Judged By You (Judge Me Series) (21 page)

“There is nothing in the freezer. I can grab something while I’m out this afternoon; I have to head to the bank so I will drop to the grocery store.”

“How about I cook, I will do a stir fry
.” Nicole said in between talking to her customers.

“Are you sure, I can cook
.” I didn’t like cooking, but I would if I had to. And given that everything Nicole smelt made her sick I didn’t want her to ruin our dinner.

“Yes, I’m sure. I will pick something up and cook. I am a better cook than you anyway. I d
on’t want to get food poisoning.” She burst out laughing. Was she ever going to let that occasion go?

“Do you guys
want to stay for dinner?” I turned to Derek, and Angel to ask.

“Yeah sure
.” They both said in unison.

“Derek and Angel will be joining us as well
. I hope you don’t mind.” I said into the phone.

“Not a problem. Does the hooker have cloth
es on?” Nicole said laughing.

I couldn’t help but laugh too. “Yes she does
.” I whispered into the phone. Nicole’s response was silence. I had to snap her out of her trance by yelling her name into the phone a few times.

“See you later Sav.”
Nicole said before hanging up.

I made my coffee and headed outside to the porch swing. Derek and Angel were hugging and kissing in the dining room
, and it made me feel a little awkward, so I walked out. Mind you it should be them walking out as it’s my house not theirs after all. Derek strolled out a short time later on the phone, he winked at me thanked the person on the other end, which I presumed was the real estate agent and hung up.

“This afternoon at four
.” Derek said, also yelling it loud enough for Angel to hear.

“Sweet.
That’s only a few hours away. How about we head out soon, I can go to the bank, and you can pick something up for dessert while we are out then we will go have a look at the house?” I asked.

“Sure thing.
We will take my car, unless you want me to drive yours.” Derek said rubbing his palms together like it was trying to create fire.

“Not going to happen
.” I got up off the chair and hit his shoulder. He cradled it like I actually hurt him. He was a child at heart.

Derek dropped me at the bank while he and Angel went to the store to grab some essentials. Angel made it clear she needed alcohol to go with dinner and suggested she grab a few bottles of Sauvignon Blanc and we “ladies” could have a drink or two. I thought it sounded like a great idea, and no doubt Derek would get a case of beer as well. Mentally I had to remember if the guest room was clean, no doubt I would have them stay. Angel’s idea of a drink is no less than two bottles to her, and Derek could never have “just a few”.

The bank was pretty quiet for three in the afternoon. I got in and out within twenty minutes which was a good thing. Would have taken longer if I let “lance” the financial advisor talk me into shares and savings. “You have an extraordinarily large amount in four different accounts Miss James; let me try talking you into investments and buying shares.” He said with I-can-make-you-rich tone. I explained that I was more than happy with my interest I was gaining and was not interested at the moment. This disappointed him I could tell, I swear it started to pout. I took his business card anyway and headed outside to wait for Derek and Angel.

I didn’t have to wait too long; they walked out two minutes after I did. We got in the car and headed towards “their dream house”. It was literally around the corner. My house was on acreage, but there back fence backed onto the far corner of our fence. It was a beautiful old house, which had been renovated recently. It contained three large bedrooms, open plan living and dining,
large timber kitchen which was the highlight of the house I thought. The bathroom had also been fully renovated, and it hosted a Jacuzzi. When I walked into the bathroom Angel was sitting in the empty tub pretending to sip something, Wine I would have thought. She had the biggest smile on her face; she would be in heaven here. I went into the master bedroom which also came off the bathroom and the first thing I noticed was pole from the roof and secured into the ground. A stripper pole? I walked out of that room as fast as I could, I didn’t want those images in my mind.

Over
all, the entire house was beautiful. I can see why they liked it so much; I had to admit I would buy something like it, minus the stripper pole of course. The agent talked about the history of the house, and all the renovations that had taken place. I couldn’t actually remember what the house looked like before as I barely had a reason to go this route to places. I wanted to ask how much the house was on the market for but decided against it.

“Do you like it
?” Derek said, basically marching on the spot

“It’s very
likeable, very…… Angel in some areas.” I couldn’t help but smirk at Derek. He returned my smile and knew what I meant by that.

Derek spoke to the agent
, and they arranged to finalise paper work tomorrow morning. By the time, we got pulled up at home it was almost five thirty, and I hoped Nicole was home because I was hungry. All I had eaten today was those muffins that I bought on the way home from Damon’s. Which reminded me, I hadn’t heard from him. I shrugged and grabbed a bag of groceries out of the back. Derek took it off me and headed inside with angel while I checked the mail. More bills That is what I always got. Stephen had a few letters, one from the bank, one from a collection agency, and one that was not marked as to who it was from. I put them in my bag and headed towards the house. As I reached the steps and ascended them I heard laughter, a lot of laughter. …I wonder who else has joined us. I briefly thought Stan would be here. I opened the door to see Nicole, Derek, Angel and Damon standing around the kitchen bench. Damon was here?

Nicole came straight to me and wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into a hug.

“Dinner will be ready in twenty.” She said as she released me. 

I nodded and walked to the counter to join everyone else. Damon wrapped an over my shoulder and kissed the top of my head.

“I hope you don’t mind me intruding on your dinner.” Damon said.

“Not at all, you’re more than welcome anytime
.” Nicole spoke before I had a chance to say anything.

“
Its fine, I’m glad you’re here.” I turned to him and kissed his jaw.

Angel handed Nicole
, and I a glass of wine, and Derek got a beer for Damon. Nicole looked at me with a what-do-I-do look, and I shrugged. I had no idea, I did mouth tell them to her, but she shook her head and walked over to stir dinner. The boys started talking about fishing and I stepped away from the conversation, and headed towards Nicole to help with dinner. I noticed the boys heading towards the front door and looked over to see Damon looking back at me; he winked and followed Derek to the porch.

“Did you invite Damon
?” I asked Nicole when they were outside.

“He turned up looking for you, so I asked him if he wanted to stay for dinner
.” Nicole said handing me her glass of wine, and indicating for me to hurry up and drink it for her. I drank her glass of wine in three gulps than handed her empty glass back to her. I gripped the bench to allow the wine settle in my system.

“I thought while he was here you could talk to him Savannah
.”

“No way, you are not doing the whole match maker thing Nicole
.” I gave her my best I’m-not-impressed-look. But she just smiled. Great……..

Angel came into the kitchen and topped up mine and Nicole’s glass, than grabbed two more beers out of the fridge for Derek and Damon. Angel preferred to hang with the guys. Her flirting only worked on men……. Well maybe. I set them table and helped Nicole with the last of the preparations for dinner. I placed the apple pie in the oven for dessert and hid in the panty to drink Nicole’s glass of wine. I’d had four glasses in half an hour
, and I was feeling it in my extremities.

Nicole laughed when I tripped over my feet and landed on my arse with a thud. Derek and Damon came in the door at that, and Derek of course burst out laughing
intensely loudly. Damon was a gentleman but had a smirk on his face when he helped me to my feet.

“You aren’t laughing at me are you
?” I said to Damon in a slur.

“You’re slurring your words Savannah
.” Damon said kissing me briefly of the lips.

I laughed and straightened up my shirt. Nicole handed me another glass and wine and winked. That bitch winked at me. I took it and headed towards the table; Damon placed his hand on my lower back and pulled out my chair once we were at the table.  

“This looks divine Nicole.” Damon said.

“Smells better than it looks
.” Derek said with a look like he’d eaten something sour.

“Shut up.
Like you ever cook Derek.” Nicole returned.

“When we move around the corner you can come over for my fa
ntastic cooking”. Derek added with a nudge to Nicole’s ribs.

“Around the corner
?” Nicole suddenly straightened.

“We are buying the house around the corner. Got the extra money we needed for the deposit today
.”

“Who gave you that
?” Nicole said looking at Angel with a suspicious look.

Derek and angel picked up their forks and started eating. I put my head down and picked up my fork as well. I hadn’t told Nicole that I gave them money yet, and I to tell the truth, I wasn’t looking forward to the lecture. She knows I don’t spend my inheritance and save my pay check, which I haven’t had a pay check for a few weeks now.

“Are you hiding something?” Damon whispered in my ear. Then kissed my cheek.

“I gave them the money Nicole
.” I reached for my wine.

“You are a champion at saving Savannah, I envy you
.” Nicole replied stuffing her face.

Well that went better than I thought. But I had hadn’t explained in detail about the money, I would but
just not tonight. And she had no idea how much money I gave so that kind of helped the situation. We exchanged small talk around the table during dinner, you know, about the weather and gossip about people we know. Derek mentioned one of Stephen’s ex-girlfriend’s just had twins. I remembered her name but can’t place her face. I didn’t like Stephen’s girlfriends; they were trashy, worse than Angel.
Vanessa, his last ex girlfriend used to walk around the house naked, no matter who was here she was just walk out with nothing on. And when he went to jail she continued to come over and sleep in his bed, Derek had politely told her, not to come around anymore.

“Well I have some news
.” Nicole piped up.

Everyone looked at Nicole. She gave me a do-you-think-I-should-tell look, I nodded. I believ
ed it would help her come to turns with her pregnancy.

“I’m having a baby
.” She Blurted out.

“Oh my goodness
.” Angel jumped up and ran to Nicole hugging her.

“Congratulations Nicole
.” Damon said.

“That’s going to be one spoilt baby
.” Derek said, getting up from his chair to stand behind Angel.

Angel still had not let Nicole go. Derek tapped her shoulder and angel finally released her.

“I want a baby.” Angel said giving Derek puppy dog eyes.

I was attempting to swallow my wine when she spoke and almost spat it all over the table. Damon patted my back and shook his head with a smile. I turned to look at Derek
, and he looked pale and frozen in place. Nicole and I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“What’s so
funny.” Angel said.

I continued to laugh along with Nicole; I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard. I saw Damon shrug and stand to start clearing plates. I would have helped
, but I was too unstable. I had another two glasses of wine whist having dinner. Derek hugged Nicole, but at a distance, I think he thought he was going to break her in some way. I wiped the tears from my eyes and grabbed the wine bottle that was sitting in the middle of the table; I poured myself another glass and yelled to angel to grab another bottle out of the fridge because we were out.

“I better not drink anymore if you’re going to continue to drink
,” Derek said with a smile. “We know what happened last time you drank wine.”

“What happened
?” Damon asked, taking a seat beside me.

“Savannah broke her ankle and refused to go in the ambulance. Stephen and I had to drag her drunken arse to the hospital along with six buckets. She hurled everywhere
.” Derek said laughing. Nicole also joined in at remembering that night. I cringed. That night was horrible.

“I had a hangover for days, and they couldn’t give me anything strong enough for the pain because I was so drunk
.” I scrunched my face up in remembrance.

“I will make sure your safe
.” Damon said squeezing my hand under the table. I mouthed thank you to him.