“It’s never going to happen like this. Quick and dirty — yes. Easy and stupid — no. It’s not the way I like it,” I say, grinning.
“Rethink me coming from behind. You’ll like it that way.”
I am so busy listening to the sound of my own rapidly beating heart that I don’t notice Delphine emerging by my side.
“Oh … excuse me.” Beaming, she flashes me a knowing smile. “I hope I didn’t interrupt something…” She bumps her hip against me.
“No,” Lenic and I both shoot out.
“Yes sure … that’s why you both look like you’re about to start filming the first scene in a cheap porno movie,” Delphine replies, making that I'm-calling-you-on-your-shit face.
I undo my shirt quickly, letting it fall down over my stomach, and Lenic quickly trots into his bedroom to get changed. I stand there for a second, staring after him, replaying the last few minutes in my head. It happened, I tell myself. I didn’t imagine it. It happened.
Delphine places a concerned hand on mine and asks how I am feeling after my incident last night. I nod appreciatively and that is when I notice it is gone.
With a sickening lurch in my stomach, I breathe out, “Oh God no.” The room starts to spin and I visibly pale.
“What’s wrong?” Delphine asks, looking alarmed. “Is it your ankle?”
My eyes are wide with despair, my heart beating a mile a minute. “My charm bracelet. It’s missing,” I say quickly. “Oh God, Delphine, I can’t lose it.”
It is the only thing gifted to me by my parents before they died in a motorway accident when I was five years old.
She squeezes my hand in a reassuring gesture, and gives me an encouraging smile. “It’s OK, Flick. It probably fell off somewhere inside. I will help you look.”
I let out a panicked breath and shake my head emphatically. “No, no. You don’t understand. I upended this whole boat looking for my underwear this morning. I would have seen it.”
“Did you look outside?”
I shake my head wordlessly, too distraught to speak, and still for a minute. Delphine takes my hand and leads me up the stairs that open up to the deck outside. The sun is rising and the horizon ahead of us looks beautiful and promising, but there is nothing but dark clouds and gloom inside my heart.
Because deep in my heart, I know where it is.
Delphine asks the usual question someone asks when you’ve lost something and my despondent reply is, “The last place I remember having it … is when I jumped into the water last night.”
She offers a consoling hand on my arm and pulls me in for a hug. “I’m sorry, Flick. I know how much it means to you.”
My gut wrenches. Despite my bracelet’s obvious location, we triple-check the entire boat until I finally admit defeat, leaning all my weight against the boat rail, up on deck. I look across the water. Sometimes the past seems a long time ago, and sometimes, like today, it seems like yesterday.
I have lost the only possession belonging to my parents. My heart beats fast, my stomach clenches, and I feel nauseous. I can’t lose it.
I have already lost them.
I start pacing when Lenic emerges. “No luck?” he asks.
I don’t glance over at him as Delphine murmurs something in response. I take deep breaths, listening to the waves licking the beach around me. I thought it was a comforting sound before. Today, it’s a lonesome sound, and half-remembered memories begin to flood my imagination.
“This can’t be happening,” I say to myself, my hands gripping the sides of my aching head.
“It’s only a bracelet,” Lenic says. “It can be replaced.”
I turn my attention on him, my despair shortly turning to anger. “I guess you're right. The bracelet my parents gave me can easily be replaced.” My expression quickly changes from annoyed to something softer, something that looks a lot like pain mixed with sadness. “I’m sorry … I didn’t mean to snap at you.” I’m not being fair to him. He doesn’t know the sentimentality of the bracelet.
I grip the rail, taking a deep breath in, and stare numbly out into the murky water of the sea. I spare him a quick glance. “It’s the only thing I have of theirs before they died.” His expression darkens. “It made me feel like I had a piece of them close to me.” My throat is tight and it shows in my tone. I peer out across the horizon, lost in my own anguished thoughts. “I don’t know if you can understand that...” I rub my wrist, feeling the loss.
“More than I want to,” I hear Lenic murmur under his breath, and it gently edges me out of my funk. There is just something in the way he delivers those words, some truth that compels my attention his way.
I almost have to catch my breath.
I can’t help it, never can, as it is when Lenic looks me dead in the eyes, those eyes that are just too dark or something, and that is when I seem to always lose it. Lose reason. Lose a semblance of control. Those eyes never show much, always so cold and always so piercing, but now they show something. Maybe an apology. God, not an apology. He isn’t a man to do apologies. Maybe just something else. Longing, maybe? Need? It touches something in me, and we both share a fleeting rueful smile with one another.
Handsome and considerate, I am beginning to think maybe he isn’t as big a jerk as I thought half an hour ago. I open my mouth to ask him what he meant, but I’m interrupted by a loud voice, and it breaks our eye contact.
“Lenic, you dirty dog.” A tall broad-shouldered man climbs on board and lets out a wolf whistle when his eyes settle on Delphine and then to me. “Glad you grew your dick back,” he continues, pounding Lenic on the back in that old-age cave-man solidarity. “The two hot girls from over the road, at the same time, and they’re in your shirts? Good God. I was looking for my boy, not some poser mingling with the beauties.” Lenic squares his jaw and shoots his friend a warning look. “Making up for lost time, my man?” He gives Lenic knowing eyes. “Shit, Lenic, from zero-to-hero or what?”
“Shut that mouth, Cross,” Lenic warns, his jaw tight. “Or I’ll shut it for you.”
Cross doesn’t take a blind bit of notice to the warning. “How you doin’ ladies?” Sliding onto the deck bench next to Delphine, he casually slings his arm around the back and whips off his sunglasses. “Hey,” he drawls, as smooth as silk, grinning flirtatiously towards Delphine. “The name’s Jack Cross.” He holds out his hand to her. “But people call me Cross. You on the other hand, love, can call me Jack.” He gives her the once over. “Wanna know what’s in my box?”
Delphine scoffs and rolls her eyes. Usually, I would do the same, but there is an ironic lilt in his voice, like he is aware of his cheek.
“When Hell freezes over,” Delphine hits back.
“Oh, you’re French,” Cross grins.
“I am?” she asks, and looks over at me. “Flick, why did no one ever tell me this before?” I laugh out loud, and watch Cross shift in his seat.
“Yeah, alright. Well, the accent is sexy,” he says. I smile briefly when I notice my friend uncrossing her legs and crossing them again, blushing like a virgin.
She is definitely not a virgin.
“I bet you get turned on with your own right hand,” I quip at Cross.
He kisses his right hand. “Love at first sight.”
Cross beams over at Lenic. “Thought you only had eyes for the sexy petite brunette. Got greedy?”
Wait, what? Lenic’s only got eyes for … me?
It is stupid, but I get this idiotic grin on my face, and it doesn’t go unnoticed by Lenic.
Cross grins in a way that reveals he is aware that what he’s saying will probably end up with him getting pummelled by Lenic, but he doesn’t care. He just leans back to scope out my friend’s chest.
“Took my share?” Cross adds.
Delphine flips Cross her middle finger between her boobs. He pretends to catch it, suggesting she’d blown him a kiss instead, and presses it to his cheek. She clucks her tongue, but I get the feeling she loves the attention.
He’s a good-looking cocky-mouthed hunk with medium-brown hair and bright green eyes.
He is exactly her type.
Feeling a gentle breeze stir my hair, I run my hand along the groove of my chair as I study Cross briefly and find myself warming to him. He seems more naturally playful than lecherous. And he has been a welcoming respite from the pain of losing my parents’ bracelet.
“Yeah, you can quit now.” Lenic smacks Cross on the back of the head. His cocky friend moans in protest. “They got caught in the storm. Had to stay the night.”
“If that’s the story you’re telling everyone … then sure … you sly dog,” Cross drawls. “And here I thought you were celibate, man.” Cross eyes my friend. “Can we make this a foursome?” She rolls her eyes again, but her blush gets deeper.
“You saying you wanna have sex with me, Cross?” Lenic asks with a brief smile. I let out a short laugh, surprised. That was pretty funny for The Tempest.
Cross’ head shoots back in bewilderment. “What’s wrong with you, man?”
“What?” Lenic spits.
“You seem — shit, I can’t believe I’m gonna say this, but you seem … happy.” Lenic grunts at his friend’s assertion, then tells him to leave in a not-so-polite manner. “And that’s the Lenic we all love and know, people.”
“What about the Mrs?” Lenic asks, ignoring the dig at his character.
Cross sighs. “That bitch — pardon my French, ladies — has been screwing the ice-cream-truck man. And here I thought she really just loved to eat a lot of ice-cream.”
Delphine and I both laugh out loud in hysterics. I notice Lenic glancing over at me, a small smile spreading over his usual stoic features.
Cross folds his arms across his chest. “Laugh it up, ladies.”
“That’s horrible, really,” I respond through my laughter. “Wait … Peterson?” My face puckers. “That’s disgusting. He’s nearly seventy.”
Cross shoots me a look. “His son — not wrinkly Peterson.”
“Oh Graham. I know his sister,” Delphine interjects, and then she is the one to pucker her face. “Isn’t he seventeen?”
“Yeah, I’ve been dating a paedophile.”
“Your ex-girlfriend’s ethics can be called into question but seventeen is legal in this country,” I remind Cross. “And to be fair to your ex, he is very handsome for a seventeen year old.”
And there it is. Lenic’s beautiful face crumpling. I can see jealousy orbiting his head. Who needs drugs when a boost of confidence from Lenic Reevus can make you feel on top of the world?
“I’ll lay him out,” Cross grumbles, “once he hits eighteen and then he won’t be so handsome…” He turns to Delphine. “Wanna check out the new Thai restaurant with me tonight?”
“I’m booked until the year 3000,” Delphine replies.
“I can wait.” Cross looks at her as if she is a mountain to be conquered. “But how about a quick lunch break?”
Lenic suddenly drags Cross up to his feet and punches him on the arm. “Excuse my manager, he’s like a dog. Needs training.”
When we head inside the boat, Lenic disappears into his bedroom. Sitting next to Delphine on the circular sofa, Cross stands in front of us and points to the space between Delphine and me. “That’s my seat.”
Delphine rolls her eyes. “You really are a dog.”
I scoot to the left, giving him enough room to park himself in the centre, much to Delphine’s dismay. She reclines on the sofa and shoots me a look behind Cross’ back when he crams into the space between us. With a wink, I flash her a sweet smile.
What? I am helping a girl out.
Lenic returns a short time later, laptop in hand, and his eyes narrow with annoyance, noting the seating arrangement. I am fairly sure I hear him let out a small growl deep within his throat, and then my stomach joins in. “I don’t suppose you’re making breakfast?” I ask.
Lenic raises his brow. “You do know this here isn’t Hotel Le Boat, right?” He shakes his head. “Already started making you girls some pancakes.” He glances over at the kitchen area where a carton of eggs and a glass bowl are set. “Eat up and I’ll take you home. Just give me a minute. Cross, mate, you can take a look at the changes I made to the nutrition plan you wrote up while I make breakfast.” Lenic sets his laptop on the table across from us. “Move it,” he growls at Cross, eyes dimming. Cross and Delphine slide over to give him room and sitting down next to me, he lifts the hood of the MacBook up.
Suddenly, I feel like I’ve forgotten something. Something important. I feel a small twist of dread in my stomach, and there is a nagging feeling gnawing against my skull…
“The hell is that?” I hear Lenic murmur to himself. “Birthday present for Lenic Reevus?”
“Could be a virus, mate,” Cross warns.
“Fishing!” I suddenly yell, and all the blood drains from my face.
Everyone but Lenic flinches and looks at me strangely. Delphine shoots me an expression that says, ‘Shall we take you to the crazy house now, or after breakfast?’ Which I should go, I tell myself, after what I have done.
Lenic’s brow hoods in confusion and he clicks on the icon on his desktop that seems to flash red and omit a siren in my head. A second later, my eyebrows shoot up as an image of me pops up on the screen, Delphine’s signed baseball cap askew on my head.
“I’m not your type?” I say in the video. “Really? I think someone’s egotistical pants are on fire. And I think you need to be shown just what you missed out on.”
Flashes of last night, like an old movie reel, rush back to me, scraping and clawing the surface of my mind. And then I remember everything.
Lenic’s private changing room.
His MacBook.
His MacBook’s built-in camera.
And me—
“You lying son of a bitch,” Cross blurts out, scooting closer to the table. “You did have sex.”
Lenic doesn’t move. He doesn’t hear his friend. He just watches with his brow raised, and I curl up inside and die. I am too shocked to do anything. I can’t move. It is like watching a car accident happen right before your eyes and there is nothing you can do to stop it. I sit there, eyes wide open, watching myself…
…give Lenic Reevus a strip show.
My make-up is catwalk material and I look hot, unlike my strip show, which couldn’t be furthest from hot. If it was sexy, I could live with it. Be proud of it, even. But it’s a … drunken car crash.
FML, number three.
I’ve scored a FML hat-trick in the space of twenty-four hours.
I cringe on the sofa when my red dress gets caught on the baseball cap in the video. It takes me awhile to pull it over my head and blindly toss it behind me. With dishevelled hair, I blow a slutty kiss at the camera.
Lenic doesn’t look overly shocked or perturbed. I am not sure if I should take that as an insult. In fact, Lenic is grinning wide, pulling his full lips back over his gorgeous teeth.
That big bastard is enjoying every second.
“You’re a bad, bad boy, Lenic Reefus,” I suddenly start slurring in the video, and then I giggle, tossing my hair. It goes straight into my eye. And yes, I spend the next five seconds rubbing my eye.
On the sofa, I close my eyes, still too shocked to snatch the laptop away.
“Watching fishing, you bad boy? It explains why you’re such an arsehole. You’re sexually frustrated. Too bad for you though … since you passed up on the best fish you’ll ever have a chance to eat.”
My eyes snap open, just in time to watch myself on screen slipping out of my ‘Back Entrance’ underwear. But thank goodness, the camera angle doesn’t actually debut my ‘fish’.
In the video, I start to reach behind my back to unclasp my red bra. My cheeks feel like they’re on fire.
“I guarantee you are kicking yourself right now, right? Not your type? These are not your type?” In a heartbeat, I am flashing the girls to the camera. Is it wrong I find myself oddly gettin
g a little aroused watching Lenic’s gaze roam over my bare chest? I hear Delphine snort in laughter and it drags me out of my haze.
“Jesus Christ, she’s got tits like a stripper," Cross blurts out, holding his hands out like he is cupping a pair of humungous tits. As if Lenic has only just realised his friend is also watching his ‘birthday present’, he slams the laptop hood down so hard, I almost think he has broken it.
Glowering, he shoots up and drags Cross up with him. Lenic shoves his manager against the shoulder, pushing him back. Cross nearly trips over the rug underneath him.
“Erase that from your memory or I’ll erase you,” Lenic snarls, poking him hard in the forehead.
“It’s erased man,” Cross groans, backing up, hands raised defensively. “It’s erased.”
Delphine relaxes back into the sofa, laughing her head off. I shoot her a look, which makes her cover her mouth with both of her hands, but she can’t hide the fact that she is still in stitches. I shake my head, laughing a little myself, despite my mortification.
Grandpa Joe taught me that being serious when it’s serious only makes it worse. Finding a sense of humour is the only way to get through times like this.
‘Laughter is the best remedy for anything, kid,’ he used to say.
Lenic turns to face me with a smug expression. “You don’t like it easy, huh?”
Arrogant bastard.
I stand up and draw back my shoulders. Confidence is the best weapon in these situations. “I figured I’d help you to discover a life — fishing?” I say, with a judgemental tone in my voice. “Really, Lenic? Fishing over sex? What kind of man are you?”
Lenic strides back over to the sofa. “A man with an early birthday present.” I try to belie my true expression with a scowl, but my smile breaks through.
He opens up the laptop and uses the mouse board to drag my video to the Trash icon. “What’re you doing?” I ask.
“Deleting it.”
My chest floods with warmth. Chivalry isn’t dead. It is here, living on this boat.
“Why would you do that?”
The Tempest Page 6