Chapter  TWO

“Rotten bloody bastard.”

Helen watched her glass of orange juice shatter against the kitchen wall. Better that than her mobile phone.

She looked at her phone again and quickly dropped it on the kitchen counter and stormed into the lounge room.

“Who is?” Karen Tonkin rose from the couch as Helen entered the room.

“Ben, the lousy lying Mongrel.”

“What’s he done this time?” Karen collapsed back onto the couch, her face quickly changing from interest to boredom.

“He’s dumped me, that’s what. And we’ve got the first of Josh’s wedding parties tonight.”

“It’s about time he showed some sense. I’ve been trying to get you to ditch him for months. And don’t worry about Josh, your cousin will be glad Ben’s gone as well.”

“But-”

“But nothing Helen. He was the one who was sleeping around and you should have kicked his arse to the kerb then.”

Helen dropped onto the couch beside her best friend. Her hurt and anger had brought tears to her eyes that now streamed down her face. “What am I going to do now?”

Karen looked at her friend in disbelief.

“What you are going to do is pick yourself up, make yourself radiantly beautiful and enjoy yourself at Josh’s tonight. We both will. You never know, but we both might get lucky.”

“I don’t want to get lucky. I just want to punch Ben’s nose in.”

Karen rose again from the couch and dragged Helen with her.

“Come on Helen. You can’t be that cut up about it. You know he’s a scumbag, you caught him cheating on you three months ago for God’s sake.”

“With Samantha.”

“And both Ben and Sam are cut from the same cloth. Both are sleazy idiots who don’t deserve your thoughts on them. Come on, let’s go and get ready. You don’t have to pick up, but you can at least enjoy yourself.”

“He’s going to be there tonight.”

“Can’t be helped as he’s soon to be your cousins brother-in-law. Just show Ben that you can enjoy yourself without him and then get on with your life.” Karen gave Helen a rough push towards her bedroom door. “Just go and get ready. We’re going to be late as it is.”

“Fine, fine.” Helen retreated to her bedroom and began to slip into the black dress she had laid out to wear this morning before leaving for her workshop. What an atrocious day it has been so far and Helen could only see it getting worse at her cousins tonight. All of her friends will see that Ben had dumped her. And her family and close friends had known that the bastard had cheated on her, and that he had dumped her instead of the other way around will just make the gossip at this party all the more juicer. Right now Helen would much prefer to be back in that workshop today being made uncomfortable by a total stranger than being the object of gossip for her friends and family.

Helen grimaced in the mirror as she pulled her brown hair back and secured it with a clip. She threw on the barest amount of makeup and did not bother with perfume. She will suffer this for her cousin and then she can spend the first two days of her six-week holiday raging at herself in silence and solitude because she did not have the guts to ditch Ben when he showed his true colors.

Let’s go and get this over with.

Helen slipped into her black shoes and plucked her purse from the bed. She grabbed her coat and slung it over her arm and came out into the lounge again to meet Karen.

“I’m ready, let’s get this over with.”

“I will excuse your lack of enthusiasm Helen, as long as you at least try to enjoy yourself tonight. Don’t waste time mourning for something that just wasn’t there in the first place.”

“Thanks Karen, you really know how to make a girl feel better about herself don’t you.”

“It’s all part of the service. What else are best friends for?” Karen picked up her purse and keys from the coffee table and stepped to the door. “We better make tracks; I don’t want all your cousin’s cute single friends taken before we get there.”

Helen could not help but give Karen a smile as she was rushed through the front door.

Joshua Baverstock owned a large property in the Adelaide foothills that he had inherited from his parents and in the five years he had owned it he had dragged the house into the twenty first century.

Helen looked up at the house on the hill as they came up the street. She had spent many weekends of her youth playing here and in the back part of her mind she was sorry to see the old house changed.

As Karen parked on the front lawn, Helen did a quick scan of the cars around them. Ben’s Ford XR8 was not there. Thank God. Now, if she can avoid all the questions about why Ben was not with her, everything might go okay.

Loud music and the rumble of raised conversation drew the two women up the path to the front door. Bright garden lights and lanterns lit up the front lawn and in the twilight placed an obvious spotlight on anyone walking up to the front door. And so they were not surprised that before they could even knock Christine Mortlock had opened the front door.

“I was hoping you would still come.” Christine leaned forward and enveloped Helen in what was supposed to be a comforting hug.

“Ben told you didn’t he.”

Christine drew back and gave Helen a faint smile. Of course he had told her. After all he was her brother.

“He called me about half an hour ago to say that he’d split with you.”

“Ben must have called you straight after talking to me.”

“He did it tonight over the phone?” Christine’s face turned angry and Helen was glad that she was on her side.

“I called him to find out why he was late picking Karen and me up. He dumped me then.”

“The cowardly toerag. Just wait until I see him tonight.” Christine then caught both girls by the arms and dragged them into the house. “Come in and we’ll get you a drink and some food. Once you start to mingle you’ll feel better.”

“Helen’s determined not to enjoy herself Christine,” Karen said as she took both their coats and dumped them on the overflowing coat stand by the door.

“Then it’s up to us to make sure that she does.” Christine’s smile lit up her face and Helen could not help but feel cheered. She could understand why Josh wanted to marry her. A thought then occurred to her.

“Does anyone else know that Ben and I have split up?”

Christine’s smile suddenly tightened into a frown and that confirmed Helen’s fears.

“He’s told everyone hasn’t he.”

“I don’t think Ben has, it’s not his style. I’m his sister, I know him.”

“Then who could have?” Karen looked at both women.

“It doesn’t matter who. What matters is that our friends and everyone else at this party knows my business.”

“Then it’s up to you to show that you don’t care what they think,” Christine said.

“People here are your family and friends. You have no need to worry.”

“Ben’s family and friends are here as well.”

“Don’t be such a sourpuss Helen and come out back.” Christine took both Helen and Karen by the arm and led them through the house to the marquee set up on the back lawn.

Groups of people shouted ‘hi’ to them as they were dragged past and the white marquee was teaming with people.

“Helen!”

Helen turned as her name was shouted across the marquee.

“Josh!” Helen raised a free hand and waved to him. Josh quickly excused himself from the group he was with and made his way quickly through the crowd towards them. He stopped next to Christine and draped an arm lazily around her shoulders. He opened his mouth but said nothing as Helen held up a warning finger.

“Don’t say anything about Ben. If you do I’ll feel compelled to punch you.”

Josh’s mouth snapped shut and smiled.

“And it’s nice to see you as well Helen.”

“I’m going to check out the smorgasbord, there are some hot men lurking near there.”

Josh glanced over at the table. “Good luck Karen, you’re going to need it.”

“Why? They’re not gay are they?”

Josh shook his head. “But I’ve told all my single friends to be on the lookout for you and to be sure they are nowhere near a priest at the time you pin them down.”

Karen thumped Joshua in the shoulder. “Bastard. Doesn’t matter though, my natural wit and charm will win them over.” And with that Karen disappeared into the crowded dance floor.

“I’m glad you came. It wouldn’t have been right to have a ‘let’s get to know each other before the wedding’ party without my favorite cousin here would it.”

Helen looked up at her cousin. She had to; he was over six feet tall and had the physique to match. He used to play a lot of football but now had become a bit of a gym junkie. Though Helen considered anyone who spent more than one hour a year in a gym a masochist. She knew that the women considered him fair, strong and handsome, but Helen remembered all the dirt eating, the clog fights and the mud sliding.

“I’m your only cousin.”

“That just means you have no competition to be my favorite.”

Helen rolled her eyes. “That’s a relief as my one aim in life is to be your favorite….”

“Now, now. Sarcasm doesn’t suit you.”

“Come on you two, play nicely together.”

Helen and Josh suddenly burst out laughing. Christine had said the same phrase that Josh’s mother used to shout to them from the back door. It improved Helen’s mood no end.

“I see a lot of unknown faces here and they can’t all be Christine’s family.” Helen asked once the laughing had stopped. Their mirth had attracted the attention of the people around them.

“No, they’re not,” replied Christine with a grin. “I think Josh has invited everyone he has gone to Uni with. Whereas I’ve just stuck with family and close friends.”

“Come on Chris. Our wedding is an excellent excuse for the old crew to get back together.”

“I remember hearing stories about you and your crew Josh.”

“Really? You’ll have to tell me about them, he tells me that he and his mates were a boring lot,” Christine’s face broke into one of her smiles and gave a sly wink to her fiancée.

“You shouldn’t believe all you heard Helen. Mum liked to exaggerate everything.”

“Auntie Jenny must have had a really good imagination then.”

Josh gave her a wicked grin. As Helen looked at her cousin, she saw a familiar figure pushing its way through the crowd towards them.

“What’s he doing here?” The words just popped from her mouth and Josh and Christine both turned to look behind them.

“Who?” They both asked together.

“Bryan.” Both turned back to stare at her.

“You know Bryan Thorne?” Josh asked, arching an eyebrow in surprise.

“I’ve got to go and get a drink. I’ll catch up with you later.” Helen then lost herself in the crowd, trying to move in the same direction that she saw Karen going but when Helen finally reached the smorgasbord Karen was nowhere to be seen. The bar was close by, so Helen went and got herself a drink and turned to watch the crowd. She had thought that the day could not get any worse but fate just proved her wrong. Bryan was one of Josh’s friends which means that he’ll be at all the social events that Josh and Christine have organized in the lead up to their wedding.

Just brilliant.

Helen drained her glass and turned back for another drink, a vodka and lemon this time. When she turned back to the crowd, she nearly dropped it in shock.

She was suddenly reminded of watching the pigeons in Victoria Square at lunch today. One pigeon splashed about in the fountain, fluffing itself to ensure that the water reached under its breast feathers. Its companions sat around the edge, watching. Helen thought herself in the same situation except she was at a party with everyone standing around watching her. Waiting to see how she reacted to seeing Ben with the bitch Samantha molded to his side.

“Hello Helen,” Samantha snuggled closer to Helen’s newly minted ex as her gloating face watched Helen’s reaction.

Helen felt like punching her in the face, which would make the party interesting but would not be good form. Instead she tried to think of a suitable witty remark but was coming up blank.

“Sam.”

Ben stood on the edge clearly enjoying the exchange.

The bastard.

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you.”

Helen felt a large warm hand grip her shoulder. She froze.

“You promised to dance with me tonight. Oh-” He turned and smiled at Ben and Samantha.

Helen tried not to show her surprise as Bryan’s arm snaked around her waist. Her first instinct was to brush him away but the look on Samantha’s face stopped her. The gloating was replaced by incredulous shock and Helen was perversely glad to see it mirrored on Ben’s.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You didn’t interrupt,” Helen said. “This is Samantha and Ben.”

“I’m Bryan.” He leaned forward offering his hand first to Ben, then to Samantha. Both gingerly took it, though Helen watched as Samantha’s fingers tried to linger as Bryan withdrew his hand.

“How long have you known him?” Ben jerked his head in Bryan’s direction as he stepped forward, his enjoyment clearly gone. If Helen did not know any better she would have thought him jealous.

“That’s none of your business now is it? I could ask the same about you and Samantha, but we both know the answer to that now don’t we.”

Ben stepped back, clearly not expecting her to bite back. The crowd watching them began to murmur and Samantha moved slightly away from Ben.

Helen felt Bryan tighten his grip around her waist. “Are you ready Helen?”

“Yes. Of course.” Helen gave both Ben and Samantha a cordial nod goodbye and placed her untouched Vodka on the bar. Byran then led her away through the crowd onto the dance floor.

When they were alone in the crowd, Helen’s excitement of getting one over on Ben died under the realization that she was now with Bryan, the man she was hoping never to see ever again.

“I can’t dance,” Helen said quickly.

“Good because I can’t either. You won’t show me up.”

Damn. Does he really want to dance with me?

“You don’t have to. You might as well go back to your date.” Her eyes flicked around as she spoke but could not see a hovering girlfriend anywhere near them. And then she gritted her teeth and said what needed to be said.

“Thank you for getting me through that. I suppose that Josh asked you to help me?”

Bryan’s face broke into a grin. “Let me answers those all in order.” He held up his hand and began to mark off each point with a finger. “I want to dance with you,” one finger pushed down. “I don’t have a date,” another finger. “You’re welcome,” now his finger rested on his pinkie. “And Josh didn’t ask me to do anything. You looked like you needed some help.”

Helen bristled at his implied comment that she was foundering with Ben and Samantha. “I was doing fine.”

“If you say so.”

He made her sound ungrateful. But Helen did enjoy seeing the look on Samantha’s face when Bryan appeared and that was priceless. She did owe him for that.

“All right. I’ll dance with you since you’re so desperate to have me crush your toes.”

“Then it’s lucky for me they are playing a ballad. Slow dancing is safer for both of us.”

Before Helen could raise further objections he swept her onto the dance floor. And he was a much better dancer than he implied, guiding her safely around the floor and making her look better on her feet than she undoubtedly was. Both made no effort at conversation and Helen kept her eyes downward to keep a watch on where her feet were going. All the while Helen could feel his gaze on the top of her head. Once she glanced up to find his emerald eyes staring down at her and she thought them the most beautiful eyes that she had ever seen. And his scent, this close to him it was intoxicating.

Stupid girl.

Helen shook her head and returned her eyes to her feet.

He’s a good-looking man who would not have problems in attracting any woman he wanted. What am I thinking of calling him good-looking, Bryan is drop dead gorgeous and totally out of my league. Why is he wasting his time with me?

Bryan had not removed his arm from her waist since her meeting with Ben and as he guided her about the floor the grip became more confident and more protective and intimate. Helen began to worry and her thoughts jumped again to a new track.

Why waste his time with a Plain Jane like me? Does he feel sorry for me? Josh must have put him up to this. I don’t need a nursemaid.

Helen felt herself come to a halt. She looked up at the couples around them and realized that the music had stopped. The song had finished.

“There, that wasn’t so bad. You only stepped once on my foot.”

“You did most of the work.” Helen took the opportunity to step away from him and she felt the arm slip slowly, reluctantly from her waist. He was still staring at her and Helen was beginning to feel uncomfortable again.

“Thank you for the dance and thanks again for the help. I should really go and find my friend Karen.” Helen then turned and walked away from him, weaving slowly through the crowds in search of her friend.

She had determined not to look back, but she could not help herself. He was not there. Bryan Thorne had gone.

What did I expect? For him to be standing there pining after me? Get real Helen.

Helen turned and continued pushing her way through the crowd back to the house.

“Who was that you were dancing with?” Karen appeared at her side and hugged herself to Helen’s arm, a conspiratorial grin on her face. “You didn’t tell me you were seeing anyone else, especially someone that hot.”

“I’m not seeing anyone.” Helen did not hide the exasperation she was feeling. “I only met him today. He is the guy I was telling you about earlier, from my workshop.”

“That was him?” Karen started to twist and turn, looking about the crowd. “If you don’t want him, do you mind if I try?”

“Go ahead. He only felt sorry for me anyway. I’m not his type.”

“He said that?” the anger Helen saw in Karen’s eyes mollified her a little.

“No. But I know that’s what he’s thinking.”

Karen threw her hands up in exasperation, nearly hitting the people standing on either side of her. “You’re a bloody idiot Helen. No man wastes that much time with a woman unless she’s related or is interested in them.”

“I think Josh asked him to look after me. Bryan helped me get out of an awkward moment with Ben and Samantha.”

“You have to tell me everything!”

“All right Karen. I want to go and sit down inside first and then I will give you all the gory details.”