“But you didn’t come after me, or get in touch later!”
“I was going to! But Rosie convinced me to let her talk to you first. She was going to arrange for us to meet today, but you left this morning before she had a chance to put her plan into action.”
“Bloody Rosie,” I mutter. “She can’t keep her damn nose out of my business. She didn’t tell you I was here, did she?”
“No, not at all. And I know she cares for you a great deal.”
“Yes, but she goes about everything the wrong way!” And then I remember I should still be grovelling. “I feel really bad about what happened. It was so dumb, and I…”
He cuts me off again. “I know you didn’t do it maliciously.”
“I promise I didn’t. Everything was just so crazy when I kind of let it slip to Rosie that we spent the night together…”
He laughs. “So she knows about that too?”
My face flushes. “Uh, I’m afraid so.”
He closes the remaining distance between us and wraps his arms around me in a tight hug. “That’s OK. As long as you told her I satisfied you.”
I giggle. “I didn’t go into details, but I can if you like. Do you want me to email her now?”
He tilts my face to his. “Maybe later.” And then he kisses me, deeply and fully, like he’s never meant anything so fervently.
My legs turn to jelly, and I wrap my arms around his neck, holding on for dear life.
I’m not sure how long we stay like that, because time loses all meaning, but finally I pull away. “So what were you doing at Kitty’s just now?”
“Oh, I was giving her a sofa. I don’t know if you saw it in my spare room, but Kitty mentioned how hers had broken, and I was thinking of upgrading at some point anyway, so I offered it to her.”
“Wow. That’s so sweet of you.”
He shrugs. “It’s not a big deal.”
“It is! You are so nice to everyone! Too nice!”
He laughs. “I’m not. But thank you.” His face turns serious. “So you’re staying with Kitty tonight?”
“Uh, yeah. I was going to,” I say reluctantly. “And my flight leaves in the morning.” Remembering this fills my heart with dread.
He looks dismayed. “Tomorrow?”
“Yeah. It’s a long story, but that’s how it’s ended up.”
“At least let me take you to the airport.”
“OK.” I desperately want him to invite me back to his place, but that wouldn’t be very fair on Kitty.
“What time do you need to leave here?”
“I think around six. Hang on, let me just check.” I get out my phone and find the airline confirmation email. “Yeah, maybe just after six,” I say dully.
Daniel looks over my shoulder and then points at the screen.
“But that says Sunday.”
I frown and look where he’s pointing. He’s right. “I swear I chose tomorrow!”
Daniel laughs. “It looks like you might have accidentally clicked the wrong day.”
“But, but…” I wonder if Rosie somehow had anything to do with this, but I can’t imagine she did. She didn’t know my login details. I must have made a mistake. When the confusion clears, I look up at him and smile.
“I guess that means I’m staying for another day!”
“Well, in that case…would you do me the honour of spending your last day in Thailand with me? I’ll ask Gan to mind the shop.”
“I would love to.”
Daniel bends down and kisses me again.
I wonder if my subconscious knew this was going to happen and selected Sunday’s flight on purpose.
I’m not complaining.
THIRTY-ONE
I wake up on my final full day in Thailand feeling a mixture of excitement and sadness. It’s like my own version of Before Sunrise—except I’m not travelling through Europe, and I think Daniel is significantly hotter than Ethan Hawke. Well, the over-forty version of Ethan at least.
Kitty and I eat breakfast together at a tiny café near the perfumery. If I wasn’t with her, I wouldn’t even have known it was an eatery. To me, it just looks like someone’s house, but the food is delicious—a soupy mixture of fish, rice, and herbs. Kitty tells me this is a fairly common breakfast dish in Thailand, although she does clarify that Thai people don’t usually have specific foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I like that way of thinking, and agree that things like cereal and bacon and eggs back home should be more widely accepted as appropriate dinner choices.
Daniel has suggested I meet him at work before we leave. For where, I have no idea.
When Kitty and I arrive at the perfumery, Daniel is in the front of the shop, doing something near the cash register. Kitty continues out to the back room, but I stay near the front door, awkwardly looking around.
Daniel sees me and motions me over. I approach the counter, where he leans forward, cups my face in his hands and kisses me softly.
When I come up for air, I laugh. “Didn’t you have some rule about romance and work?”
“I’m making an exception for you,” he says as if he’s given it a lot of thought. “Besides, you’re not technically staff.” He writes something down on a piece of paper and then looks at me again. “Are you ready?”
I nod.
“Excellent.”
I follow Daniel out to the garage, where he hands me a helmet.
“Do you trust me?” he asks.
“Completely,” I say, smiling.
***
A short ride later, we end up near Khaosan Road.
“You’re not taking me back to where I was robbed, are you?” I ask wryly.
“No, no. We’re going to Soi Rambuttri. It’s a lot tamer than Khaosan Road.”
“Good.”
We amble up a pleasant leafy road that’s paved in terracotta bricks. There are market stalls selling clothing on each side, and quaint guesthouses spaced regularly along the strip. Tuk-tuks and motorbikes squeeze around the pedestrians, sharing the path.
“I thought we could be tourists for the day,” he says.
“Well, I am a tourist,” I point out.
“Yes, you are, but I feel bad that I’ve kept you hidden away at the perfumery for the majority of your stay. This is my attempt at making it up to you.”
“I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything. In fact, I think maybe I’ve had a better experience than most tourists because I’ve been able to live like a local. I’ll have to show you…” I then trail off, realising I won’t be able to show him. “Um, you’ll have to get Kitty to show you where we had breakfast this morning.”
Damn. Before Sunrise has a lot to answer for. Only getting to spend one day with someone sucks big time.
Daniel smiles. “I will.”
We walk quietly up the path, and Daniel keeps close to me the whole time, either holding my hand or draping his arm over my shoulder. It feels natural. And comfortable. And so nice.
We stop to look at souvenirs, and I’m taken by the thought that if I buy some, I won’t really have anyone to give them to when I go home. It makes me sad to think that there won’t be any friends who are looking forward to my return so I can tell them all about my adventures.
“Are you OK?” Daniel asks, concerned.
“What do you mean? Do I not look it?”
He hesitates for a moment. “I, uh, could kind of see what you were thinking.”
I spring back so that we’re no longer touching. “Seriously? Are you doing your thing? I didn’t know it worked like that.”
“Well, it was pretty faint, but I saw a picture of an office and an empty desk, and I got a melancholy feeling from you.”
“Wow. We’re going to have to...” I was going to say we’re going to have to explore this more later, but then I remember again there’s not going to be a later.
“I mean, well, yeah…I was just thinking about when I go home.” I haven’t yet told him I’ve quit my job.
�
�Oh.” He points to a café beside us. “Do you want to stop for a snack?”
I look at the sign for the café and see that it sells British food. I laugh. “You want English food?”
“I just thought you might be feeling homesick and this is the closest you’ll probably get around here. They have meat pies,” he points out, gesturing to the menu near the door.
“Uh, thank you. That’s sweet, but I wasn’t feeling homesick at all. Quite the opposite actually.”
“Why’s that?” His voice is neutral, but I feel like he’s trying to figure something out.
“I’ve decided not to go back to my job in Brisbane, and I was just thinking about what I might do next.”
“Right…so you’re not looking forward to going back to Australia?”
“Not really, no.”
He turns to me suddenly and grabs my hands. “Stay here, then.”
I laugh. “It’s not that simple.”
“Why not? You can live at the apartment. You said yourself that you were more comfortable there than back home. And you can keep helping me out at the perfumery. If you want to.”
“Wouldn’t that be awkward for the other staff, though?”
“I don’t think so. But if that’s the only thing you’re worried about, I’ll have a chat with them and make sure they’re OK with it. I know for a fact that they all love you, so I’m pretty sure it won’t be a problem.”
“They love me, huh?” I tease.
“We all do,” he says, seriously. “I know I do.”
My heart stops beating.
“Really?”
“Really.”
“I love you, too.”
He breaks into a huge smile. “So stay.”
I don’t even hesitate this time. “OK.”
He picks me up and spins me around in a circle. I giggle. “People are looking at us!”
“I don’t care.” He kisses my mouth and then each of my cheeks.
When he sets me back down, he nods towards the British café. “This calls for a celebration. Are you sure you don’t want a pie? You won’t get many chances in this city, and if you’re not missing food from home yet, you might soon.”
I throw up my hands. “Sure, why not?”
We sit at an outside table and Daniel orders us a meat pie each.
While we’re waiting for them to be prepared, we go through some practicalities, like what I’m going to do about my place back home. I figure I’ll rent it out on Airbnb in the short term and then figure out what to do once my holiday visa runs out. If I’m going to stay longer than sixty days, I’ll have to leave the country so I can reapply for another one.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do about all my stuff, though,” I muse out loud. “I guess I’ll have to buy some new clothes.”
“Well, I have something that might make you feel a little more at home,” Daniel says, smiling mysteriously.
“And what’s that?”
He reaches into the pocket of his shorts and pulls out a small bottle. I recognise it instantly.
“Oh my God. How did you get that?” It’s my favourite fragrance, Summer Rain.
“Would you believe I created it?”
I stare at him, echoing the expression he gave me when I told him about it that day at the perfumery. “What? You actually designed Summer Rain?”
“Yep.” He seems to be enjoying my shock.
“But…it’s not a famous perfume. When I bought it in Sydney, the woman told me that it was exclusive to her shop.”
“That’s right. Her name’s Magda. She is very wealthy and visited the perfumery just after I’d set up here in Bangkok. She was one of my first clients. And do you want to know something else?”
“What?”
“It’s always been my favourite fragrance too.”
“No!”
“Yes.”
“You know, I was never a big believer in magic, but I think I’m starting to change my mind.”
He chuckles. “I think some things are just meant to be.”
Our pies arrive and we tuck in.
“Not bad,” Daniel says, thoughtfully chewing. “What do you think?”
I take a bite of mine. “I think I’d prefer the soup I had with Kitty this morning.”
“You’re right. Thai food is better.”
He stands up and holds his arm out like they do in the movies. “Should we go find some quality Thai food?”
“Yes, please.”
As we walk back to his bike, I lean in and inhale his familiar scent, that spicy citrus smell that makes me feel both excited and at peace at the same time.
I may be in a foreign country, but Daniel is my home.
THIRTY-TWO
Three weeks later…
I feel someone’s eyes on me.
When I look up, I jump. Nick is standing in the doorway of the perfumery, pushing his sunglasses up on his head. He’s holding a briefcase.
“I don’t think we’ve ever properly met,” I say, coming out from behind the counter and shaking his hand. “But as you already know, I’m Chloe.”
He smiles. “Hi, Chloe. As you probably already know, I’m Nick.”
“So, please tell me you found something good.”
He nods. “I did.” He opens his briefcase and hands me a manila folder. “There should be enough in there to get Maynard’s perfumery shut down…I mean, it would in the States. I guess you’ll have to see if it works the same in Thailand.”
“Fingers crossed.” I hold up the folder. “Thank you so much for this. How much do I owe you?”
He shakes his head. “Rosie took care of it already.”
I shake my head. “I’ll have to talk to her about that.” The woman still hasn’t learnt to not meddle in my affairs. But in the scheme of things, this is pretty minor.
“Thank you, anyway. So, what’s next for you?”
“I’m not sure. To be frank, I never liked this private investigation scene. It’s all jealous husbands or scheming divorcees. I’m thinking of heading back to the States and going to night school. Study to be a nurse or something.”
I smile. “That sounds like a very admirable thing to do. What about you and Rosie?”
“Oh, I think she just wants to keep things casual. If she ever comes back to the States, she can call me, but I don’t think that’s her style.”
“That’s a shame.”
He shrugs. “It is what it is. Anyway, I better go. Let me know if you need anything else. I’ll be in Bangkok for another couple of weeks.”
“OK. Thank you again!”
“It was my pleasure.” He waves and leaves.
I take the manila folder out the back, where Rosie is lounging on the couch, reading a book.
“Your boyfriend was just here,” I tell her.
“Which one?”
“Seriously? How many guys are you currently dating?”
She laughs. “In Bangkok, or in total?”
“Poor Nick.”
“He’s fine. He knew what he was getting into when we first hooked up.”
“He said you paid him for my stuff.”
“Oh, yeah. Was that OK?” She looks at me worried, like I’m going to explode or something.
“It was a very sweet thing to do, but unnecessary. I’m quite capable of looking after my own stuff.”
“I know. Sorry. I’m still getting used to this asking-permission-before-I-do-something idea.”
I poke her gently in the side. “Has anyone ever told you you’re insane?”
“Many times.”
“So I assume you know we’ve got some dirt on Maynard.”
“Yep. I hope he goes down.”
“Me too.”
She yawns and then stands up. “I suppose I should get back to work.”
“I suppose you should.”
“Are you busy with anything?”
“Uh, not really. I just have one thing to do, but I can help you after.”
“Coo
l. See you in the lab.”
Rosie’s skincare stuff turned out to be ridiculously popular at the tradeshow, and the orders are flowing in fast. Daniel has been happy to let her use his facilities until she works out a more permanent arrangement for manufacturing, but I think Rosie is hoping he’ll let her work here indefinitely. I can understand why. It’s a very welcoming place. I couldn’t think of anywhere I’d rather be based.
The last few weeks have been some of the happiest of my life. Daniel and I get to see each other a little during the day, when he’s not busy with projects or client meetings, and I’ve been sleeping over at his house a lot in the evenings. It’s way too early to talk about me moving in permanently, but I know we’ll discuss it eventually.
I haven’t heard a single thing from home, which is both sad and a relief. One thing that does worry me though, is the lack of reply from Keith after I resigned. I emailed a couple of follow-ups to check he got the original message, but there hasn’t been a single reply. So my one task before helping Rosie is to bite the bullet and phone the office, just to check everything’s OK.
As I wait for the call to go through, I have visions of Keith accidentally burning down the building or irreparably crashing the whole computer network. Not that it really matters to me anymore, but I still sort of feel responsible for the office.
“Hello, Greenwood HR, this is Bethany.”
I’m taken by surprise. I was sure she would have left by now. “Oh! Bethany! Hi! It’s Chloe Beech.”
“Hey, Chloe! What can I do for you?” She sounds offputtingly chirpy.
“I…uh, just wanted to see if Keith got my email the other week. I never heard back.”
“Silly Keith,” she says indulgently. “I told him to make sure he did it, but he must have forgotten. Don’t worry, everything’s fine. He totally understood you needed to move on.”
“He did?” I feel my mouth gaping open with shock.
“Yes! Don’t worry. In fact, it all worked out quite well. And you were right, Chloe. Keith is very sweet once you get to know him. I’ve been meaning to thank you for convincing me to stay. And Keith didn’t even mind keeping my salary at the doubled rate on a permanent basis. In fact, I can’t believe you forfeited such a great job!”
Perfume Therapy Page 25