The Hookup

by Zante, Lily

  Her heart lurched. She didn’t want to hear the inevitable questions. “Aren’t they?” she replied, knocking back her champagne. It was the only way to get through this.

  Tobias and Savannah were on the dance floor again with eyes only for each other. Everyone watched the beautiful, and so-sickeningly-obvious head-over-heels-in-love couple glide on air.

  Kay observed the rapt looks on the faces of her mother and Savannah’s parents. She’d made the huge mistake of sitting with them, and had only done so because she’d seen Xavier at the bar and she was eager to avoid him.

  Get me out of here.

  As much as she loved her cousin, she couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit envious. She wanted that. Not right now, not today, not this month, or this year, but eventually. Despite what she said to her friends, and to Savannah, and despite her easy-come-easy-go attitude towards men, what she wanted, one day, in the not-too-distant future, was everlasting love, and marriage, and commitment.

  She wanted forever, even if she wasn’t yet putting out the right signals to attract the right things.

  She didn’t need a rich guy because she wasn’t penniless, but if he was rich, it wasn’t a bad thing. The security she craved wasn’t financial, it was emotional. She was an independent woman with a great career; one which sucked the life out of her, yes, but she partied as hard as she worked to make up for it.

  What she needed, wanted and hoped for, was a man to be her counterpart, to support her, and be there for her.

  She didn’t need a man to rescue her, she just needed him to treat her right.

  Of course, the future couldn’t be predicted, but who, looking at Tobias and Savannah, would wish anything less for that couple?

  She could continue having fun, but none of her fun times had ever resulted in meeting anyone who had made her believe that ‘he was the one.’ She needed another single man just like Tobias.

  As she set off for the wedding, she’d had designs on Xavier. The younger brother was rich, handsome and undeniably sexy. He’d seemed like the next best catch, especially now that his brother was no longer single. Unfortunately, she had found out the hard way that Xavier wasn’t quite the man she had imagined him to be. The testosterone rolling off him in waves should have been a stark warning.

  “They look so happy together,” her mother cooed.

  “They would, Mom. They just got married.” Kay’s insides pinched together as she braced herself for the inevitable question. Would it be too obvious if she got up now and wandered away?

  “It would be lovely if you settled down soon. Don’t leave it too late, will you, dear?”

  It wasn’t a secret that her mother’s dearest wish was for Kay to settle down. Her mother didn’t understand and no amount of explanation seemed to help. Working long hours at the investment bank didn’t leave much time for anything else, and working in Hong Kong, where she had spent most of last year, hadn’t helped her dating prospects much.

  Savannah’s parents looked at her apologetically.

  “She’ll settle down when the time is right, Sylvie,” said Aunt Jean.

  “You tell her, Aunt Jean.”

  She wished her mother could be as understanding as Savannah’s mother was. Both sisters, they shared similar traits in many respects, but her mother seemed to be caught up in the same happy-envy that had dogged Kay for most of the day. The wedding had long finished and everyone had spent most of the day, and now the night, celebrating the wedding.

  The happy couple had invited close family and friends to their beautiful private island in Fiji, and it was impossible not to be in awe of the new world that Savannah had now stepped into through her marriage to Tobias. From his condo, and his homes around the world, his private jet, and this island, as well as the new multi-million dollar mansion home on which Tobias had lavished millions of dollars on in refurbishments, it all seemed surreal.

  The splendor of Savannah’s new world was unlike anything that Kay had ever read or dreamed about, even in those celebrity magazines which she had stopped reading. She had also stopped following those Most-Eligible-Bachelor lists, and blindly buying celebrity magazines in order to keep up-to-date with A and B-lister gossip.

  “What about Tobias’s brother?” her mother asked, after a few peaceful moments had passed.

  The apple obviously didn’t fall far from the tree.

  “Mom!” she hissed, hoping that nobody had heard her. “Stop trying to fix me up.” It was one thing Kay herself having an ulterior motive for wanting to get to know Xavier, but it was something else to hear her mother saying it out aloud.

  “But why not? His brother is just as good looking.”

  “No.”

  No. No. No.

  Her insides knotted together, and it wasn’t due to the copious glasses of champagne, or the seafood entrees. “Can we not talk about my love life?

  Uncle Dale and Aunt Jean were walking towards the dance floor hand in hand. Sweet, she thought, watching them. She could see her mother’s sadness written all over her face. Her father had passed away a few weeks before she had graduated from college. The lung cancer had taken him much too soon. Receiving her college degree had been a bittersweet moment, and in the end, her mother had attended, with Savannah’s parents there for support. There had been no-one since, and her mother hadn’t expressed any interest in meeting anyone new.

  She seemed content with her life, and maybe it wasn’t so surprising that days like today made her slightly wistful, and wish for Kay to find someone.

  “I wasn’t talking about your love life. I was only saying that it was about time you—”

  “Mom. Please.”

  Her mother let out an angry breath and looked away. “They’re perfect for one another. Perfect. Why you don’t want that, I don’t know.”

  Kay stared in front at the happy newly married couple. Marrying New York’s most eligible billionaire was a dream come true, for sure.

  No wonder Savannah looked so happy.

  Her life was complete and she would never have to worry again. She had achieved the impossible. Not only had she been married before, she also had a kid, and she had been married to a pig. But she had come to New York penniless, and had managed to win the heart of the city’s most eligible bachelor.

  If Savannah Page could do that, there was no reason why she couldn’t.

  Not that her cousin had ever worried much about men or her love life. Savannah, in complete contrast to Kay, had worried about money, and debt, and Jacob, whereas Kay had no debt, had plenty of money, worked hard, had a great job.

  Yet her love-life was in tatters.

  She had experienced a couple of short flings in Hong Kong. They had been nothing serious, and more to help her pass the time with.

  But things hadn't fared any better since she’d returned to New York. She'd met up with one of her ex-boyfriends a few times. Dean had been the closest she had ever come to serious, and when he’d called her a few months ago, she’d gone running back instead of heeding Savannah’s advice. He had used her for a weekend, and then discarded her just as easily. So much for ‘talking’, and a possible reconciliation.

  She never learned.

  A booty call, Savannah had said later, when she had confided in her cousin. So when her mother talked about Xavier Stone being a possible future prospect, it was the last thing she wanted to hear. She had already tried to make conversation with Xavier. Tried and failed. Made out with him too, and failed.

  Xavier had spent most of yesterday evening—well, not most, some—showing her card tricks, and they had talked and flirted, and had ended up kissing. She had to give him that—the guy was a good kisser.

  A great kisser.

  Things might have progressed to something else had it not been for Tobias showing up out of the blue. As soon as his brother had appeared, Xavier had dropped her like a dirty stone.

  Humiliation washed over her like a dirty rag. He turned his back to her and ignored her completely. She’d left
, walked away into the night, back to the beach, and the bar, once more wondering why some girls had all the luck, and why she didn’t.

  Xavier walked into view, standing on the other side of the dance floor and eyeing up all the guests. The sight of him irritated her. The last thing she needed was for him to come over to this table, or for her mother to notice him and wave him over. She couldn’t put it past the woman.

  “I’m going to mingle,” she announced, getting up from her chair.

  It was too early to go to bed, too early to be lectured on the virtues of being married, and too early to sit around with a bunch of old people.

  Surely there had to be other good looking guys on the island?

  Chapter 3

  The cousin of the bride was at the bar again. Yesterday she had been reeled in by Xavier’s magic tricks, and no doubt, his charm, but, Luke noted, she blatantly avoided the younger Stone today.

  “What can I get you?” he asked. The good mood she’d been in earlier had disappeared and she now seemed downcast and was trying to hide it. But eyes didn’t lie, and her soft brown ones gave it away.

  “A bloody Mary, please.”

  “A bloody Mary, coming right up, but,” his bartender persona switched into gear and he placed his forearms on the bar top, bringing his head down to her level. “Are you sure you wouldn’t want something more adventurous?”

  He had an easy way with girls, and he always attracted their attention, even back at The Oasis, where people knew who he was. He was used to the attention, and used to extricating himself from over-eager customers, but it still never stopped the women from making their intentions known to him.

  Kay’s seemingly melancholy mood, in such stark contrast to how she had been before, piqued his curiosity. This woman looked as if she could do with some company, and a part of him felt sorry for her. She should have been dancing the night away instead of being at the bar alone.

  “I don’t know,” she replied, picking up the cocktail list he’d put together for this event. “What do you recommend?”

  “What do you usually like?” Some liked their cocktails to be like milkshakes, others liked them strong and reeking of alcohol.

  “How about a Slow Comfortable Screw Against The Wall?”

  He wasn’t prepared for that one. She held his gaze as the double entendre slipped through his ears and ignited the fire that would give him a boner, if she carried on talking like that.

  “I can get you one of those,” he replied slowly, noting the sudden change in her temperament. Whatever it was that had dampened her mood, seemed to have suddenly disappeared.

  Her full lips parted into a smile. “I look forward to it,” she purred, sending a shooting star of excitement through his body.

  She was forward this one, nothing like Savannah. But he was used to it. It wasn’t the first time he’d had a customer proposition him with one of those. In his line of work, he got chatted up all the time. “Be careful what you wish for,” he replied, returning the smirk. “I’ll whip you up one of those and add my unique twist to it.”

  “Whip away,” she replied, leaning forward, the tops of her breasts were pushed up to the hilt and on display in her low-cut fuchsia colored dress. Her dress, and her breasts, were hard to ignore.

  She was obviously looking to make an impression.

  He got busy, making up her cocktail, and threw her a sidelong glance. She looked as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders, and he wondered if Xavier had had anything to do with this.

  “Here you go,” he said, sliding the glass her way.

  She took a sip, “Hmmm.” She licked her lips suggestively. “It’s delicious. Not too sweet, and not overly alcoholic. Nice. Dangerously nice. Have one with me,” she said, her French manicured nails circling slowly around the rip of the glass.

  He shuddered involuntarily, trying to rein in his response. “I shouldn’t.” He didn’t like to drink on duty, even though he could, because he wasn’t supposed to be on duty. He had simply chosen to be behind the bar because it meant he didn’t get hassled. From behind the safety of the bar enclosure, he could operate in stealth-mode, at a great vantage point, and could easily see and hear most things. It was amazing how much information and secrets people willingly gave up, and how loose their tongues became after a few drinks.

  “Please,” she begged, squeezing her shoulders and pushing her breasts together. His heart missed a beat, and the visual created a stirring below.

  Hell. Why not? It was past midnight, and it had been a long day. Everything had gone well, and, importantly, Tobias had been pleased with the service.

  “A drink, then,” he said, pouring himself a scotch.

  “No Slow Comfortable Screw Against The Wall for you?” she asked, her eyes falling to his arms, and trailing along his tattoos.

  “I prefer a scotch,” he replied, and poured himself a small glass. “Cheers,” he declared, lifting his glass to hers.

  “To Savannah, and Tobias, the happy, happy, happy couple,” she declared.

  “Amen.”

  “To all the happy couples everywhere,” she added.

  He paused, then followed suit. “To all the happy couples everywhere.” If she believed that shit then who was he to argue?

  “Are you one half of a happy couple?” she asked. And there it was. The question. The one he got asked almost every night he was at the bar.

  “No.” At some point during any of his conversations, this question always reared its head. Women always seemed curious about his status.

  “You must be freaking kidding me,” she shrieked in surprise. “I don’t believe you.”

  He forced a smile, almost gave a half-shrug of his shoulders, and noticed her gaze drift over to his biceps and stay there a few seconds.

  “How come?” she asked, clearing her throat, forcing her gaze to his eyes. “How comes a good looking guy like you isn’t with anybody?”

  “I could say the same about you.” Not because he was interested, but because, what sort of answer could he give to a question like that? He gave her the once over as he lifted the glass to his lips again. Her honey blonde hair framed her face and hung in waves around her shoulders, and yet her eyebrows were a darker shade. He’d bet she wasn’t blonde down there. Not a natural blonde.

  She was obviously not a shrinking wall flower and it was no wonder that she’d caught Xavier’s eye yesterday. If anyone would have been perfect for Xavier, it would have been this woman. He wondered what had gone wrong that Xavier and Kay weren’t even hanging out in the same part of the beach together.

  Except now the guy was going after Izzy.

  “I don’t have a good track record with guys. It never lasts. Or, it never leads to anything.” This was the problem with being the guy who served drinks. It made for being a psychotherapist. The keeper of everyone’s drunken secrets and mistakes.

  “I don’t believe you,” he told her. Now he was the one flirting, not because he wanted anything to happen, but because he was curious. Some people attracted love, or lust, and some seemed to repel it. He didn’t for one minute believe that Kay found it hard to get a guy.

  “Why not? It’s true. I’m not saying it to get your sympathy.”

  “I never implied that you were trying to elicit my sympathy,” he said, a flash of real sympathy in his voice. She was pretty, and she had a good figure. An image of the Marilyn Monroe poster in his bedroom during his teen years flashed into his head. Kay might not have been wearing a white halter neck nor had her skirt flying up, but there was something Monroe-esque about her, especially when her breasts looked as if they might tumble out of her dress any moment now.

  “Well, it’s true.”

  A group of people suddenly filled the bar area and he didn’t want to keep them waiting, even though a couple of the other bartenders were serving.

  He looked at her apologetically. “I’m sorry, but we’re getting busy again.” It didn’t seem right to walk away now when she seemed
to be confiding in him, but he was running a bar, and serving the customers was his main priority. He threw a final glance at her cleavage, then looked away. It wasn’t often a woman caught his attention like that. Something about the sultry night air on this damn island was getting to him. “I’d better tend to these people.”

  She nodded, and took another sip of her cocktail.

  It was all hands on deck. People were making the most of the wedding reception, and Tobias’s generosity. Out here in the sultry heat, under the stars and nestled in the Fijian archipelago, Tobias and Savannah’s wedding guests forgot about their jobs and their busy, stressful lives. They were clearly still in the partying mood, and it didn’t matter what time it was. This party was going to go on until the early hours of the morning.

  Being a sober guy working behind the bar allowed him to see people at their most raw and vulnerable form. Alcohol did that. It stripped away people’s layers and exposed their true selves.

  As Savannah’s cousin had done.

  When he’d finished serving a couple of people, he couldn’t help but notice her still sitting at the other end of the bar by herself, looking a little lonely even in a sea of people.

  Chapter 4

  Having fun? How’s it going? How’s the wedding?

  Dean’s question-filled text message blinked at her. Sitting by herself at the bar alone, feeling awkward and out of place given that most of the guests were paired up, she had been checking her messages.

  Close family had been allowed to keep their phones on them, unlike the rest of the guests, and for that she was grateful. A cell phone was like a woman’s best friend, especially at times like now when she had nothing to do and nobody to talk to. It was an accessory that made her not look so sad, lonesome, or desperate.

  Most of the messages from her friends had asked the same question. Everyone wanted to know about the wedding of the cousin who had married the billionaire hedge-fund wonder boy. She didn’t bother to reply to any of the others, and deleted Dean’s message.