Collision

by K. A. Sterritt

  Was she serious? Surely her husband was witness to this awkward situation.

  I laughed, trying to pretend I thought she was joking.

  “Celia,” Mrs Fontaine huffed, saving me. “Leave my staff alone, for goodness’ sake.”

  “Just having a little bit of fun, Isabel.” She looked me up and down again and ran her tongue over her top lip. “This one is scrumptious.”

  “Remind me of your name,” Mrs Fontaine said, appearing stressed.

  “It’s Leo, ma’am.”

  “Okay. Leo. Can you please take the empty bottles to the recycling bins? I don’t like seeing them in view of the guests. You’ll find them around the side of the main house next to the parking area.”

  “Of course, Mrs Fontaine.”

  “Also, can you keep an eye out for my daughter while you’re there? She should have arrived by now in a red Mini.”

  I filled up a milk crate with empty bottles and made my way around the veranda through an open courtyard area. A large wooden gate led out to the parking area, filled with an array of luxury cars. The bins were in a fenced-off enclosure just to my right, so I set about emptying the crate.

  As I dropped the last bottle into the bin, I heard a screeching of tyres on the crushed granite driveway. The car I’d been sent to look out for came careening down the drive and expertly swung into the only available spot between two Porsche Cayennes.

  I could see her silhouette from where I stood. She switched the engine off but turned the internal light on and flipped the mirror down. She was obviously fixing her makeup before she entered the lion’s den, or maybe the lioness’ in this case. I hadn’t heard any reference to a Mr Fontaine. I was just about to step forward and offer her an escort—it had become suddenly very dark in the last hour—when Richard the toolbox stormed over to her car and pulled the door open.

  “What time do you call this, Juliette?” he asked, tapping his watch.

  The light in the car went out, and a figure dressed in white was pulled from the car, a little too roughly for my liking. My instinct had me stepping out into view, ready to intervene.

  “You were meant to be here two hours ago to listen to my speech,” he continued as she locked the car.

  She said nothing. Her shoulders were slumped forward, clearly resigned to this type of treatment. If they looked my way, they would see me, but he was oblivious and she was staring at the ground.

  I took another step forward and my shoe crunched on the gravel. They both snapped their heads up.

  “What are you doing snooping around back here?” Richard asked, clearly unnerved. “Just can’t get good help these days,” he muttered when I failed to acknowledge him.

  I ignored the fact that this guy was a fucking cliché with his head up his arse. I ignored the fact that in different circumstances, I would rearrange his smug face and I’d enjoy it. I ignored everything because I was locked in a shocked stare. Juliette—I allowed her name to float through my mind. It was her. She was even more painfully beautiful than I’d been able to appreciate the night before across the cage.

  My mind reeled, trying to process her transformation from dark angel to fancy rich girl and passive doormat to this schmuck. White lace hugged her perfect body, and her long blonde hair hung in gentle waves over her left shoulder. Her wide eyes and the fact she was yet to release her breath let me know she recognised me too. Fear passed across her features and I felt compelled to help her.

  “Sorry to startle you, miss. Your mother asked me to see if you’d arrived and needed an escort.”

  Her shoulders relaxed slightly and she let out a small breath.

  “Well, as you can see, my girlfriend doesn’t need an escort from you,” Richard stated. “You have guests to serve. Now run—”

  “Richard!” Juliette cut him off but then gently placed her hand on his arm.

  My body flinched seeing her touch him. I didn’t know her, yet I felt a primal connection to this girl. There was something very wrong with this picture. I just didn’t know what it was beyond the fact that Dick was punching well above his weight range.

  “I know you’re annoyed with me for being late,” she continued. “And you’re nervous about your speech, but there’s no need to be so rude to this man.” Her dark navy-blue eyes caught mine again.

  “Don’t patronise me, Juliette. Now, let’s go. This isn’t like you at all.” He pointed in the direction of where the party was being held. “The guests are already here.”

  Without waiting for her, he strode off. She stared at his back but made no move to follow him.

  “Sorry about that,” Juliette whispered, staring at her feet.

  I felt irritated and, if I was honest, disappointed that she would apologise on his behalf, but then again, he was her boyfriend. What did that say about her? “It’s none of my business, but please don’t apologise for him.”

  She gently kicked the gravel with her shoes and shrugged her shoulders before she looked at me again. Her eyes were suddenly void of emotion, vacant and dull as if she’d pulled a mask down over her face.

  “I’ll walk you in,” I suggested, breaking the silence.

  “No need. I can take care of myself.” Without looking at me again, she walked away, leaving me standing there dumbfounded. Dressed in white, she looked more like an angel, but my intuition told me she didn’t belong here either. She was just caught in a different kind of hell.

  Snapping out of it, I walked quickly to catch up but didn’t speak when I fell in next to her. Before we rounded the back corner of the veranda, I glanced to my right. She didn’t look at me. I could tell she was bracing herself.

  “Good luck,” I said. I wanted to say so much more but couldn’t. I wanted to ask her what she’d been doing at fight night but couldn’t. I wanted to ask her why she was with such a douche. But most of all, I wanted to protect her from whatever she was about to face. She was a breathtakingly beautiful walking contradiction, and I was wildly attracted to her.

  She looked at me as if for the first time. It was disconcerting.

  “Okay then.” I raised my eyebrows and cocked my head, waiting for some sort of reaction. When none came, I walked away shaking my head. I had to get back to work anyway.

  Chapter Ten

  Juliette

  “You can do this,” I chanted to myself, blocking out the fact that my ultimate fighting fantasy, Leo, was walking away after looking at me like a crazy person. I’d felt his eyes burning into the side of my face, but when I glanced at him, a sudden rush of anger overwhelmed me. What the hell was he doing working for my mother? What kind of horrible twist of fate was that? I wanted him gone. I didn’t want him to exist in this world.

  Despite the party being outside¸ I felt walls closing in around me as I stepped onto the lawn. Richard was at my side immediately with a fake smile plastered across his face.

  “Sorry again for being late,” I offered. “I know how much all this means to you.” My hand did a general sweep of the party and my sarcastic tone would’ve been hard to miss for anyone other than Richard.

  “It should mean a lot to you too, Juliette. These are very important people in our lives, and we have to behave properly. Turning up late with dirt on your dress is not behaving properly.”

  I looked down at my dress and saw there were in fact a few specks of brown across my chest. It must have been from when I was looking in the windows at the farm house. I couldn’t help but smile.

  “Why is that funny? We have standards to uphold.”

  “You know I don’t enjoy these stuck-up affairs, but I’m here for my mother, Richard.” He turned into someone I didn’t even like at these functions, and he was being worse than usual. He was really pissing me off.

  My mother appeared next to Richard, glaring at my chest. “For goodness’ sake. Are you a child? How on earth did you manage to sully your dress already?”

  “It’s barely noticeable, Mother. I’m sure no one else will notice. And if they do, they sho
uldn’t be looking at my breasts.” I laughed, but it quickly turned awkward. They both looked dumbfounded. I glanced over and caught Leo’s eye. His smile took my breath away.

  Richard followed my gaze. “I don’t want to see you talking to the bartender. We don’t fraternise with the staff.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to worry about Leo, Richard. He’s a professional,” my mother assured him. “He is very handsome with all those big muscles and those piercing blue eyes…” She cut her sentence short, her cheeks enflamed.

  “You don’t have to worry about Leo?” I repeated, outraged by her lack of faith in me and disturbed by her obvious ogling. “Are you saying you have to worry about me?” Yes, I found Leo outrageously hot, intriguing and unlike any man I’d ever known, but that didn’t change my situation. The few guilty pleasures I indulged in were harmless as long as they remained a secret. My relationship with my mother, whilst strained much of the time, was better than no relationship at all. I would never jeopardise that for some silly attraction and was deeply hurt that she though I might.

  My mother drove the knife in further. “You’re weak, Juliette. Always have been. It’s my fault for sending Leo to look for you.” She turned to Richard. “My apologies.”

  My mind flashed, imagining my hands gripping her pearl necklace and tightening it around her neck to cut off her air supply. I would watch her eyes bugging out of her head as she struggled to get a single word out. I wondered how weak she’d find me then. A matricidal scenario was an unwelcome new twist to my dark thoughts.

  “It’s absolutely fine, Isabel. I put Leo in his place. He won’t be bothering Juliette again.”

  The only way I could deal with Richard’s arrogant lie was with an imagined knee jab to his crotch, whilst the pearl necklace noose tightened around my mother’s neck.

  “Good. Now make sure you greet the guests, Juliette.” She waved her long, manicured fingers between Richard and me. “Everyone’s been asking when you two will be tying the knot.” She turned and disappeared, no doubt smiling triumphantly, believing she had worked in another hint.

  I cringed but tried to suppress it. I glanced at Richard, who was nodding his head and smiling.

  Before we had a chance to start the torturous mingling routine, Leo’s gravelly voice made my whole body thrum. “Champagne?”

  I closed my eyes, remembering his naked torso slick with sweat after his three fight wins, his presence commanding absolute attention from his riveted audience. Seeing him standing in the dark parking lot had given me the fright of my life. Not because I was afraid of his intimidating frame but because I didn’t want my worlds colliding.

  “Thank you.” I took the glass and drained half of it without meeting his eyes.

  “Dick?”

  The gulp of champagne I had just taken spluttered out of my mouth and dribbled down my chin. Leo was holding his tray out for Richard. A chuckle I had battled to restrain bubbled out of my mouth as I tried to dry my chin with the back of my hand.

  Richard was seething. “What did you just call me?”

  “I see your glass is nearly empty. Would you like another?”

  With Richard distracted for a few seconds, trying to work out if he’d heard correctly, I took the opportunity to study Leo’s face more closely. He wasn’t smiling, but the ice I’d seen in his blue eyes the night before had thawed, leaving a two-toned effect I wanted to drown in. They reminded me of the ocean’s changing depths. High cheekbones and a strong jawline befitted a man who radiated strength, vitality and dominance. Bronzed skin suggested a life spent outdoors. I wished I weren’t so interested in knowing more about him.

  “No, I don’t want another,” Richard replied. “Please leave. I’m talking to my girlfriend here and you’re interrupting.”

  Leo shook his head, and his mouth turned up slightly at the corners. He was amused. As he walked away, I couldn’t help wishing I could just be ‘amused’ by Richard, instead of battling committing my life to his more and more every day.

  An hour of polite chit-chat ensued, and I was ready to shoot myself when I made my excuses to use the restroom. Richard caught my arm as I left.

  “Don’t be long,” he warned. “I’m doing my speech in fifteen minutes and you need to be there.”

  Gently tugging my arm away, I returned his tight smile with a fake one of my own. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

  I made my way inside and looked around for the restrooms. The inside of the homestead was stunning with high vaulted ceilings. Eclectic lounges and wingback chairs were grouped together around coffee tables and ottomans. The upholstery patterns should have clashed but didn’t for some reason. The mixture of modern and classical pieces should have been disastrous, but they blended perfectly. My eyes were drawn upwards and became mesmerised by the chandeliers hanging on long chains. They each held five large white candles with crystal beading looping between them. They were magnificent.

  “I was just admiring those earlier.”

  Leo.

  Talking to him was dangerous, and I had to repel his strong magnetic pull.

  “I’m looking for the restrooms.”

  He studied me for a few seconds before answering. “Just past the staircase. Second on your left.” He gestured behind me, briefly touching my arm.

  My left arm whipped over to my right, protectively covering the place he had just touched.

  “Thank you.” I turned and quickly followed his directions.

  I turned the lock on the bathroom door and exhaled. I switched the lights off and closed my eyes, allowing absolute darkness to descend. I focused on my breathing and willed my thoughts to find some order. Darkness had always been my friend, and with the absence of light, it wrapped me in a blanket. Ironically, it made my world a little bit brighter.

  Richard gave his speech. When he thanked his receptive audience, I hoped he wouldn’t ask me any questions. I hadn’t listened to a single word. I couldn’t even remember what the topic was. I had just stared at him and wondered how different my life could have been. Tears pricked my eyes. My mother depended on me. These unwelcome thoughts brought a fresh wave of guilt I’d spent so many years navigating. When Richard stepped down from the podium, I glanced at my mother beaming with pride. She adored him, and when he wasn’t being a pompous dickhead, I liked him enough to give her that.

  I steeled myself. I owed it to my mother to be the woman she needed me to be, whatever the cost.

  “You were amazing,” I gushed. “Really interesting and informative.” It wasn’t necessarily a lie.

  Far more relaxed post speech, he leant forward and kissed me. “Thanks, babe.”

  A few hours later and the party started to wind up. My mother stood up and gave a heartfelt speech about the important work her foundation was doing and how much she appreciated the ongoing support of her guests. She dedicated herself to charity work, and it would be selfish of me to begrudge it. If it weren’t for the distraction it gave her, she would have nothing else to focus on other than making me a society princess.

  Guests were informed of their accommodation arrangements and soon, they had all retired to their various villas.

  “Well, I’m about ready to turn in. We’re staying in the main homestead in a king suite. Shall we?” Richard asked, holding out his hand.

  “I’ll meet you in the room in a little while.”

  “Juliette,” he said, looking skyward before his eyes met mine. “Is there something going on with you? I know we don’t spend enough time together, but that will come down the track. I’m working hard now for our future, and all these people are a part of my success. Plus, you know how much these events mean to your mother, and I would’ve thought you’d show a little more interest.”

  Ouch. The emotional blows were never far away from any conversation with both Richard and my mother.

  Defeated and tired, I gave in as usual. “I’m sorry.” I cupped his face with my right hand and placed my left hand on his waist. “Work’s been really bus
y lately and I’ve been a little distracted.”

  “You’re a secretary, Juliette.” He looked down at me with pity in his eyes. “You’re not saving the world.”

  I knew I wasn’t saving the world, but neither was he. I hated the way he put down my job at any opportunity.

  “How about we go to our room now and worry about the future tomorrow?” I was such a coward.

  He didn’t say anything further, but he nodded his head and smiled briefly.

  As we walked back up the steps and along the veranda to the homestead entrance, I felt eyes watching me. I glanced to my right, and my breath hitched when I saw Leo. He was helping pack up but had stopped when we walked by. I tried to smile, but it felt awkward and contrived. Lust was not in the stars for me, and the sooner I forgot about him the better. His icy stare was back, so I quickly turned away.

  Up in our room, Richard took the first shower while I brushed my teeth and laid out my cotton pyjama set on the bed. It was a beautiful room, tastefully decorated primarily in white with muted grey accents. It was clean, fresh and minimalist. The fit-out was modern and sleek but managed to be warm and comfortable at the same time. I stripped my clothes off onto the bathroom floor and stepped past him into the hot water. He didn’t give me a second glance, and right then I found that deeply depressing. The bigger issue was that I suddenly wanted to be slammed up against the tiles in a rush of passion, just not by him.

  When I finished up in the shower, I got dressed and climbed in bed. Richard smiled at me and turned the bedside lamp off. I lay stiffly with my arms clamped to my sides.

  “Do you want to?” Richard whispered.

  “Do you?” I whispered back.

  “It’s been a long day. Do you mind if we just go to sleep?”

  Part of me was relieved, but the rest of me felt rejected and lonely. The battle to stay present in this relationship was growing harder and harder. Sex had never been our strong suit, but a physical connection, however weak, made you feel like you weren’t just part-time flatmates.