Love is the New Black Page 15

  Piper and Lucy shrugged helplessly as Bronwyn left the office.

  ‘And perhaps you two could see your way to getting some actual work done.’ Vivian smiled coolly over her shoulder as she left the room.

  There wasn’t much fanfare when Bronwyn resigned. In fact, Vivian didn’t even mention it until Lucy asked where she was. But it was kind of like having a ghost around. The way she’d been mistreated was always on Piper and Lucy’s minds.

  For the rest of that day, and right through the next week, Piper and Lucy just got on with it. They managed to set up a video camera in the fashion cupboard, and waited to see if anything would go missing after the Stella McCartney shoot. All they could do was hope that Vivian got caught in the trap; at least that would give some justice to Bronwyn.

  After the initial shock of Vivian stealing her article, Piper realised staying quiet was the only option. If she reported it, Vivian could just as easily accuse Piper of sleeping her way in – and then her career would be over before it had even begun. Would Rose even believe she’d written the article? Would she lose her job?

  There were too many risks in taking on Vivian.

  Occasionally, she still fantasised about writing and getting features published. It was something, she supposed, to know that Rose considered her writing good enough to publish, even if she hadn’t been given credit for it.

  And at least Mason hadn’t been around. It was just as well, because even the thought of him seemed to switch Piper’s senses into overdrive. But there wasn’t much she could do about that, she decided.

  As she packed up on Friday afternoon, getting ready to pick Dylan up from the airport, her senses were kicked into high gear for a different reason. She had been living with the guilt of kissing Mason for a whole week, and it was killing her. She had to tell him. It was the only way.

  Piper waited in Arrivals. She couldn’t help staring as a couple hugged and kissed like no-one else was there. She felt a stab of envy for them, wishing things could be that simple with Dylan.

  Finally, she saw him, all blond, sun-kissed and gorgeous. His new haircut suited him. It wasn’t anything drastic; still very Dylan – saltwater scruffy – but now the ends were neat. He sauntered towards her, a Ripcurl bag slung over his shoulder.

  ‘Babe,’ he called. He put the bag down and stared at her. ‘Geez, you look … different,’ he said. Piper couldn’t help smiling.

  Other than the hair, Dylan didn’t look different at all. He was wearing board shorts and a T-shirt, as usual. His smile was still cheeky. But there was something comforting about how exactly-the-same he was.

  ‘I got a few new bits and pieces,’ Piper said, looking down at another of Kara’s designs. This time, it was a cream dress with a green-and-pink geometric print. ‘I have to dress like this for work,’ she explained, feeling a little self-conscious.

  ‘Nice,’ Dylan said, but Piper had the impression he wasn’t so keen on her new look. When he kissed her, it felt a little cool.

  As they got into Gaynor’s car, Piper asked him about everything back home.

  ‘Yeah, it’s all pretty much the same, babe,’ he said. ‘Loftie got a new four-wheel drive, so we’ve been exploring a bit. The band is coming along. Might have a gig lined up soon. Nothing too exciting. What about you? What’s been happening at work?’

  ‘Nothing really,’ Piper lied. ‘It’s fine.’

  ‘So, what’s the plan?’ Dylan asked.

  ‘Well, I thought we’d just go home,’ Piper said, feeling the horrible pressure of what she was going to have to tell him when they got there. ‘Maybe get some takeaway.’

  ‘Will Gaynor be there?’

  ‘No, she’s out tonight.’

  ‘Good,’ Dylan said. He reached over and put his hand on her breast. Piper was surprised. It just felt wrong, being groped while driving a car. ‘I’ve missed you, Piper,’ he continued. ‘Just feel how much.’ He pulled her hand down from the steering wheel and put it on his groin. She could definitely feel how much he’d missed her. She was still attracted to him but, at the moment, his erection just felt like another problem she had to deal with.

  Piper pulled her hand away slowly, trying to make it just seem like she needed it to steer.

  ‘Hey, cool apartment,’ Dylan said, taking in the space as Piper dropped her keys into her fake bag. ‘What about the bedroom? Where is it, babe?’

  Piper rolled her eyes, hoping it looked playful.

  ‘Dyl … we need to talk,’ she said. She led him into the lounge room and motioned for him to sit on the couch.

  ‘Geez, Gaynor’s really into this animal thing,’ he said, stroking the tiger throw as he sat down. He sat with his legs wide apart. Like he normally did, of course, but it seemed impolite for him to sprawl out like that in Gaynor’s apartment.

  Piper stayed standing. ‘Dylan, I don’t know how to put this, so I’m just going to say it. Something happened last week.’

  Dylan stopped stroking the throw. ‘As in?’

  Piper breathed deeply. ‘I kissed someone, Dyl.’

  It was awful, watching his face. Watching how much those four small words thudded into him, like bullets. He put his hand on his heart, as though trying to stem a wound. A tear slid down Piper’s cheek.

  He said nothing for a moment. ‘You kissed someone,’ he repeated, as though he needed to let the information sink in. ‘God, Piper. You kissed someone? I never thought … I just didn’t think you’d do that.’ He cleared his throat, his face hardening. ‘Was it just a kiss? Or was it more than that?’

  Piper knelt down on the carpet in front of him. ‘It was just a kiss, Dyl, I swear. I was at a party and the drinks were really strong, and I guess I just … I lost my judgement.’

  Dylan put his head in his hands and sat there, for what seemed like an age. The tears slid freely down Piper’s cheeks.

  ‘Jesus,’ he said. ‘Fuck.’ When he finally removed his hands, Dylan’s face was screwed up with anger. ‘This happened last week? Why the fuck did you wait till now to tell me? Why couldn’t you have just told me on the phone, and I wouldn’t have bothered coming all the way down here to see you!’

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Piper desperately. ‘I wanted to tell you to your face. I wanted to talk about it. This doesn’t mean it has to end.’

  ‘Doesn’t it? Who was it, Piper?’ he asked harshly. ‘Just some random? Or someone special?’ He spat the words. ‘In fact, don’t bother answering that. I probably wouldn’t believe whatever you said. And I don’t know if it was just a kiss, even if you swear it was. It doesn’t matter. You cheated on me.’

  It was horrible, hearing him talk like that. Knowing he was right. ‘I’m so sorry,’ Piper whispered. ‘It will never …’

  Dylan shook his head. ‘I don’t want to hear it,’ he said. He got up, picked up his Ripcurl bag, slung it over his shoulder and opened the front door. ‘I trusted you,’ he said.

  Piper waited for him to slam the door.

  It was worse, somehow, when he closed it silently.

  ‘Piper, what’s wrong?’ Gaynor sat down on the carpet next to her goddaughter.

  Piper had no idea how long she’d been there, curled up in the foetal position. ‘Gaynes, I’ve ruined everything.’ She sat up and the floodgates gushed open. What had been quiet, slinking tears became a waterfall. Her body was racked with sobs.

  Gaynor drew Piper to her. She held her, waiting patiently for the sobs to subside. Finally, she cupped her hands on Piper’s cheeks and gently tilted her face up. ‘Sweetheart. Tell me. Just let it out.’

  Piper took a breath. And then she told her everything. About how she’d felt about Mason, right from the beginning. Understanding there was an attraction between them, but feeling like she had it under control. About their kiss and about how guilty she felt. About how Dylan had reacted. Now that she’d finally decided to share her story, it tumbled out of her.

  Gaynor listened without interrupting.

  ‘Piper,’ she said, when P
iper had finally fallen quiet. ‘Everyone makes mistakes. Maybe you shouldn’t have kissed Mason. But you’ve been honest about it. A lot of people don’t have that kind of integrity. Give Dylan time, let it settle. You might still be able to work things out with him.’

  Piper smiled a wobbly smile.

  ‘That’s if you want to,’ Gaynor added. There was just a little bit of squint around Gaynor’s eyes.

  ‘Of course I do,’ Piper said quickly.

  ‘If he’s worth it,’ Gaynor added. ‘I mean, I haven’t actually met him yet, so I’ll have to reserve judgement.’

  The sobbing session had exhausted Piper. Still, she slept badly, waking every couple of hours to check her phone to see if Dylan had texted.

  He hadn’t. Not at 1 a.m. Or 3.25. Or even 4.37.

  She finally awoke at around seven to heavy knocking on the front door and Gaynor’s footsteps as she went to answer it.

  She heard Dylan’s voice.

  Piper got up and walked into the lounge room.

  ‘Hey,’ Dylan said flatly. He looked knackered. As Piper got closer, she could smell alcohol.

  ‘I have to get a few things at the shops,’ Gaynor announced.

  ‘Hey,’ Piper said softly after Gaynor had left. She searched Dylan’s face for clues about what he was thinking, but he wouldn’t look at her. ‘Where did you go?’

  ‘Out,’ he said.

  He was making it clear that she didn’t have the right to ask him that. Which was fair, she supposed.

  ‘I came back,’ Dylan said with a shrug.

  Piper almost smiled. That was such a Dylan thing to say. Straight to the point.

  ‘So, what did you … how do you …’ she tried, but Dylan held his hand up. A stop sign.

  ‘You’re not much of a drinker, Piper. I believe you when you say it was just a kiss that happened because you were pissed. That it wasn’t with anyone special.’ Dylan’s eyes narrowed. ‘You probably don’t even remember it properly, hey?’

  The first part was right. She and Mason would never have gone outside together, never have had that moment, if she hadn’t been drunk and about to blurt out what she knew about Kara.

  But the other part? That she couldn’t remember the kiss? That it was with no-one special?

  Sure, some of the night was hazy. She couldn’t remember what Albert had said at one point that was so funny she’d nearly choked on her drink. She couldn’t remember the taxi driver that took her back to Gaynor’s. But in that laneway, when she and Mason had kissed, she remembered it. Every single part of it.

  ‘So, I’ve decided I’m going to forgive you,’ said Dylan. ‘I mean, I’ll get there. It might take some time, though. Just, you know, don’t do it again, hey?’

  Piper stepped towards Dylan. She put her arms around his waist. Even though he was so much taller, he leant down and nestled his face into her shoulder. ‘I won’t,’ she whispered.

  His kiss tasted vaguely like beer. But it was a nice kiss.

  ‘I’ve got eggs and bacon and avocado and tomato,’ Gaynor chirped when she returned, putting shopping bags on the bench.

  Piper gave her a quizzical look. In the time she’d lived with Gaynor, there had never been eggs and bacon and avocado and tomato for breakfast. She wondered whether the point might not have been the actual breakfast, but Gaynor’s presence in the apartment to cook it.

  ‘Gosh, I’ve got a very in-and-out-of-the-house day today,’ Gaynor said, as if to confirm Piper’s suspicion. ‘I’ll be coming and going like a crazy thing. Oh, and I’ve got the cleaner coming too, Piper, and God knows what time she’ll be able to get here, so can you make sure your bedroom is ready for her?’

  Piper gave Gaynor a frown that Gaynor diligently failed to notice. But part of her was relieved that Gaynes was going to make it impossible for anything to go on between her and Dylan.

  I just need to let things settle down, Piper assured herself. Then I’ll feel like I’ve always felt.

  ‘So, what are you two going to get up to?’ Gaynor asked, filling a pot with water and popping it on a burner.

  ‘Do you want me to show you around the city?’ Piper asked Dylan, who was now sitting on a barstool on the other side of the kitchen bench. He kept pushing the button that made the stool go up and down. Each time, it made a squeaking noise.

  ‘And tonight we’ve got that thing,’ Dylan said, rising upward. ‘The party thing with the models. Whatever that is.’

  ‘Seriously, we don’t have to go, Dylan,’ Piper assured him. ‘We could do anything you like.’

  ‘Nah. Yeah. I mean … I’m fine with it,’ Dylan said. He turned around on the stool and Piper could only see his back.

  ‘Nah, yeah, well, that’s lovely,’ Gaynor said in a too-bright voice, squashing tomatoes down very flat on the frying pan.

  Piper gave her a nudge. The mimicked Nah, yeah and the poor tomatoes seemed to indicate that Gaynor wasn’t exactly enamoured with Dylan. But Piper was. He was her history, her first love, and he had forgiven her.

  Piper had no idea what Mason was doing but, with any luck, he’d still be in Perth and wouldn’t be able to make it to the party.

  Piper texted Kara, asking her if she could have a plus one on her ticket at the door, and received a yes straightaway. It was perfect. She and Dylan would have a great night together, and all this stuff would be behind them.

  At last, things could go back to the way they were.

  ‘Good to do business,’ Mason said, putting the contract for a three-page ongoing advertorial for Prentice Interiors into his briefcase and shaking Emmanuel Prentice’s hand.

  ‘Even if you did bust my balls, you did it ever so gently,’ Emmanuel replied, doing an impression of their old Harvard lecturer.

  ‘Seal the deal with a handshake and eye contact,’ Mason said, attempting his own impression of Murphy Sands. ‘Tie it up with a bloody bow.’

  Emmanuel grinned. He really did look happy.

  ‘You did all right, Manny,’ Mason said. ‘It’s a good deal. For Aspire and for Prentice.’

  ‘Well, at least I timed it well for Friday night drinks,’ Emmanuel said, pouring two very large scotches from the bar in his office. He plonked one in front of Mason.

  ‘Bit of a change from New York, eh?’ Emmanuel motioned to the window with a beach view that seemed to go on forever.

  ‘Yeah,’ Mason agreed. The scotch tasted good; it had a mellow complexity and a smoky flavour. ‘So, how do you feel about coming back home?’

  ‘Love it,’ Emmanuel replied. ‘I get a surf in before work. I’m earning good money. What’s not to like?’

  ‘What about going back into the family business?’ Mason asked.

  ‘It’s what I always wanted, Wakefield,’ Emmanuel said. ‘But, as far as I remember, it wasn’t what you wanted.’

  ‘I needed to come home, to help straighten out Dad’s business for a while.’ Mason said. ‘It won’t be forever.’

  ‘You got offered something in Silicon Valley, didn’t you?’

  Mason nodded. ‘Google.’

  ‘Nice,’ said Emmanuel. ‘Sorry it didn’t work out. But Australia’s not such a bad place to be. And, listen, I’ve landed on a bit of inside goss. Apparently Oracle is planning to open in Australia, and Melbourne seems to be the hot favourite. Word is they’re hunting down a director of business development, and you’d be perfect, Wakefield – since you’re a ball-breaking hardarse.’

  Mason was definitely listening. The job he’d been offered in Silicon Valley wasn’t a director’s position; it was just working as an analyst. Mason knew that Oracle’s headquarters were in Redwood, California, and that the company had a big slice of the pie in computer software and hardware. A director’s role with them sounded more like a giant leap than a stepping stone. He could have seriously considered it if his dad was well enough to run Aspire again. And if things had turned out differently with Piper.

  Mason mentally ran through the message Piper had sent him. The one he�
�d erased from his phone, but not from his mind.

  What happened last night was a mistake. I should have told you I have a boyfriend. So sorry. Piper.

  She had a boyfriend. He was nothing but a mistake to her.

  But he couldn’t stop thinking of her lips against his. Her body pressing back into his.

  Mason tapped his temples, trying to redirect his stupid brain. He should never have let down his guard. Let her under his skin. He had known better and he’d still gone and kissed her. That was his mistake.

  ‘Jeez, you’re wandering, mate,’ Emmanuel said, pouring a third scotch. ‘Email me your CV now, before you disappear. I’ll pass it on to my mates. Just see how things land, Wakefield.’

  Mason woke up in his hotel room on Saturday morning and checked his phone. There was a message from his dad on the screen.

  How did you go with Prentice Junior? Come over as soon as you arrive. Have something to tell you.

  He looked at the message again. Everything to do with his dad triggered worries lately. The first part of the text was promising; his dad hadn’t asked an Aspire-related question for a long time. But the second was troubling. Some other issue may have unfolded in the ex-wife disaster.

  Mason’s ticket was booked for the next day. He’d planned to take the day to check out Perth, to see how the mining boom was playing out in other industries. So far, the domino effect was obvious from the inflated price he’d had to pay for this very ordinary hotel room, but he wondered about other businesses.

  Then he pictured his dad, lying on the couch in his pyjamas, miserable, and went online to change his flight.

  Mason put his key in the door of his dad’s house, but before he could open it himself his dad was there. He noticed with surprise that Patrick’s eyes were clear, for the first time in ages. His shirt and trousers were clean and crisp. And, despite it being 6 o’clock on a Saturday night, there was no scotch bottle in sight.