The things we do for love.

  This book is a work of fiction, any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted or utilized in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

  The writer has asserted her rights to the content of her book.

  This book and its content is copyrighted to the publisher RedZephyr Publishing© And to the writer.

  No unauthorised lending or copying is permitted.

  The things we do for love.

  By,

  Abigail Anderson.

  Chapter 1.

  “I’m doomed.” Came the shrieking wail from outside Cassie’s bedroom door. The noise made her jump and she turned to watch her sister Faye come bounding into her room and then, theatrically, she threw herself down on Cassie’s bed.

  Faye heaved a deep heartfelt sigh, then, when she got no reaction she sighed again more loudly this time. And then, just for good measure, she put the back of her hand to her forehead and groaned.

  Cassie took a breath, held it, then let it go to steady her nerves and, reluctantly she put down her hair brush. She took a moment to compose herself, steeling herself for what lay ahead.

  She knew from experience that when her sister began talking of doom and gloom then it meant trouble, at least for all of those around her. If she started talking in terms of the end of the world, then Cassie knew she was in real trouble.

  The last time she had heard those words had been right before Faye had landed herself in court and Cassie had had to part with a very large sum of cash that, even now, brought tears to her eyes and a wince from her throat.

  “What have you done now?” she asked her sister calmly as she watched her. A sister whom she loved dearly, she had to remind herself otherwise she may easily have been arrested for murder. Though, that could still be on the cards.

  “Me…” Faye shrieked, which made Cassie wince as it vibrated her eardrums painfully.

  Faye unceremoniously pushed herself up into a seated position. “Why would you think I have done something?” She demanded angrily.

  “Because it is usually something you have done.” She stated.

  “Thanks… thanks a lot.” She scorned.

  “Don’t mention it.” Cassie threw back.

  “Wow what confidence you have in me.” Her sister flung back at her. She was angry, Cassie could tell, that made two of them.

  “I have every confidence in you.” She told her, and it was true, confidence that she would get herself into trouble.

  “You are my sister. Aren’t you supposed to be on my side? You know supportive and all that.” Cassie sighed.

  “I am.” Cassie assured Faye in a soothing voice, trying to ignore the guilt tripping act. Faye loved using that one. “But, I also know that you have a knack of getting yourself into trouble.” And Cassie had to acknowledge to herself that that had to be an understatement.

  Trouble followed Faye like glue stuck to paper or, maybe, Faye followed trouble. Cassie had not yet decided which way round it was. Not that it mattered the end results would still be the same.

  Faye seemed to like the thrill of trouble. For Cassie though, it just meant more problems to solve, more money to dish out, more apologies to make and more sleepless nights worrying.

  If trouble did not find Faye then Faye went out looking for it, and found it, most of the time. She had a gift, apparently. And she wasn’t afraid to use it.

  Cassie turned back to the dressing table she was sat at and picked up a band so that she could tie back her, just below shoulder length, chestnut brown hair whilst Faye began to pout childishly.

  Did she not know that she was far too old to be behaving in such a fashion? At twenty-seven she still acted like a child. She whinged a lot, complained a lot, and expected every-thing to be handed to her on a plate.

  Cassie, on the other hand, was completely different. She was also twenty-seven but, was old beyond her years. Constantly having to mop up Faye’s mess had helped her there, amongst other things.

  She had learned at a very young age that Faye had needed looking after and constant guidance. Faye had always seemed more delicate that Cassie.

  Faye spent her life in one turmoil or another. Whether she was up or whether she was down. And when she was up, she was very, very, up. But when she was down… Cassie didn’t want to think about that right now. She was having enough problems dealing with up Faye, with any luck down Faye would stay away.

  It did not seem to matter that they were the same age, well Cassie was six minutes older, but that really did not count. Cassie did not understand how they could have ended up so different from each other.

  The only thing they had in common was their looks, being identical twins meant that people couldn’t always tell them apart. That had been fun when they had been younger and when they had been in school.

  Not so much fun now though, especially when Faye kept getting herself into trouble. Luckily, Faye was going through an expressive stage. So they looked nothing alike.

  Faye wore her hair in a short severe looking bob and even more severe short fringe. She had also dyed it a garish bright pink, with bright blue streaks.

  Which, though Cassie hated it, kind of suited her. She also straightened her hair to within an inch of its life. These days she spent most of her time dressed in black and lots of silver buckles.

  Cassie much preferred her natural dark glossy chestnut brown colour and a longer softer length, with her natural waves and kinks sprinkled indiscriminately throughout. She also preferred normal looking clothes. A bit like the jeans and striped candy top she was wearing now.

  “Great.” Faye huffed and Cassie brought herself out of her reflections. “I bet you’ll take his side.” That had Cassie sitting up straighter in her seat and her heart gave a funny kind of sickening lurch as it fell into her feet. She was afraid to ask but she knew she had to.

  “What have you done?” she asked her sister abruptly, lowering her tone.

  “I didn’t do anything.” Faye began defending. “And even if I had well…” She shrugged her shoulders. “It would have been his own fault,”

  “Faye.” Cassie warned her sister.

  “I did not do anything. I was there of course… but not out of choice.” She assured Cassie before continuing with. “Craig and Olivia needed to get something. That’s the only reason we were in the car park.”

  Faye began to fidget and started nervously playing with the buttons on her black cardigan. This was a bad sign. Cassie knew this from experience and her heart sank even further than her feet, if that was at all possible.

  “What did you mean… be on his side?” There was a little silence before a slight skittish nervous laugh came from her. “Faye. You didn’t.” Cassie exploded.

  “Now look, before you start. I did not –”

  “You were told to stay away from that man.” Cassie began, cutting her sister’s excuses off. “I just had to pay damages in court to him.”

  “If you would just let –”

  “He warned you what would happen if you persisted in harassing him. He warned me what he would do.” And it had not been pleasant either, Cassie thought but she did not say it.

  “How do you know that it had anything to do with him? It could be a different he altogether.” Faye huffed loudly. Cassie could only hope she had found someone else to pick on. But Cassie knew better.

  “It does or you would not be here trying to explain yourself. You were warned. He told you…”

  Cassie reminded her sister yet again. She was beginning to feel like a broken record. No, she corrected, it was worse than tha
t, she was beginning to sound like their mother.

  “He was lying. I did not ruin his carpet.” Faye shouted out. “And no way did it cost that much.” She scoffed in an unladylike fashion and Cassie cringed.

  “Faye.” Cassie shouted at her sister and Faye grew quiet. “You got into an argument with the man and proceeded to pour, heaven knows what it was, all over his new carpet.”

  “He was being very rude, and not just to me.” Faye began defending her actions. “I already told you that I would work hard to pay back the money, and it was a rug not a carpet.” Cassie was corrected which made her even angrier, if that was possible.

  “Faye.” Cassie stopped and took a deep breath to calm herself, it did not work, in a quieter voice she asked. “Faye just tell me what happened?”

  “Well,” Faye sat a little forward, leaning towards Cassie and getting herself comfortable. “Melissa needed to go take back an eye shadow, the colour did not suit her at all. I don’t know what she was thinking really.” Faye caught sight of the anger brewing on Cassie’s face. “Anyway, that doesn’t matter.” She waved a hand dismissively. “Melissa asked Olivia if she could go exchange it for her, coz she was busy or something, So Olivia asked Craig –”

  “Stop.” Cassie held up her hand and Faye fell silent. “Let’s just get to the part where you are in the car park.” She raised an eyebrow at her sister.

  “Oh right… well, if you want me to leave out the good parts.” She shrugged her shoulders carelessly. “Okay, so, Craig and Olivia went to do what they needed to do and I stayed with the car, just in case –”

  “Just in case what?” Cassie found herself asking, not that she really wanted to know.

  “Well…”

  “Actually.” Cassie broke in. “Never mind, you were in the car on your own in the car park. Carry on.” Faye shrugged again.

  “So there I was in the car on my own in the car park. When who do you think should pull up and parked in a bay?”

  “I don’t know. But I have a really bad feeling.” Cassie told her as she grimaced.

  “Luke Pearson.” Faye almost whispered, like they were conspirators or spies. Cassie’s shoulders sagged dejectedly. Cassie wondered whether she could get herself fired from her role as Faye’s sister or perhaps from her life entirely.

  “Oh no…” Cassie put a hand to her forehead. “… Faye you better not have got into another argument with him. You were told to leave the poor man alone. Haven’t you done enough?”

  “Oh that’s right. I am wrong and he is right. Is that it? That’s not fair. Why are you taking his side?” Faye began to pout and she crossed her arms over chest again, which was beginning to infuriate Cassie.

  “I am not taking his side.” Cassie tried to soothe.

  “Yes you are.”

  “No I am not. It’s just that it is hard to argue with the facts.” She began crossing each one off on her fingers. “First, you ruined his rug deliberately because you were angry with him.”

  “It was not deliberate.” Faye told her.

  “There were fifty or so guests that witnessed it.” Cassie pointed out and Faye huffed. “Second, you went outside and keyed his car.”

  “I tripped and it just so happened that I had my car keys in my hand at the time.” Faye told her.

  “Yes because you tripped from bonnet to boot on the pavement side and then boot to bonnet on the other side. That was some trip.” Cassie snapped back at her.

  “He deserved it.” Faye told her peevishly.

  “Third, you told anyone that would listen that he was trying to touch you inappropriately and making suggestive remarks.”

  “Yes well… I was angry.”

  “That’s no excuse. You cannot make those kinds of accus-ations if they are not true.”

  “Yes but…”

  “No buts.” Cassie cut her off. “It wasn’t fair on him. Neither is it fair on all the other women out there that really do have to deal with that.”

  “I have already apologised for that one.” Faye pointed out.

  “Fourth, you smashed a load of expensive crystal glasses when you threw a tray of them at him.”

  “I did not throw them at him.” Faye interrupted her. “I tripped on the rug and he just happened to step into its path, that’s all.”

  “Wow, how convenient of him.” Cassie goaded her.

  “What do you mean by that?” Faye shouted.

  “I am just making an observation on how easy he made it all for you. Anyone would think he wanted you to do it.”

  “What about what he did? Or has everyone forgotten that?” Faye huffed again and even managed an unladylike snort.

  “And what is it he did?” Cassie asked her.

  “He complained to my boss and asked to have me removed as his waitress. I could have lost my job.”

  “You did end up losing your job.” Cassie reminded her tersely. “Remember?”

  “That wasn’t my fault.”

  “Whose fault was it?” Cassie asked her.

  “His, it was all his fault.” Faye shouted out as she spat the words from her mouth. Cassie fought hard not to shout back. Instead she opted for a firm voice as she told her sister.

  “No. It was totally your fault. You lost your temper and behaved badly.” She was growing weary of this argument. How many of them had they had over the last few months?

  “He complained about me first.” Faye threw back and began to sulk like a petulant child.

  “Really?” Cassie began incredously. “You are going with the ‘he started it’ defence?”

  “You weren’t there. You didn’t see.” Faye told her.

  “Faye, you were throwing yourself at his male guests. In front of their wives to boot.”

  “I was not throwing myself.”

  “What would you call it.” Cassie asked her sister.

  “I was being friendly.”

  “You sat in one of their laps.” She reminded.

  “Okay so I was being a little too friendly.” Faye shrugged her shoulders and squirmed about on the bed.

  “You embarrassed them, you angered their wives and you made a fool of yourself.” Cassie told her. “You were also drinking, which you were not supposed to be doing as you were working. Luke Pearson was not the only person to complain. Several guests did.” She pointed out to her sister.

  Cassie had had enough of this entanglement with Luke Pearson, not his fault, all her sisters. She just wished she could let it rest and be forgotten. But no, Faye had to keep it going.

  “Then.” Faye went on as though Cassie had not even spoken. “He takes me to court to sue for damages. Me. He takes me to court, I ask you. The absolute cheek of the man.” Cassie sighed.

  “He was entitled to take you to court. You ruined his property. You tried to ruin his reputation. But that wasn’t enough for you was it?”

  “Oh that’s not fair.” Faye complained.

  “Fair? Have you been fair. You almost took his eye out with a pencil.”

  “I tripped, how many more times, it flew out of my hand.” Faye defended herself immediately.

  “No Faye, you got angry with him and threw a pencil at him. The court bailiff had to escort you from the building.

  the session had to be adjourned and we had to wait another three days before we could get on with it.

  On top of all that you then threatened him right outside the court house in a very loud voice in front of police officers and you nearly found yourself arrested for breach of the peace.” Faye rolled her eyes dramatically.

  “I did not mean that I would actually kill him.”

  “It doesn’t matter whether you mean it or not, you said it.” Cassie pointed out.

  “But, no one ever means it when they say that. Anyway he told you that you should send me away.”

  “Yes he did. Do you blame him.”

  “He told you to lock me up and throw away the key.” Faye huffed again. Yes, he had, he had also told Cassie that Faye was a crackp
ot. “There’s nothing wrong with me.” Faye defended herself.

  “Yes… well… sometimes, even I wonder… anyway.” Cassie held up both hands to stop the approaching onslaught of words Faye would have thrown in her direction. “I think we are moving away from what’s important. Let’s just get back to what happened today in the car park, shall we?”

  Cassie sighed loudly. She was tired. She wished all of this would just go away. It wouldn’t of course but Cassie still wished with everything she had.

  “Well…” Faye began but was interrupted abruptly. Both women jumped at the sound of sudden, very loud banging on the front door, pounding would have been a better descript-tion. Whoever it was, they were very angry.

  Faye looked at Cassie and the colour drained from her face. Cassie’s throat tightened and her mouth went dry. This so wasn’t going to be good. “Cassie.” Faye’s voice became small, like a child and Cassie could see the fear in her eyes. No, this really wasn’t going to be good.

  “What did you do?” Cassie hissed angrily at her sister as she got up and went downstairs to answer the persistent irate banging on the door. Her heart pounding in her chest and her stomach flipping around like she had swallowed an eel. It was reminiscent of having to deal with the man in court. That had been two weeks ago…

  Chapter 2.

  Cassie nudged Faye to stop her fidgeting in her chair and Faye sighed but stopped her movements.

  “Sorry.” Faye whispered, she kept her head bent.

  “Just let me do all the talking. It will be okay, just don’t say a word. Not a single one.”

  “Yes but.”

  “No buts. Not one word. No matter what anyone says. You got that.” Cassie warned her sister.

  “Okay sis, I’ll keep my mouth shut. I shouldn’t be here though.” She complained.

  “Your right this is a civil matter. What you did was really a criminal matter. You could have been facing jail time rather than just being sued. You should consider yourself lucky.” Cassie told her sister in a stern motherly voice.”

  “Fine.” She moaned.

  “Which one is Dr Luke Pearson?” she asked Faye. She had heard about Luke Pearson for the last month or so but, as yet, she had not had the privilege of actually meeting him face to face.