Salvation (11 page)

“
Unless you
’
ve made other plans?
”
She wiggled her brows.

“
No other plans. See you tomorrow.
”
I kissed her cheek and called,
“
Bye girls,
”
to the others in the showers as I disappeared out the door.

TUESDAY began with a
very
detailed run down of Mai
’
s weekend over coffee. I managed to fob her off about Nate, promising to tell all this evening. Mai had kindly brought me lunch so I could work through, and was busy dissecting the latest issue of People on her tablet. She lived in the social media world and followed the celebrity culture like a religion.

Her shrill squeal alarmed me as I jerked up, peering over the rim of my glasses to see her making a beeline straight for me.

“
OMG, Kara! Look!
”
The tablet was thrust into my face, her acrylic nail tapping on a grainy photo of Nate and me beside a taxi.

“
What the f
—
?
”
I rubbed my brow and read aloud:

“
Nathan Blake, CEO of NTB Group, was seen last Thu. 24th with a mystery blonde outside a wine bar in Studio City, CA. We have no idea who the lucky woman is that has caught the mega-rich tycoon
’
s eye, but we
’
ll be keeping watch on this hot love affair as it heats up!
”

My fists clenched around the screen case.
“
Hot love affair!
”

“
Don
’
t sweat it.
”
Mai brushed it off, like seeing me online was the most normal occurrence in the world. She sat in the chair opposite and snatched it back.
“
You do look very cosy
…
thought there wasn
’
t any lip-smacking?
”

“
There wasn
’
t.
”
Only, the angle of the photo suggested less fleeting embrace, more sensual clinch.
“
Nate
’
s going to freak.
”
We were in a state of limbo; neither of us sure what was happening next. Dealing with this intrusion only added further strain to an already complicated situation.

“
Relax, K. Take a Valium.
”

“
Why am I in People magazine? There are far more interesting nobodies to snap than me.
”

“
You two make one
seriously
sexy couple. I could see you both towering above Sunset on a huge billboard. Blake brooding in his underwear
…
you draped seductively around him
…”
Mai talked with her hands, artistically arranging the photo-shoot in her head.

“
Whatever.
”

“
Is it vegetable fajita
’
s tonight?
”
Mai asked with a grin. I served that every time she came for dinner. It was the only meal I made vaguely edible, and I never added meat for fear of poisoning her.

“
Yes,
”
I smirked, appreciating her effort to take my mind off things.

“
Thought so. Got the margarita mix in my bag, so we
’
re good to go.
”
Mai insisted it was to create a Mexican authenticity to the meal. Secretly, I think it was so she could stomach the food. She said they tasted good, a compliment considering her own talent for cooking, and they usually did after a few of her cocktails.

“
Let me get back to this work otherwise we
’
re going nowhere tonight.
”

“
PHEW, after that scorching kiss, it sounds like Sunday was much better than the first date,
”
Mai concluded, barely containing her delight from where she sat on the other side of the lounge. I
’
d spent the last ten minutes giving her a not-too-detailed rundown of our date whilst preparing dinner. The windows were open, and Mai
’
s choice of Mariah Carey was playing in the background loud enough to drown out the helicopter circling in the sky a few blocks away.

“
Estrella wasn
’
t a date.
”
I threw some chopped vegetables in the pan and took a gulp of the strawberry mix, with extra tequila thanks to the bottle Mai found in my cupboard.
“
Neither of us knew where we stood after that.
”

“
So, now you have him by the balls, whatcha gonna do with him?
”
She stuck her head out the window and took another drag on her cigarette.

“
I
’
m foolishly considering giving him what he wants.
”
I took the tea-towel off the counter and wiped my hands.

Mai pursed her lips and scowled.
“
Nothing wrong with that. Casual
’
s what you need right now, ease you back into the scene.
”

“
It
’
s not. Nate could make me fall in love with him. Then what?
”

“
We deal with that if it happens.
”
Mai stubbed out the end of her cigarette and flicked the tab into the small ashtray I left on the windowsill for her visits. She got up from the bench window seat and joined me in the kitchen.

“
I have to give him an answer tomorrow.
”
I leant back on the counter and sipped my drink.

“
I think you already know the answer.
”

I shook my head.
“
Nate
’
s got obscene amounts of money that could buy his hearts
’
desire. We move in entirely different circles. I don
’
t want to be a forgotten number in a long line of many.
”

“
Money can
’
t buy love,
”
she announced, pushing up her sweatshirt sleeves and giving her hands a quick wash. I rolled my eyes at Mai
’
s clich
é
and returned to the cooker.

“
You
’
re gorgeous. He
’
ll be the one falling in love, not you.
”
Mai brushed me aside and took over the cooking as she usually did.
“
Mitch works in a bar surrounded by women. If I suspected him every time he went to work, I
’
d destroy us and myself along the way.
”

“
I know you
’
re right, but I can
’
t help it. Do you honestly think I want to be on my own forever?
”
After getting the plates and cutlery out, I set two places at the breakfast bar.

“
So do something about it. This is ready now,
”
she said, resting the spatula on the pan and settling on a stool opposite.
“
Blake
’
s a busy guy. If he
’
s prepared to make time to pursue you, I
’
d say he
’
s interested in more than just a fling.
”

I served up dinner and pushed a plate in front of her.
“
All I want is a normal man. He doesn
’
t have to be the most handsome,
definitely
not the richest, but kind, responsible, someone who loves me. Above all, he needs to be honest and trustworthy.
”

“
In the meantime, all fairytale crap aside, go fuck Mr Sexy
’
til Mr Boring comes along.
”

I think I
’
d been drawn to Mai
’
s frankness from the beginning. I always knew where I stood. By the time I
’
d done a brief tidy and sat beside her, Mai was already eating, deep in thought.
“
Has he got many close friends?
”

“
How is that relevant?
”
I asked, assembling a wrap.

“
Someone in his position, who has time for good friends, is someone who can forge a long-term relationship.
”
She sipped her drink.
“
What about serious girlfriends?
”

“
I don
’
t know! We haven
’
t discussed the ins-and-outs of our pasts.
”
Thankfully.
I grabbed my drink, taking a healthy gulp to calm down.

“
I
’
m only trying to help you see the situation more clearly,
”
she snapped, tossing her food onto her plate so the entire wrap fell apart.
“
You don
’
t want my opinion?
Fine.
”
She got up and stomped to the fridge like a sulky child.

“
Sorry.
”
I wiped my hands on the napkin and nodded at her offer of a refill.
“
Nate mentioned not having a relationship in a while.
”

“
At least he
’
s had one.
”
Mai returned the pitcher to the fridge.
“
Looking like he does, I
’
d be worried if he hadn
’
t. Shows there
’
s potential, we can work on him.
”

I agreed it would be disconcerting to think he hadn
’
t experienced at least one serious relationship in his life.
“
According to him, commitment equals drama,
”
I mumbled through a mouthful of food.

“
So be drama-free.
”
Mai shrugged.
“
He
’
ll be eating out of your hands.
”

I snorted.
“
Easier said than done.
”

“
You know as well as I do, most guys would
’
ve given up by now.
”
Mai returned to her stool and wiped the last of her wrap around the plate, scooping up guacamole.
“
You have all the control, Kara. Do something empowering with it.
”

“
How do you work that one out?
”
I felt the exact opposite. Nate
’
s enigmatic presence and charisma charmed me to the point of losing all sense when he was around.

“
You set the time and place for the bar. You told him you weren
’
t jumping his bones
—
of which I
’
m still impressed, by the way,
”
she added, smiling.
“
If he had his way, you two would’ve fucked by now. Give him a chance.
”
Pleased with her summation of events, she wiped the corners of her mouth and set her napkin on the counter.

“
What kind of woman starts seeing a man who she knows is wrong for her, who
’
s had enough heart
ache
to last a lifetime, yet is considering hooking up with a certain heart
breaker
?
”
I sagged into the low back of the stool.

“
The kind who needs someone to bang the hell out of her and remind her what she
’
s missing.
”
Mai raised her brows as a smile crept across her face.
“
Go have dinner, enjoy the evening. If you still think he
’
s wrong afterwards, I won
’
t push you anymore.
”
She lifted her glass to make a toast.
“
Agreed?
”

I raised mine hesitantly from the counter, still not entirely convinced.

“
To future happiness.
”
Mai clinked her glass to mine as the meddling face appeared.
“
Beginning with hot sex.
”