Key to My Heart: An Anthology of Sweet Romance

by Alice La Roux

  “For you, maybe.” I take a playful swipe at her arm. “We can’t all be pencil-thin waifs like you.” Grabbing a hold of my stomach, I say, “These rolls don’t exactly fit into the bikini body image.”

  She sits up, taking my hand. “Puh-lease. Why do you do that to yourself, Dee? You’re a knockout!”

  “Tell that to Damian,” I mutter under my breath, climbing off the bed and stalking to my wardrobe.

  “Oh, you did not just say his name.” She scoots to the edge of the bed, her hands fisting the covers. “Babe, you are so much better than he deserves. Don’t even give him a second thought because I can guarantee you, he hasn’t done the same for you. He’s a two-faced jerk who’ll get what’s coming to him. Mark my words.”

  “Mmhmm.” I nod because I know that’s what she’s expecting, but in my heart, I worry that maybe Damian was right. Maybe I’m just not that attractive to the opposite sex. Maybe there’s just too much of me to love.

  Her hands fall on my shoulders as she spins me around to face her. “I’m gonna spell it out for you, okay? You. Are. A. Babe. No doubt about it. And if he can’t see that, then it’s his loss, not yours.” She leans in and speaks out the side of her mouth as if divulging some big secret. “By all accounts, you dodged a bullet with that one. I heard his winky ain’t nothing to write home about, if you know what I’m saying.” She holds her finger straight in the air, then lets it curl down into a sad arc. The expression on her face is golden, and I can’t help the tiny lift of my lips.

  “You did not hear that, did you?” A giggle escapes at the thought.

  “You better believe it. I’ve got the skinny on everyone in this town.” She twirls a finger in the air. “Ain’t nobody I can’t get dirt on.” She leans in. “Especially a dirtbag like Damian.”

  I purse my lips, wondering what she’s heard about me.

  “Don’t even go there.” She points a finger at me, and I can feel my face redden under her scrutiny. “I can see what you’re thinking, and you need to stop.” Placing her hands on my shoulders, she gives a little shake. “What do I have to do to get through to you? You’re a freakin’ catch, Dee! In all the years we’ve been friends, I’ve never once heard a bad word against you. In fact, I’m beginning to wonder if you’re even real.” She pokes a finger into my cheek. “I mean, you feel real and all, but they can do some pretty amazing things with technology these days.” She pulls back. “Shit, am I best friends with an AI?”

  “Stop,” I laugh, shoving her gently. “You know damn well I’m real.” My eyes drop to my stomach. “They wouldn’t make an AI to look like this.”

  “Like what? A drop-dead gorgeous girl with a cracking smile and the bluest eyes?” She leans back, her arms folded across her chest and one eyebrow hitched. “You have no idea how many people would kill for a figure like yours.”

  I huff out a sigh. “I guess I just don’t see what you see.”

  I’d been a little on the pudgy side my whole life, often becoming the butt of so-called friends’ jokes. It had taken several years for the puppy fat to fall off, but even without that added layer, I am nowhere near the accepted norm. My short legs don’t help matters; neither do my child-bearing hips. I am what you’d call a pear shape: small boobs and a round booty. If only the booty stopped there and didn’t wrap around to encompass my belly and thighs. But I guess, there are worse things than having a little extra padding.

  “What’s the opposite of rose-tinted glasses? Because whatever it is, you seem to be wearing a pair, and it’s about time you took them off.” She spins me around and marches me over to the mirror on the wall. “Look at yourself. Actually look and take it in.” Her hand smooths down my hair as she peers over my shoulder. “You’re going to stand here and look at yourself until you admit that you’re beautiful, inside and out.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” I scoff, attempting to pull out of her grasp, but she has a vice grip on my arms. For someone so slight, she sure does have a lot of strength.

  “I’m not even joking. I’ll stand here all night if I have to.”

  “What about Jarod? I thought you had a hot date tonight?”

  “Pfft. He can wait. Treat ‘em mean, keep ‘em keen.” She winks. “And if he gets desperate, I’m sure his five friends will give him a hand.” Her shoulders shake as she cackles, her super human strength never wavering.

  There’s no point in fighting it. The only way I’m getting out of this, is to do what she asks. With a defeated sigh, I turn my attention back to my own reflection, and search for something I like about myself.

  Chapter Two

  “Thank you for flying Air New Zealand; enjoy your stay.” The stewardess smiles and waves me on my way. The air is thick and muggy—a different heat to what I’m used to—and within seconds, I can feel the sweat starting to drip down my back.

  My bag collection forgotten, I quickly find my way to a bathroom to freshen up and remove the extra layer of clothing I’d thought would be needed for the flight. Having only ever been on short flights around New Zealand, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.

  The cool water is a welcome relief as I splash it across my face and dab at the back of my neck. “Ah, that’s better,” I mutter to myself, tipping my head back and closing my eyes to enjoy it.

  “You get used to it after a while,” a voice says from beside me, and I open my eyes to find a woman smiling at me in the mirror. She raises a hand and points towards the ceiling. “The heat. Feels like it’s clinging to your skin?” I nod. “Give it a few days, you’ll be right as rain.”

  “I hope so. I have the sinking feeling I overpacked for this trip.”

  “First time here?”

  “Yeah. First time out of New Zealand, actually.”

  “Oh cool. Well, if you’re anything like me, you’ll love it so much you’ll want to stay.” She holds her arms out to her sides with a grin. “I only came for a week. Been here almost two years now.” She laughs. “I only ever leave to visit family and then I’m straight back.”

  “Oh wow. I can’t imagine staying that long in this heat.”

  She waves a hand, resting her hip against the basin. “Most places are air conditioned. The only time you really have to worry about it is when you’re outside, and even then, it’s not too bad,” she says. “You wait until we have an electrical storm. Like nothing you’ve ever seen before.”

  “At least I might be better prepared clothing wise.” I laugh. “Do they happen often? The electrical storms?”

  “Nah, they’re pretty fleeting. It can be fine one minute, then it buckets down in a matter of seconds, with flashes of lightning darting across the sky. But it doesn’t get cold. It stays warm the whole time, and then just like that,” she clicks her fingers, “it’s over. Nothing like back home.” She nods her head to the side.

  “Sounds beautiful.”

  “It is.” She turns to the tap and washes her hands. “Listen to me talking your ear off. You’ve probably got a list of things to do.”

  “Oh, right, yes. I suppose I should go.” I run a hand through my hair and pick up my bag. “It was nice meeting you.”

  “Yes, you too.” She holds her hand out to me. “Sharon’s the name. If you get stuck for something to do, gimme a call. I’d be happy to show you around.” She pulls a card out from her handbag and scrawls her number down before handing it to me.

  “Thanks, that’s really nice of you.”

  “No problem.”

  I stuff the card into my pocket and make my way to customs. The line is huge and slow-moving, so I pull out my declaration card and check it for the hundredth time. I’ve seen enough of those border patrol shows to know if you lie on the form, you get in a lot of trouble, and I am not about to be hauled into a jail cell over a pack of wine gums.

  The front of the line looms. I’ve already watched one group be ushered down the third row while everyone else has been waved straight through. I don’t know what happens in the third row, but I don’t want t
o find out.

  I check the form again, my sweaty palms leaving marks on the cardboard. I don’t know why I’m so nervous: aside from the wine gums, there’s nothing untoward in my bag. The person in front of me steps forward, waving his card at the uniformed attendant before strolling down the first aisle as if he owns the place. Doesn’t look so hard. I can do this. Just follow his lead.

  A man waves me forward with a serious face. I smile, giggling nervously as I almost throw the form at him. “I have wine gums in my bag,” I blurt, louder than I mean to while I brush an invisible hair behind my ear. “I wasn’t sure if I needed to declare them or not. I wasn’t really thinking about that when I packed them, ya know? Just didn’t know if you had them here and thought it’d be nice to have something from home seeing as I’m here by myself.”

  The attendant quirks an eyebrow as he listens to me ramble. “Ma’am, are you high right now?”

  My jaw drops, and for some reason, my voice reaches an even higher octave as I proclaim my innocence. “What? No! I don’t do drugs. Why would you think that?” The air seems to get thicker, making it impossible to catch my breath.

  He nods to the side, and I follow, stepping away from the line and closer to the third aisle. “Are you going to arrest me?” I reach out and grab his arm before I realise what I’m doing. His eyes drop down to my hand and back up to my face, and I can’t help but notice how pretty they are. A cerulean shade of blue with flecks of gold surrounding the iris. He coughs, and I pull my hand back, whispering, “Sorry,” as I swallow back the lump in my throat.

  This is it. The moment I get thrown in a foreign jail cell like some convicted criminal.

  “I’m going to need you to follow me, ma’am.” He takes hold of my elbow and directs me toward a door beside the third row. Tears threaten to fall as I walk past the other passengers with my head bowed down.

  He holds a keycard up to a box on the wall and the door springs open revealing a stark white room with only a table and two chairs. My heart leaps into my throat.

  It’s just like an interrogation room in the movies.

  I step through the door, only to spin back around and straight into his rock-hard chest.

  “Sorry,” I whisper again. “But there’s been some sort of a mistake. I’m not a druggy, I swear. I’ve never taken drugs in my life!”

  “Then you have nothing to worry about, do you?” he says, stepping past me and pulling a rubber glove from his pocket.

  Chapter Three

  “You’re going to search me?” I can’t tell if I’m more scared or turned on by that fact. The way those blue eyes watch me is doing funny things to my insides, and I’m not sure what to do with that.

  “It’s just a routine bag check, ma’am.” He gestures for me to lift my bag onto the table. “Did you pack this bag yourself?”

  I nod, my voice catching in my throat.

  “Am I going to find anything in here?”

  “N-no, sir.”

  He unzips my bag and starts pulling my clothes out and laying them on the table. His hands pause, and he clears his throat before lifting out a teeny tiny purple thong I’ve never seen in my life. A tinge of red colours his cheeks as he places it on the table then goes back to the bag. The next things he pulls out makes both our cheeks redden, and I silently curse Sarah Jane for slipping things into my bag when I wasn’t watching.

  “I can explain.”

  “No need. I think we’re all done here.” He starts stuffing everything back into my bag and walks me to the door as if he can’t get away from me quick enough. “Just follow that line out.” He points to a painted strip on the floor, avoiding my eyes. “Enjoy your holiday.”

  “Uh, thanks.” Spinning on my heels, I make a hasty retreat out the door and into the bright sunshine. I suck in a deep breath to steady my heart before signalling for a cab. I’m not sure what happened back there, but I do know I need to have words with Sarah Jane.

  “You’re joking!” Sarah Jane erupts into fits of laughter as I retell my sorry saga over the phone. “Did he ask for a demo?” She snickers, and I just know she’s making lude gestures.

  “It’s not funny! I thought I was going to get arrested!”

  “Having a sex life isn’t against the law, last time I checked.”

  “If I had a sex life, would I be carrying one of those in my bag?” I hiss under my breath as I make my way towards a tree-lined walkway.

  “Rule number one of scouts is ‘always be prepared’. You never know when you’re going to need a bit of release. I was doing you a service. You’ll thank me later.”

  “Not likely,” I mutter, knowing full well I won’t be using the offending apparatus. It had started vibrating when I set my bag down on the bed earlier, and it took me forever to figure out how to turn the darn thing off. How many settings does one toy need?

  We talk a few more minutes before saying our goodbyes. I pocket my phone, stepping onto the path before me. I’ve been hoping to catch a glimpse of some wildlife, and this seems like the perfect place to start.

  Long-beaked birds stalk alongside me while colourful lorikeets twerp in the trees. A tiny green lizard scampers across the path and into a pile of leaves. I edge closer to see if I can catch a photo of the little guy, but he’s burrowed deep and I can barely see him anymore.

  Climbing to my feet, I turn back to the path, only to have something black fly at me at an incredible speed. I duck my head, squeaking and throwing my hands over my ears. This seems to set off some sort of chain reaction and more come flying towards me, swooping and screeching.

  “Bats!” I scream, my feet tearing up the path as my hands flail about in the air, hoping to scare them away. “Get them off! Get them off me!” I keep running until I hit something hard and warm that knocks the air out of me.

  “Whoa there.” A hand reaches out to steady me as I pant, raking my fingers through my hair like a crazy woman.

  “They’re in my hair!” I yell, not even caring who’s witnessing my meltdown because there’s a freaking bat tangled in my hair.

  “Uh, there’s nothing in your hair,” a deep voice says with a chuckle.

  “There isn’t? Are you sure?” I peer up through my bird’s nest of tresses, only to come face to face with a familiar set of blue eyes. The uniformed attendant from the airport is standing in front of me with an amused expression on his face.

  “Positive.” His eyes flick over my head again. “Nothing but hair, I’m afraid.”

  I straighten, smoothing a hand down my unruly mane. Clearing my throat, I rock back on my heels, unsure what to do or say. “Well… um… thanks?”

  He searches my face, probably wondering again about narcotics. I’m not exactly making a good first or second impression. A lasting one, perhaps, but not a good one, which is why I find myself once again professing my innocence.

  “I know what you must think, but I assure you, it’s not the case. I really thought there was a bat in my hair.” A shudder runs through my body at the mere mention, and I can’t help but raise my eyes to the skies to check for the flying rodents.

  He folds his arms across his chest. “You know they’re probably more afraid of you than you are of them, right?”

  “Tell that to the bat that dive bombed me,” I say like a petulant child.

  “Pretty sure that didn’t happen.” He makes a show of looking around. “They look pretty peaceful to me.”

  “So, what? You think I’m hallucinating or something? I’m telling you, it swooped at me.”

  “I didn’t say that. I just think perhaps one was heading for the pond over there,” he points behind him, “and maybe you overreacted.” He shrugs. “They don’t attack humans. They’re fruit bats, not vampire bats.” He snorts, a grin pulling at his lips.

  “Well, I’m glad I could amuse you with my apparent ignorance.” Placing my hands on my hips, I fight the urge to roll my eyes. “It’s not like I’ve seen a real one before.”

  “You haven’t?” He acts s
urprised, as if seeing bats is an everyday occurrence, and this time, I can’t help my eyes from turning.

  “No, I haven’t. They’re not exactly common place in New Zealand.”

  “Huh. I didn’t know that.” He runs a hand through his hair, a strange look on his face. “What else haven’t you seen?”

  His question catches me off guard, and I have to stop and think for a minute. “We have kangaroos and wallabies in the zoos back home, but I’ve never seen a croc close up, or a snake. Not sure I want to either, to be honest.” Not to mention all the other creepy crawlies Australia is known for. No thank you.

  “What about a koala?”

  “Um, you know, I don’t think I have. Are they really as smelly as people say?”

  “So smelly.” He grins. “How about wombats?”

  “Ooh, no I haven’t seen one of those either.” My eyes scan the bush around us. “Are there some here?” I whisper.

  He laughs, and the sound is almost musical. “No, not here. But there’s a zoo not far from here. I could take you. You know, if you want?” His cheeks redden, and he sounds… hopeful.

  “Um, sure.” I duck my head down, brushing hair behind my ear. “That would be nice.”

  Did I just agree to a date with the airport cop?

  Chapter Four

  “Have you ever arrested anybody?” I ask with a sly grin. We’ve been walking through the wildlife park for the better part of an hour, and I have to admit, I’m enjoying myself more than I thought I would. Brad, as I now know is his name, is rather endearing when he’s not rummaging through my unmentionables.

  His laugh echoes off the trees. “No, I’m not really qualified to do that.”

  “Oh. Well, you must get some pretty interesting people through, though?” I chance a side look at him. “Do you get many with, um…”

  “Battery operated toys?” He nudges my arm with his elbow as a smile stretches across his face.