by Iris Blobel
****
Alex had lost the toss to drive into town that night, and she was about to pick up Hollie, who was still wrapped in her bath towel, considering, choosing, and still not knowing what to wear for the night.
She went back into the bathroom and applied her makeup. Hollie always made sure she didn’t use too much, just enough for her bright blue eyes to stand out. She checked in the mirror and smiled as she remembered her dad’s words: You’re cute as a button.
“What on earth does that mean, Dad?” she would ask him in a sulky voice.
He would point at her mother’s photo and say, “Just like your mother: a pretty young woman, with lovely golden hair, a neat figure, and a twinkle in both eyes.” And, as he touched her nose with his finger, he added, “A small nose, and a smile that lights up everyone’s world.”
She had the usual struggle with her hair. The unruly light hair gave Hollie grief whenever it came to a decent hairstyle. She pulled it all up, put in clips and hair bands, but as soon as she let go of it with her hands, a few strands fell down again. Hollie gave up and wore her long, blonde hair open, with only a clip at the front to keep the hair out of her face.
Disillusioned, she went back into the bedroom for a second attempt at choosing her clothes. In the end, she decided on her old blue denim jeans and a white T-shirt with a pink star on it, as well as a nice low cut to show a bit of her newly acquired tan. She smiled with satisfaction. That would do the trick for the night. When she heard Alex downstairs, she quickly put on her black high heels and went downstairs.
Alex chuckled. “Hair problems again?”
Alex, with her slender figure, ginger hair, and a face covered with freckles, was not only full of mischief, but she looked the part as well. Yet Hollie had always been a wee bit envious of Alex’s emerald eyes, which held most people captive. Charlize Theron, eat your heart out.
“It is not funny. I have no idea how you cope with your hair. I reckon one day my hair will be history. Gone, and I’ll go for the Sinéad O’Connor style.” Hollie sighed.
Alex came over to her, took a hair band out of her bag, pulled Hollie’s hair up and did her little hair magic. Simple, but effective.
“How on earth did you do that?” Hollie asked with another big sigh.
“Simple. The way I always do it.” Alex gave her friend a hug. “That’s why fate brought us together, so I can be creative with your hair.”
They both laughed. Murray, who had been watching them from the corner of the door, shook his head.
“You two look beautiful,” he said as he came closer.
“Thanks, Dad.” Hollie gave him a kiss. “I'll see you tomorrow morning.”
“Drive safely, love.”
Hollie got into Alex’s old green Ford. CDs literally covered the passenger seat with space left only for a few chocolate wrappers. Hollie shook her head.
“It puzzles me sometimes how you can keep your skinny figure with all this sugar.”
Alex grinned. “It’s in the genes. And the sexy guys at the gym.”
Hollie let out a sigh. Not that she would complain about her svelte figure, but she had worked hard for it—since she got the MP3 player from her dad, the running around the farm was less boring, and she noticed how her body shape had become more athletic instead of just thin.
Hollie and Alex went to their usual nightclub in Launceston, as they did most of the weekends with their friends. They could hear the bass pounding even before they opened the door, and as they stepped inside, the two were instantly hit with a wall of thick, heavy air. It took Hollie a while to adjust to the flicker of multi-coloured lights piercing the dark around the dance floor, but she saw the crowd in groups at the round tables or the bar. They went over to the bar for drinks before they joined their friends. The place was already crowded and the music blasted from speakers in almost every corner. The DJ kept it varied with rap, dance, and a few songs from the charts.
Hollie leaned closer to her friend. “Check out that guy over there with the short brown hair. He keeps staring at us.”
“The cute one, you mean? Didn’t I hear Davo saying that was one of his friends from Hobart? Wasn’t it Jeremy?”
Hollie moved a hand through her hair and laughed. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“What do you mean?”
“That Davo knows him.” Hollie let out a soft laugh. “Nice on the eyes.” Then she elbowed Alex into the ribs. “Let’s go have another drink.”
Thirsty from their dancing, the girls made their way towards the bar, but stopped right next to Davo, who happily told them a bit more about Jeremy.
“Yeah, that’s Jez. He’s only been in town for a few weeks. He’s got some management job with a new company, which only just started a business here. You know, the one just near the airport, don’t you?” Davo stared questioningly at the girls, but they shook their heads.
“He’s a distant cousin somehow, so I invited him to come along. Mum is a close friend of his.” Before the girls were able to ask anything else, Davo had already left to chat with someone else he’d discovered in the crowd.
“Management?” Hollie wondered out loud. “No thanks. I reckon that’s way too far up my alley. Anyway, it’s my shout. What would you like?”
“I still have my drink with Ben, but some water for the throat would be nice. I’ll see you over there.”
Hollie made her way to the bar. As she struggled through the crowd, she noticed how Jeremy was watching her. A tingle shuddered through her lower body. She pretended not to be affected by his gaze, but her heart was pounding twice as fast, and her cheeks were burning. She returned his smile and took in how attractive he was, indeed. Even in the typical dimmed nightclub light, she noticed his athletic body, the short dark hair, and his immaculate white teeth. She liked the combination of his black denim jeans, the simple white shirt, and a casual jacket with the sleeves folded to his elbows.
It had been a few years since she had been filled with such inner upheaval—since she had met Jackson to be exact. For crying out loud, Hollie, just get a grip on yourself.
It seemed a long way and a long time, but she finally got to the bar and ordered a lemon vodka as well as some water. Trying to get some change out of her tight pockets, she startled when someone spoke to her.
“May I buy you this drink?”
Hollie turned and looked straight into Jeremy’s eyes.
“Hi,” she stuttered. “Actually, thanks, but no thanks.”
“Hey, just this one,” he persisted.
“Honestly, I don’t think it would be fair. My friend is waiting for me to bring her a glass of water. Next time perhaps,” she heard herself saying. There was something inside her that wasn’t ready yet for the whole flirting and dating business.
My stupid dreams! They’re giving me an anti-men complex.
But Jeremy wouldn’t take no for an answer. “How about you take the water over and come back for your drink?”
Hollie exhaled a small breath. He’d cornered her, and she didn’t like it. But there was something about him she wasn’t able to resist. She stared at him, and his mischievous eyes prolonged the moment.
Crap! And stupid me for melting in those green eyes.
There was nothing left to do but give in. “Okay, I’ll be right back.” She picked up the glass of water and made her way through the masses back again to Alex.
“This guy just invited me for a drink,” she said to Alex.
“Who?”
Hollie glanced uneasily over her shoulder. “Jeremy.”
“Great. So what are you doing here then?” Alex teased. “Off you go, this is your chance. He is quite a hunk, isn’t he?”
“I’d appreciate a bit of help here, Alex. What am I supposed to do?”
Alex shook her head. “You’re nuts, Hollie. Look at him. A dream of a man. And...if all else fails, at least you saved some money on a lemon vodka.” Alex grinned mischievously at her and pushed her off the seats. “Go,
for heaven’s sake. You’re beautiful, intelligent, and all the other things. Just go.”
So Hollie returned to Jeremy, who was talking to another guy. Her heart thudded loudly, and she wasn’t all that sure about this idea anymore. When Jeremy saw her stepping closer, though, he broke into a leisurely smile.
“Here’s your drink.” He handed over the lemon vodka.
“Thanks.” Hollie was so nervous she was hardly able to speak, let alone think about what to say to him.
Chapter Four
“By the way, my name is Jeremy.”
“Hi, Jeremy. I’m Hollie,” she replied and shook his hand.
Jeremy pulled her closer and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Nice to meet you, Hollie.”
Perplexed by his kiss, she glanced over to Alex again, who had a big grin on her face.
“Do you come here often?” he asked as he leaned back to take her in.
She shrugged wryly. “As often as reality lets me escape,” she said, and straightaway was embarrassed by her corny comment.
“I hope your life during the day isn't all that bad.” He laughed. “So what's a beautiful girl like you doing here in Launceston?”
Hollie couldn’t take her eyes off his brown hair, his green eyes, and his well-tanned face. This guy had an obvious ability to keep the conversation flowing, and she found herself unable to resist his soft-spoken voice. Before long, her tension eased a bit. She told him about her job and how she knew Davo. He did likewise and told her about his move from Hobart. She decided to like him, yet she wanted to go back to the comfort zone of her friends, mainly Alex.
“Listen, Jeremy. It was nice meeting you, but I’ve truly got to go. There are still a few things I need to get sorted, and I don’t want to be too late tonight,” Hollie said, pointing to her watch as a sign to Alex she wanted to leave.
He reached out and caught her hand in his. “How about I give you a lift?”
Looking at him, she couldn’t resist and smiled. “You are a persistent fellow, aren’t you?”
Jeremy smiled suggestively, and, yes, there was that tingle in her lower body again.
Watching Alex moving towards them, she said, “Much appreciated, but Alex is my designated driver tonight.”
Jeremy held out his hand to Alex. “Nice to meet you.”
The beginning of a smile tipped the corners of her mouth. “Hi,” she replied with her head slightly tilted to the side.
Not breaking the eye contact, he said, “I just offered Hollie a lift home.”
“Did you now?” Alex eyed him up and down, and then finally turned to her friend. “Actually, that would suit me quite well. If you don’t mind taking the offer, I could stay longer. I still want to catch up with Ben. I need some info from him.” Alex smiled, almost a grin, but the expression faded quickly as she saw the angry and desperate glare Hollie shot back at her. Hollie could see the wheels turning and knew she had understood.
“No worries,” Alex replied with a sigh. “Give me ten minutes and I’ll be ready to go.”
Hollie eyed her friend for a moment and struggled with her conscience. Her shoulders slumped as she saw Alex’s expression, and she knew it wasn't fair of her to force her friend to leave early. But she was tired, and she still had a few things to do. She stole another quick glimpse at Jeremy and remembered he was one of Davo’s friends—that had to count for something, she thought.
Exhaling a slow breath, she placed her hand on Jeremy’s arm. “I’m sure Jeremy here will regret his offer as soon as he has to drive down Dad’s driveway,” she said jokingly and smiled at him. “So, you’d better go back to Ben and shout me for lunch tomorrow.”
“Are you sure?” Alex asked.
Hollie nodded confidently and received a hug from her friend.
“It’s settled then,” Jeremy said. He placed his and Hollie’s drinks on the bar, took her hand, and guided her to the door. Looking over her shoulder back to Alex, Hollie saw her friend’s thumbs up and rolled her eyes.
The night was fairly clear and warm, considering this was only the beginning of summer. Even though a state in Australia, Tasmania didn’t enjoy the hot days like its northern counterparts, so not surprisingly, many people took the opportunity to go out and about. Hollie took a deep breath when she got outside. She noticed she was still holding Jeremy’s hand, and quickly withdrew hers.
He smiled at her actions, and Hollie wondered whether the job had taught him so much confidence, or whether it was just the way he was. Jeremy placed his arm around her shoulder to guide her down the street to his car.
“This is your car?” she asked.
“Yes. Why? What’s wrong with it?” he asked, sounding a bit insulted.
“Well, it’s sort of big. And expensive. And it seems brand new.” Jeremy only laughed as he opened the door of the black BMW for her.
“I did warn you I live outside Launceston on a small farm, didn’t I?” Hollie told him. “So no blaming me if the car gets dirty.” She got inside and made herself comfortable on the passenger seat, enjoying the luxuries of the car—all leather and a dashboard like an airplane’s—lights and buttons everywhere.
“Which way, ma’am?”
Hollie guided Jeremy through the streets of Launceston onto the country roads. She knew a few shortcuts, and soon they arrived on the farm. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him as he drove the car down the bumpy driveway, but he didn’t seem fazed by the dust and dirt at all. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
His green eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What?”
With a shrug, she admitted, “I expected some cursing while coming down the gravel road.”
“It’s just a car. Nothing that can’t be fixed.”
After a moment of awkward silence, she said, “Thanks for giving me a lift. It’s much appreciated.”
With her fingers tensing in her lap, and shivers down her spine, she met his gaze. His eyes explored her, and for a moment she was lost in his stare. She didn’t consciously notice when he came closer, but suddenly felt his hand on her face. He leaned forward and touched her lips with his.
Hollie’s heart pounded, and she found herself melting into the moment. Yet, she pushed Jeremy away when he moved his hand up her thigh. His hold on her face grew stronger, and his kisses more wanting. With one big push against his chest, she was able to get hold of the door handle and more or less tumbled out of the car. Jeremy followed her outside.
“Hollie,” he nearly shouted, coming towards her. “Hey, what just happened?”
With burning fury in her eyes, she tried not to cry in front of him. “What happened? What kind of girl do you think I am?”
Jeremy stepped closer. “Hey,” he said quietly, reaching out for her. “I’m sorry.”
She flinched away from him.
“Leave me be. Just go,” she said and turned around striding to the house with big steps. The tears ran down her face. How dare he insult her by assuming she would be ready for anything more than just a drink? Little by little, her heartbeat slowed down as she heard the car speeding off into the dark night.
****
She heard Alex sighing on the other end of the phone.
“Oh my,” Alex said softly when Hollie finished the story. “I’m genuinely sorry. He appeared to be such a nice bloke. You two seemed so...so...well, I don’t know. Suited?”
“Suited? He’s such an…an arrogant, no, ignorant…an arrogant piece of work. Thinks he can twist all the girls around his finger with his über-charm. I feel so hurt and let down,” Hollie said with a dull ache in her stomach. “You can tell Davo his friend’s a jerk.”
“I’m so sorry, hon. I guess it’s all my fault,” Alex replied. In an attempt to lighten the mood, she went on, saying, “You’ve got to admit, though, he’s quite dazzling, isn’t he? But I suppose that’s what they all are. They’re good-looking and believe the world owes them.”
“He is rather gorgeous, isn’t he?” Hollie sighed heavily, but had the urge
to laugh straight away. “And he can kiss.” Silence. “I can’t believe how pathetic I am.”
She heard Alex laughing on the other side of the phone. “Yep, and perfectly human.”
It was time to change the subject, “By the way, are you coming next weekend for the barbie at the gorge?”
“Yeah, Mum and Dad have changed their plans to go to Devonport. So, yes, count me in. The weather is supposed to be good for a change.”
“Anyway, I’ll catch up with you next week then. Love ya!”
Chapter Five
“Please don’t,” she begged as her body was trembling, almost shaking. She stared blindly at the windows, trying hard not to sob, as her throat tightened with each of his touches.
“Come on. Don’t be like that,” he replied, moving his lips past her ear and down her neck. His hand slid down her body and under her shirt.
“Please stop. I’m awfully tired.”
He stared at her and his mouth twitched. “Sweetheart, you’re always tired.”
Her efforts to push him away were ineffective. His tight grip around her waist didn’t give her much room to move out of his arms. She was helpless, as the more she denied him, the more relentless he became. She felt his hand in her hair at the back of her neck, and he moved his head closer to hers. It sent shivers down her spine.
“I love you, sweetheart,” he said under his breath.
She could barely speak and her words sounded throaty. “Please,” she whispered, nearly sobbing. “Please don’t.”
He lowered his head, and she assumed that he would whisper something in her ear. She knew she was fighting in vain when he trailed caressing kisses along her neck with his mouth; he wouldn’t listen. With his body against hers, his breathing against her neck became heavier and stronger. Turning her head away from him, she closed her eyes and did her best to ignore the pain with each movement.
When she heard him under the shower, she slowly went into the guest room down the hallway, took a little teddy bear out of the bottom drawer in the cupboard, and sat on the bed. She cradled her friend as the tears streamed down her face.
