Just My Luck (Escape to New Zealand #5)

by Rosalind James

  “I’d be happy to pay for you next time,” Kristen assured her. “I needed some company tonight. I wish you didn’t have to work. We could have gone out. Or even,” she said with a little smile, “found another party to go to. Since the last one was so successful.”

  Ally groaned. “Skulking around in a wet sweater until Hannah realized what was up and insisted on our leaving early. I couldn’t have done a much better job of spoiling the party for all of us. Yeah, that worked. Anyway, you can’t spend money on me. You can’t afford that either.”

  Kristen had got little enough, Ally knew, after the divorce, considering her ex-husband’s wealth. Had walked away without very much more than the wardrobe her rat bastard ex had bought to show off his trophy wife. Before he’d found a new trophy.

  “And yeah, split shifts are the worst,” she said, changing the subject, knowing Kristen didn’t want to talk about money. Or the past. She took another sip of the large trim flat white that was going to get her through until nine, and then however long it took to close. “At least there’ll be an evening crowd. It’s always easier when it’s busy, although it won’t be as busy as it should be. I wish Mac’s outlook wasn’t quite so blokey. He doesn’t realize what he’s got there. A climbing gym should be a meat market on Friday night. A healthy meat market,” she added at Kristen’s startled look.

  “Maybe you could suggest some things,” her friend offered.

  “After two weeks . . . I don’t think that would go over too well,” Ally said wryly. “Probably not ever.”

  “You have such good ideas, though,” Kristen said loyally. “It’s too bad you’re not running things.”

  “Yeah,” Ally sighed. “But nobody’s clamoring to put me in charge.”

  She glanced over as a young man leaned across from the next table. She’d noticed him as soon as she and Kristen had sat down. Dark, straight hair in a carelessly tousled style that had probably taken some effort to achieve, a startlingly handsome face over an open-necked white shirt and stylish slim-cut gray suit, he was the male equivalent of Kristen. Now, he spoke to them for the first time.

  “Sorry,” he said. “Horribly rude of me to eavesdrop, I know. But do you work at Mac’s climbing gym, by any chance?”

  “I do,” Ally said cautiously.

  He smiled with satisfaction, revealing noticeably long canine teeth. Ooh, a vampire. And that’s exactly what he looked like. Suave and dark, a bit like a young George Clooney.

  “I just had the most brilliant idea,” he said. “They don’t come along that often, so I have to grab them when I can. I’m a publicist for the Heat—the Wellington netball team,” he explained at her blank look. “And I was thinking, maybe there’s some way we can get the girls filmed doing some climbing. What d’you think?”

  “I think it’s a great idea,” Ally said at once. “Climbing always looks so impressive, even the easiest walls, if you’re not used to seeing people doing it. And it would be a great team-building activity, because you’re literally supporting your partner.”

  “Good point. And, of course, they’d look dead sexy doing it,” he said with another of those wolfish smiles. “Men would watch that, I know. But what about women? As a woman, what would be your reaction if you saw a segment like that on TV?”

  “I’d like it,” Ally said. “It’s a really empowering image for women. Overcoming obstacles. But I’ve been a climber for a long time, so I’m probably not the best judge. What do you think, Kristen?”

  “I’d like it too,” Kristen decided. “It’s . . . powerful, like you say, but fun too. And I’m just a beginner, so I’m not prejudiced like Ally here.”

  “Think your boss would be keen, if there were publicity for the gym in it for him?” the man asked Ally.

  “Absolutely,” Ally said, her excitement growing. “Not just appealing to women, but showing men what women look like when they’re climbing. Fitness and sex appeal, like you said. It’d be a great marketing idea.” This would be the perfect way to get her ideas across without seeming pushy. If she brought Mac this opportunity, dropped it into his lap.

  The man nodded his dark head in satisfaction, his smile reaching the bright blue eyes. “Let me work on the idea a bit, run it by the team,” he decided. “I’d like to pick your brain as well, if I could.”

  He pulled out his wallet, extracted a white business card and handed it to Ally. “Devon O’Neill,” he said unnecessarily. “If you’ll give me your name and mobile number, we could talk some more, coordinate our approach so it works for both of us.”

  Ally gave both to him, then introduced Kristen. To her gratification, Devon remained focused on her even after the introduction to her more beautiful friend. Maybe she actually had something that appealed to New Zealand men, she thought in surprise. First Nate, and now this guy. Although Devon was a long way more appealing.

  And just like that, here Nate was, she realized with disgust. She just didn’t seem to be able to escape him. Walking behind his friend Liam into the café with a wary, closed expression that was at odds with Liam’s broad smile, all for Kristen. Who looked cautiously pleased herself to see him again. Unusual, for Kristen.

  “What luck finding you in here,” Liam told Kristen after a brief hello to Ally. “I’ve been at the gym three times this week, missed you every time.”

  “I’m working,” Kristen began to explain. But Ally had stopped listening, her attention caught by the silent drama playing out in front of her.

  Devon had turned at the approach of the other men, and Ally had seen the moment when his eyes met Nate’s. The mutual recognition. The instant antagonism on Nate’s face, the way his hands tightened, Devon staring back at him defiantly. Until Nate turned right around and walked out.

  Liam glanced in surprise at his friend’s retreating back. Then said hurriedly to Kristen, “You’ll be there tomorrow, then? Could you use a climbing partner?”

  “Yes,” she said, her cheeks faintly tinted with what looked like pleasure. “Ally’s going to be working, so I could definitely use a partner.”

  “Ten?” he asked. “Meet you there?”

  “OK,” she agreed. “See you then.”

  Liam nodded again, said a quick goodbye, and hurried out. Ally could see Nate standing across the street, hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. His quick shake of the head at Liam before he strode away, the other man caught off guard again, having to hustle to keep up.

  Ally looked at Devon with speculation.

  “You noticed, eh,” he said. “We don’t like each other much.”

  “That was obvious,” she admitted. “And I’m curious, but not too surprised. He’s not my favorite person either.”

  “Really.” That had him looking surprised. “That’s not the general opinion.”

  Ally thought about her two disastrous Nate-encounters. “I guess I’m a maverick, then. Because he sure hasn’t impressed me. And I have to get to work.” She pushed her chair back to stand.

  “I’ll walk you,” Devon suggested, standing up in his turn.

  “I’d like that.” It was flattering to have such a good-looking guy interested. Unless it really was just the work angle, but she didn’t think so.

  “So. Not the best of friends with Nate?” she asked as they set out for the waterfront amidst the crowds of young people on the busy pedestrian mall that was Cuba Street, already starting their Friday evening revels.

  “Not exactly,” Devon said. “Although we were good mates once. Flatted together at Uni, in fact.”

  “Really. I didn’t realize rugby players went to University.”

  “He did, anyway. Right here in Wellington.”

  She was longing to ask him what had happened. Looked the question at him, and was gratified when he obliged.

  “Yeh,” he said. “Best of mates, like I said. Then he got important, and he was too busy for me. He knew how much I wanted to do sport publicity, and you’ve probably realized that rugby is the ultimate Kiwi sport. You’re A
merican?”

  “Canadian,” she corrected. “And yes, I’ve noticed.”

  “Well, he could’ve had a word in someone’s ear, anytime these past five or six years,” Devon went on. “Specially after he was made captain, selected for the All Blacks. But he can’t be bothered.”

  “It seemed like more than that, though,” she said hesitatingly.

  “Because I asked him for the favor, a few years back,” Devon said. “And he flat refused. He doesn’t do favors unless he’s dead sure it’s in his interest, that he’ll be getting something back. Too ambitious for that. We had a few words about it at the time, got a bit heated, I’m afraid. I said some things I probably shouldn’t’ve, knowing how self-important he can be. Not too clever of me at all, considering how much pull he had in En Zed sport, not to mention how much more he has now. Never been good at hiding my true feelings, I’m afraid. I tried to make it up later, but he’s had a down on me ever since.”

  “So, now . . .” He shrugged. “Now, it’s what you see. Oh, well, can’t be helped. I’ve done all right without him, haven’t I. Making my way up on my own merits, which means more anyway, doesn’t it?”

  “It does,” she agreed. “I hadn’t realized he was quite that arrogant. But I can’t say I’m entirely surprised.”

  They’d reached the gym now, its imposing height rising above the pedestrian pavement that lined the wharf.

  “Thanks for walking me,” Ally said.

  “That’s all right.” He smiled back easily, and she thought again how very handsome he was. “I’ll ring you tomorrow, shall I? And maybe we can go for a drink, talk over that project.”

  “Sounds good.” She went in to start her evening shift buoyed by the prospect. It wasn’t going to be the cats and game shows after all. Not this weekend either. Wellington was looking better and better.

  To Ally’s surprise, though, Kristen wasn’t entirely convinced by Devon’s denunciation of Nate when they discussed it late Saturday night.

  “I don’t know,” Kristen said, sipping her herbal tea at one end of the couch, her long legs in the striped leggings she wore as pajama bottoms curled beneath her. “You only have Devon’s word for what happened. Are you sure Nate’s as bad as that?”

  “He hasn’t exactly been impressive,” Ally argued.

  “No,” Kristen agreed with a smile. “He hasn’t. But he hasn’t been . . . bad. And they’re careful, you know, who they choose for the All Blacks captaincy. It’s not just about being a good player, or even a good leader. It’s kind of like being an ambassador. And Liam says . . .” Ally could see the color rising again as Kristen resumed. “He says he doesn’t think that’s the reason for the bad blood.”

  “Did Nate give him some other reason?” Ally pressed.

  “Well, no,” Kristen admitted. “I don’t think so. But Liam’s so kind. I can’t believe he’d have a good friend who was . . . the way Devon says.”

  “Of course he thinks the best of his friend,” Ally said impatiently. Honestly, Kristen could be so naïve at times. It was like she still didn’t want to believe there were bad people in the world, even with all the evidence she’d collected to the contrary. “But I believed Devon. Why would he lie to me?”

  Kristen shrugged. “I don’t know. Your date was good, then? You liked him?”

  “Lots of fun,” Ally confirmed. “That is, I guess it was a date. We did start out talking about the netball team thing, and I think it could really work. But then we just talked, and he was so interested. Not how men usually are, you know, at least in my experience. How often does a man really listen to you? It was great.”

  “And you know,” she said thoughtfully, “that was the first date with a new person I’ve been on in years, and it was so much fun. I wouldn’t have thought that could be true.”

  Her first date since her senior year of college. Not that you could call most of the hanging out she’d done in college “dating.” There hadn’t been much dating with Brian either, come to think of it. Mostly climbing together, backpacking, going out for Thai noodles when they could afford it. Being poor together, which had been fine with her. But no romantic gestures. She’d never thought she’d needed them.

  Brian had sure never looked like that in his clothes, so elegant and still so casual. He’d been a whole lot more likely to wear Vibram Five Fingers toe shoes that had Ally cringing in embarrassment than an open-necked shirt under a slim, European-cut suit. He’d never looked at her meaningfully across a glass of wine in an elegant restaurant, had never touched her hand lightly, smiled at her like that, leaving her tingling, wondering what he was thinking. Wanting more, and then ending the evening with a quick kiss, another smile. And no mention of whether she would see him again, whether it was more than just business. Leaving her off-balance, which was actually kind of fun too, in a bizarre way. Exciting. New.

  “But how was the climbing today?” she asked guiltily. She hadn’t even asked Kristen, had been too wrapped up in her own affairs, too excited by the prospects. All the prospects. “You’d left by the time I got to work.”

  “It was good,” Kristen said. “He’s so nice. And when he’s holding the rope . . . It’s like I know he’ll never, ever let me fall.”

  “Well, thanks very much,” Ally said tartly.

  “Oh, I don’t mean you’d drop me,” Kristen said hurriedly.

  “Did you guys go out afterwards?” Ally pressed.

  “Just for a quick coffee.” Kristen actually sounded happy about that. “I was nervous that he’d ask for more of a date, and I’d have to tell him no. But he didn’t even ask. He just said he’d really enjoyed climbing with me, and did I want to go again after the New Year, as he’s leaving town for the holiday in a few days just like we are. And when I said yes, he gave me his email and phone number, and asked me to let him know whenever I needed a belay partner. He said he’d probably only need a half hour’s notice, and he could be at the gym whenever I was ready.”

  “So he asked you to ask him out,” Ally said. “And that was a bonus?”

  “Guys always ask me out,” Kristen said simply. “Nobody’s ever let me make the move like that. Now I get to choose, even if I want to climb with him. And I do.”

  Tea With a Hooker

  “Is that all right with you, Ally?” Hannah asked again. “To have company on our outing?”

  “What?” Ally looked up from her cozy spot, her back against the wall, legs stretched out on the padded window seat, and put down the hiking guidebook she’d been studying.

  She and Kristen had spent Christmas in Auckland with Hannah and Drew, and she’d been persuaded—without too much difficulty, despite feeling like a bit of an interloper—to come with them on their beach holiday until after the New Year as well. Mac’s gym, like most Wellington businesses, was closed throughout the holiday period, so it wasn’t as if she were giving up hours. And there were worse things than staying in a gorgeous beach house along a beautiful stretch of coastline in the height of a New Zealand summer, doing some of her favorite things.

  “Sorry,” she told Hannah now. “I wasn’t paying attention. What did you ask me?”

  “Are you still good with going kayaking if Nate and Liam come with us?” Hannah repeated. “Or would you rather stay home and go another time? Because I’m not sure Nate’s your favorite person, but he and Liam are up here too for a few days, and Drew’s invited them to go out with us today.”

  “Didn’t realize you really didn’t like him, or I wouldn’t have done it,” Drew apologized. “And . . .” He rubbed his nose and looked a bit embarrassed. “I forgot, Hannah, we lent the single kayak out. So we only have four spots. Should’ve thought of that sooner, I know.”

  “I’ll stay home, then,” Hannah said at once. “You go on, take Ally and the boys out. Probably better anyway. That way you guys can make a real day of it, since I’m not up to that much.”

  Drew smiled. “Whatever it is we do to get this sorted, it’s not going to be that. Tell you
what, we’ll both stay home, send Kristen and Ally out with the fellas.”

  “You can look after them, Ally,” he said with a grin at her. “Keep them out of trouble, eh.”

  “Of course you should both go,” Ally said hastily. “I’ll stay here. I don’t mind a bit.”

  She’d been looking forward to kayaking, she thought with a pang of disappointment. She hadn’t had much chance to do it in recent years, not since the college summers she’d spent working at the kayaking company in Santa Cruz. Now it was just another expensive hobby she couldn’t afford anymore.

  But Hannah and Drew had been putting her up for a week now. Babysitting for a few hours was the least she could do. And going kayaking with Nate? She needed more time with him like a hole in her head.

  But when it came down to it, that was exactly what she got.

  “If it’s all the same to you,” Liam said when they were all sitting on the deck listening to Drew’s plan for the day, “I’ll stay here, give Kristen a hand minding Jack. I’m not too keen on kayaking anyway, tell you the truth. Terrible thing for a Maori to admit, but I get seasick. I’m better with babies than boats.”

  The way Kristen’s face had lit up when the men had pulled into the driveway and she’d seen Liam emerge had been too obvious for Ally to make any further objection. She knew how wary Kristen was about men, but Liam seemed to have made it past her barriers.

  “Cheers,” Drew said. “That makes it easy. Though it’s not going to be too challenging today. We’ll be keeping it pretty short and simple.” He reached an arm out to pull his wife gently against his side on the wooden porch swing. “Have to keep Hannah’s stomach happy.”