Sweetest Thing

by Natasha West

  Dorothy nodded. ‘Yes. Butter. Thanks, Love.’

  That was weird. Dorothy had been baking since the invention of the oven. Why would she be asking Robyn for advice?

  ***

  Jodie watched carefully as the judging commenced. ‘Robyn, what’s that flavour?’ Imogen asked as she bit into Robyn’s cherry and almond florentine slices at judging.

  ‘Yeah, what is that?’ Adam asked.

  ‘Is it vanilla? Robyn replied, flummoxed.

  Adam’s face deepened into a frown. ‘It’s salt. It doesn’t go at all in something like this.’

  ‘I didn’t put salt in it,’ Robyn protested.

  ‘You’re sure you didn’t? Because I definitely taste it,’ Adam said confidently.

  Robyn looked horrified. Jodie distinctly heard a tut from Susan. Jodie whipped her head to look at her, and Susan had the grace to avert her eyes.

  ‘I didn’t put salt in this,’ Robyn repeated.

  Adam shrugged. ‘Sorry. But you did. Shame. Other than that, I think you had a great bake. Would have put you at the front of the pack.’

  ‘I’ve got to agree,’ Imogen chimed in. ‘Maybe you meant to put sugar in and got them mixed up?’

  Robyn’s jaw tightened. She looked like she desperately wanted to argue. But there was no point. The judges were moving on, headed Jodie’s way.

  Jodie braced herself for a smackdown.

  ‘Ohh, that’s delicious!’ Adam said.

  Jodie was going to do her usual thing and just say thanks and wait for them to fuck off. But she noticed Madeline watching from the side. She turned back to the judges and pushed both corners of her mouth up in a parody of a smile and said, ‘I’m so glad you like it.’

  Imogen, still chewing, gave her a thumbs up. Jodie felt like a whore.

  Seventeen

  Robyn was sat with the other contestants, or what was left of them, barring Jodie. She’d been forced into dining with the group, by Dorothy of course. So Robyn ate and talked and smiled and commiserated, but inside, she wasn’t present at all. She was wondering how the hell salt had gotten into her bake today. She wouldn’t make that kind of mistake. She was too much of a control freak.

  But she’d tried a slice after the judging was over and it was undeniable, salt. She speculated on the possibility of sabotage. She considered her cohorts and wondered if they could be capable. There were two obvious suspects. Susan, who would probably kill a man to advance her chances of winning. And Jodie, just because. But Robyn found it hard to think of her as a serious suspect. She was mean, sure. But sneaky?

  She supposed she’d never get an answer on this particular whodunnit. But wouldn’t it have been handy to find out that it had been Jodie? Robyn would definitely not want to sleep with her then. That would be wonderful. Because here they were, same hotel, same floor again, either end of the corridor. There was nothing to stop Robyn misbehaving herself except for, well, herself. Simplifying their rivalry with traybake interference would have made things better. Made it hateful and easy and unsexual.

  But some mysteries simply went unsolved. And Robyn wasn’t entirely discounting the possibility that she might have done it. Anyone could make a mistake, even the very anally retentive.

  ‘Alright, Robyn?’ Dorothy asked.

  ‘Mmm, yeah.’

  ‘Sure?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Not worrying about today?’

  ‘Nope. What’s done is done,’ Robyn said, trying to believe herself.

  ‘Don’t worry, Robyn,’ Sanjay said. ‘I think I’m gonna go.’

  ‘What?’ Dorothy screeched. ‘Don’t be so defeatist, young man.’

  ‘Someone’s got to go,’ Sanjay said reasonably. ‘It’s not going to be you, is it Dorothy?’

  Dorothy chuckled. ‘You never know what might happen.’

  Rueben looked up from his food. ‘Could be me!’ He waited, but no one commented on that, and he frowned back at his dinner.

  Robyn agreed on that point. She hadn’t foreseen accidentally making her sweet treat into a savoury mess. Or having a hot snog with Jodie.

  ‘Let’s hope that if anyone goes, it’s Jodie?’ Susan intoned.

  No one said anything, which implied that they agreed. Robyn’s silence on the subject of Jodie was a bit more complicated. But it put Jodie right at the front of Robyn’s mind again. Which was the last thing she needed.

  ***

  Robyn walked down the second-floor corridor tensely. She felt like Jodie might pop out at any minute. But she didn’t. Her door stayed closed.

  Robyn went into her room and switched on the TV, sitting upright on the bed, flicking through channels, finding nothing. She switched off the TV. She decided to have a shower, get into her jammies, get an early night. She stripped down to her underwear and started the shower, getting it nice and hot. She put on a robe.

  And then she walked out of the hotel room and knocked on room two-thirty.

  She walked away before anyone could answer. By the time the door opened, Robyn was back at her own door. Jodie popped her head out and saw Robyn. ‘Did you knock on my door?’ she called hesitantly.

  Robyn didn’t answer. She went into her room, leaving her door open, and went into the bathroom. She slid out of her robe and got into the shower. Her heart was thumping. What was she doing? No idea. But she knew now that every time she’d told herself she didn’t have to do this, it was a lie.

  She heard someone come in. ‘Robyn?’ Jodie called.

  ‘In the shower,’ Robyn told her.

  There was no answer.

  ‘Well, are you coming in or not?’ she asked.

  Eighteen

  Jodie sat up on the bed. She could have sworn someone had knocked… The sound wasn’t repeated, but she got up anyway and went to the door. No one was there. She was going mad.

  She looked down the corridor, expecting to see nothing. What she saw was the opposite of nothing. It was Robyn. In a robe. Standing at her own doorway. Looking at Jodie.

  For a second that felt like a month, Jodie stood there quite foolishly, unsure how to respond. In the end, she said the only thing she could think to say. ‘Did you knock on my door?’

  Robyn didn’t grace that dumb question with an answer, at least not verbally. She simply gave Jodie a look and walked into her room, leaving the door wide open.

  So it was happening. Jodie had known it would. It was just… She hadn’t seen it happening like this. She felt unprepared, nervous even. Which was not how she usually was around women. She was usually removed, aloof. But this wasn’t the usual run of things.

  She took a second to think about how to proceed. But there weren’t that many options. Go back into her room or go into Robyn’s. Jodie shut her door behind her and walked down the corridor.

  At Robyn’s doorway, she peeked in but saw no sign of her. ‘Robyn?’ she asked, closing the door behind her.

  A voice called from the bathroom. ‘I’m in the shower.’

  Jodie froze. On the slim chance she was misreading this, she didn’t just want to burst in. But there was no room left for ambiguity when Robyn added, ‘Well, are you coming in or not?’

  Jodie’s mouth slipped into a grin, and she went to the bathroom door. Robyn was behind a pane of frosted glass, the water running hot, steam spilling around the room. Jodie shut the bathroom door behind herself and leaned against it for a moment, looking at the silhouette behind the glass. She felt a little steadier now that the surprise was wearing off. She wanted to savour the moment.

  Robyn’s silhouette turned and popped the door open a few centimetres. Jodie still couldn’t see her body. ‘I don’t have all night.’

  ‘That’s a shame,’ Jodie said, pulling off her t-shirt and tossing it on the floor.

  ‘Why’s that?’ Robyn’s disembodied voice asked.

  ‘Maybe I want to take my time,’ Jodie replied, her jeans joining her t-shirt.

  ‘Maybe I don’t,’ Robyn retorted.

  Jodie removed
her bra. ‘Well, I guess we’ll see who wins that argument, won’t we?’ she sneered as her panties slipped off.

  ‘I guess we will,’ Robyn replied.

  Jodie opened the shower door and walked into the small cubicle. Robyn was under the shower, facing away, soaping herself, suds running down her back and sides, slipping off her pert, bare bottom. She didn’t turn at Jodie’s entry.

  ‘I think you’re clean enough,’ Jodie told her.

  Robyn tossed a look over her shoulder. ‘Don’t tell me what to do.’ She sounded angry. But also not.

  Jodie allowed herself a small smile and decided this dance had gone on long enough. She grabbed ahold of Robyn’s waist and spun her around to face her. A satisfying look of shock flitted across Robyn’s long, pretty face as she found herself face to face with naked Jodie. ‘Enough messing around,’ she said, and kissed Robyn, hard. Robyn pushed back equally hard, and they were off, pushing their lips against each other, grabbing at each other roughly. Jodie found herself pushed up against the sidewall of the cubicle, Robyn’s body pressed against her, hands reaching down, in, back and forth.

  Jodie felt a cry bubble from her lips, too quick, it was all over and she was left panting, with wobbly legs. Robyn smiled at her. ‘What were you saying about taking your time?’

  ‘That wasn’t fair. I’m… It’s been a while,’ Jodie protested irritably.

  ‘You’re not a guy. You really should have better control,’ Robyn said mockingly, her grey eyes playful.

  Jodie was annoyed. ‘Right. We’ll see who can control themselves.’ She pushed Robyn back a few centimetres and slid down to her knees. She parted Robyn’s legs and went in aggressively.

  ‘Wait, wait,’ Robyn moaned.

  Jodie stopped and looked up. ‘Really?’

  Robyn sighed. ‘No, of course not.’ She grabbed the back of Jodie’s head and pushed her back into position. Jodie lost several hairs from her head in the process, and she didn’t give a shit. Fifteen seconds later, Robyn was just about screaming.

  Jodie looked up. ‘You really ought to be able to control yourself.’

  Robyn looked down. ‘Shut up.’

  ‘You wanna move to the bedroom?’ Jodie asked. ‘Not that this hasn’t been fun, but it’s getting kind of cramped, and I was planning on throwing you around more than this.’

  ‘Is that right?’ Robyn said and shoved the door open. ‘We’ll see who throws who around.’

  Jodie got to her feet, dabbing at the corner of her mouth. ‘Are we really gonna argue the whole time?’

  Robyn didn’t hesitate. ‘Yes.’

  Jodie nodded. ‘Good. Just checking.’

  ***

  Jodie’s heart was just about trying to get out of her chest. She was gonna have to get up and go back to her room soon, it was gone one in the morning. They were supposed to be at the studio at eight-thirty. But she couldn’t summon the strength. She felt like she’d just run ten miles, flat out. This had not been normal. They’d been going at it for hours, fighting each other for control the entire time, pushing each other into positions the other one would allow for a moment before they turned around and changed the game. Occasionally they’d stop to trade barbs before one of them grabbed the other and started the whole thing up again. So maybe the running metaphor wasn’t strictly right. Maybe it was more accurate to say she felt like she’d gone ten rounds in a boxing ring.

  But Jodie was satisfied. Whatever had just happened, it had been good. Better than good. It had been thrilling, exciting. Life was a routine business, and past was prelude on pretty much everything, even sex. Not this, though.

  She looked over to her left, to where a drowsy Robyn lay. ‘I’m gonna go,’ she told her.

  ‘Right,’ Robyn said. ‘OK.’

  Jodie got up and went into the bathroom, getting her clothes back on and coming out. She plucked at her hair, tidying herself up. If anyone spotted her on the brief walk back to her room, she wasn’t going to spell out what she’d been up to.

  Satisfied that she was in some sort of shape, she turned to the door to leave. But before she could manage to get out, she found herself turning back to Robyn, who was pulling the sheets up to her chin, watching her. ‘So…’

  Robyn sighed. ‘Yes?’

  But Jodie was lost for words. ‘I guess I just thought I should say something.’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘I don’t know.’

  Robyn sighed. ‘We don’t need to. This was what it was.’

  Jodie raised an eyebrow. ‘That’s the thing. I have no idea what this was,’ she said evenly.

  Robyn thought about that. ‘No, I guess I don’t either.’

  Jodie bit her lip. ‘Maybe it was just, I don’t know, releasing some tension?’

  Robyn seemed in agreement. ‘Yeah. We’re both under pressure with the show and everything.’

  ‘Exactly.’

  ‘Yeah.’

  They looked at each other for a moment. It went on slightly longer than Jodie knew what to do with. ‘I think that’s my cue,’ she mumbled. She turned to leave again.

  ‘Oh,’ Robyn said, ‘I just wanted to check… we’re not telling people about this, right?’

  Jodie turned back, surprised. Of course, she’d never had any intention to tell anyone. Who would she have told? But she felt something flare-up. Annoyance. So, she hadn’t worked it all out of her system after all. Robyn could still piss her off. ‘Couldn’t have people knowing you banged the social outcast, could we?’

  Robyn looked surprised. ‘Like you’d want anyone to know about this?’

  ‘No, of course not. But I had the manners not to say it.’

  ‘Oh my god,’ Robyn breathed. ‘Is this what happens whenever we try to talk to each other normally for five seconds. We literally have to annoy each other?’

  ‘That’s how we work. We irk each other,’ Jodie told her. ‘Does that have to be bad?’

  ‘What do you mean? Of course it’s bad.’

  ‘Is it?’ Jodie asked thoughtfully. ‘Are you telling me you don’t try a bit harder in the kitchen because you know I’ll be chasing your arse?’

  Robyn didn’t answer. But she looked swayed.

  ‘And are you also telling me this, tonight, wasn’t kind of fun?’

  Robyn’s mouth slid up in one corner. ‘Might have been… OK.’

  Jodie chuckled. ‘Sure, play it cool.’

  ‘Ha, coming from you,’ Robyn said with a smile.

  ‘What does that mean?’ Jodie asked.

  ‘Like you don’t know. Everyone thinks you’re a…’ Robyn couldn’t quite summon the word.

  ‘A bitch?’ Jodie supplied.

  ‘I was going to say a bit on the frosty side.’

  ‘Yeah, well, people will think what they’re gonna think. I don’t worry about it.’

  ‘Didn’t look that way today,’ Robyn observed.

  ‘I’m just trying to survive,’ Jodie said quickly. She felt slightly embarrassed that Robyn had noticed her performance today.

  ‘I’m not being critical,’ Robyn added quickly.

  ‘You don’t know enough about it to be critical,’ Jodie corrected her.

  Robyn looked like she might snap back, but then shrugged instead. ‘Alright, fine, I don’t.’

  Jodie didn’t know what to say to that, so she said. ‘Good luck tomorrow.’

  Robyn gave a surprised laugh. ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘I don’t know, being polite?’ Jodie said.

  ‘Well, don’t. It’s… It’s confusing,’ Robyn told her.

  Jodie tutted. ‘Fine. I hope you go out tomorrow.’

  ‘Same to you,’ Robyn said, more comfortable.

  ‘And with that…’ Jodie turned and left.

  Nineteen

  Robyn watched Jodie leave the room with mixed feelings. She’d been right. Tonight had been something. She hadn’t had so much fun in… maybe ever. It had been so freeing. To be honest about what you wanted and what you didn’t
want. She’d never done that with Alex. She couldn’t ask for things she might have liked out of embarrassment or not wanting Alex to feel like she wasn’t satisfying her. Even if she wasn’t.