Ocean of Fire (19 page)

“I could see that, but it had to be better than sitting around in a poky little apartment all day,” Trisha acknowledged.

“I would rather that. I wasn’t given more than two minutes to myself.” She had a pretty good idea why that had occurred too. Neither of her parents had wanted her to try and ring Philip, but now that they were almost at Randwick this was the first thing she’d do.

“You still haven’t heard from him, have you?” Trisha asked, echoing her thoughts.

“Not a word. I’m really worried, Trish. I can’t believe he doesn’t want to see me anymore. I’m certain Dad’s been interfering. He might have deleted Philip’s messages from my phone while I was in hospital. I didn’t see it the whole time I was in there.”

“You’re clutching at straws Nic. Philip hadn’t even surfaced for over a week before you had your accident, If he really did care about you he would have rung.”

Anger, which had always been just under the surface, blazed in her heart, and she turned abruptly to face her friend. “You were the one who encouraged me to get involved with him in the first place. You thought he’d settle down with the right person.”

“I’m sorry, Nicole,” Trisha murmured uncomfortably. “Knowing you as I do, I didn’t think you’d become so attached to him.”

“I love him. I’ve loved him since… probably since the moment I laid eyes him,” she admitted, tears stinging her eyes.

“Good God! I never thought, never suspected you would fall so heavily for a guy. I’m really sorry for sounding off like that.”

Feeling a little guilty for loosing her temper, Nicole said. “I’m sure he’s back now, and if he has decided to ditch me, I won’t be letting him get away with it that easily.”

They had only been inside their apartment for five minutes, when Nicole picked up the receiver and dialed Philip’s home number. To her horror and dismay, she discovered it had been disconnected. She tried it three times to make sure she hadn’t accidentally gotten it wrong.

“I don’t believe this!” she cried, slamming the instrument down with a violent crash. The tears finally did flow, until she was sobbing loudly in her friend’s arms.

“Try his work number in the morning,” Trisha suggested eventually.

But when Nicole rang his office, asking to speak to him, the secretary only confirmed what she already suspected, that Philip no longer worked there.

“No, I’m afraid we can’t disclose ex-employees whereabouts. It’s against regulations,” she was told when she asked where he had gone.

“Just tell me one thing, has he moved to another branch, or has he left Legal Aid altogether?” Nicole asked.

“I’m sorry. I can’t tell you that either.”

“No, I didn’t think so.” She hung up. Accept it, Nicole, he’s gone. He never intended to keep the relationship going. He simply didn’t care enough. He was nothing more than a selfish, arrogant pirate.

But no matter what her mind reasoned, her heart was breaking. She’d loved him, had been prepared to accept him for what he was, but all he’d wanted was a cheap holiday and a quick fling.

Nicole spent the rest of the day curled up on the lounge in the darkened room crying for the loss of a love that never really existed. She cursed herself for her foolishness. She, a qualified social worker, hadn’t been able to see the obvious; that he simply hadn’t given a damn about her. Blinded by his good looks, his seductive sensuality, his troubled past, she’d fallen head over heels in love like a silly teenager.

Strangely enough it was Trisha who suggested she try to find out what had become of him.

“What’s the point? It’s obvious he doesn’t want me,” she protested, almost bursting out crying again. Nicole hadn’t known she could shed so many tears. It was close to midnight, and they had been talking for almost an hour. Nicole had wanted to hear all about Trisha’s new job, but her friend had eventually brought the conversation around to the cause of Nicole’s swollen tear-stained face.

“That may be so, but didn’t you say you wanted to have it out with him. Knowing you as I do, you won’t be satisfied until you’ve sorted him out once and for all. You always did want to see justice done, and I don’t think you should let Philip get away with leaving you this way.”

“But I have absolutely no idea where he’s gone. Short of ringing every Legal Aid office in the country, I have nothing else to go on.”

“What makes you think he’s even with Legal Aid?”
Nicole buried her face in her hands in bitter frustration. “Great! So I ring every law firm in the country,” she retorted sarcastically.

“Someone must know something. Perhaps one of his neighbours knows where he’s gone,” Trisha suggested.

“I suppose I could try that.”

“I think you should.”

It wasn’t until Saturday afternoon that Nicole felt well enough to drive to Philip’s address in Mosman on the other side of the harbour.

The street he lived in was easy to find, as it followed the waterfront. It was lined with large houses and apartment buildings. The number she’d stored in her mobile belonged to a two story mansion that looked decidedly Spanish with its white-washed walls and curved archways.

She was still sitting in her car, staring at the seemingly deserted building when two children rode past on their push bikes. It became obvious they lived there when the young boy unlocked one of the garage doors. They were both blonde, and the girl, who seemed to be about thirteen or fourteen had a long plait reaching well past her waist. Spurred into action, Nicole got out of her car, and started towards them. The boy was closing the door when Nicole spoke.

“Hello there. You two live here?”

“Yep,” the boy replied.

“I’m looking for someone who used to live here. I was wondering if you could help me find him. Philip Pelayo?”

“Why do you want to know where he is?” the girl asked, eying her suspiciously.

“We used to be friends, but lost touch with one another when he moved away forgetting to give me his new address,” she explained.

“I’ll see if Mum can give it to you. She’s inside. Come on, we’ll ask her.”

They left her younger brother playing with his soccer ball, and entered the apartment through a side door Nicole hadn’t noticed until then.

“Hey Mum! Where are you?” the teenager called out, as Nicole followed her through a large living area. She heard a woman’s voice reply from somewhere inside the building, and was shown into a spacious, modern kitchen, which had a wide window overlooking an in-ground swimming pool. The family’s apartment was so large, it made Nicole wonder just how many units the building had been sectioned into. The girl’s mother was a short chubby woman in her mid-forties. She too was blonde, with a round attractive face.

“This lady is looking for Mr Pelayo. You’ve got his new address, haven’t you?” her daughter stated, heading for the refrigerator. “His new place doesn’t sound anywhere near as nice as the penthouse.”

“Penthouse?” Nicole echoed.

“That’s what we call his place upstairs; Philip Pelayo’s penthouse,” she said with a little giggle, pouring herself a drink of lemonade.

“My name’s Nicole Cameron. Philip sailed on my father’s yacht, and we kind of lost touch over the past few weeks,” she explained. The suspicion on their faces eased when they heard that. They obviously knew Philip had sailed in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

“Well, he did take off rather suddenly. I’m Jenny, by the way, and this is Nadia. She had a bit of a crush on our penthouse man, I’m afraid, and wasn’t at all impressed when he moved away.”

“Aw Mum,” Nadia groaned, her face flushing with embarrassment. “I wasn’t the only one.”

Jenny smiled indulgently at her daughter. “I know. The only reason your friends kept hanging around was to ask him for rides in his Porsche. I feel sorry for the poor man. He never could say no to them. That’s probably why he moved so far away.” She turned back to Nicole. “Looks like his trip around Tasmania really had an effect on him. He was so wrapped with that town he hasn’t even bothered to advertise for someone to rent his apartment.”

“He owns it?” Nicole queried, surprised he could afford such an enormous apartment in an affluent suburb like Mosman on a Legal Aid lawyer’s salary.

“He owns the whole house, actually. We rent it off him, as does the couple next door.”

“All of it?” she cried incredulously.

“Yes, he bought it after selling his hi-fi business.”

Hit with another unexpected revelation, Nicole gulped, wondering why Philip never told her he’d actually owned the business. All he’d said was that he’d sold stereo equipment before going to University. Nicole realised he had well and truly beaten his impoverished background, and gone on to be someone to be revered and held in high esteem. Then she remembered Jenny had been about to tell her where he was now living.

“Where did you say Philip went?”

“Tasmania. He was offered a job in Hobart. I can give you the address if you like.”

“Thanks,” Nicole murmured, realizing at once what had happened. For some reason he’d changed his mind about Frank Davies’s offer, or maybe he’d always intended following it up. That would explain why he’d been so non-committal at the airport.

When Jenny handed her a slip of paper with his address on it, it confirmed it. He had gone on to fulfill his dreams without her. There is was in black and white. He’d bought the cottage in Kettering, never intending to share his life with her. It was also obvious that he’d never had any intention on returning to Sydney either.

Nicole buried her face in her hands, unable to stop the tears from stinging her eyes. His betrayal bit so deep that in front of these virtual strangers she started to sob.

“You were more than just friends, weren’t you?” Jenny said softly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Nicole nodded, trying to regain her composure. Now wasn’t the time to break down, but her entire body ached with the pain of his deception. It ran through her veins like poison, seeping into every pore, until she started trembling as though in the grip of a violent fever.

Jenny told her daughter to go outside and join her brother, and she heard the sound of footsteps on the tiles. Nicole didn’t look up to see if she’d left the room. All she felt like doing was disappearing down some cosmic plug-hole where she could cry her heart out.

“How could he do this to me?” She didn’t realise she’d spoken her thoughts out loud until Jenny answered her.

“I know this isn’t really any of my business, but Philip led me to believe he was moving to Tasmania because he wanted to settle down there with the woman he loved. He never told me her name, but if you’re the girl he met through that yacht race, then you’re the one he wants to share his life with.”

“But - “ Nicole began to protest.

“I don’t know what went wrong, how the misunderstanding occurred, but if I were you I’d fly down there right away and sort it all out. I’ve known Philip for four years, and I’ve never seen him so happy as when he was talking about his plans for the future with you.”

“He loves me?” she murmured dazedly.

Jenny smiled. “He’s all yours.”

Philip loved her. He had actually told his neighbour he loved her. It sounded almost too good to be true, but it was enough to give her the hope she needed. Nicole had to leave for Tasmania as soon as was humanly possible.

When Philip remembered what Peter Cameron had said to him he felt like killing the man, but he wanted to do worse to Nicole. How could he have been so wrong about her? He should have known she’d be the same as every other rich bitch he’d come across in his life.

Not to be trusted.

But Philip had opened his heart, and she’d taken it, twisted it and shattered it, until it was broken beyond repair.

“You
dare
to come here!” Peter had bellowed when he opened the huge oak door to him and Philip announced that he wanted to see Nicole. “She’s not here and she doesn’t want to see you.”

“You’re lying,” Philip retorted, pushing against the door, but Peter had his foot against it. “Nicole!” he yelled into the house.

“I’m having a restraining order placed on you,” Peter announced.

“Yeah, you would, wouldn’t you?” Philip said bitterly.

“Yes, because I know who you are - Philip Palmiri.”

Philip felt as though someone had shot him right through the heart. He staggered back, staring in shock and anger at Peter Cameron’s sneering face. How had he found out? How could he possibly know?

Nicole.

She was the only one who could have told him.

Philip had covered his tracks too well for anyone to find out by chance. But stupidly he’d told her, believing she cared about him. How could he have been such an idiot?

“I can see by your face you’re not denying it… How I could let the son of such a criminal onto my yacht, let alone near my daughter…”

“He was never my father. My father’s name was Juan Pelayo. He died when I was five, but I can see that doesn’t make any difference to you… Don’t worry about the restraining order. I won’t be back.”

Philip turned and marched down the stairs, blind with rage, choking with fury. He could hardly unlock the door of his car he was seething so much. Once inside he slammed his fists against the steering wheel.

“Damn you all to hell!” Philip felt utterly betrayed, totally humiliated. He should have know the moment he let his defenses down and allowed love into his heart that it would backfire big time.

He should have remained aloof, should have put up with the loneliness and the emptiness. Now it would be twice as hard to return to that way of life. But return to it he must, for Nicole had betrayed him in the worst possible way.

Philip had to get as far away from her as possible, and the furtherest place he could think of was Tasmania.