‘The problem with the Chinese here is they can’t really cook Chinese food,’ Durban, the expert on everything, said to Lucy as the Desire company junk cruised into a small bay on one of Hong Kong’s outlying islands. Lucy longingly eyed a small stretch of sand between two rocky headlands.
There were many things that Lucy knew about Hong Kong, even before she’d arrived in the city. She had a good grasp of its history, from its days as a pirate hideout to its colonial period under the British flag and its return to China in 1997. She knew its reputation as a financial hub and the names of the hongs, or trading companies, that dominated business in the city.
Lucy was also well aware of how busy the city was. The district of Mong Kok, literally meaning ‘busy corner’, held the record for the most crowded place on earth, not a title to be taken lightly. But what she hadn’t realised was the number of secret pockets of solitude tucked into this frenetic, crowded place.
It was one of those lovely little pieces of tranquillity that Lucy was gazing at as she stood on the deck of the junk. She checked that the ties on her bikini were secure and wondered if swimming there was a viable option for getting away from Durban, the guy who, for the past hour, had been in her ear about how great he was. He’d been in Hong Kong for about five minutes and he thought he knew it all – the answer to pollution, the housing problems and food safety issues. He even had a few ideas for how to improve the restaurants in Hong Kong.
‘Really, I think it’s time to return to basics.’
Lucy was tempted to kill him. It was widely accepted that Hong Kong was an epicurean epicentre, and for this guy to suggest that the food here was shit was provocative at best, and at worst, just plain rude. He was an estate agent from Wellington, for god’s sake. What would he know about Chinese food? And had he not noticed that she was Chinese, as were most of the other people on the boat, including the chef? Lucy looked at the inky sea below them, wondering how well the Expert could swim. He was so close to the side of the boat. Just a little push would be enough to send him in and end her misery.
‘You know, I’d be a pretty good guest on TVi,’ Durban said. ‘How about I come in on Monday? What do you say to that, Lucy Yang reporting?’ He thrust a glass of champagne at Lucy’s mouth, as though he was holding a microphone.
‘It’s not up to me who appears on the news, but I’ll suggest your name,’ she lied.
Is this guy for real? Had he actually been invited along, or had he stowed away and popped out of the anchor hatch with a glass of champagne in his hand just after they cleared Aberdeen? It looked like there were plenty of interesting people on board – Lucy recognised a few of them – and she would have been happy to talk to any of them, but it seemed that Durban wasn’t going to let that happen. He had her totally cornered.
At least she was keeping her side of the bargain with Charlotte: she hadn’t bothered any of her guests with interview requests. She hadn’t had a chance! It was almost as if Charlotte had invited Durban along for that very reason.
Wait. She wouldn’t, would she? Lucy watched Charlotte as she mingled her way from one side of the boat to the other, chatting here, topping up champagne glasses there – the perfect hostess. She floated past Lucy and Durban and then disappeared into the cabin.
‘I think I’ll go and help Charlotte. It looks like lunch is about to be served,’ Lucy said, desperate to escape.
‘Good idea, I’ll come, too. Many hands make light work.’
‘Ah, but too many cooks spoil the broth,’ Lucy replied, even though it was obvious that none of them would be involved in any cooking or work of any kind – they had staff for that. ‘You go. I’ll stay here.’
Durban decided not to go either. ‘The water looks so inviting. What do you say we go for a swim?’
Any other time, Lucy might have been up for it. The water was pretty clean where they were. But the idea of splashing around with Durban made her flesh crawl.
‘Maybe after lunch,’ Lucy said.
Durban shrugged. He peeled off his clothes and leapt into the water with a great Tarzan roar. What a poser, Lucy thought. Everyone on the junk turned to watch him, which Lucy guessed was exactly what he had hoped for.
‘Come in!’ he shouted to Lucy. She shook her head as Durban started doing some kind of aqua aerobics display. Lucy backed away and slipped off to talk to some other guests. She was just starting to enjoy herself when Durban reappeared in a towel, his hair still wet.
‘It was beautiful in there,’ he smiled. ‘You should have come in.’
Lucy sighed. There was just no escaping this guy.
For the rest of the afternoon Lucy managed to snatch snippets of conversation with other guests on the junk, but every time she got away Durban tracked her down. She even tried to talk to the boat’s captain to escape, but Durban was right there behind her, fluent in Cantonese, to her complete dismay.
‘I think that’s a storm coming,’ Lucy commented to the captain.
‘No. It’s smog,’ Durban said, without even looking at the sky.
The captain nodded. ‘Smog.’
Lucy silently groaned, while Durban beamed. ‘I thought so,’ he said, following Lucy out of the wheelhouse and onto the top deck. ‘You know, it’s not easy being right all the time. My ex-wife told me it was actually really annoying.’
Lucy cringed. She didn’t like the way the conversation was going. Any mention of an ex-wife was often a precursor to an invitation to dinner that was guaranteed to end badly. Lucy wondered if Durban’s wife had left him before or after his personality bypass. Lucy was relieved when she finally saw the harbour at Aberdeen – the floating city confirming that her ordeal with Durban was almost at an end.
‘So, I was thinking,’ the Expert began. Here it comes, Lucy thought, trying to turn her wince into a pleasant smile. He was Charlotte’s client, after all. ‘I’ve got this cocktail thing on tonight, and if you’re not busy, maybe you want to come along.’
There it is, Lucy thought. Right on cue.
‘I mean, you’ve probably got something on, but it’d be fun if you could make it,’ Durban continued.
Lucy sighed. ‘Wow, I’m sure it’d be really fun, but I’m busy tonight. Sorry, any other time, I’d love to.’
Durban looked crestfallen for the first time all day. ‘Oh, that’s a shame. It’s going to be pretty special. It’s a China Holdings do.’
Lucy’s jaw almost dropped. China Holdings was one of Yu’s companies. ‘Oh! Tell me more.’
Durban’s brightened, seeing he’d piqued her interest. ‘It’s at the boss’s house on the Peak. Quite an intimate affair, I think.’
Lucy nearly choked. Durban was going to a cocktail party at Yu’s place? Why hadn’t he been talking about that all afternoon, instead of going on about Chinese food? She had to rearrange the date with Byron. She couldn’t miss a chance like this.
But what to wear, what to wear? She had loads of work clothes, and a busload of gorgeous killer heels, but no actual cocktail dresses. Charlotte, on the other hand, had a whole wardrobe full of them. Lucy hoped she could borrow one and, just to make sure Yu didn’t recognise her from Rusty’s, she would wear her hair up. Charlotte could probably help with that too. What type of dress works better with my hair up – strapless or backless? Lucy wondered. Charlotte had a backless emerald green dress that was a total showstopper – unfortunately it wouldn’t work on Lucy because it plunged at the front as well as the back. Lucy didn’t have the cleavage or the confidence to get away with that one.
Durban laughed. ‘Do I understand from the way you’re bouncing up and down that you’re going to come to the party, after all?’
Lucy smiled. ‘Yes, I’d love to. I’ve been trying to organise an interview with Yu for months. It would be amazing to meet him in person.’
Durban slipped his arm around Lucy’s shoulder and squeezed her into his side. ‘Well, aren’t you lucky you met me then, Lucy Yang reporting?’
Lucy’s body stiffened and she mentally struck off the possibility of a strapless or backless dress for Yu’s party. The feeling of Durban’s hand on her bare shoulders was putting her teeth on edge. She wasn’t a fan of her new nickname, either. Lucy fought hard to keep smiling, even though she wanted to hit him. ‘Yes, lucky me.’
Durban winked. ‘My ex-wife used to say that, too.’
‘So, what time’s the party?’ Lucy asked, wriggling free of Durban’s arm and trying to get away from an ex-wife discussion.
‘The party starts at eight. But why don’t you come around to my place at six? We can have a drink first. I’ve just taken delivery of a case of Dom Perignon 1961, thanks to our lovely leggy bell captain, Charlotte. I bought it to bathe in, but what the heck, let’s be old fashioned and drink a bottle.’ Durban laughed. ‘Just kidding.’
Lucy didn’t see the joke – she was starting to feel ill. She had a sickening visual of Durban in a bath full of champagne. She knew he was just mucking around, but he’d put it out there and now she couldn’t shake it from her mind. Lucy was also disturbed by the way Durban had referred to Charlotte as his lovely leggy bell captain – so patronising! But for the sake of meeting Yu, Lucy sucked it up and smiled sweetly.
‘Six might be a bit early. I’ll probably still be in my bikini. How about I come over at seven?’
‘Come over at six in your bikini if you like and we can have a swim first.’
‘Not much of a swimmer, really,’ Lucy said, but Durban didn’t seem to hear. He’d taken an interest in a boat in the marina.
‘Come over here,’ he said, grabbing Lucy’s hand. ‘I want to show you something.’
Lucy had never been a hand holder. In fact, she’d fought against holding hands with her parents from the age of three, according to family folklore. She preferred to keep control of her own extremities and destination. Even holding hands with a boyfriend seemed like giving away too much control. She only consented on special occasions – and Durban was neither her father, nor her boyfriend, and this was definitely not a special occasion. The feel of his palm wrapped around her hand as he dragged her to the other side of the junk was really testing Lucy’s tolerance. She resisted the urge to rip her hand free from him. Just hold on for a minute, she thought to herself. I want to meet Yu tonight.
But even when they reached the other side of the boat he kept hold of her hand. Durban was on about a big yacht that he was buying with the commission he’d made from a property he’d sold. It was something Lucy would normally be keen to hear about, but she couldn’t keep up with the conversation because she was too busy studying Durban’s hand. It was like it belonged to a hobbit – gnarled and hairy, and fat, to match the rest of him. She couldn’t take it any longer. Lucy feigned a sneeze to get away from his grip.
‘Bless you,’ Durban smiled.
He put his hands in his pockets, which was a relief, and then he gazed at Lucy for several seconds, which made her worried again.
‘It’s been so nice getting to know you, Lucy Yang reporting,’ Durban said eventually. The junk was docked up at the marina and the other guests were starting to leave the boat. ‘This is the best time I’ve had since … I split up with my wife. And I think you’ve even cured my seasickness! I normally get quite queasy on a boat, which is a shame because I love sailing.’
‘Yeah, it’s been really great to meet you, too,’ Lucy smiled, edging backwards. ‘Glad I could help with your queasiness.’
Durban stepped towards her. ‘So, see you tonight, then. Do you need a lift home?’
Lucy shook her head. ‘I’m good. Thanks anyway.’
Lucy would have been very happy for a ride home, but not with Durban. She needed time to herself to contact Byron and explain her reason for bailing on the date. She was pretty sure he’d understand the importance of cocktails at Yu’s place, but it still seemed rude to cancel at the last minute – the sooner she had a chance to call him the better. Lucy wondered if they might meet up tomorrow. She had a Sunday off, which wasn’t always the way, so maybe they could head over to Stanley for lunch or even a have a picnic at Big Wave Bay.
‘Farewell, then,’ Durban grinned, shaking Lucy’s hand. She offered her cheek as he leant in for a kiss, but he planted one directly on her lips. Lucy cringed. His lips were wet and clammy: it was a bit like being hit in the mouth with a dead squid.
‘See you tonight. You got my address, right?’
She nodded. Durban had given Lucy his business card and his personal details as soon as they met. ‘See you later.’
With a deep sense of relief, Lucy watched Durban leave the boat. It was like she’d been trapped in a lift for the past five hours and finally had a chance to walk free. She checked the time. She had two hours before she was due at Durban’s. Two hours of freedom, she thought to herself, before she’d be locked up again. But it would be worthwhile if she had the chance to get to Yu.
Lucy pulled out her phone to call Byron. She got as far as pulling up his number and then chickened out and decided on a text. It seemed a lot less complicated to just feign sunstroke and suggest catching up tomorrow. But as she started the message, Byron’s lopsided grin came back to her, his serious eyes, his cute accent. She really wanted to see him tonight. And the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to meet him at Vue and the less she wanted to be spending the evening with Durban – even if it did come with an introduction to Yu. Lucy sighed. Yu would have to wait. So, instead of texting Byron, she composed a message to Durban.
Sorry I can’t make it tonight after all.
A touch of sunstroke.
Have fun. Lucy.
She took a long, deep breath, willing herself to press the send button. But then she faltered. I can’t, she thought. I have a career to think about. I have to go to Yu’s place, even if it means putting up with another five hours of Durban – his opinions and his anecdotes about his ex-wife. I have to do it for my career.
She was about to delete the message to Durban when Charlotte appeared beside her, a cheeky grin on her face.
‘Looks like someone made an impression. I’ve just been on the phone to Durban.’
‘What do you mean?’ Lucy asked. ‘He just walked off the boat. Why would he be calling you?’
Charlotte shrugged. ‘I can’t say.’
Lucy frowned. She hated the way Charlotte could be so discreet about her clients. She was happy to share the trivia, but never the important stuff.
‘He asked me to a party at Yu’s house, you know,’ Lucy said.
‘I know. He told me. He’s very excited. That’s all I can tell you.’
Lucy started to feel nervous. She knew how much Charlotte loved buying expensive gifts on behalf of clients. And she was beaming right now – a great big, scary smile across her face.
‘I hope I’m not going to find a dozen roses outside our apartment when I get home. You know they make me sneeze.’
Charlotte laughed. ‘Oh please, give me some credit. I don’t work for a florist.’
That made Lucy even more worried. ‘I really don’t want to get home and find anything from Durban.’
‘But of course you do,’ Charlotte insisted.
‘Charlotte, whatever it is that Durban thinks I’m going to love – I’m not.’
‘But you will,’ Charlotte said. ‘I know you will.’
‘Charlotte, no. Seriously. I just want to meet Yu. I don’t want anything from Durban.’
Charlotte’s face dropped. ‘But it’s Versace,’ she whispered, and then she quickly put her hand up to cover her mouth.
Lucy’s body went limp. She shook her head. ‘I can’t.’ She couldn’t spend another second with Durban – it was too much to go through just to meet Yu. She looked down at her mobile, reading the text she’d composed to cancel her date with Durban, paused for a moment, and pressed the send button. She wanted to see Byron tonight – not Durban, not a new Versace dress, not even Yu. She was going to see Byron.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Cancelling on Durban.’
‘Why? I promise you’ll love the dress. And Yu will love it, too.’
Lucy shook her head. ‘It’s not about the dress. And for a change – it’s not about Yu either. This is about me.’