Read Online Desert Fish by Cherise Saywell - Free Book Online Page B

course not,’ I said. ‘He’s older than us.’
    â€˜What’s that got to do with anything?’
    â€˜Well, I just don’t think of him that way.’
    â€˜Calm down, Gilly,’ Lexie said, in her quiet superior voice. ‘You’re giving yourself away.’
    I blushed, even though I was annoyed.
    She bent over her sandwich and lifted the top slice of bread, picking chips out and eating them. ‘Had enough of the bread now,’ she said. ‘Got any more chips?’ Lexie never worried about manners. It didn’t make her uncomfortable to have people run around after her.
    â€˜No.’
    She licked the salt off her fingers.
    â€˜Never mind.’ Reaching over, she removed a lipstick from her bag. ‘Look at this.’ She wound a coral pink colour out of the tube and applied it without a mirror. I could see grains of salt from the chips beneath the colour. ‘It’s a tester,’ she said. ‘I’m allowed to have them when thenew ones come in.’ She pressed her lips together and then pouted to spread the colour. ‘Is it even?’
    â€˜Yeah.’
    â€˜Where’s your dad then?’ She sat forward and jiggled her breasts into place inside her shirt.
    â€˜Here.’ Dad stepped in out of the dark hallway and I felt a prickling sensation across the back of my neck, wondering how long he’d been standing there.
    â€˜Hey, Cray,’ Lexie said. That was what she called him. She’d been stopping by for a while now, and she and my father were increasingly on familiar terms.
    â€˜How’s my little lady?’ Dad asked.
    â€˜Good. I’m always good.’ Lexie gave my dad a wink. I thought it looked awkward, as though she was trying too hard to act older than she was. I twisted in my chair and looked at my feet.
    Dad didn’t notice. ‘What’ve you been up to then, girlie?’
    â€˜Working,’ Lexie said. ‘Unlike some.’ She got up off the floor, sat on the sofa and crossed one bare leg over the other. Her flip-flop fell off and she wriggled her toes.
    â€˜Life’s too short,’ Dad said. ‘That’s why we’ve got Pete in. Paying our way.’
    â€˜Yeah, I heard,’ Lexie smiled.
    â€˜And anyway, I am working as of next week,’ my dad said. ‘Going to start up a little business. Make some serious cash. Will you go out with me then, Lex?’
    She laughed.
    â€˜Or have you got your eye on Pete? He’s alright, Pete. I’ll bet he’d like the look of you.’
    Lexie smiled, pleased.
    Dad walked through to the kitchen and I heard the fridge open. He brought his can back and sat down beside her, snapped it open.
    â€˜Here, give us a swig,’ she said, snatching the can.
    â€˜You’re under-age,’ Dad replied, but he didn’t take it from her. He waited until she gave it back, her lips wet with beer. He took a drink then and I noticed the transfer of coral pink from the can to his lower lip.
    She smiled at it. ‘You’ve got my lipstick on you.’ She reached to wipe it away but my dad caught her wrist.
    â€˜Leave it there,’ he said, stroking her forearm with his thumb before he let go.
    She slapped his hand away but I could tell she didn’t mind. She hadn’t come to see me. Not this time. She’d come to be entertained. To check out Pete. To flirt with my dad. To be flattered.
    She stood up. ‘Anyway,’ she said, ‘Fun’s fun, but I’ve got to go.’
    â€˜You don’t want to finish this with me?’ Dad said, holding up the can.
    â€˜Maybe next time,’ Lexie teased. ‘I’m going out tonight.’
    â€˜Hot date?’
    â€˜Wouldn’t you like to know?’ She poked her foot back into the flip-flop.
    Dad smiled.
    â€˜See you later,’ she said to me. ‘Come in and see me at work if you like.’
    â€˜Okay.’
    The back door banged shut and