Tainted Love Series Boxed Set

by Lily Zante

  “What?” There was no enthusiasm in his voice, but she pressed on, starting to feel a little more hopeful.

  “How about we go see a movie or something? Not a date,” she hurried to say, in case he thought she might have the wrong idea about them both. “Or catch something on Netflix, with some popcorn. Have a lazy night in for a change, after that speed-dating fiasco.” They could be friends, couldn’t they?

  Tyler scratched his forehead. “Fiasco? You enjoyed it, if I remember correctly. You even got a date out of it,” he reminded her.

  She struggled to think what date. Ahhh, he still thought she was going on a date with her tutor. Christ, did he really believe her?

  He hesitated. “I can’t. I’m seeing someone.”

  She’d been ready to tell him there was no date. “Oh, okay.” She sat up, tried to make a joke of it. “From yesterday? Did you get your scorecard results back?” She wasn’t sure how it worked, but she remembered Shiny Haired Hostess saying something about emailing people if they clicked with someone.

  “Scorecard results?”

  She knew then that he had bypassed the scorecards and probably had a whole list of numbers. Knowing Tyler, he’d have some sort of Rota system. One girl for each night of the week.

  She changed her mind. “Actually, you know what? I’ve got a heck of a lot of cleaning to get through. Maybe I’ll just concentrate on that.” She got up to look for the vacuum cleaner, leaving Tyler sitting on her floor.

  Chapter 24

  The dark wooden interior of the small and exclusive men’s boutique made him feel claustrophobic within a few hours of being here.

  He was coming to the end of his first week here, and he wasn’t getting used to it. Everything about the place was suffocating, with its neat-to-the-point-of-being-OCD piles of clothing, rows of clothing rails—all in dark colors with a few muted charcoal grays and mocha browns thrown in.

  There wasn’t splash of color to be seen. And the existing color palette added to his sense of feeling locked in.

  He wasn’t sure he could even last a month here.

  When he’d been an escort, his job—meeting women, no matter how old and or boring they were, or whether they spilled out of their dresses, or came onto him and he had to fight them off—had been livelier and felt less like work compared to this.

  How he’d managed to last a week was beyond him. It was mind-numbingly quiet and the clientele were picky, nitpicky picky about the fabric of the suit, its cut, the sizes.

  He thought back to the last weekend, when Zoe had settled into Ethan’s old room. Just when things were starting to ease between them, they had fallen back into their earlier way of being cool around one another.

  He’d gone out in the evening for a drink with Raquel, the exotic-looking half-Brazilian, half-Caucasian woman he’d met at the speed-dating event.

  Naturally, that had been a mistake. The whole time he’d been out with her, he’d wished he had taken Zoe up on her offer of a movie and popcorn. But she’d already gone to bed by the time he got back in. He managed, somehow, to miraculously lose Raquel who wanted more than a nightcap.

  Ever since then, things had been a bit strained between him and Zoe. With her starting the course, she was out of the door by the time he made it out of the shower. She was killing herself, working the waitressing shift as well as juggling the study. She seemed holed up in her room most of the time and no longer watched TV or sat around in the kitchen for too long—crying off too much homework.

  He hated this iciness.

  “I’m looking for a slim, fully lined, three-piece suit. Something with a two-button jacket and a four-button waistcoat.”

  Tyler looked at the man, another older man, maybe a banker, lawyer, or architect. He guessed at their professions as a way of passing the time.

  “Of course. Follow me, please.” He led the man to the small selection of Italian suits, easily more than a thousand dollars apiece. By now, he wouldn’t bat an eyelid if the man picked up two or three as though he were buying packs of Doritos.

  The customer examined the fabric, ran his hands across it, looked at the cut of the suit as if he were checking an exam paper.

  After minutes of careful inspection, he asked to try it on. Tyler led him to the dark blue and silver plush changing rooms toward the back of the shop and left the customer to his own privacy, hovering closely by just in case he was summoned again. Most of his day was spent walking around, looking discreet.

  The shop was small. There were only the two of them: him and a woman who did the stock and the cashier duties. There was never much footfall through here. The stock was ridiculously expensive though; they only had to sell a few items a day to make thousands.

  And they did, quite easily. Which surprised him no end.

  While he felt indebted to Bailey for giving him this opportunity, he knew his heart wasn’t really in it. He had to find another way. Had Zoe had been right about his father’s offer? He thought about it for a moment, decided she hadn’t, and dismissed the idea completely. He hadn’t even called to let his father know that he wasn’t going to take him up on his offer.

  Pretending to look busy, he paced around, ever watchful in case the customer needed him, while still keeping an eye for any new customers that might come in. He was surprised when the man didn’t come out, as most did, to get a second opinion from him. However, another customer, a woman, commanded his attention and immediately Tyler moved over to tend to her.

  She was in her late fifties and most likely buying a gift for her husband. She told Tyler she was looking for a tie. He took her over to the row of neatly lined up luxury silk ties and waited by her side as she took each one out and held it up to his suit, looking at him and the tie, trying to make up her mind.

  While the woman used him as a live 3D model, his previous customer emerged from the changing room. He nodded at Tyler and made his way to the counter to pay.

  Tyler turned his attention back to the woman and felt his patience beginning to wear thin, as she slowly looked through the rack of ties.

  “I’m still not sure,” she said, huffing loudly, as if it were Tyler’s fault that she’d been unable to make up her mind. “I think I need to come back another time.”

  Please don’t, Tyler prayed, and watched her leave the store.

  “Did he take all three?” Tyler moved over to the cashier, wondering how much commission he would get. Bailey had been very generous and as well as taking him on and giving him a great hourly rate, she’d put him on a great commission structure too. Those Italian suits would give him a good payout.

  “Three? He only bought one. He gave this one back.” She picked up the black striped suit and walked over to hang it back on the rack.

  Tyler bristled. “He went in with three.” He moved over to the rack and looked through it. Because they only held a minimalist selection on the racks, he knew straightaway that one was missing.

  “He bought the blue one?”

  “No, he bought the gray one.”

  There was no blue suit on the rack.

  He couldn’t have.

  The cashier looked none too bothered. She flicked her wrist: time to go home soon.

  “He stole it?” gasped Tyler.

  She gave Tyler a who-the-hell-cares-look. “Don’t look so surprised.”

  Tyler followed her back to the cash point. “But he looked so—”

  “Rich?”

  “Yeah.” Tyler ran the whole scene with the man through his head again, trying to reconcile him with the label of a thief.

  “You think the rich don’t steal?”

  “But why would he?”

  “Because he can.”

  “Shouldn’t you tell Bailey?”

  “It’s your sale, your commission. How about you tell her.”

  He felt a hand squeeze his arm. “I wonder if you would help me look for a suit?”

  The blood in Tyler’s body seemed to freeze over. He knew that voice. He turned his h
ead and found himself looking at Margaux’s happy face.

  Chapter 25

  He looked so handsome, and seeing him up close after being parted so long took Margaux’s breath away.

  She had missed him so much. Watching him from the car that night had taken all her reserves of determination to stop herself from running out to meet him.

  Even with that hussy by his side.

  But he’d started a new job, it seemed. The first day she’d parked outside his apartment, at a respectable distance. The hussy always left first, rushing out with her oversized bag, looking like a scrawny pup from a litter of mongrels.

  Then Tyler would come out less than thirty minutes after the girl left. She knew; she timed it all. Sometimes she was tempted to knock on the door—she’d been watching him enough times to know that it was just the two of them: him and the girl.

  But when she followed him, he’d end up here. The first couple of times that she followed the bus it had been tricky. She’d crane her neck, trying to work out whether he got off or not. But by the second day, she knew where he headed each morning.

  It seemed that he had a new job.

  She liked this. A men’s shop, selling suits. She didn’t think there’d be any danger of him meeting other women here. Not like at the agency. She’d done the right thing with Chrissie. Tyler didn’t know yet just what a favor she’d done him.

  She stepped inside the shop and saw him talking to a woman who arranged clothes on a rack. Margaux approached him, her heart pounding with excitement at the sight of his back.

  Excitement rushed through her at the very idea of being seconds from seeing him face-to-face, of being able to hear his voice at last.

  She stopped directly behind him, smelling his minty cool aftershave. She placed a hand on his arm, “I wonder if you would help me look for a suit?”

  He turned around, and when he looked at her, his eyes narrowed. His face colored and she knew he was excited to see her—it was just that he couldn’t properly express his happiness at seeing her. She understood that.

  “What are you doing here?” He sounded annoyed that she was here and she felt a momentary touch of sadness..

  “I’m looking for a suit. It’s so nice to see you again.” She smiled, because she felt happier than she had in days. Just standing here so close to him, looking up into his beautifully chiseled face, she felt like crying. She was that happy.

  But he didn’t smile. She knew it was because he had to act professional. She looked around her. It looked like a very up market place, and she thought he was trying to make a good impression. He didn’t want to lose another job. She understood his serious look.

  When he didn’t move, she heard the other woman tell him that they’d be closing up soon.

  And that was when he moved toward the suit section and she followed him.

  “How have you been?” she asked, as soon as they were alone. Thank goodness the other woman had gotten lost somewhere else. She wanted time to talk to him alone. Oh, joy—it was wonderful for it to be just the two of them again.

  “Have you been following me?” he asked her. He stood with his hands in his pockets and it didn’t look as if he was in a hurry to show her any suits.

  “I was just driving around. I’m looking for a suit for a friend. It’s a social company event and he doesn’t have anything suitable to wear.” She surprised herself at the ease with which the answer rolled off her tongue. She was getting good at this, telling white lies.

  She didn’t like that face he had on. “Are you going to help me choose or not?”

  Behind him he heard the woman announce that they only had another ten minutes.

  Only ten minutes!

  She looked through the rack, since he didn’t look as though he was going to, and pulled out a dark blue fitted, two-piece suit. She looked at the label. It was made from one hundred percent virgin wool. This one. “I’m not sure if this is going to fit him. Can you try it on for me?” she held out the suit for him to take.

  Tyler didn’t flinch.

  “I’m afraid I can’t try that on. You’ll have to bring your friend here.”

  “But there’s no time,” she replied with a cool air. “The event is tomorrow night. I can come by again during the day—”

  She knew that would help him change his mind. He took the suit from her. “I’m only putting on the jacket.”

  She’d live with that.

  She watched as he took off the jacket he wore. This was worth the drive and the hassle it had been to track him down. Just watching him take off his jacket and reach out for the one on the hanger. She thanked god that he hadn’t bothered about going into a changing room. She barely contained herself as she watched the way his shirt stretched across his chest when he raised his arms to slip them into the jacket.

  Sweet lord in heaven.

  He turned to her, and he still didn’t look happy. She did up the button, feeling a shot of heat surge through her. Her fingers trembled, being so close, performing such an intimate act with him.

  Oh sweet lord.

  Tyler sprang away, almost a full meter away, from her. She sucked in her breath. He looked like the kind of man who’d be modeling this.

  The other woman walked past him with a smile on her face. The bitch almost licked her lips. “Nice.”

  Margaux waited until she was out of earshot. “You look…too beautiful.”

  He still didn’t want to smile and it made her sad.

  “I’ll take it,” she said, watching him putting on his own jacket. Then he took the suit to the till where the other woman waited. “Will you ring this up for the lady, please?”

  Without so much as looking at her again, he walked off, over to another clothes rack and pretended to tidy up.

  Chapter 26

  “I wish you were back.” Becca sighed heavily. “I know you’re on this journey to find yourself—”

  “What?” cried Zoe, chewing on a french fry. “Nonsense. I’m looking to learn something different, that’s all.”

  “Whatever,” said Becca, easily dismissing Zoe’s theory. “I still miss you all the same. We used to have so much fun when you were there.”

  Zoe had to smile. She loved her friend dearly. Perhaps before she’d become easily irritated by her silly ways and annoying habit of always being in love with one of Billy’s friends, but over time, she was the only real friend Zoe had and trusted.

  This first full week at the course had more than worn her out. She found she could cope and keep up with the classes. So far, it hadn’t been bad at all and not as overwhelming as she’d expected.

  Hugh was an excellent tutor who knew his stuff and he had a knack for breaking things down easily in a way she could understand.

  As worn out as she was, she’d managed to convince Becca to meet her at a place halfway between them, so that they could at least see each other for lunch.

  They sat in a busy diner. The smell of strong, dark coffee wafted over the Formica tables, and the watery, boiled smell of eggs over easy with fries warmed them.

  “I’m having fun now. Why don’t you come and join me?” she insisted.

  “Never.” Becca pulled a horrified face. “You don’t look as though you’re having a fun time. You’ve been yawning most of the time you’ve been here.”

  It was true. She’d gone to bed around two in the morning, making up for having fallen asleep after dinner. It was only Tyler’s slamming the door when he walked in that had woken her up. He was in a foul mood again and she’d gone into the kitchen to finish off her assignment, leaving him in front of the TV with his bad mood.

  “It’s manageable, but the homework takes so much time. If I wasn’t working I’d be able to fly through it all.” The week hadn’t been as bad as she had been expecting. They started off with looking at relational database concepts and basic Ruby. The other students seemed friendly enough, unimposing. It was nothing like being in high school. Everyone was much calmer, experienced, older and ha
d nothing to prove. She had felt at ease on her first day.

  “Do you think you’ll get a job after it?”

  This was the tricky one. There was no guarantee of a job. Hugh had stated that in the interview. She would have to get her foot in the door somehow. “It’s not guaranteed.”

  Becca gave her an encouraging look. “You’ll find something. You always do.”

  Zoe half snorted. “I’m trying not to think about that too much. I can barely keep my eyes open by the time I get home from work.”

  “I don’t know how you do it,” Becca confessed, shoveling a forkful of fries into her mouth.

  “I want to do it. The payoff had better be good though.” If she could get work in that field, no matter how lowly paid at first, she’d take it.

  “What does Ethan’s girlfriend do? I can’t believe I actually got to meet her.”

  Looking back, Zoe recalled that Becca had been relatively quiet during the evening.

  “I forgot you’ve never met her before,” Zoe replied. Becca had taken the devastating news of Ethan’s engagement relatively easily. As had she.

  “She looks stylish. Pretty face, though her hair’s a bit thick.”

  “She’s got a management job or something; she’s quite high up. I think she’s in advertising.”

  “He’s marrying up, then.”

  “She’s older than him.” Not that Nadine looked it, but Zoe remembered Billy telling her once.

  “Wh—aat? No way.”

  “Yes, way.”

  “Unbelievable. He must have seen something in her. That guy could have had any woman he wanted.”

  Zoe stared at her own plate of fries, but her appetite had disintegrated.

  “I bet they’ll have gorgeous children.” Becca finished off her plate until it was super clean.

  “I expect they will.” Zoe wondered when the wedding would be, and whether she’d get an invite, which she doubted. But if she did, could she bear to watch Ethan getting married?