Read Online The Pollyanna Plan by Talli Roland - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Talli Roland
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desperation for a drink. He was so close, she could sense the heat from his body and smell his fresh cologne, a welcome change from the pervading mildewy odour of the bar.
‘Oh! Hi!’ Emma tried to feign surprise at seeing him here.
‘That was quite the performance up there.’ His voice was even, but Emma thought she could see a spark of humour in his eyes. ‘I’d never have guessed when I met you earlier you’d be into karaoke.’
‘Yeah, well, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do,’ she mumbled, cursing herself for the insipid response. What the hell did that even mean?
‘My friend dragged me here,’ Emma said in an attempt to explain, nodding towards Alice, now merrily chatting away to a man back at their table. ‘It was a present, so I couldn’t really turn it down.’
‘Quite the present.’ Will chuckled.
They stood in silence for a minute as the organiser announced the next two men, who clambered onstage to begin a painful rendition of Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
Will winced as one of the duo attempted a falsetto. ‘What do you say we head outside for some air? I could use a break from this,’ he said, leaning down to speak into Emma’s ear. His warm breath made the hairs on her arms stand up, and she patted them down again.
‘Okay.’ She’d leave with Jack the Ripper if it meant escaping the torturous sounds piercing her eardrums. Emma glanced over at Alice, now completely absorbed in her conversation with the man. Her friend wouldn’t miss her for a second or two.
Clutching her glass, Emma followed Will’s broad back across the room and up the stairs, trying not to stare at his well-formed bottom in the loose-fitting jeans. Outside, the street was even busier, p acked full of people drinking and chattering.
Will leaned against the wall of the building, away from the noise of the crowd. ‘That’s better. So, how’s the paint? Have you had a chance to use it yet?’
Emma sipped her whisky, trying not to wince as the liquid burned its way down her throat. She hadn’t tried it since forever, preferring to go with the milder—and less liver-damaging—wine. But what the heck, a little whisky was nothing compared to conquering karaoke! She risked taking a gulp and started sputtering.
‘Whoa!’ Will put a steadying hand on her back. ‘You okay?’
Shivering, Emma tried not to notice the heat of his hand seeping through the thin fabric of her top.
‘It is kind of cold out here, isn’t it?’ Will said. ‘We can go back inside if you want.’
Emma shook her head. Little did he know, she wasn’t shivering from the cold. ‘No, that’s okay. You were right—it’s good to give our eardrums a break.’ She cleared her throat. ‘Yes, I managed to finish one wall, and the colour is fantastic. Just the shade I wanted.’
‘Only one wall?’ Will asked. ‘If something’s wrong, I’d be happy to have another go. Many goes, in fact, until we get the right shade.’
‘It’s perfect, but I’d planned on an accent wall.’ She sipped her drink again, wondering what else to say. This time, the liquid swirled pleasantly down her throat, warming her belly. The street was starting to take on a hazy glow that meant the alcohol was finally working, thank God.
‘Those accent walls are rubbish,’ Will said firmly. ‘“In for a penny, in for a pound,” my dad always says. You need to paint the whole room to get a sense of how the colour affects the mood of the place.’
Emma smiled. Her father used to say the same thing, too, usually when it came to eating cake. One piece was never enough, he’d proclaim, and if you were going to indulge, you might as well go all the way.
‘There you are!’ Alice burst out of the club, a brimming goblet of wine in one hand and a dazzled-looking man in the other. Emma jerked as she realised in her hurry to escape, she’d left her friend’s glass on the bar. Oops.
‘Emma, this is Chaz. Chaz, Emma!’ Under the influence of
‘Oh! Hi!’ Emma tried to feign surprise at seeing him here.
‘That was quite the performance up there.’ His voice was even, but Emma thought she could see a spark of humour in his eyes. ‘I’d never have guessed when I met you earlier you’d be into karaoke.’
‘Yeah, well, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do,’ she mumbled, cursing herself for the insipid response. What the hell did that even mean?
‘My friend dragged me here,’ Emma said in an attempt to explain, nodding towards Alice, now merrily chatting away to a man back at their table. ‘It was a present, so I couldn’t really turn it down.’
‘Quite the present.’ Will chuckled.
They stood in silence for a minute as the organiser announced the next two men, who clambered onstage to begin a painful rendition of Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
Will winced as one of the duo attempted a falsetto. ‘What do you say we head outside for some air? I could use a break from this,’ he said, leaning down to speak into Emma’s ear. His warm breath made the hairs on her arms stand up, and she patted them down again.
‘Okay.’ She’d leave with Jack the Ripper if it meant escaping the torturous sounds piercing her eardrums. Emma glanced over at Alice, now completely absorbed in her conversation with the man. Her friend wouldn’t miss her for a second or two.
Clutching her glass, Emma followed Will’s broad back across the room and up the stairs, trying not to stare at his well-formed bottom in the loose-fitting jeans. Outside, the street was even busier, p acked full of people drinking and chattering.
Will leaned against the wall of the building, away from the noise of the crowd. ‘That’s better. So, how’s the paint? Have you had a chance to use it yet?’
Emma sipped her whisky, trying not to wince as the liquid burned its way down her throat. She hadn’t tried it since forever, preferring to go with the milder—and less liver-damaging—wine. But what the heck, a little whisky was nothing compared to conquering karaoke! She risked taking a gulp and started sputtering.
‘Whoa!’ Will put a steadying hand on her back. ‘You okay?’
Shivering, Emma tried not to notice the heat of his hand seeping through the thin fabric of her top.
‘It is kind of cold out here, isn’t it?’ Will said. ‘We can go back inside if you want.’
Emma shook her head. Little did he know, she wasn’t shivering from the cold. ‘No, that’s okay. You were right—it’s good to give our eardrums a break.’ She cleared her throat. ‘Yes, I managed to finish one wall, and the colour is fantastic. Just the shade I wanted.’
‘Only one wall?’ Will asked. ‘If something’s wrong, I’d be happy to have another go. Many goes, in fact, until we get the right shade.’
‘It’s perfect, but I’d planned on an accent wall.’ She sipped her drink again, wondering what else to say. This time, the liquid swirled pleasantly down her throat, warming her belly. The street was starting to take on a hazy glow that meant the alcohol was finally working, thank God.
‘Those accent walls are rubbish,’ Will said firmly. ‘“In for a penny, in for a pound,” my dad always says. You need to paint the whole room to get a sense of how the colour affects the mood of the place.’
Emma smiled. Her father used to say the same thing, too, usually when it came to eating cake. One piece was never enough, he’d proclaim, and if you were going to indulge, you might as well go all the way.
‘There you are!’ Alice burst out of the club, a brimming goblet of wine in one hand and a dazzled-looking man in the other. Emma jerked as she realised in her hurry to escape, she’d left her friend’s glass on the bar. Oops.
‘Emma, this is Chaz. Chaz, Emma!’ Under the influence of
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