Walking the Line (4 page)

When Kye eyeballed me, I knew whatever he had
to say would give me some much needed insight into the woman who
invaded my dreams and kept me up most nights.

“Ellie’s like me. A tough cynic who expects
the worst from people and can’t handle the good.” Kye swiped at the
condensation on his glass. “People like you, with stars in your
eyes, make us uncomfortable. You’re so upbeat all the time, so damn
trusting, but the world doesn’t work that way, and Ellie and me
know it.”

A light bulb went off and I knew what he’d
say next.

“That’s why I saved your arse that first day.
And why I got you the job here.”

“Because you think I’m a naive fool?”

“Because you’re one of the good guys who
needs a bit of life experience to get you through your stay in
Sydney without getting your head kicked in.” Kye drained the rest
of his beer and handed me the glass. “Ellie needs a good guy in her
life, even for a short time, and that’s why I’m going to help you.
I’ve been angry for less than a decade. For Ellie, it’s been longer
than that…”

“Go on,” I urged, eager to hear more if I was
to have any chance of getting through to her.

“She arrived here when I was five. Soon
became my mum’s best friend so she was around a lot.” He gestured
around the room. “Started as a barmaid, ended up buying the place
after the old owner fell off the perch.” He tapped his temple.
“Ellie’s smart. Resourceful. And way too astute for us. But she
wasn’t always so closed off…”

I rested my forearms on the bar, waiting,
wishing he’d tell me all of it.

“From stuff I overheard when I was older,
some guy did a number on her back in Dubbo. Real bad. Bad enough
she left her life behind to start fresh here.” Kye frowned.
“Whoever this dickhead was, he must’ve hurt her, because she
changed and I’ve watched it happen. Cut her hair short and dyed it.
Started wearing leather and chunky jewelry and a ton of make-up.
And she never smiled…”

Something in my chest twisted at the thought
of anyone hurting Ellie so badly she felt compelled to change who
she was.

Kye grimaced. “We don’t talk about our pasts
much. She probably thinks discussing Mum will make me grumpier than
usual and I accept her for who she is now.”

He tilted his head, studying me. “That’s
another thing I respect you for, because I think you do too.”

“‘Course I do. She’s incredible.”

“You know she’s heaps older than you,
right?”

“Yeah, so?”

Kye grinned. “Good answer. So, what can I do
to help?”

I’d done a bit of research and hatched a
plan. But it all came down to Kye convincing Ellie, because she
sure as hell wouldn’t listen to me.

“I need you to tell a little white lie…”

ELLIE

After a long week, I had plans. Plans that
included popcorn, chocolate ice cream and a stack of action
flicks.

I’d just settled down with a buttery bowl of
goodness in my lap and the remote in my hand when a knock sounded
at my door.

I could’ve sworn my heart stopped.

No way. Couldn’t be Finn. I’d warned him that
no one ever entered my domain up here and so far he’d kept his
distance.

Hadn’t stopped him asking me out on the rare
occasions we’d seen each other the last seven days. I’d done a
stellar job of avoiding him but the guy seemed to have a built in
radar for knowing where I’d be next.

So we’d done our usual dance. Him charm and
flirt. Me freeze and run.

If he’d had the audacity to knock on my
apartment door, I’d castrate him.

Because if I liked Finn downstairs in the bar
and had a hard time hiding exactly how much, no way in hell I could
resist him in my inner sanctuary.

For that’s what my apartment was. A
sanctuary. A glimpse into the real me. A place filled with frills
and feathers, velvets and satins, cushions and candles and
frippery, so at odds with my outer persona that I didn’t want
anyone getting a look at who I really was deep down.

A woman who’d yearned for this life once: the
house, the kids, the husband. A woman who believed in dreams of
happily-ever-after. A woman who preferred fine teas to alcohol, who
enjoyed baking, who’d do anything for her man.

“Open up, El, I know you’re in there.”

Kye.

I breathed a sigh of relief and tried to
ignore the irrational stab of disappointment it wasn’t Finn.

“I’m busy, go away,” I yelled, knowing it was
futile because I’d never been able to say no to him, not since the
day he’d presented me with his first mud pie at age six.

“Maybe you’d prefer if I got Finn to help me
break down the door?”

At the mention of the F word, I placed the
bowl on the coffee table and bolted out of my seat. I opened the
door and peeped around it. “You have two seconds before I head back
to my date with Vin Diesel.”

“Make it five then I’ll get out of your way.”
Kye did that weird upper lip curl thing that passed for a
semi-smile and I stood back, beckoning him in.

His far too astute gaze swept the room,
lingering on the DVDs stacked beside the TV. “Not sleeping much,
huh?”

“I sleep plenty.”

At least, I used to, before a green-eyed
Irishman with a hot bod and a voice that could tempt a nun to sin
kept invading my dreams. So I’d settled for the easier option:
dozing on the couch watching old movies.

“You’re full of it.” Kye didn’t sit, which
meant he wasn’t staying long. “It’s none of my business why you’ve
turned into an insomniac so I’ll cut to the chase. You still
interested in adding more boutique beers to your range?”

“Yeah.”

“There’s a new joint in town. Upmarket, in
Double Bay. Getting rave reviews everywhere for its menu of the
liquid variety.”

Okay, so he’d piqued my interest. I was
constantly striving to make the bar better and more patrons than
ever were asking for beers I hadn’t heard of.

“Thought you might want to check it out with
me?”

I nodded. “Sounds good.”

“Tomorrow night, at seven?”

“I’ll be there.”

Gave me another excuse not to see Finn who
was rostered on every evening for the next week.

“Great, see you then.” Kye paused at the
door. “You really okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

He pointed at the mega popcorn bowl and tub
of chocolate ice cream. “Because I remember when you and Mum used
to do this, it meant trouble.”

My chest ached at the mention of Sheree. I’d
loved her like a sister and missed her every day, even now, five
years later.

“Men bond over beers and balls, women love
junk food and flicks to unwind.”

He did the lip quirk thing again.
“Balls?”

“Football. Golf. Snooker.”

“Right.” He grinned, but I still saw concern
in his steady gaze. “That’s all this is, unwinding?”

“Yeah.” I propped against the back of the
sofa, wishing he’d leave so I could get past the sudden urge to
bawl.

Because the one person in this world I
trusted these days was a twenty-year-old, messed up kid with anger
management issues and what did that say about me?

That I never let anyone in. That I needed to
lighten up. That I needed a life beyond the bar and my
bitterness.

“You know, all those times I’d be pretending
to play cars on the floor or do puzzles, I actually just enjoyed
being around you and Mum,” he said, his gaze clouding with
memories. “Those were the best times.”

“Yeah, they were.” I swallowed and blinked
back the sting of tears. “Sheree was an incredible person and
you’re just like her.”

Kye’s startled gaze shot to mine. “She was so
much better than me—”

“Sheree was street smart and astute, with a
marshmallow core.”

He sneered. “You think I’m soft?”

“I think you care, despite the tough guy
facade you present to the world.”

Sadness filled me. It had taken me a long
time to come to terms with who I was and Kye still had that ahead
of him. “Otherwise you wouldn’t have taken Finn under your
wing.”

After an eternity, he reluctantly nodded.
“Don’t forget I’m not the only one who presents a tough front.” His
glance away turned crafty. “Maybe you should take Finn under
you…”

I laughed at his less-than-subtle innuendo.
“Get out.”

“Okay.” He saluted. “I’ll text you the
details for tomorrow night.”

I nodded, waiting until Kye had left before
returning to my place on the couch and wishing he hadn’t put that
damn image of Finn being under me into my already overactive
imagination.

ELLIE

Kye was a no-show.

Not that the twenty minutes I’d waited here
had been a hardship. While Double Bay reeked of exclusivity, Maik’s
had a more welcoming vibe. Sure, it had the requisite black marble
and chrome that trendy bars had these days—and so far removed from
my mahogany decor it wasn’t funny—but there was a warmth here in
the strategically placed Japanese screens and secluded tables that
I admired despite the minimalist art and white stone fake
fireplaces.

And Kye was right about the beers. I’d
sampled four and while I may be well on my way to Tipsyville I now
knew what to add to my stock.

When the clock behind the stainless steel bar
hit seven-thirty and I’d checked my phone for the umpteenth time to
see if he’d answered my texts or call, I gave up on Kye.

I had my head down, rummaging in my bag for
cab fare, when someone touched my shoulder.

“Don’t go.”

I froze and glanced up into Finn’s handsome
face.

“Have dinner with me.” He gripped my elbow.
“I’ve heard the chef’s special degustation menu is worth the hefty
price.”

“You’re insane.” I yanked my arm free,
annoyed I wobbled a little. Shouldn’t have had all those beers
because for one, crazy second I thought there was nothing I’d like
more than to have dinner with Finn in this lovely place. “Besides,
I’m meeting Kye and he’s due any second.”

To my chagrin, Finn grinned and tapped my
nose. “Haven’t you heard this will grow if you tell fibs?”

“How do you know—”

“Because I asked Kye to set this up.” He had
the grace to look sheepish. “You’re either too busy avoiding me or
fobbing me off, so I called in the cavalry.”

“I’ll kill him,” I muttered, secretly
impressed Kye had gone to such lengths to get me and the Irishman
together. Not that it would stop the verbal flaying he had coming
his way.

“Please, Ellie, it’s just dinner—”

“No.” I slipped into my leather jacket and
slung my bag over my shoulder, already eyeing the door.

He shrugged. “Too bad. I’ve already pre-paid
for the degustation and you know how strapped for cash I am. Shame
you’d let me lose money because you’re in mortal fear of being
alone with something this good.” He patted himself on the chest and
I couldn’t stop a reluctant smile.

“Have you really paid or is that another lie
you and Kye seem so good at?”

“I’ve paid. But drinks are on you if it
appeases your feminist side.”

Guilted into it, I nodded. “Fine. But you’re
lucky I don’t fire your arse for coercing me into this by nefarious
methods.”

He held up his hands in surrender, the
picture of faux innocence, and this time laughter burst from my
lips.

Finn grinned at me like I’d just handed him a
thousand dollar tip. “Our table’s this way.”

He placed a guiding hand in the small of my
back, something that usually annoyed me with guys. Presumptuous.
But with Finn, it merely made me feel safe.

It was probably the beer buzz, but when we
sat at a cozy table for two at the back of the bar, a screen
increasing the intimacy between us, I didn’t mind. In fact, it felt
nice.

“This isn’t so bad, huh?” He rested his
forearms on the table. Strong, lean forearms with a light dusting
of auburn hair.

How many times had I surreptitiously stared
at him, wondering how it would feel to be held in those arms, to be
caressed by those hands? Too many and now, with Finn within
touching distance, and my resistance lowered by alcohol, I was in
immediate danger of doing something I’d regret.

“Depends on your definition of bad,” I said,
aiming for flippant, but ending up having to clear my throat when I
made the mistake of looking into his eyes.

Damn, he felt it too. This thing between us.
Invisible. Intangible. But intense all the same.

“Stop looking at me like that,” he said,
reaching for a glass of water.

“Like what?” I watched him swallow, even
admiring the column of his neck.

“Like you think I’m going to gobble you
up.”

“I’m not—”

“Yeah, you are.” He leaned across the table.
“And I promise to gobble you up only if you ask nicely.”

Heat surged to my cheeks, and several choice
places in between. “Must be true what they say about kissing the
Blarney Stone.”

“I’m not rambling, sweetheart. I’m just
stating facts.” He relaxed into his chair and pinned me with an
intense stare that left me breathless. “I want you. Naked and hot
and panting for me.”

I gaped at him, stunned by how fiercely I
wanted that too.

FINN

I whistled as we strolled from Maik’s to the
nearest taxi rank several blocks away.

Tonight had turned out better than I
expected. Not only had Ellie preserved my crown jewels by not
kneeing me for getting her to the bar under false pretenses, she’d
stayed and we’d had a great dinner.

Though it wasn’t the soft shell crab,
coriander prawns, slow-cooked veal, hickory-smoked trout, pork
belly in black vinegar, and thyme-infused peach sorbet that made
the evening great so much as the way she’d unwound. For the first
time in a week, I’d glimpsed the woman behind the crimson lipstick
and gelled hair and overly made-up eyes.