Page 15 of Flowers Go Flying in Crumbleton
‘Probably a good thing I missed it, though… I’m not great with blood, me!’
Murray closed his eyes and let it all wash over him. He really needed that paracetamol and a lie-down!
‘They must have picked the bloke up nice and fast,’ Brian continued, unmoved by Murray’s silence. ‘I was only gone for about an hour, and everything was quiet by the time I got back. Outside, at least – the disco inside was quite loud. I wanted a game of darts in the bar, but the best man pretty much growled at me, so I decided to give it a miss after all.’
Best man?
Murray let out another low groan. There was only one person that could have been. Josh must have been in seventh heaven when he’d been carted away in the ambulance!
‘Must have been one heck of a party you’ve been to, if you’re only just getting back now,’ said Brian, giving him a sympathetic glance in the mirror. He clearly thought Murray was suffering from a hangover to end all hangovers rather than a sunflower-induced concussion.
Murray just forced a rueful smile. He wasn’t about to put him right. ‘Reckon you can drop me off at the wharf?’
‘That’s a little way out,’ said Brian in surprise. ‘Sure you don’t want me to take you into town instead? You look like you could do with a couple of cups of Mabel’s coffee and a bacon sarnie before you even think about rowing back home.’
Murray shook his head, and then promptly wished he hadn’t. ‘The wharf’s fine, thanks.’
As much as Murray would love a coffee right now, he didn’t want to reappear in town looking like the crumpled ghost of a best man doomed to wander Crumbleton in a morning suit for all eternity. Besides, he smelled like hospital – a strange mixture of stress-sweat and disinfectant. He needed a shower, a change of clothes and a lie-down.
Plus… he couldn’t risk bumping into Milly in this state. He’d been so excited to see her on Saturday, but now… he wasn’t so sure! He had no idea if she’d witnessed his bouquet-headbutt-of-shame, but judging by how intrigued Brian seemed to be about the whole thing, he wasn’t about to kid himself. Milly would have heard all the details by now – both the real ones and the extended director’s cut, complete with blooper reel!
‘Nearly there,’ said Brian, glancing at him again, clearly wondering if he was about to disgrace himself by puking all over the back of his pristine cab.
‘Mm,’ said Murray vaguely.
‘You know… they never did find out what happened to the bouquet after it knocked that chap out.’
‘Uh huh?’ said Murray.
‘Yeah… weird, huh? Someone must have taken it, I guess. Whopping great big thing it was too, apparently. It must have really done some damage. Personally, I think I would have ducked if I saw it coming straight for me!’ He pulled a face and drew the taxi to a gentle halt.
Murray simply smiled and started rummaging in the pocket of his ridiculous, tailed jacket for his wallet. He couldn’t wait to get out of the car - he didn’t think he’d ever been so happy to see his boat waiting for him!
‘Thanks for the ride – keep the change,’ he said, handing over a couple of notes.
‘Right you are,’ said Brian, taking the money with a grateful nod. ‘Now – remember what I said – bacon sarnie and a coffee and you’ll be as right as rain. Reckon you won’t be partying quite so hard again for a little while, eh?’
‘Probably not,’ said Murray with a rueful smile before making a break for it.
Crossing the road in front of the cab, Murray took a deep breath - glad of the fresh air after the stuffy hospital ward followed by the scent of Brian’s air freshener. He turned and raised his hand to wave Brian off, only to catch the taxi driver eyeballing his crumpled suit with raised eyebrows.
Uh oh!
Murray hurriedly started to untie the boat and then hopped down. He was uncomfortably aware that Brian was watching his every move. Something told him that he’d just been rumbled.
Taking his seat, Murray grabbed his oars and began to row, keen to put as much distance between himself and the taxi as he could.
‘Blasted thing!’ he muttered, cursing the stupid jacket as it immediately cut into his arms.
Pausing briefly, he yanked it off, not caring in the slightest when the movement resulted in a loud ripping sound. He just tossed it onto the grubby deck and rolled his shoulders.
There… much better.
Grabbing the oars again, Murray pulled hard. The boat shot through the water, leaving Brian Singer staring after him.
CHAPTER 7
MILLY
