Hard To Regret: Scarlet Bay Book 1

by Kris Pearson

  She rummaged in her purse and pulled out her phone. “Or…” she said, biting the tip of her tongue as she concentrated on tapping out a text and then sending him a cheeky smile.

  Seeing that tiny glisten of pink between her teeth was as good as being licked, and he groaned as he fired up the van. “What have you thought of?”

  “Just something… But we’ll have to wait and see.”

  He accelerated down the driveway, concentrating until they’d turned safely onto the main road, and then letting his mind wander a little once he was up to speed in familiar territory.

  She was beautiful. And making him want more than he was probably entitled to. Firing him up and turning him into a better man than he’d been a week ago.

  It felt stupendous.

  Soon enough, her phone burbled with a reply. She looked down and laughed. “Curried lamb. Bring a man 4 me. That’s what my sister says. Do you like curried lamb? She’s a good cook.”

  Jason looked across in surprise. “Frosty, I thought we were staying clear of your family? And I expected just the two of us. Somewhere a little dark and romantic.”

  “Only Jossy. My next sister, and she’ll keep it quiet. She’s a lawyer, but a mad-keen cook. If she says curried lamb, there’ll be enough and it’ll be good. We needn’t stay late.”

  He sent her an assessing glance. Not what he’d had in mind, but she seemed pleased. “What about the man? Is she serious?”

  “Hopeful more than serious. I know she doesn’t have a boyfriend right now. Do you have any mates who might like a good meal at short notice?”

  “Cam’s around somewhere. No idea what he’s doing though, and he’s not the kind of guy to be at a loose end on Saturday night.”

  “Especially not on his birthday,” Anna said, remembering the cake.

  “But,” Jason said, slowing down and reaching for his phone, “We could check just in case?”

  *

  As the sun started to dip behind Wellington’s multi-story buildings, Anna directed him up into the residential streets of Mount Victoria.

  “When you said apartment, I expected the CBD,” he said, easing his way around a steep bend.

  “No - it’s an old house that’s been divided up. The house is huge, but my apartment’s pretty small. It’s a foot on the property ladder though, and I can always keep it as a rental or a bolthole if I end up living somewhere else.”

  Jason tightened his jaw. She spoke as though it was so easy to own multiple properties. Maybe it was, with the Wynn family money behind her.

  “Just past this corner,” she said, pointing. “That driveway there.”

  “Is there parking?”

  “A service park at the far end if you keep going. With luck it’ll be empty on a Saturday and you can use that.”

  “Because I’m servicing you?”

  She looked at him sharply. “Because it’s a van, and people won’t question it being there.” She reached over and curled a hand around his thigh. “But yes, you do give good service. You give wonderful service. I’ve never had better.”

  His prickly tension eased, but didn’t quite ebb away. The thought of anyone else providing ‘service’ didn’t sit well with him. And the fact that it didn’t? That really annoyed the hell out of him.

  He drove past the line-up of fancy cars and nosed the van into place. Or out of place. It looked like a clumsy beetle amongst butterflies. Then he carried both their bags up a very grand staircase to the next floor. With its massive carved newel posts and wide curved bannister, it was a beautiful piece of work – on a par with the one in the classy venue where Lockie and Julia’s wedding reception had been held. And Anna lived here? His spirits fell further.

  “This is mine,” she said, reaching to unlock an impressive panelled door off the landing. “You might be quite interested to see the way they’ve divided the old place up. Maybe you could take on projects like this? I’m sure there’s money to be made.”

  And money to be paid, he thought.

  But at least she was right about her apartment being small. Maybe it had once been a generous drawing room or sitting room? Now kitchen cupboards lined part of the back wall. A closed door beside them gave no clue to where it led, but Anna saw him looking, and said, “Bathroom.”

  She crossed the expanse of floor and opened it. “Laundry as well,” she added. “Very bijou, shall we say?”

  “But big enough,” he agreed, noting the clothes drier mounted over the washing machine… the closely spaced toilet, shower box, and vanity unit with shelves above.

  “For me, anyway. No good for someone your size. You’re almost hitting the ceiling.” She pushed some things aside on the shelf. “Is that enough for your toothbrush and whatever?”

  The ornate plaster ceiling in the main room was much higher - Jason estimated maybe fifteen feet. Two tall double-hung windows gave a spectacular view out to the city and harbour, and Anna moved to the nearest and heaved the lower portion up. Traffic noises and birdsong floated in. “So hot with the sun. And it smells like no-one’s been living here.” She leaned out and sniffed the air. “People next door are cooking pizza. They built one of those wood-fired ovens last year.”

  “Want the other one open?” Jason asked. Despite looking original, the windows had been double-glazed and sash slid up smoothly. “Nice job,” he added, inspecting it more closely.

  Four armchairs, a big coffee table, and a wide bookcase with a generous TV were the only furniture.

  “I’m not much into clutter,” Anna said, interpreting his expression correctly. “And that just leaves my bedroom.”

  A sleeping platform had been built over the kitchen and bathroom end, and she led him up a steep and narrow flight of stairs - surely pushing the building regulations - to a roomy space with her promised king-size bed and a line of storage cabinets backed against the half-height safety wall.

  “Watch your head,” she said, but Jason had already ducked.

  “Barely legal,” he muttered, straightening again. His hair just brushed the ceiling.

  “But fine for lying down,” Anna replied, switching on a lamp, throwing herself onto the big bed, and leaving room for him beside her.

  Jason sat, frowning up at the lack of headroom. “How in hell did you get a bed this size up here?”

  “Not me,” she said. “But the poor removal men had a tough job. The base is in two halves and the mattress was just flexible enough to fit.”

  She sat up again, slid her arms around his waist, and kissed the back of his neck. “You’re being grumpy,” she said. “What’s wrong?”

  He shook his head. “Nothing. Just… I wasn’t imagining you in a grand old place like this. I thought I’d be taking you out to dinner, but we’re going to your sister’s…”

  “We don’t have to.” Her reply was fast and sharp, and accompanied by the ringtone of his phone.

  “I think we do,” he said, glancing at the screen. “Cam’s on. Are you sure it’s still okay?”

  “It might give me someone better-tempered to talk to.” Her arms slid away and the mattress dipped as she lay down again. He practically felt the ice crystals forming between them.

  Dragging in a deep breath, he turned side-on, but couldn’t quite look her in the eye as he said, “Don’t freeze up on me. This is a weird situation. I want to be with you but I can’t see how we can swing it for more than a few days. That’s the worst part.”

  Then, when she made no reply, he flicked her a cautious glance. “I’ve got the house contract hanging over me. The situation with Trev’s pretty toxic. And there’s the exhibition to get ready, too.” He reached for her hand. She let him take it, and he raised it and kissed it, sending her a faint smile. “Everything feels wrong,” he added. “Even though some bits of it feel absolutely right.”

  “As long as I’m one of the right pieces.” She squeezed his hand and stayed silent for a few moments. “Right now we’re both carrying around too much baggage. I’m really tired. I seri
ously did work a fortnight on the trot before I came to the beach - and long days, too. I’ve got a lot more clearing out to do there before everyone arrives.” She pressed her lips together in an expression of such determination that his smile became an amused grin. “What?” she asked. “I said I’d do it, and I will, but by the time Christmas rolls around I’ll be utterly wrecked.”

  “Especially if I keep you up so late all the time?”

  Finally, she returned his smile. “Better make the most of tonight and tomorrow then. We can have a nice lazy lie-in, but those stairs are murder for getting to the bathroom and back when you’re half asleep. Yes, call Cam,” she added. “Tell him to come to 17 Ariki Terrace and we can all go together. It’s not far down to Jossy’s, and there’s obviously room for us in that huge heap he drives.”

  *

  Anna stood by the big front window of the modern and minimalist apartment, looking across at the spectacular view of iconic Te Papa museum and the harbour beyond. It had been a mistake inviting Cam. Sure he’d turned up with a pack of Tiger beers from Singapore, but he really shouldn’t have told Joss it would go better with her curry than the wine she’d already chilled and intended serving.

  He could have bothered to wash his hair and wear something better than those old khaki chinos, too. Had he even known the back of one leg had come unstitched and was dragging around his shoe? He looked like a tramp. Tall and shaggy and stubbly, and more like a rebellious teenager than an apparently successful man who designed golf courses for a living. Or, for all Anna knew, played golf at championship level and earned a heap doing it. But no - the trousers and the eccentric old car certainly didn’t point in that direction.

  He and Joss had been at each other’s throats constantly - sniping and snarking like a pair of fractious children. He’d brought along the last chunk of his birthday cake, suggesting there’d be enough for the four of them for dessert. Joss had turned up her nose, pronounced it rather dry-looking, and said she’d already made individual crème caramels.

  “Have it with coffee, then,” he’d snapped.

  “We’re having a cheeseboard and grapes.”

  “Then throw it to the bloody seagulls.”

  Jossy’s big eyes had opened very wide at that.

  She looked lovely tonight - had really made an effort after Anna had let her know they were indeed bringing a man. She wore a slim-fitting black dress and high strappy sandals. Her long dark gold hair was wound up in a classy knot. Her makeup was immaculate, her jewellery understated. Anna’s heart had swelled with pride when she saw her sister looking so polished and beautiful.

  Cam seemed not to notice. He slouched on her expensive black leather sofa as though it was a cheap beanbag. Hauled one foot up onto his opposite knee so his long legs took up far too much room. Picked at the unravelling piece of his trouser hem. Called poor Jossy ‘darlin’ in a very cowboy-like drawl every time he spoke to her, and generally seemed to be doing anything possible to wind her up.

  In return, Jossy had actually kicked at his foot instead of asking him to pull it back out of the way, thumped his curry down less than graciously after handing Jason’s and hers across with perfect politeness, and spent the whole evening glaring at him, flushed and hot-eyed. She’d even slapped her second-best kitchen scissors into his hand at one stage, demanding he cut the damn threads off his pants and stopped fiddling with them.

  So it came as a surprise to Anna when she and Jason started making ‘thanks for dinner, we’ll be off now’ noises, and Cam continued to sit there as though he owned the place. He asked if they’d mind getting a taxi home, and appeared to have no intention of leaving.

  Anna had caught Jossy’s eye.

  Jossy had sent her the tiniest of nods and then looked away.

  Jason, not apparently having noticed – or chosen to ignore - the cross-currents, said, “Are you sure, man?” and Cam had unfolded his legs, settled back in the sofa with them widely apart, crotch on blatant display, and said, “Yeah, all good.”

  *

  “What on earth’s wrong with him?” Anna demanded the minute they were in the elevator foyer and out of earshot. “Last night he was quite charming and full of laughs. He’s neither now. I could have kicked him.”

  “Your sister did kick him.”

  “Well, can you blame her? He was rude, time and time again. And he looked as if he didn’t give a damn about his appearance.”

  “Yep - bit scruffy,” Jason admitted. He’d seen Cam casual, but never quite so unkempt.

  “Scruffy? He looked like a beggar. After Jossy went to all that trouble…”

  The elevator chime sounded and the doors slid apart. Jason took Anna’s hand and pulled her in.

  “Do you think she’s even safe with him?” she demanded as he pressed the button for the ground floor. “Maybe we should have insisted he left with us.”

  He sent her an amused glance. “That would have gone down really well. I reckon they’ll be striking sparks off each other for hours yet. And quite enjoying it.”

  “Were you deaf? Did you hear how he poked and prodded and criticised and was generally a total pain in the arse?”

  “Were you blind?” he countered, trying to suppress a grin. “Yes, Cam’s wound up about something, but Joss can hold her own. She did a lot of winding up in return. Certainly wasn’t trying to calm him down. More like she was waving a stick at an angry bear or banging on a beehive. Trying for a reaction.”

  Anna blew a most unladylike raspberry.

  “She might be exactly what he needs to get rid of that head of steam. I’ve known him a long time. He’s pressured ready to blow. Something’s upset him.”

  “So you should have asked him what was wrong.”

  Jason dropped a kiss on her hair as the elevator slowed. “Frosty - expecting a mate to spill his guts in front of two barely known women is never going to work. He’d probably have taken a swing at me.”

  Her eyes widened. “What if he takes a swing at Jossy instead?”

  “Never going to happen. He’s a pussycat. Anyway, big guys like Cam and me don’t need to resort to aggro. An evil look tends to do the trick.”

  He stood back so she could precede him out of the elevator, but she wasn’t done yet.

  “Did you see how he was sitting when we left? Sitting for ages, actually, even when he had his foot up on his knee. Shoving his balls out at us all.”

  Jason snorted at her unexpected description. “He’s being a man, honey. It’s an automatic reflex. Some girl’s annoyed him. Probably dumped him. That’ll be why he was free at short notice tonight and we had the pleasure of his company.”

  “You call that pleasure?”

  He squeezed her hand as they walked out into the cooler air. The city sounded noisy after the quiet of the apartment. A diesel bus lumbered past them, farting fumes. Brakes squealed as the nearby traffic lights changed to red.

  “Jossy was eating it up,” he said. “There were sparks flying between them the moment they met. Didn’t you see how hot and bothered she got? Flushed and flirty. All big eyes, and deep breaths that pushed her tits out? That wasn’t temper.”

  “Dream on!” Anna exclaimed, staggering slightly on her high heels after too much wine and too much love-making. “I’ve never seen her less attracted. I should text and make sure she’s all right.”

  “Ten bucks says she won’t answer.”

  “And you know this how?”

  He looked down at her infuriated face and shook his head. “Try running a gang of builders sometime. I’ve got nosy Eric who ought to push himself harder and go out on his own and make some money. He could easily do it, but he won’t. Too keen on taking care of everyone else’s business. There are plodders like Brett who want constant direction. Great blokes, dependable as hell, won’t get any further in the world because they’re natural Indians, not chiefs. And kids like Hoolie, still finding their feet, going nowhere yet, but with the right encouragement just might.” He let go of her hand and sl
id his arm around her before adding, “A pair of stroppy brothers who I always put onto other sites because Eric winds them up until they’re spitting, and a crusty old devil called Norm who pretends the whole world is on his case, but does a superb job if left alone to get on with things.”

  He pulled her closer and gave the evil eye to several noisy teenagers lurching by full of beer and bravado. “I pinched Norm off Trev, so there’s another strike against me. You get used to managing people, Frosty. You read their signals. You have to. Cam and Joss have the hots for each other, even if they don’t know it yet.”

  She shook her head, looking exasperated. “Okay, I’ll concede you have experience managing men, but what about women?”

  “Total mystery, most of the time. I can tell they’re pissed off if they won’t look at me, or if they’re clamping their arms across their… er… fronts. Neither of which Joss was doing to Cam, by the way. Totally the opposite. But most other signals? Hard to translate.”

  “My signals?”

  He slowed his stride and drew her to a halt. Then held her gaze as he said, “When you arrived you were very determined not to like me, because I was messing with a situation you thought you should have control over.”

  “Maybe,” she conceded, tilting her head to one side.

  “But it only took an hour or so and I was allowed to see these pretty things.” He ran his free hand lightly over her breasts.

  “No! That was just to distract you in case I had to hurt you in the bathroom.”

  He laughed, and kissed her brow. “Like hell. You wanted to see if I found you attractive… which might have given you some leverage. And you didn’t like it much once you discovered I was playing the same game in reverse.”

  “I knew it!” she exclaimed. “You were absolutely flirting on the deck of the new house.”

  “And you were scrambling to gain the upper hand by putting me down in front of my crew when I wanted to make sure you didn’t get electrocuted.”

  She puffed out a quick laugh. “Which you countered by ripping your clothes off and showing me what I was missing.”