Out of The Blue Read Online Free PDF

struggled to say through more laughter.
    “Now you’ll remember your Brownie pledge right?” I focused on her smiling blue eyes; they were so intense I couldn’t look away.
    “Do you know what you want?” Jamie asked, no doubt aware of the double meaning it held.
    My fingers fumbled with the menu as I finally tore my gaze away from her. “I umm … let me see,” I replied as I scanned the options, grateful for the relief from her penetrating stare. I was starting to feel like prey in the crosshairs. I wasn’t used to being the chasee; I was usually the chaser. It was a new experience that I wasn’t altogether comfortable with.   
    “When I first met you I thought James was your partner-partner not business partner.”
    I smiled at her ruse to find out more personal information. “Really? And what makes you think he isn’t now?”
    She grinned at me before taking a long drink from her beer. She carefully placed her glass down on the beer mat before looking up at me again. “So you and James have never–?”
    “God no! He’s my closest friend, but no. I knew I should have worn my gold star tonight.”
    “Gold star?” Jamie repeated, trying to stifle a laugh.
    “I lost it somewhere. I’ll have to get the local LGBT to send me another one,” I replied.
    “I’m guessing the first initial is the one that applies to you?” she half-questioned.
    “Oh. So you can’t see me as a chap one day. That’s very disappointing.” I held my hand to my chest for effect. “Not handsome enough? Or maybe I was a chap not so long ago.”
    Jamie continued to laugh and thin laughter lines appeared around her eyes, a look that suited her very much. After regaining control, she continued, “Oh really? Well, you must have been a very handsome chap.”
    I was partial to a bit of flirty banter and so was she apparently.
    A voice to her left drew her eyes away from mine. “What can I get you?” The appearance of the waitress shocked us both.
    “Umm.” I confirmed my choice from the menu. “I’ll have the homemade golden fleece burger with blue cheese please.”
    “Umm … can I have the homemade tuna fishcakes with sweet potato wedges?” Jamie reeled off from her memory. 
    I smiled at her. She obviously knew the menu well enough to order without the need to look at it. I waited for the waitress to leave before continuing our conversation. “Do you eat here often?”
    “Not really, but it’s nice to once in a while.”    
    I wondered how many times she had been here and who she had been with. I broke the silence that had fallen between us, returning to the topic of James. “It’s funny actually; I’ve known James since my first semester at university and in all that time I’ve never actually know him to be interested in anyone male or female. I think he’s asexual. Is that the right word?”
    Jamie laughed. “I think so. Didn’t that celebrity-guy describe himself like that once? And I suppose you were a little more prolific?”       
    I took offence at her words. Why did she have to keep on riling me one minute then being extra nice the next. “Well, prolific is a bit strong but I guess you could say I was never lonely.” 
    Our food seemed to turn up in lightning fast time. I guess they wanted to get it all out of the way before the music started and the place got crammed with patrons.  
    I applied condiments to my meal before continuing with my train of thought. “I don’t want to talk shop, but I was thinking we might need to do some night surveying.”
    “Really? What do you think is out there?”
    “Well, we’ve found evidence of deer, fox, rabbit and possibly water voles on the banks of the river.”
    “I see. Could I maybe come with you? I’d like to see what’s out there, too.”
    I was shocked at her request. “Really? No guarantees. We might be totally wasting our time.”
    “I don’t mind.”      
    I relented. “Okay, I need to talk to Mike. I think he’s