The Pact

by Brenna Darcy

  “Can I take your plate?”

  “Ahh, yes I’ve finished thank you.”

  “Would you like to see the dessert menu, or could I get you some coffee, or something?” She realised she was rambling, but damn him, he made her nervous.

  “Something, please.”

  He was teasing, she knew this, but why did she feel such a fool by his arrogance. He waited for her response. She tried desperately to think of a clever come back, but all she got was a mixed mash of nothing, so instead she remained silent. Tilting her head slightly to the side and raising her eyebrows, she waited for him to continue.

  His frown deepened. “Just the bill thanks.”

  “You’d think considering you order the same thing every time, you’d remember the price by now.” With a frown to match his, Flic cleared his plate and walked off. She’d been right, arrogant to the core, incapable of socialising—and irritating too.

  On the way back from the kitchen she grabbed his bill and returned to his table to find a fifty-dollar note tucked under his empty water glass.

  She wouldn’t accept his tip, not one of over twenty dollars, especially when she’d been so rude to him. She put it in the till and left a note for Mim, so the cash would balance at the end of the night.

  She didn’t want to discuss the encounter with Mim, or anyone for that matter. Disapproving of her own behaviour, she couldn’t understand what had gotten into her.

  He didn’t owe her anything, least of all an explanation of his past. Who’d she confided in about hers? No one, not even Mim who’d been so kind, given her a job knowing nothing about her, or her past, but trusting her all the same. Who was the arrogant one now? He’d tried to be friendly, and on both occasions she shot him down. He wasn’t the only one who needed to take lessons on social interaction. Maybe they could attend classes together, as she seemed in need of some herself.

  Besides, it wasn’t his fault she had such a fascination with him, he hadn’t asked for it. He hardly even spoke to her. It was the result of her own suspicious nature over reacting to his facial expression, and her pathetic need to rescue people. You’d think she would’ve learnt from past mistakes to be intrigued by another damaged male.

  Jason had been as damaged as could be when she took him under her wing, thinking she could change his fate. Wanting to give him something to care about more than the alcohol escaping the bottle, and filling the empty void each time he tilted it to his parted lips. She’d paid the ultimate price for thinking she was enough. Why would she even consider going there again, or allowing herself to be curious of a man and his issues? She had to stop, to get a grip. She was being irrational and she knew it.

  The meditation class couldn’t have come at a better time. She wasn’t sure how, but was certain it’d be good for her. Something positive she could fill her thoughts with instead of the usual destructive negativity she harboured.

  Chapter Six

  STILL TOO EARLY TO get ready for the meditation class, Flic sat on a chair at the dining table, one foot tucked under her thigh and the other pulled up to her chest. With chin rested on her knee she picked up her phone to call her mother. Despite their differences, she knew her mother wanted what was best for her, and knew she’d be pleased with the progress Flic had made since they last spoke.

  “I’m so pleased. Lacey sounds delightful.”

  “Yeah, she seems to be, and Mim too.”

  “I’ve eaten at Mim’s Restaurant, I’m certain. Is it situated on the outskirts of the town with a beautiful big veranda out front?”

  “That’s the one. Lots of locals.”

  “Better to be around locals than the tourists. They can be a bit dodgy sometimes.”

  Flic rolled her eyes, only her mother, a workaholic, would accuse people relaxing and having a good time of being dodgy. Her mother wanted stability for Flic, so getting to know the locals was a step in the right direction.

  “Jason called. He said he misses you.”

  “Don’t spoil my mood, Mum. I’ve got to go or else I’m going to be late—love you.”

  “I love you too.” Her voice softened.

  The instant serge of anger when Sally mentioned Jason bubbled deep within her, but burst and subsided as quickly as it erupted. Proud of herself for brushing off what would have usually taken all day to overcome, Flic smiled.

  Meeting Mim and Lacey’s friends was a big deal to her, so Flic took her time getting ready. Nothing too fancy—comfortable, without looking daggy. She mustn’t forget they’d be lying on the floor on a blanket, so pants would probably be best. Rummaging through her suitcases, Flic found a workout outfit she’d bought for an aerobics class she never ended up going to. Mostly black with hot pink piping, the three quarter leggings and tank top was perfect for the occasion. She grabbed the matching jacket in case the breeze picked up later on. Even in the middle of summer the evenings were cool.

  She didn’t wear much make up, it was a meditation class not a date. She was sure Mim wouldn’t wear any, nor Lacey for that matter, but for her to go with none might give the impression of not bothering.

  Still early, but too restless to wait, Flic gathered her blanket and bag and headed out to the car. She could chat to Lacey about the part time job, Mim mentioned, if she arrived ahead of the other ladies.

  The shop looked even more enticing at night. Lacey had lit what looked to be hundreds of white candles, which danced in the windows and reflected off the crystals above them. Upon checking the door, Flic was pleased to find it unlocked. She didn’t fancy hanging around outside in the dark, on her own.

  Stepping into the quiet store, candlelight cast shadows across the display. Flic jumped as the door chime rang. Nerves seemed to be bubbling in the pit of her stomach as rapidly as the water in the waterfall feature, which was even more spectacular at night. The flickering light added a touch of romance to the already magical atmosphere.

  Flic hesitated, not sure if she should enter, or wait for Lacey to invite her in. From around the corner a shadow, too big to belong to Lacey, appeared. It wasn’t until he got closer did she recognise him. It was none other than Count Grumpy himself, cast partially in shadow, in the dimly lit room. Flic shivered involuntarily.

  He smirked, and she was unable to determine if he was attempting a forced smile, or was genuinely pleased to witness her obvious discomfort in his presence.

  His manner didn’t belong, or even fit in the peaceful surroundings, and especially not with Lacey. She was like sunshine, and he the darkest dreary storm cloud there ever was. How could this horrid antisocial man, she’d been obsessing over, be connected to Lacey. Oh no, he was her husband. She silently retracted her thoughts of the crazy wife he didn’t want to go home to, Lacey was the warmest, and most welcoming person she met in the town, next to Mim.

  “Oh, it’s you.”

  His form of a greeting, she guessed.

  “If my being here bothers you, I can come back some other time.” Flic injected as much distaste as he offered. She liked him less in this space than she did in the restaurant. Besides, what had she done to deserve his hostility? She was beginning to think she was a magnet to asshole men. Where were all the nice ones she watched on television? In her experience that was the only place they seemed to exist.

  “Come in, Flic. Pay no attention to my grumpy old brother.” Lacey flitted through the doorway and into the shop front.

  “Hey, enough with the old, thanks.”

  His expression and tone changed completely when he addressed Lacey.

  “Fine, ancient then.” She winked at Flic and danced away before he could retaliate.

  A moment later she popped her head around the corner. “Please de fossilise and act human long enough to invite my friend in and make her a cup of tea, Ty will be ready soon. Sorry Flic I’m running a bit late, my little man gets over excited whenever he’s having a boy’s night with Uncle Dave.” She was gone as quickly as she appeared.

  Flic had never seen anyone as graceful
as Lacey, like she belonged in the fairy realm herself.

  “Come on in, or she’ll sit me in the naughty corner with Tyler. She’s a tyrant of a mother, trust me.”

  “Huh, I don’t think she got any of the tyrant gene, they’d already exhausted supplies by the time she came along.” Flic wasn’t at work, so didn’t need to pretend she liked the guy. A slight smile threatened the corners of his mouth, and confirmed she was breaking the barrier. She would never have guessed that the way to impress Dave was to be as unpleasant and rude as he was.

  It surprised her that siblings could be so different, at opposite ends of the spectrum from her experience with them. Perhaps they didn’t grow up in the same household. Split families weren’t uncommon now days. Possibly, Lacey was stolen at birth, grew up with the fairies, and had been delivered back to share her magic with her troll-raised brother.

  Flic shook her head, she ought to be writing a children’s book in order to release some of the ridiculous images running loose in her mind.

  “What are you thinking? Have you more to add to your family analysis?”

  “I was curious if Lacey was stolen at birth, is all.”

  Uncle Dave stopped fixing the tea and turned to face her. “Who told you? Mim, or Lacey?”

  Shocked her outrageous thoughts could be true, she shook her head to indicate neither had confessed, but said nothing. That’d teach her for making assumptions about people, especially when she had a secret larger than the waterfall in the next room. Why was she so determined to discover if he was hiding something, when she had no intention of sharing her own truth with anyone? For all she knew, the constant scowl on his face was his natural expression and not a true frown at all. Perhaps he was shy, and not rude, or ignorant as she labelled him.

  It wasn’t until he started to laugh, she realised he was teasing.

  Lacey came back into the room carrying a little boy of about four or five years old, who was freshly bathed and dressed in pale blue pyjamas with surfboards printed on them.

  “Ty this is Miss — sorry what’s your surname?”

  “Just Flic, if that’s ok with you.”

  Lacey smiled. “Of course. Ty this is Flic.”

  “Hi Flic.” His face lit up with a smile that was his mothers.

  “Hi Ty.” She smiled back.

  “So, how did you make my brother laugh, we’ve not heard that sound in a long time.”

  Flic didn’t answer right away. What would Lacey think about her insulting her brother with such ridiculous accusations?

  “Actually she was trying to work out how we, so different, could grow up in the same household, and was taken aback when I confirmed her assumption you were stolen at birth.”

  “You’re so full of it, he used to be fun until he became a top gun crime writer and got all serious on me.”

  Flic even more intrigued, waited for Lacey to continue.

  “Now I’m insulted, you haven’t heard of me?”

  “Well, let me think for a moment, Uncle Dave, unless you have a pseudonym name you write under?”

  Lacey laughed. “Sorry, I assumed the two of you had been introduced, with how often he eats at Mim’s.” Lacey raised an eyebrow at her brother.

  The door chime rang.

  “Saved by the bell,” he muttered and darted out of the room with the masculine version of his sister’s grace.

  “Well don’t hold out on me.”

  “What?”

  “His name.” Flic couldn’t believe she had stumbled across a well-known author when ultimately writing was what she wanted to do.

  “David Raddin.”

  “As in Cold Blood, Dave Raddin?” She certainly knew him, well by name at least. She’d read all of his books and enjoyed each of them more than the last. They were dark and disturbing, but well written. She couldn’t help but buy them as soon as a new one was released.

  “At least now I understand why he wears that frown permanently.”

  “Oh good, she knows who I am.” Dave came into the room with Mim following close behind. “So which one have you read?”

  “Hi Mim,” Flic greeted her boss, stalling to answer. She didn’t want to lie about something so insignificant. “All of them,” she finally admitted.

  “So you like my books then?”

  “They were okay.” Flic laughed when his smile faded and he attempted wounded. “They were a bit warped, but entertaining.”

  His smile returned and he went back to making tea.

  “I’ll handle that Dave, if you stick around much longer you may knock something over with that ever swelling head of yours.”

  “When everyone’s here and we can lock the door, then we’ll leave. We have to look after our women don’t we, Ty?”

  Tyler nodded, snuggling into his mother’s neck.

  How Flic missed the gesture. Ellie loved to be cuddled, especially after her bath and before bedtime. She could almost smell the scent of her shampoo, her soft delicate skin warm against her own. The thought was too painful and she struggled with tears that threatened to spill. Turning her head and blinking rapidly she hoped to get a grip before anyone noticed. Dave was the last person she intended to confide in, and she didn’t want to give him reason to ask questions she wasn’t prepared to answer. Not to mention Lacey’s meditation class was hardly the place for confession.

  Flic berated herself for allowing envy to creep in, especially when Lacey had been so kind to her already. It was nothing personal. It would’ve been the same no matter who was involved. She was relieved Lacey was ignorant to the sort of pain she knew.

  Flic kept her head angled away as the tears still brimmed. She didn’t notice Dave, standing to one side of her, holding out a mug of tea. Too caught up trying to be invisible by avoiding eye contact, Flic tried to distract herself and think about something other than Ellie, but failed.

  Dave cleared his throat and Flic glanced up, her eyes met his.

  She took the mug he offered. “Ahh, thank you.” She was quick to turn her head away, but not before a tear escaped and slid down her cheek.

  Dave nodded. “No problem.”

  The door chime rang again and he slipped out to greet the latest arrival. From the noise and laughter coming from the next room, Flic guessed almost everyone had arrived together.

  “We car pool now,” said one voice.

  “At least you won’t have to keep going backwards and forwards to let us in individually. We’re thinking of you Dave.”

  “I appreciate your consideration, or should I be offended because you think I’m getting too old and you’re worried about the condition of my heart.” He sounded as though he loved the attention, and the women giggled like schoolgirls. The energy coming from the new arrivals was the perfect remedy to drag her from the messy heap she’d almost formed. When the group walked into the room Flic wasn’t surprised to see that not one of them looked to be a day under sixty. With a gorgeous looking guy as Dave she didn’t expect younger women would be as comfortable to so obviously flirt as they were.

  With everyone having arrived and Dave satisfied the ladies of the town were safe, he scooped Ty up from Lacey’s lap, kissed Lacey then Mim each on the cheek, and turned to leave.

  A few of them teased, asking why they didn’t get kisses. He just smiled, kissed the air and left with his nephew, who waved over his shoulder.

  For a few minutes after they’d left, the women quizzed Lacey, curious if there was someone special in his life yet.

  One of them turned to Flic. “You’re a pretty young thing and about the right age, you should ask him out.”

  Flic laughed.

  “Doris, don’t scare her off, let her get to know you first, she doesn’t understand your sense of humour.”

  “You think I’m joking? Honestly Anita, don’t tell me if you were thirty years younger you wouldn’t put the hard word on him.”

  “Oh Doris you old flirt.” Anita swatted the air in her direction. “You’re supposed to come here t
o relax not give yourself a heart attack over the spunkiest young man in town.”

  “So, what do you think? A wedding in town would be lovely. I can’t remember the last one. You’d be a stunning bride, and think how lovely Dave would be in a suit.”

  Flic laughed again, shaking her head. She thought it safer to keep quiet whilst they continued to rave about Dave, and how he’d always been gorgeous, even as a teenager.

  “He never went through that gangly stage,” Anita announced.

  “Yeah, but such a pity he’s so intelligent, scares the girls off before he even gets a chance.” Doris shook her head in sympathy. “It’d be intimidating dating someone as good looking, and so smart too.”

  “I bet he’d be beautiful even when he gets up in the morning.”

  “Okay, now I think we’ve discussed my brother for long enough.”

  “Come on Lacey, even you can admit he’s gorgeous,” the one who made the bed comment called.

  “Yes, he is gorgeous and intelligent, but he’s so much more,” Lacey defended.

  “You forgot the divine body.”

  Lacey rolled her eyes. “How can we expect the young women in town not to be superficial with you divas as role models.”

  There was an outburst of laughter, denial and finger pointing mostly in Doris’s direction. It was hilarious watching a group of older women cackle like crones around a cauldron.

  “Ok, if we can’t talk about your brother, then what about you Lacey? When are you going to find yourself a spunky young man to marry?”

  “I already have the best two guys in town, and I don’t believe in over indulgence.”

  “Huh, and what happens when someone comes along and sweeps the older one off his feet, in the not too distant future?”

  Lacey looked in Flic’s direction. “Then I’ll gain the sister I’ve always wanted.”

  Flic felt uneasy as if her comment was intended for her. All she could hope was that Lacey wasn’t the sort to instigate match making.

  In truth, he was gorgeous, undoubtedly intelligent, and not nearly the grumpy guy she had him labelled. Thinking about it, there were many things she got wrong about him. The town’s people adored him. He wasn’t running from anyone, quite the opposite it seemed—people ran from him. Gentle and warm, at least towards those close to him, and he had enough grace to ignore her tears he witnessed earlier. He was the perfect example of the saying you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, as she now remembered Tim saying when she compared him to Count Dracula.