Some Girls Do

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Book: Read Some Girls Do for Free Online
Authors: Clodagh Murphy
Tags: FIC044000
side.
    ‘So, where to?’ she asked, as he slid in beside her.
    ‘Where are you going?’
    ‘I live in Ranelagh but—’
    ‘Well, don’t go out of your way. I live just off Mountjoy Square, so drop me wherever’s convenient.’
    ‘No, I’ll drive you home,’ she said, as she pulled back into the traffic, with a little frown of concentration. ‘I thought you were going to get a cab.’
    ‘I couldn’t find one,’ he said tersely. ‘I decided it’d be quicker to walk.’
    Thankfully she nodded and didn’t call him out on the taxis that were all around them, their yellow lights glowing into the dark, signalling that they were free. At least she had the decency to let him keep a little of his dignity.
    ‘You don’t have any money, do you?’ she asked.
    So much for letting him keep his dignity. He leaned his head back wearily and said nothing.
    ‘For a cab, I mean?’ she persisted, glancing across at him. ‘You didn’t have any money for a cab, did you?’
    Jesus, couldn’t she let it go? ‘No, I didn’t have any money for a cab,’ he admitted.
    ‘Why didn’t you say? One of us would have lent it to you.’
    ‘Because I couldn’t pay it back.’
    ‘That wouldn’t matter.’
    ‘It wouldn’t be a loan, would it, if I didn’t pay it back?’
    ‘Well, one of us would have given it to you, then. Whatever.’
    ‘I don’t want handouts.’
    ‘It’s nothing to be ashamed of, you know – not having money.’
    ‘I know that,’ he said snappily. So why did he feel so fucking mortified? Still, it was easy to say that when you had money.
    ‘Damn,’ she muttered. ‘This traffic is awful.’ It inched along, bumper to bumper, the rain pounding the roof. It made the atmosphere inside the car claustrophobic. ‘How do you know Yvonne?’ she asked.
    ‘We grew up near each other, hung out with the same crowd.’
    Just then her mobile rang and she answered it on speaker. It was Yvonne, checking if she’d got home safe.
    ‘I’m still stuck in traffic, but I’ll get there,’ Claire said. ‘Have fun. And thanks again for tonight. I had a lovely time.’
    Luca noticed she didn’t mention having picked him up. ‘Why do you do that?’ he asked as she hung up and tossed the phone back into the centre console.
    ‘Do what?’
    ‘Why did you tell Yvonne you enjoyed yourself? You were miserable.’
    ‘Was it that obvious?’
    ‘Don’t worry. Most people don’t really pay attention to anyone else.’
    ‘It wasn’t really my scene.’
    ‘So why say you had a great time?’
    ‘It’s called manners,’ she said tightly.
    They drove in silence for another few yards. She seemed nervous, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel when they weren’t moving.
    ‘How long have you been living in town?’ she asked eventually, and he got the impression she had spent the entire silence coming up with something to say.
    ‘You don’t have to do that, you know.’
    ‘Do what?’
    ‘Make small-talk the whole way.’
    ‘Oh. Okay.’
    They lapsed into silence, and she seemed to relax a bit. She spoke again only to ask directions when they got to Mountjoy Square.
    ‘This is it,’ he said, as they pulled up outside his building. He was relieved to see it wasn’t too bad tonight. There was just one skanky couple across the street ripping ten shades of shite out of each other, and a lone drunk swaying in the doorway. It could have been worse. It usually was.
    ‘You live here?’ she said, peering up at the tall Georgian house.
    ‘Yeah,’ he said, opening the door for a quick getaway, one foot already on the pavement. ‘Thanks for the lift,’ he said, over his shoulder, as he got out. ‘Bye!’
    ‘Um, hang on.’ She leaned across and spoke to him through the open door. ‘Do you think I could come in and use your loo? I’m desperate, and you see what the traffic’s like. It’ll be ages before I get home.’
    ‘Oh, well …’ He huffed. Sweet Jesus, could this night get any worse? He’d told her

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