make their own mark on the place! "Well, empty canvas Lain!"

"Yes, yes it is! I can hardly believe it!" Lainie struggled to keep her eyes open she was so tired. It had been a very long day!

"I'm going for a good long soak in the tub! You coming?" Roxy stretched and yawned,

"I'll be right behind you, just going to call Mickey and tell him we're ready for the wallpaper and tiles tomorrow!"

"Well don't be long, we've done all we can for today Lain!"

 After finally getting hold of Mickey White, the decorator, Lainie dragged her tired legs up the stairs to the flat and was met with a rather ugly sight, "Oh hell no!"

 "Lain? I can explain!" Roxy looked over at Lainie apologetically.

 "He's not staying here Roxanne! And I mean it!!! Not after last time! When are you going to learn???"

 As the topic of their conversation lay fast asleep on their couch in his underwear, Roxy crept over towards Lainie to explain why her ex-boyfriend Kevin Larson was in their flat!

 "He's got nowhere else to go Lain! He's lost his job and..."

"ANOTHER job! Roxanne you're a door mat and you're stupid!"

"Lain..."

"No I'm sorry I'm not going to sugar coat it for you because I love you! He cannot stay here Roxanne and that's final!!!"

 As the girls' heated conversation continued, Kevin woke up and chuckled to himself, "Let me guess, you're fighting over me again huh? Ladies there's more than enough of me to go around!"

 "Shut up Kev!" Lainie spat as Roxy tried to hush them both.

"Please Kev, just let me deal with this! Lainie..."

"...just for one night and then he's gone okay? Please! I know this is just another favour and they're piling up! But I still care about him Lain!"

"One night Roxanne! You hear that Kev? ONE night!!!"

"Thank you Lainie, you're a doll!" Kev winked at her and let out an enormous burp.

"Yes, thank you! You're the best Lain, you really are!" Roxy's eyes were tearing up, what was this all about???

 Lainie was so exhausted after all the hard work they'd done and the argument with Roxy over Kev, she just fell into bed after her bath. But her sleep was short lived as a constant pounding disturbed her from the pleasant dream she was having...

 Her legs were heavy and her arms ached but she managed to swing out of bed and stand up as the pounding continued...

 ...checking the clock on her bedside table, it read 1:23am. "What the heck..." as the noise grew louder, she could hear a voice...was that singing???

 "Whoa whoa whoa! No! This isn't working I...wait!"

 The boys had been practising Dexter's new song for hours and he still couldn't get the melody right! As he sat down at his keyboard, he knew he'd finally got it...

 "There was a hole in my soul, but you filled it with love. A beautiful angel, sent from above. My heart took a beating, so cold, black and blue. But all of that ended when I first saw you..." having finally decided upon his tune, all the boys played their hearts out, all happy with the final touches...

...but they were startled to hear a very forceful and angry knock at the door, it wasn't Charlotte...she just walked in! "I'll go!" Dexter sighed and stood up from his keyboard to answer the door.

 His voice caught in his throat as he was about to speak, it was Lainie, and she was in her pyjamas! She looked really annoyed! "Can I have a word please?" she gave Dexter an irritated look!

"Um..." Dexter's tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth and his palms began to sweat. This was awkward, she looked adorable in her little shorts and kitty slippers, and her hair...her freckles! He shook his head clear and tried to concentrate as Lainie began to talk...rather quickly and loudly...

 "You have to keep it down!"

"Huh?"

"Do you know what time it is Declan???"

"Dexter!!!"

"Whatever, I'm so very tired and I've got to get up early tomorrow and your constant racket is rattling through my brain as I try and sleep and..."

 "I...chill out!"

"CHILL OUT??? It's nearly 2 in the morning and you're asking me to CHILL...OUT???"

"2...I didn't realise it was so...nearly 2 you say?"

 "Why on earth are you playing your instruments at this hour anyway???"

"We lost track of time!"

"You're out of your minds! You have no respect for your neighbours, you don't seem to realise that some people have lives and they need some SLEEP!!!"

"Yes I do! But you're being mean!"

 Lainie took a step back and looked at Dex in disbelief, "Whut?"

"You heard freckles, you're being a meanie! All you had to say was keep it down please it's very late! There's no need to get personal! And forgetting my name? You only met me about..."

"FIVE days ago??? And who are you calling freckles???"

"Uh you freckles, and my name is not your average name, Dexter is like...a cool name!"

 "You're starting to really get on my nerves pretty boy! The point is you're behaviour is anti-social and I could get you into a LOT of trouble if..."

"Go ahead!" Dexter scowled at her.

"Excuse me???"

 Suddenly Dexter's expression changed and he brought something out of his pocket and waved it in front of Lainie's face, "Well if it bothers you so much then why don't you call the police?"

"P-police?" Lainie gasped.

"Yeah, here! Use my phone! Call them up and tell them what a bad boy I am!" still grinning he started to dial 999 on the keypad.

"There's no need..."

"Look, there's an easy solution to all of this if we stop for one minute and quit hurling abuse at each other!" Dex smiled sweetly and cocked his head to the side, "What do you say?"

"I...well it doesn't need to go that far..."

"No it doesn't! I think you'll find that if you just calm down and be reasonable, we can sort this like adults!"

Lainie blushed and looked away as Dexter smiled, pleased with himself that he'd actually managed to have a conversation with her, albeit a negative one, "So...wanna come in for a...a...coffee?"

 When Dexter brought Lainie inside and told the boys how late it was, they both felt awful and couldn't apologise enough for waking her! "See? easily solved!" Dex smiled shyly at her.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so tired! It's been a very long and hard week!"

"Do you like caramel?"

 Ash and Drew were huddled in the corner muttering away to each other as Dex gushed over his little coffee machine that Drew had made for him at work. Pretending that they were discussing Drew's guitar...

 ...they were actually laughing at Dex and his uncharacteristically bashful demeanour! "Do you like caramel?" Ash mocked in a squeaky whisper as Drew snorted and tried not to giggle,

"What's with him?" Drew mumbled back.

"He's in luuuuurve!" Ash tittered to himself as Drew sighed and looked at the ceiling,

"Ah l'amour!"

Dexter began to brew a special coffee for Lainie as she spotted a load of paintings sitting on the floor. "Wow these are amazing! Who's..." before she could finish, Ash shouted over to her,

"Dexter!"

 "Oh my goodness, Dexter! You painted these?" Dex mumbled a yes and continued to make her coffee. "They're...amazing!"

 "Have you ever shown them to like...a gallery or...because you really should..."

"Er no!" He mumbled again, "But it's...something I once wanted!"

 Lainie looked at Dex as he kept his head down and stirred some caramel into her coffee, he really was a talented artist! He wasn't just a pretty boy after all! He was a pretty boy who painted pretty pictures!

 "How is your coffee?" he asked her quietly.

"It's...really nice! Sweet and strong! Just how I like my men!" she laughed and began to blush.

 He sat down beside her, avoiding her gaze as she started on his paintings again. "Seriously, you really should consider going to a gallery and having them take a look. Nothing ventured..."

"I...was going to but then...I broke up with my girlfriend and I had a block. Couldn't paint and couldn't write!"

 "Well you have all of these shiny paintings just sitting there gathering dust! Maybe if you have them shown it will spur you on to paint some more. Do you miss her?"

"What?" Dex coughed and nearly spat out his coffee.

"Your girlfriend! Do you miss her?"

"Not really, she wanted more than I could give! So she ended it. Quite simple really!"

"And what did she want?" Dex sighed, took a sip of his coffee and quietly replied,

"Me!"

 Changing the subject and trying to take the heat off of himself, Dexter took the plunge and asked Lainie a few questions, "Do you have...like...a boyfriend or..."

"No, not for a long time! I was seeing someone at Uni but then I got my degree and Roxy wanted to travel so we took a gap year for like...ten years!"

"Oh! So I hear you're taking over the old bistro huh?"

 "Yes!" Lainie gulped down her last drop of coffee and blushed again, "I've been cooking since I was a child. Roxy and I paid our way through Europe working in restaurants and diners, me cooking and her waitressing. While she spent all of her money, I managed to save quite a bit and get a loan. I've always wanted to come here, Moonlight Falls was where my dad used to take me when I was little, my grandmother lived here and I have really happy memories of her and this place!"

"So you're a chef?"

"Yes, I have a degree in hospitality management and catering. I dunno, Roxy thinks my diner will fail! Maybe she's right!" Lainie sighed and hung her head, ever so tired despite gulping down a nice, strong coffee.

 "I think you'll do fine!" Dex replied quietly, "And I'll be in every day, I'll even teach you how to make cool coffee if you like! Drew's an inventor, he likes to make stuff like my machine over there. I'm sure he'd make you some cool stuff for your diner!"

"Oh that's so nice of you Dexy! Even after I was so grouchy with you!" It was Dexter's turn to blush, the sound of her calling him "Dexy" made his body tingle and his cheeks burn. He liked it!

 He finally found the courage to turn and look at her, into her big blue eyes and smiled, "It's okay freckles! We all have our grouchy days! And you're stressed, maybe I could give you a hand with the heavy stuff, me and the boys!"

"I'd...oh thank you I'd be so...that'd be a big help!"

 "Oh I'm so tired. I'm going to bed, thanks for the coffee Dexy! I've got the decorator coming tomorrow and...well I guess it's today eh?" she laughed softly and headed for the door.

"Yeah, sorry about the noise, we'll...try and keep a clock next to us in future! I'll see you out!"

 Dexter felt rather pleased with himself, he'd managed to chat with her! He'd managed to look her in the eyes and...he was walking her out!

 "I'll come by tomorrow and see how you're getting on!"

"That would be nice. And then why don't we all go and see Charlotte? I think she could do with more visitors, she strikes me as a kinda lonely person!"

Dex smiled, she was so sweet! "She is, and you're right, we should!"

 "Goodnight Dexter!"

"Night freckles!"

"I'll let that slide just this once pretty boy given that I'm so exhausted! But do not call me freckles!" she smirked.

"Okay, I'll stop calling you freckles when you stop callin' me pretty boy, deal?"

"Freckles it is then!" her smirk grew into a wide smile, "See you in the morning!"

 As he watched her descend the stairs, all he could think about was "I'm never gonna be able to tell her!" and it made his heart sting as he clenched his fists digging his fingernails into the palms of his hands drawing a little blood, why couldn't he just say it? Tell her he liked her...a lot! Even when he was arguing with her he wanted to shut her up by smothering her lips with his own, take her in his arms and feel her close. Her scent lingering around him made him go crazy, he just wanted to hold her, he needed to touch her but was so afraid that if he did he'd break her! He had every chance to tell her everything, he'd done it loads of times before with so many girls! "Hey how ya doin'? how about you and me go out sometime? I think you're cute so give me your number!" it worked, it always worked!!! A wink and a smile, so easy to do...so hard to do with Lainie, why? It was a question that had haunted him since he first laid eyes on her, and he wasn't going to find the answer any time soon!

 Lainie felt a warmness surround her entire body, Dexter was cute...for a pretty boy! She felt so embarrassed over her outburst and how mean she was! She guessed that tiredness did that to you. The thought of Dex and the boys coming to help with the refurbishment of the old bistro felt like a weight lifting off of her shoulders! And the fact that she got to ogle Dexy made it ever so appealing! Yeah she had a crush on him, so what? It was just a fantasy! A guy like him could never fall for a girl like her! He was handsome, sexy and talented and she was...frumpy, clumsy and grumpy! But there was no harm in her lusting after him, was there? Secretly of course, she didn't want his ego to get any bigger did she?

 Dexter wondered if she'd ever see how much he liked her. Without him having to spell it out. Some unspoken gesture he could make that would cause minimum embarrassment. Could his reason for keeping quiet be the fact that he was...falling in love?

Lainie always thought that if someone was constantly flooding your every thought every waking minute of the day...then they were something special. And she had to admit that Dexter occupied her mind quite a bit! He turned her head and he touched her hand so tenderly the day they met, that touch changed her. Dexter spoiled other men for Lainie, they couldn't compare! He smelled gorgeous, he was well groomed and well dressed even in a holey Nirvana vest! He was just perfect, and she was hardly a supermodel! No, Lainie would focus on her diner and leave Dexter Maloney in her dreams at night!

 Dexter watched Lainie go into her flat and close the door without even looking back up. As he stood feeling useless for not speaking up, a voice made him jump,

"You like her...don't you?"

 "Charlotte, I'm really not in the mood for this right now!"

"Well it is after 2, I've been reading! It was nice to do that in silence once you'd stopped your infernal racket! And you really really like her don't you?"

"Char!"

"She's a lovely girl! I was hoping she'd stop by and talk to me like she promised but she's been busy! Mr Fuzzickles told me!"

 "You should tell her how you feel! I think you'd make a beautiful coupling Dexter, I really do!"

 "Well there's the rub huh? I can't!"

 "No such word as can't! Cannot maybe, I was reading all about this! You see there's this girl, and she's in love with this boy, he's equally in love with her or...wait...no that was a dream! And in the dream you were the boy and Lainie was the girl and..."

"CHAR!"

"What I mean is, you two are each other's destiny! It only takes one of you to take the plunge and say "I love you!" easy yes? And ever so romantic!"

 "No Charlotte, it's really not that easy! Believe me, I tried!"

 Lainie instantly fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, and Dexter Maloney flooded her thoughts as a smile spread across her face.

 And when Dexter finally went back inside the boys' flat, his brother and best friend were waiting in anticipation, "So?" Ash demanded rather too excitedly.

"So what?" Dex gave him a puzzled look as he headed for his room.

"You snog her then?" Drew winked at him.

 "Grow up you guys! Can't two adults of the opposite sex have a platonic relationship without you two turning it into something...sordid and seedy?"

"Not really Dexter, your reputation precedes you!" Ash chuckled softly.

"I'm going to bed! Goodnight children!"

 "He snogged her!" Drew nodded and smiled.

"The old Dexter maybe, but he's not so cocky nowadays Andrew if you hadn't noticed!"

"Do you think it's got something to do with me and Jeremy? Do you think he misses him in the band?"

"No! Don't even think that!"

 "Ash, it's my fault he walked out! I...I'm sorry!"

"I know, Dexter told me. He's not mad, not at you! And breaking up with Rosalie has got a lot to do with his new attitude believe me!"

"Still, he was close to Jeremy and I...drove him away!"

"Look it wasn't your fault Drew! He was gonna walk anyway and he was a little punk! I told Dexter that from the start, but you three were always as thick as thieves, well...I could always tell that you had your reservations over Jeremy!"

"You know Ash, you always did know me better than anybody, even Dex! When I'm with you guys I no longer feel like an only child, I feel like I have two brothers who'll look out for me through thick and thin. But you, you treat me the same way you treat Dex, and I appreciate it!" Drew looked down at the carpet, the guilt still lingering in the back of his mind. He knew Ash didn't blame him, but what about Dex? He always managed to see past Jeremy's moods and cruel attitude. Then losing Rosalie made Dex even less interested in the band, especially now he had to play keyboard and sing!

"I'm off to bed, try and forget about Jeremy! So we were a foursome, and now we are three! It matters squat bro!" But Ash's words were no comfort, Dex formed the band and Drew felt like he'd destroyed it, and that was something he would have to live with! 

 When Lainie woke up that morning and got dressed, Kev was still there! She told Roxy to stay away from the diner and focus on getting rid of him. Mickey had done a wonderful job with the decorating, now all Lainie had to focus on was where her furniture was to go! Her counters and tables...then have her kitchen re-built!

 As she looked around, about to meet Dex and the boys and head up to Charlotte's, she smiled to herself and exclaimed "This is all mine!" things were going to work out! Her dream was taking shape! One step closer...

So that's chapter two! Next chapter we'll learn a bit more about "Jeremy" and Lainie goes on a blind date *gasp* and it's not Dexter! O.O Much to his annoyance and disgust! Kev continues to come between the girls and Ash clashes with a certain couple of dedicated groupies! ;o)

Thank you for reading! Feel free to comment and tell me what you thought of this chapter! <3