Toni laughed as the beaming toddler staggered towards her, clutching the ball she’d tossed to him. The eighteen-month-old was her friend Becky’s first child and totally adorable.
“Oh, Charlie.” Toni scooped him up in her arms. “You are too cute for words.”
Giggling, Charlie squirmed out of her hold, bending to pluck a handful of grass which he tossed to his mother before toddling off. “He’s great, but it’s a nightmare keeping him in sight,” Becky said with a rueful smile. “I thought it was stressful when he was just a baby, but now that he’s walking he can be off in a flash if I’m not careful.”
Toni patted her friend’s hand. “I’m in awe. I don’t know how you manage.”
It was midday, and she’d popped round to visit her old friend from high school. Becky had never left Piper Bay. She had married her high school sweetheart and bought a house less than a kilometre from where she’d grown up. Despite her declarations of tiredness, Becky looked marvellous. Marriage and motherhood obviously agreed with her.
Charlie pulled off his blue sun hat and threw it on the lawn. Becky replaced it, and he promptly whipped it off again, grinning mischievously.
“Dion invited me and Rob to the opening party tonight,” Becky said as she retrieved the sun hat. “Pity we can’t go. My parents are away, and I don’t trust anyone else to babysit Charlie.” She advanced on her son who careened out of reach, chuckling with glee as he made for the nearby sand pit. The entire back yard of Becky’s house appeared to be devoted to Charlie. There was a tricycle, swing set, sand pit, and scattered toys everywhere. “I so wanted to go too. I think it’s wonderful the way Dion’s managed to turn his life around.”
Toni gave her friend a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, you know. For a while there he was hanging out with the wrong crowd.”
“What crowd was that?”
Charlie tripped over a bucket and landed face-first in the sand pit. As his face screwed up and his lower lip trembled, Becky was already at his side, dusting away the sand sticking to his mouth. “I didn’t know any of them very well. I just know they weren’t interested in much else besides surfing and doing drugs.”
A chill slid down Toni’s spine. “Dion’s not into drugs.”
“Not any more, thank God.” Becky hefted the toddler onto her hip and moved towards Toni. “I guess you weren’t aware of it. You were away at uni at the time.” She paused, her expression altering as she took in Toni’s shock. “Uh, perhaps I shouldn’t have mentioned it. I just assumed you already knew because you and Dion were always thick as thieves.”
Feeling ill, Toni shook her head. “I knew he was a bit lost, spent most of his time surfing but …” She fell silent, disturbed by Becky’s casual revelation.
“Hey, it was a while ago, and Dion’s got his act together now. I only saw him hanging out with these losers a couple of times. I’m sure Dion wasn’t heavily involved with them. He’s always had lots of friends. These were probably just friends of friends, you know, acquaintances.” Becky chewed her lip. “Shoot. Now I wish I’d kept my mouth shut.”
“No, I’m sure it was just a passing phase, and it’s been years now.” Toni made herself smile to reassure Becky. “Don’t worry. I won’t say anything.”
“Thanks.” Becky looked relieved. “I like Dion a lot. Rob and I have been going to the Happy Palace for ages, and when Dion takes over we’ll go even more often.” With Charlie still in her arms she moved inside the house. Toni followed and slipped onto a stool at the kitchen bench, watching as her friend cut up an apple for her son, but her mind was still preoccupied.
“I’ve sometimes wondered about you and Dion.” Becky gave her a calculating look. “You’re chalk and cheese, but I think you’d make a great couple.”
Toni’s fingers gripped the granite bench. An image of her almost kissing Dion last night seared across her brain. “Oh please, don’t go there.” That’s all she needed. Other people giving her encouragement when she was already in danger of embarrassing herself.
“Why not? You’re both single.”
Toni pulled a face. “And that’s your only criterion?”
“You know what I mean.” Shrugging, Becky held out another apple slice for Charlie. “You and Dion complement each other, and besides, he’s pretty hot, you have to admit that.”
Yes, he was hotter than Hades, but she wasn’t going to admit anything, especially if it had a chance of getting back to Dion. “I’m not looking for a serious relationship, and Dion definitely isn’t.”
“You don’t have to have a serious relationship.” Becky winked at her. “What’s wrong with a quick fling?”
Toni smothered a choke. “You obviously don’t remember our parents too well.” She got to her feet, reaching for her handbag and car keys. “I’d better leave before this conversation gets out of hand.”
“I’m a happily married woman,” Becky protested. “All I have for drama are my friends’ love lives.”
“Not this friend.” She bent to plant a kiss on Charlie’s sweet-smelling hair. “Goodbye, Charlie. Tell your mother to behave.”
Becky laughed. “Come back. I was just kidding.”
But Toni wasn’t taking any chances. With a wave and a hug, she took her leave.
“Let’s hope everything goes well tonight,” Toni’s father said to her.
They were standing outside the Happy Palace, waiting for Toni’s mother who had popped across the street to buy something from the pharmacy. The restaurant was slap-bang in the middle of the town centre, a prime location now that Piper Bay had expanded. Through the windows of the restaurant Toni could see a sizeable crowd had already gathered for the relaunch party. Her father smoothed down his carefully combed hair and fidgeted with his tie, all the while glancing anxiously at the restaurant.
“You’re not nervous, are you?” Toni asked in surprise.
Shen nodded, a little sheepish. “A bit. I want Dion to do well.”
“I’m amazed you haven’t been in there all day helping him to prepare.”
“He asked me and Kai to let him do it with his own staff. Your Uncle Kai can’t help interfering.” Shen shrugged. “But I stay away.”
It must have been torture for him. “Are you regretting giving up the restaurant?” she asked.
“No. My legs not good. I can’t stand all day.” He watched as Toni’s mother hurried back across the street. “Your mother and I work hard so many years. Now we want to enjoy ourselves while we still healthy enough.”
Pearl caught up with them, a medicine bottle in her hands. She opened it, shook out a pill and swallowed it. “Okay, I’m ready now.”
Toni realised she’d taken an antacid tablet. “Mum,” she protested. “Do you really think Dion’s food is going to be so bad you need antacid before we’ve eaten?”
“No, I got indigestion already,” Pearl replied. “Nerves.”
“Both of you? Wow, poor Dion.”
“Not poor Dion. We know he’s going to do very well. He’s got big future. Look how many people there.” Pearl nodded towards the crowded restaurant before tugging at her husband’s arm. “Fai dee la. We don’t want to be last.”
As Toni followed her parents into the restaurant, butterflies began to quiver in her stomach at the thought of seeing Dion again. Would he be embarrassed to see her after what had happened last night? She wouldn’t be surprised if he was. Her behaviour had been totally out of character.
About sixty or seventy people stood in clusters around the main room, drinking wine and chatting loudly. The interior of the restaurant was almost unrecognisable. Gone were the mass-produced Chinese oil paintings, the gaudy gilt lettering, the goldfish tank, the floral carpet and paper lanterns. Now there were bamboo floors, concealed lighting, simple Chinese scrolls in alcoves, and modern wooden tables and chairs.
Dion walked out of the crowd towards them, grinning a welcome. Toni hung back as her parents moved forward to greet him. Suddenly she felt gauche and out of place. Her parents fussed over Dion as if they hadn’t seen him for years before moving on to join the crowd. The smile faded a little from his lips as she approached him.
“Hi.” She glanced at him uncertainly. In a pristine white chef’s jacket and black trousers he looked crisp, professional and unfamiliar. “Um, everything set for tonight?”
“It’s panic stations out the back, but don’t tell anyone.” Despite his words, he seemed his usual unflappable self. He took his time studying her. “You look nice.”
Her heart leaped. Her nervous fingers flicked over the mauve cocktail dress with lace overlay she wore. “Oh, this old thing.” The instant the words left her mouth she regretted them. How affected she sounded. Especially when she’d spent such an age on her appearance this evening, laboriously applying every cosmetic she possessed before washing most of it off. It seemed important she look her best tonight, but at the same time she didn’t want to appear like she was trying too hard.
“Well, you look good anyway.” He eyed her some more. “What did you get up to today?”
His friendly tone eased some of her fluster. It seemed Dion wanted to ignore what had happened last night, and that was fine by her. “This morning my mum showed me how to make wontons, and this afternoon I visited Becky.” She paused, growing warm as she recalled Becky’s comments about Dion and her making a great couple. “She and Rob are regulars here, apparently, and she can’t wait to try out your new menu.”
“I hope she won’t be too disappointed. I figure I’m going to get a few complaints because I’m not serving up Aussie-Chinese food any more, but there were some things on the menu that just had to go.”
Toni glanced over at her parents who were chatting with Dion’s parents. “Do any of them know what’s on the menu?”
“Nah. Why give them more worries?” Grinning, he folded his arms across his chest.
She found herself smiling back. “My dad can’t stop fidgeting, and my mum’s on antacids.”
“And you? Do you also think I’m going to make a complete balls-up and ruin all their years of hard work?”
“No! You’re going to be a great success. And I’m sure your menu will be a hit.”
“Huh.” His eyes glimmered. “Glad to know I can still count on you.”
The sparkle in his eyes made the butterflies in her swirl about. She opened her mouth to tell him he could always count on her, but before she could get a syllable out a tall, slinky brunette sauntered over and draped her hand on Dion’s shoulder.
“Hey darl,” she drawled. “Sorry to interrupt but should I be showing people to their tables?” Bright blue eyes outlined in blue eyeliner flashed in Toni’s direction. “Hi, I’m Melissa, by the way.”
“This is Toni Lau,” Dion introduced them. He added to Toni, “Melissa’s acting front of house manager for me tonight. I’ll have too much to do in the kitchen.”
“You won’t have to worry about a thing.” Melissa turned to Toni. “I’m a manager at the Piper Bay Resort. I couldn’t say no to Dion when he asked me to help out tonight.”
A tingling sensation prickled in Toni’s belly. Why hadn’t Dion asked her to help? She quickly squashed her sulky inner voice. He’d been planning this event for months, and she’d only arrived at short notice. Besides, she knew nothing about being a restaurant manager. She was just being silly. And a bit jealous.
Dion smiled at Melissa. “Thanks again. You’re a lifesaver.”
“Oh, you know I can’t refuse you, darl.” Melissa’s crimson lips puckered up suggestively.
Toni compressed her lips. Okay, she was more than just a bit jealous.
Dion leaned over and pecked Melissa on the cheek. “Gotta run. I’ll leave things to you.” He walked off without saying anything further to Toni.
Toni’s cheeks ached as she stretched her lips into a wide smile for Melissa’s benefit. “Looks like you’ll be busy tonight,” she said noncommittally.
Melissa gave her a friendly nod. “I hear you and Dion are practically brother and sister.”
Taken aback, Toni blurted out, “Oh, no, not that close.” Surely Dion hadn’t described their relationship like that?
Melissa’s smile grew a little confused. “Well, what a cute dress you’re wearing. It’s adorable.”
“Thanks.” Toni eyed Melissa’s silver sheath dress, red skyscraper stilettos, and chunky silver collar. She wouldn’t be out of place on a Vogue cover. “You look nice too,” she added lamely.
“I try.” Melissa’s teeth dazzled as she flicked back her hair. “Oh well, I’ll speak to you later.”
Toni joined her parents and the Chans at the table they’d chosen.
Dion’s mother leaned towards her. “I see you talking to Melissa.”
Toni nodded and couldn’t help asking, “Did she and Dion, you know, go out together?”
Queenie nodded. “Last year, but not any more.”
“I like her,” Dion’s dad chipped in. “She’s smart. She and Dion get on well.”
Pursing her lips, Queenie shook her head at Kai. “Dion get on with everyone. Even ex-girlfriends.”
That was true. For all the many girlfriends he’d had, Dion managed to stay on good terms with them after the inevitable breakup.
“Why can’t he stick with one girl?” Dion’s dad continued. “He’s twenty-seven already. Time he picked a girl and settled down.”
“Wah, you expect too much from him!” Queenie exclaimed in Cantonese. “You want him to succeed here, you want him to chose a girl and get married. He can’t do it all. Sometimes it’s difficult to find the right girl. Better he takes his time than choose the wrong wife and regret it later.” Stopping short, she threw an apologetic glance at Toni. “Sorry, but you know what I mean.”
Toni was saved from answering by the arrival of the first dishes. The others oohed and aahed at the unusual appetisers, but though the food looked delicious Toni was distracted. She couldn’t stop eyeing Melissa who wafted from table to table, chatting to guests about the food, refilling glasses, and directing the waiters. The woman appeared to be good at her job and she was attractive and friendly, Toni conceded. She could see why Dion would be drawn to her. But he wasn’t any more, was he? That peck on the cheek he’d given Melissa had definitely been platonic. Maybe Melissa still had a “thing” for him but the feeling wasn’t reciprocated. Toni grimaced. Since when had she become so interested in Dion’s love life? He’d seldom discussed his girlfriends with her. He could have, but he hadn’t, and she’d never asked. And she wasn’t about to start asking now. It was none of her business.
“Try this.” Her mother slipped a quail’s egg into her bowl. “Very tasty.”
She sampled the egg, and then the other appetisers. The fresh, zingy flavours took her by surprise, distracting her from Melissa. Around them everyone was nodding and looking pleased, and as the next courses were served, the buzz of anticipation rose higher.
“Ah, wonton!” Pearl leaned forward in anticipation. “Let’s see if they good as mine.”
Toni bit into her wonton. The wrapper was silky smooth, the filling a spicy mix of pork, prawn and bamboo shoots. Eaten with the accompanying clear chicken broth, the dish was sublime, and, Toni had to concede, better than her mother’s. Not that she could ever admit that.
“Not bad,” she said as Pearl waited for her opinion.
“Better than not bad. He put in something different.” Pearl made a few sucking noises with her tongue. “What is it? I must ask him.”
It was quite a while later before they saw Dion. When dinner was more than half over, he emerged from the kitchen and stopped at each table to chat to the guests. Even though he must have been working frantically in the kitchen, he managed to appear relaxed and calm as he worked the room like a pro. As Toni followed his progress, her admiration for what he’d achieved grew. Dion had never nursed any serious ambitions about anything. He’d been happy to accept whatever life dealt him. But look what he’d achieved tonight. His new menu was wowing the whole room, and he’d managed to impress his harshest critics – their parents. They were still clucking in approval, and it was plain they couldn’t be prouder of him.
When Dion reached their table, the Chans and Laus burst out in spontaneous applause. Face pink, he bowed his head in acknowledgement. “Thanks, I couldn’t have done it without you,” he said when he’d recovered. As his parents settled down, he moved closer to Toni. “Hope you enjoyed it too,” he said almost shyly.
“Dion, your cooking is amazing. I never knew you could …” She trailed off, not wanting to blunder as she struggled to find the right words. “I’m so impressed. I’ll be coming back to Piper Bay a lot more often now.”
“Will you?” He smiled, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’m glad you liked it. I made the wontons specially for you.”
“Ah, your wonton,” Pearl interjected. “Very nice. You put something different in them, ah?”
“Some pickled ginger, a little cloud ear mushroom, a dash of cognac.”
“Mm, you show me one day. Your mother, too.”
Dion nodded, eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Of course. No problem.”
“You work very hard, Dion. We all proud of you.” Pearl gestured towards the room, which had become rather noisy as people waited for the final courses. “You better get back to the kitchen.”
He nodded then turned back to Toni. “A few of us are going out to unwind after all this. Want to join us?”
She glanced at her parents for a brief moment before replying, “Yeah, that sounds like fun.”
“Great.” For the first time that night he gave her a genuine smile. “I’ll give you a lift home afterwards. See you later.” He brushed his fingers over her shoulder before hurrying back to the kitchen.
“You going out with Dion?” Shen tapped his fingers on the table cloth.
To her surprise she saw faint disapproval printed on her father’s face. “Uh, yes, Dion and some of his friends. I shouldn’t be late,” she felt forced to add, even though it was faintly ridiculous having to explain her movements to her father. She was twenty-seven, give or take a day, not seventeen.
“Don’t be.” He continued to frown at her.
She stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “Okay, Dad.” Honestly, why was he coming down on her? It was just a casual invitation. She’d be with Dion’s friends, who would include Melissa, she was willing to bet. Just a few friendly drinks to celebrate his success, that was all it would be. Nothing like last night would happen, she was sure of that. Still, the tingling in her blood wouldn’t die down.
Two hours later Dion walked into the restaurant’s main room. The tables were clear, the crowd had dispersed, and just Toni and Melissa were still there, standing at the hostess desk. With Dion were Gary and Ronan, his assistant cook and kitchen hand respectively, who had just finished cleaning the kitchen with him. He had exchanged his chef’s jacket for a plain, charcoal-grey shirt and washed the smell of cooking from his face and hair. “Okay, ready to go?” he said to the two women.
“Hell, yeah.” Melissa gave him a wide grin, her lips bright red from the freshly reapplied lipstick. With her metallic dress and killer heels she looked ready to hit a casino, not share a few quiet after work drinks. “Where’re we going? Hey, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we drive down to Newcastle and go clubbing?”
Behind Dion, Gary uttered a groan. “I’m too knackered to go all the way to Newcastle.”
“Oh, pooh, you’re no fun” Melissa spun round to Dion. “How about it, darl? I’ve got my dancing shoes on, just like old times.”
Dion’s gaze slid past her to Toni, who hadn’t moved from the hostess desk. In her bluish purple dress she looked like an untouched violet. At the sight of her his heart panged. The adrenalin rush of the opening still pumped in his veins, and he had enough energy for anything, but the last thing he wanted was to take Toni to a noisy, crowded nightclub where they’d have to shout to be heard.
“We’ve been on our feet all day,” he pointed out to Melissa. “We’re going to the Dolphin Bar.”
“That old place.” Melissa pulled a face before shrugging. “Oh, fine then, if that’s where you want to go.”
Not for the first time Dion was glad he and Melissa had broken up. She was lively and fun to be with, but only in small doses. “Yeah, that’s where we’re going.” He glanced round at the others. “I’m giving Toni a ride. Anyone else need a lift?”
“Oh, me, please.” Melissa gave an exaggerated wink. “I’m in the mood for a night out, and I don’t want to leave my car overnight outside the Dolphin Bar.”
Suppressing a sigh, Dion ushered the two women outside and over to his SUV. “You don’t mind the Dolphin, do you?” he asked Toni when they were briefly alone. The Dolphin Bar was an old-fashioned pub on the outskirts of town. It was a little daggy but cheerful and wouldn’t be too crowded at this time of night.
“Not at all.” She smiled at him. “To be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to traipsing all the way to Newcastle.”
In the car Melissa insisted Toni sit up front, then spent the entire trip with her head poked between the front seats while she quizzed Toni about her future plans. “Wow, that must have been tough for you,” she said when Toni confessed she was recently divorced. “I guess you’ve gone off men for a while, huh? I don’t blame you. Men can be such pigs.” Pinching Dion’s shoulder, she snickered. “Present company excluded, of course!”
Dion rolled his shoulder. Melissa was getting on his nerves. Usually he enjoyed her company, but not tonight.
“Oh, Dion can be a pig too, sometimes,” Toni said. Dion gripped the steering wheel harder, shooting her a confused glance. Was she ganging up on him with Melissa? “Once he offered to give me a surfing lesson,” Toni continued, “and then left me on the beach while he tried to impress some girl with his prowess on the surfboard.” He blinked, trying to recall the incident. Hmm, maybe she was right about that. She grinned at him. “But that was a long time ago. You haven’t been a pig in quite a while.”
He didn’t know how to respond to that. Luckily, the drive to the Dolphin Bar was already over. They parked behind the pub and met Gary and Ronan inside. As expected, the place wasn’t too full, and they managed to find a corner table away from the main bar.
Dion ordered a magnum of champagne, much to the bartender’s surprise. He poured out a glass for everyone. Melissa banged the flat of her palm on the tabletop. “Speech! Speech! Come on, Dion.”
He shushed her down. “Okay, just a quick word. Well done, everyone, but especially to Gary and Ronan. I couldn’t have done it without you guys.”
Gary grinned. “Too right, mate.”
Dion raised his glass. “Here’s to the Happy Palace.” Everyone joined in the toast.
“Woo hoo.” Melissa downed her champagne in one gulp. “Refill, please.” Dion tipped a dribble of alcohol into her glass.
“What are the bookings like for tomorrow?” Gary asked.
“Better than expected. We’ll get a lot of people just turning up too.” For a while he discussed business with Gary. “Sorry,” he said to Toni after a few minutes. “Didn’t mean to talk shop all the time.”
“No, I’m fascinated,” she said without a trace of sarcasm. “I’m glad you’re talking about cash flow and projections. Sounds like you have a solid business plan.”
“My bank manager insisted I have one before he approved my loan application.”
“Oh.” A worried frown hovered on her forehead. “I didn’t know you had to borrow money.”
“It’s not that much. The repayments are well within my budget. Don’t look like that or you’ll start reminding me of my dad.”
Her face cleared. “I wouldn’t want to do that.”
When the champagne was gone, Dion got up to buy everyone a round of drinks. He returned from the bar to find that Gary had squeezed himself in next to Toni and had her deeply engrossed in conversation. Gary was thirty, single, and not bad-looking in a clean-cut way. He was hard working, innovative, and a great asset to the restaurant. Dion hadn’t thought he was a ladies’ man before, but now he was monopolising Toni like a seasoned smooth operator.
It was none of his business. If Gary’s attentions were bothering Toni, she knew how to make her feelings clear, but she seemed to be enjoying his company. Dion’s gut snarled with jealousy.
He passed the drinks around. Melissa began talking but he wasn’t paying her any attention; couldn’t pay attention to anything except the sight of Gary and Toni’s heads hovering together. After a few minutes Melissa gave up on him and turned to Ronan.
It seemed Gary was going to monopolise Toni all night. Each time Dion heard her laugh, his abdomen squeezed and his knee jerked up and down. Eventually he couldn’t take it any more. Muttering an excuse, he rose to his feet and wandered towards the main bar without any real purpose except to get away from Gary and Toni.
Someone from behind tapped him on the shoulder. “Hey, Big D. Long time no see.”
Turning, he found a thin, scruffy guy with sunken eyes standing right next to him. “Zed. Hi,” Dion greeted him without much enthusiasm. “Didn’t know you were back in Piper Bay.”
Zed shrugged. “Sydney didn’t exactly work out.”
The guy was scrawnier than ever, and his face had the poxy, washed out complexion of a zombie. Dion had a fair idea what the cause of that was. Zed belonged to an episode in his past he’d rather forget. He took a step back, preparing to end the brief conversation, but Zed foiled him by inching forward.
“Hey, you looking to score some dope?” Zed muttered out the side of his crusted lips.
Dion stiffened. “Shit, no.”
“Dude, only asking.” Zed lifted weedy shoulders weighed down by a smelly leather jacket. “You used to ring me up all the time.”
“That was ages ago.” Dion could feel himself quivering with anger. Jutting out his jaw, he glared at Zed. “I don’t do that stuff any more, got it?”
The guy held up his hands. “I get it, you’re clean. Good for you, man. What about those friends of yours? They still around here?”
“I wouldn’t know,” Dion retorted. “I don’t hang out with them any more. Excuse me, I have to go somewhere.” Anywhere, as long as it was away from Zed.
He shouldered his way past the guy and strode out to the beer garden. The cooler air wafted across the back of his damp neck. Expelling a long breath, he rubbed his fingers through his hair, trying to regain his self-control. He didn’t know why bumping into Zed had rattled him so much. Maybe it was the timing. Tonight he’d scored a significant triumph with the restaurant, but seeing his old dope dealer had brought back memories he’d rather forget.
The beer garden was half-empty, the dim corner he stood in deserted, so he easily heard the footsteps behind him. A faint scent of perfume alerted him who it was even before he turned. Toni walked up to him uncertainly, her dark eyes fixed on him.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
No, he wasn’t okay. He couldn’t put a finger on why he felt so frustrated, only knew his body was clenched and his throat tight, almost as if he was preparing for a fight.
“Who was that guy you were talking to?” Toni continued.
So she hadn’t been completely immersed in Gary’s company. Good, except he wished she hadn’t seen him with Zed. He shrugged. “Just some guy I used to know.”
“Ronan says he’s a dope dealer.”
His head jerked up. “Oh, so now you think I’m smoking dope.”
“I didn’t say that.” A faint crease appeared between her eyes. “Don’t be so defensive.”
“I haven’t bought any, if that’s what you’re worried about.” At his terse reply she pressed her lips together but didn’t respond. He knew what she was thinking, though. At high school there’d been the usual amount of drug-taking amongst their peers, but they’d never been tempted. Until one day he’d brought back a tiny amount of dope and convinced her they ought to try it at least once. Just a few puffs had made his head spin and Toni had been violently sick. After that they’d steered clear of any form of drug. She’d assumed he’d stay clean like her, but now she knew he hadn’t.
“But you used to,” she said, her voice soft, without accusation, but still it stung him.
Unable to witness her disappointment in him, he sank onto a bench beneath the trees. “A while back,” he said. “After high school when I was bumming around with no real plans. I fell in with some people in the same boat as me. They were heavy dope users, and the stuff was always lying around. They never pressured me, but I started sharing the odd cone with them at parties, and pretty soon I was smoking one almost every day.”
“Oh, Dion.” She plunked herself down next to him. “I heard a rumour you’d been hanging out with a bad crowd.”
He flexed his fists. “Becky, I suppose.”
“I only found out today.” Her eyes started to shimmer. “I never knew.”
“Why would you? You were in Sydney, studying and …” Falling in love, forging a new life, growing away from him in every way. “I had a job as a kitchen hand over at the bowling club. I was sharing a house with these guys and the whole dope thing just became part of the scenery.”
“So you did it just because everyone else around you was doing it?” Her voice shook. “Really, Dion?”
No, he wanted to yell. He didn’t do it to be accepted. There were other reasons, reasons he’d kept buried, reasons he’d barely acknowledged to himself. But now there was no hiding from them, not when the chief of them was sitting next to him, her baffled dismay skewering him. Without Toni he had drifted into murky waters. She was his anchor, his lode star. No way in hell could he tell her, though. He’d been dumb, but he’d be a complete moron to confess this.
He lifted his shoulders, hating how weak he sounded as he replied, “It was just a phase.”
“And your parents? They never knew what you were doing?”
“Dad found out. Dropped in one day and caught me in the act.” His dad had walked in without knocking to find Dion sprawled out on the couch, glassy-eyed and vacant, the squalid living room reeking of cannabis, his paraphernalia scattered on the coffee table in plain sight.
Toni’s hand flew to her mouth. “God! What happened? He must have been furious.”
“Furious doesn’t come close. We had a raging argument. I’ve never seen him come so close to striking me. He told me I was a waste of space and stormed out vowing never to talk to me again unless I cleaned up my act.”
She shook her head. “And your mother?”
“He’s never told her.”
“Oh. So what did you do after the argument?”
“I knew he was right. A week later I apologised to him and said I was going to change. I moved out of the share house, stopped seeing that crowd, even dropped surfing so I wouldn’t run into them. I started work at the Happy Palace, and never smoked dope again.”
“Just like that? Must have been quite an epiphany.”
Not quite as miraculous as that. He’d omitted a few pertinent details. Like the fact that a few days after the meltdown with his dad he’d raced down to Sydney to see Toni, his heart and head in turmoil. He’d wanted to tell her so many things, had wanted to spill out so many confused emotions. He’d missed her, missed having her in his life, and he’d been confident she felt the same about him. Vague plans had boiled in his mind. He’d move to Sydney and while she studied he’d find a job somewhere as a kitchen hand or apprentice cook. Didn’t matter what kind of job, as long as he could be with her.
When he’d spied her making out with Nick, all those wild plans had crashed and burned. He’d turned round and driven straight back to Piper Bay in shock. Toni hadn’t missed him after all. She’d been building a new life for herself which didn’t include him. She was happy, ecstatic even with that boyfriend of hers, and she didn’t need a loser friend latching onto her like a leech.
If the confrontation with his father had been a rude wake-up call, then witnessing Toni with Nick had been the extra punch in the teeth he’d needed. In hindsight Nick had done him a favour; stopped him from throwing himself on Toni and demanding she rescue him. No-one could save him except himself, he knew that now. But at the time it had felt as if he’d taken a bungy jump and forgotten the safety harness.
Now, Toni gazed at him, her expression troubled. “I wish I’d known. I wish you’d told me.” A note of accusation lurked beneath her words.
“Hey, you weren’t exactly around, remember? By that stage you weren’t coming up to Piper Bay very often.”
She blushed and nodded. They both knew she’d been too wrapped up with Nick to bother about anything else. “I know. Still, I wish you’d confided in me.”
He exhaled slowly, thinking of all the different paths their lives might have followed. “And I wish you’d confided in me when you started having problems with Nick.”
Twisting her fingers, she gave a deprecating laugh. “To be honest, I was too ashamed. Who wants to admit their marriage is in trouble and so soon? I thought it better to put on a brave act for everyone.”
“I’m not everyone, Toni.”
She gazed at him for a long time. “No, you’re not. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” Reaching out, she brushed her fingers over his hand which rested on the bench between them. “You and I used to be so close. I – I don’t know why we drifted apart, but I want us to be what we were before. Don’t you?”
He didn’t want them to be the way they were before. That wasn’t enough any more. But she was touching him, and he couldn’t resist curling his fingers through hers and holding onto her. “Yeah, of course,” he muttered.
The corners of her lips edged up. “So, no more secrets?”
He tightened his fingers around hers. Heat thudded beneath his skin so hot he was surprised she didn’t notice. The dimness of the beer garden and the humid night air pulled them closer. He’d stopped noticing what was going on around them. All he could focus on was this woman, this childhood friend who should have been as familiar to him as his old teddy bear but was instead an alluring enigma who scrambled all his senses.
“No more secrets,” he replied, his voice husky as he lied to her.
“Good.”
A moment’s pause. Then, it seemed the most natural thing in the world to embrace her, and as he did so he felt her arms wrap around his waist. Immediately his senses were flooded – her scent, her ink-silk hair, her thigh rubbing against his, her breasts pressed up on his chest, her moist breath feathering his jaw. All his pent up fantasies boiled over in an explosion of sensory overload. Her breath grew warmer. When her lips skated over his cheek, fire streaked from his face straight to his groin. Twisting his neck, he angled his mouth down squarely onto hers.
He heard her swift intake of breath. She froze but didn’t pull away as he’d half-feared. He deepened the kiss, and a second later she began to respond. Astonishment shattered through him, quickly chased away by need as he kissed her hungrily. How long had he imagined this kiss? Now it was happening, and it was hotter and juicier than anything he could have made up. He folded one arm tight around her waist. With his other hand he threaded his fingers through her smooth hair, revelling in its fineness before cupping the side of her cheek, his thumb caressing her jaw. She was satin and fire in his arms, and he never wanted to let go of her. But just as her lips began to part and he was ready to explore her mouth with his tongue, she broke off the kiss, and it felt like someone had yanked out his power cord.
Dumb-struck, he stared at her, aware of his panting and the uncomfortable bulge in his trousers. Her hair stuck to her cheeks, and she was huffing just as hard as he, her lips parted and rosy from their kissing.
“Dion–” She gulped and shuffled away from him. “Uh, what just happened?”
He sucked in some oxygen. Should he tell her that he’d been fantasising about her for years and that since she’d arrived he couldn’t stop thinking about getting her naked every time she got near him? No, that would be guaranteed to make her run a mile. Better to keep it cool and not creep her out.
“Last time I checked we’re two single, consenting adults,” he said, forcing himself to keep still. “We’re allowed to kiss.”
“Yes, but that–” She pressed her fingertips against her lips as if she could still feel the kiss. “That felt wrong.”
“Oh? How can I improve the next time?”
“The next time?”
“It didn’t feel wrong to me. It felt pretty damn good.” He reached for her and pushed his fingers through her hair, lifting the heavy mass off her shoulders. How fantastic she’d look naked with all that black shiny hair spilling over her breasts. Cradling the back of her head in his palm, he kissed her again, this time making sure it was light and teasing. When she didn’t resist, he flicked the tip of his tongue over the seam of her lips and was rewarded by a small tremor running through her body. “Was that better?” he asked as he lifted his head.
For a while she seemed too dazed to speak. Eventually she swallowed and said, “This is crazy. You and I, we’re friends.”
“Friends can’t make out?”
“You make it sound so – so natural.”
“It is natural.”
“No, it’s not. Not for me. I don’t go round pashing my male friends.” She jumped to her feet and turned away to stare out blindly at the trees, all the while rubbing her upper arms as if it was freezing, despite the muggy night.
Slowly he rose and stood close behind her. Every muscle in his body ached with the strain of reining in his emotions and denying his need to touch her, but instinct told him not to push her too far so he made himself remain silent.
“Dion, you’re a very attractive man,” she began, her face still averted.
Uh-oh, that didn’t sound too promising.
“You’ve had heaps of girlfriends,” she continued.
None of them were serious, he wanted to say.
“I don’t want to be another of your ex-girlfriends.” She turned to face him. “I don’t want to lose what we have just for the sake of – of a few kisses. You’re too important to me.”
And she had no idea just how important she was to him. “Toni, you’re not going to lose me.”
“You say that now because you’re thinking with your penis and not your brain.”
“I’ve always been told I’m a clever dick.”
She folded her arms and glared at him. “It’s wonderful that you can just live in the moment and not bother about the future, but I can’t.”
“Well, gee, thanks for pointing out my faults for me.”
“I didn’t mean it that way!” Her face crumpled a little. “Dion, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to criticise you, but you’ve really taken me by surprise here. I never thought you, uh, wanted to kiss me.”
His irritation melted away. If she only knew how long he’d wanted to kiss her. “You’re a beautiful person and gorgeous as well. Of course I want to kiss you.” He paused then added, “And you would’ve kissed me last night if your mum hadn’t interrupted.”
Her blush gave her away before she groaned. “Oh God, my parents. Your parents. They mustn’t find out we kissed.”
“We’re not even cousins. What’s the big deal?”
“You can’t guess?” Looking sick, she pressed her fingers against her temples. “I couldn’t face the third degree from my mum. Promise me you won’t tell anyone.”
“I guess you’ve got a point,” he conceded. “I mean, given how close our families are, it’s kind of surprising how they’ve never hinted you and I should get together.” He paused as an awkward thought struck him. “Er, that’s to say my parents have never hinted. I don’t know about yours.”
“Not mine. They’ve never tried to meddle in my relationships, but I’m sure they’d have something to say about us.”
Maybe she was worried her parents would be all for it and she didn’t need the extra pressure. Neither did he. Things between him and Toni were finely balanced here, and the last thing he needed was for their parents to start interfering.
“I won’t tell anyone,” he said, placing his hands on her shoulders. “It’ll be our little secret.”
He leaned in, hoping to kiss her again, but she stepped back with a sigh. “It won’t be a secret for long if we stay out here any longer. Let’s get back to the others before they come looking for us.”
“Okay,” he sighed as well.
He couldn’t resist pressing his palm in the small of her back as he ushered her back inside but dropped his hand as they approached the table. Melissa’s head sagged against Gary’s shoulder, her mouth slack, while Gary looked resigned at having her drool on his shirt. Ronan had deserted them and was chatting up a young woman at the bar.
Gary brightened at the sight of them. “Thank God you’re back.” Carefully tipping Melissa back onto her chair, he heaved to his feet, already fishing for his car keys. “Can I leave you with her?” he asked Dion. “I’m heading home.”
“Sure, I’ll get her home.” As Gary ducked out the bar at top speed, Dion grimaced at the sight of Melissa’s slumped form. She must have had a few vodkas. She never could handle them.
“Come on,” Toni said. “I’ll help you.”
Together they got Melissa to his SUV where she collapsed on the back seat. “She lives over in Medowie,” he said to Toni as they drove off.
“That’s a fair distance away. You’d best drop me off first.”
He’d been looking forward to having her alone with him in the car. It would have been the perfect opportunity to kiss her a few more times, but he realised that wasn’t going to happen. Not only would he have to drive Melissa all the way back, but he’d also have to carry her up to her apartment and put her to bed. Looking after his sozzled ex-girlfriend was hardly the right lead up to a romantic kiss.
“I’m going kayaking tomorrow,” he said as they pulled up outside her parents’ house. “Come with me. I’ve got a double kayak.”
She eyed him doubtfully. “I’m not sure of my plans tomorrow.”
“I won’t take no for an answer. I’ll pick you up at nine-thirty. Wear your bikini.”
“You’re being very bossy.”
“It’s the new me.”
From the back seat came a groan followed by a noxious burp.
“Fine then.” Toni scrambled out of the car. “I won’t argue with you.”
He watched as she hurried down the path. The sight of her hair swinging down her back made him grin. Tomorrow couldn’t come quick enough for him.