The final day of the photo shoot had just wrapped up when Kung Fu Fighting blared out of his phone. Lachlan grinned, it was the theme song of his youth and reminded him of the many hours he and his brother had spent wrestling when they were kids.
“Hey Bro,” he said grabbing his gear.
“Lachlan, how you doing?” Ben sounded cheerful and Lachlan was pleased. It had been announced the week before that Clayton Downs wouldn’t be renewed for another season, and Ben had been pissed off all week because of it.
“I’m good, just finished the shoot. You?”
“Can’t complain. How’s Sydney?” Lachlan grew suspicious at the tone of Ben’s voice.
“It hasn’t changed much. Why?”
“A little birdie told me you may be enjoying yourself more than usual, that’s all.”
“David!” Lachlan growled and Ben laughed through the phone. His idiot friend was hanging around women too much, stupid gossiping prick. Lachlan suppressed the irritation he felt toward his friend. He wasn’t keeping April a secret, but he had wanted to tell his brother about her himself.
“So what’s the scoop?” Ben asked.
“There’s not much to tell at the moment, I only met her Monday.” When Ben waited patiently for him to continue Lachlan grumbled his annoyance and made himself comfortable on the sofa at the back of the studio. All around him, people were packing up equipment but no one was paying any attention to him. “Her name’s April and I met her at Trend on Monday night. She’s in town on business and staying at the same hotel as me. I asked her to the Medical Research Institute Ball, and she needed a dress so I sent her to David. End of story.”
“Bullshit.”
“What?”
“You heard me. For starters, you never take anyone to big events. You’ve also never asked David for a favour like this before and from what David tells me, this girl is amazing and we both know how judgmental he can be when it comes to women. In fact, I believe the words he used were sexy, smart, fun and did I mention sexy? That’s high praise coming from David.”
“What else do you want me to say?”
“I dunno. Are you going to keep seeing her after you leave Saturday?”
“Actually, her flight is before mine and we haven’t spoken about that yet.”
“Well do you want to?”
For a long moment, Lachlan considered his brothers question. The idea that in less than two days he would say goodbye to April and that would be it just didn’t sit well with him. He wanted more with her, much more. “Yes,” he finally said.
“Hallelujah, it’s about time!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lachlan demanded. He felt a sudden urge to get his brother into a headlock and give him a noogie like he did when they were kids and Ben was annoying him.
“Oh come on. You called off your engagement to Samantha two years ago and you haven’t been serious about anyone since. If this girl April can get under your skin, then there’s hope for you yet. You know what Mum would say, you’re not getting any younger.”
“Oh please, I’m only twenty-eight and I was never engaged to Samantha.” But Lachlan couldn’t help smiling at his brother’s words. “And don’t you dare say anything to Mum yet about April, I’ll tell her when I’m ready.”
“Hey! What do you take me for?” Lachlan grinned at Ben’s affronted tone, silently admitting his brother wasn’t the sort to spill his secrets.
“Listen Ben, I’ve got to go.” Just talking about April had him eager to see her.
“Hot date?”
“Yeah, something like that. You still picking me up from the airport Saturday?”
“You bet.”
“Thanks, I’ll see you then.” He hung up and then left the studio to find a taxi.
The ride across town was torture as the taxi crawled through the end-of-day traffic until finally, when he couldn’t take it any longer, Lachlan asked the driver to pull over beside a Chinese take-away two blocks from the hotel. Despite his impatience to see her, Lachlan decided Chinese for dinner would be a nice change from room service and went in to order.
Forty minutes later, he was pounding on her door.
“I brought dinner?” He grinned broadly when she opened the door, lifting the bag to show her. He stopped the moment he saw her face. “Hey, you okay?”
Her eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks were red and there was a desolate look on her face. It was obvious she’d been crying.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She smiled wanly. “I just have a bit of a headache.” Lachlan wasn’t convinced but he held his tongue and followed her in. Putting the food on the table he turned and gathered her in his arms, dropping his head to give her a kiss, but at the last moment she turned away and he kissed her cheek instead. He frowned his disapproval but didn’t comment.
“Ah, I guess we should eat,” he said, aware of how stiff she felt in his arms. He pulled her chair out for her, and then proceeded to divide the feast between them before finally sitting down himself.
“I love Chinese,” he enthused, trying to break the tension hanging between them, and although she smiled, she didn’t say anything.
For a while they ate in silence and Lachlan watched her closely. She wouldn’t look at him, and she kept her hands so close to her body that he got the distinct impression she didn’t want him touching her. What the hell was going on? She’d been fine when he’d left this morning.
He was just about to question her when her phone vibrated on the coffee table and an old fashioned telephone ring broke the silence. “My sister, Marie.” He couldn’t miss the relieved expression on her face as she rushed to grab the phone.
“Marie?” The anticipation in her voice was unmistakable. “No, no. I’m sorry, I was just missing you and really wanted to talk.” April held up one finger and cast him a look he assumed was meant to be apologetic and then walked into the bedroom. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she was more than a little pleased with the interruption.
By the time she returned a few minutes later, he had finished his dinner and was tossing the empty containers in the rubbish. Her food sat cold on the table.
“Sorry,” April said as she sat down and picked up her fork. “I haven’t spoken to her in days and I was really missing her.”
She seemed normal again and Lachlan wondered if he’d been imaging the tension between them. Maybe she really was worrying about her sister. She’d raised Marie since she was six and this was the first time they had been apart, so she was probably worried about her and missed her in the same way any mother would worry about or miss their child. God knew his mother was frantic if he went too long between phone calls.
“No problem,” he said, sitting back down beside her. “How’s the headache?”
She frowned slightly and swallowed the food in her mouth. “Lachlan I need to talk to you about something.”
Christ! That didn’t sound good.
“It’s about the ball.”
“Okay.” He waited patiently for her to continue.
“I know I said I’d go, and David and Abigale have both gone out of their way to help me, but I’m sorry, I just don’t think I can do it.”
“Is this about the photographers again?”
“Yes,” she nodded.
“April, I told you we could avoid them.” Frankly, he was getting tired of reassuring her and he was beginning to think maybe there was more to this paranoia about being photographed with him.
“I don’t think we can.”
“What are you hiding from?” He’d asked the question without thinking, but by the look on her face he’d hit on a nerve. Realisation dawned on him. “Not what, who! Are you married? Is that it? Is that why you’re so afraid of being photographed with me? Afraid your husband will see us together?”
“I’m not married!”
“But you are hiding,” Lachlan said. “What are you afraid of?”
“I’m not hiding,” she said a little too defensively. “I told you befor
e, Marie doesn’t—”
“Cut the crap April, this has nothing to do with Marie. She’s sixteen for god’s sake, she’s not some little kid you have to hide because you’re afraid to let her face the world.”
Here pupils blew wide and all colour drained from her face as a look of pure horror settled on her features.
“April?” he said tentatively. She remained frozen in place, her gaze distant, as if she was lost inside herself.
“April!” he repeated more firmly, reaching for her hand. She snatched it back.
“I think you should leave.” Her tone was flat, emotionless.
He ducked his head, trying to get her to look at him but she continued to look through him as if he didn’t exist. “Just tell me what’s going on,” he pleaded.
“LEAVE,” she screamed.
He jumped at the sudden sound before quickly recovering his wits. Gritting his teeth, Lachlan stood up and walked to the door. When he reached it he turned around. April was staring at the table, her expression shuttered.
“I have a limo picking me up at six tomorrow night.” He exhaled harshly, his heart heavy. “Meet me in the lobby if you change your mind.” Then he walked through the door.