Nobody's Obligation (Swimming Upstream #2) (18 page)

As the coffee brewed, Ava forced her feet down the hallway towards the bathroom and pushed herself under the icy cold water. She needed to be awake and alert. And she needed to be now.

The days blurred together and somehow, even Ava wasn’t sure how she’d managed to tick everything off her list. Now it was the night for it all to come together or to fall in a heap. Ava wasn’t sure which would happen. All she could do was hope for the best. She’d arrived at the hotel at four, knowing that she had a couple of hours before the others would arrive dressed in their finest. Ava had her whole evening planned out down to the minute, including turning herself from an ugly stepsister into Cinderella. But first she had a laundry list of things to take care of.

By the time six o’clock hit, Ava was ready for bed, but everything was in its place. The tables were set, the sound and lighting equipment was in place, and the signage was perfectly presented. The only thing that wasn’t ready to go was Ava. Thankfully the hotel’s event staff had felt sorry for her and they were allowing her to get ready in one of the unoccupied rooms. Taking one last look at the ballroom, with its scattering of fairy lights across the ceiling and the imaginative balloon centrepieces, for the first time since this had been dropped on her, Ava actually believed that maybe, just maybe she could pull this off. And with that she escaped to the elevator and up to her awaiting dress.

Chapter 35

Tyler

If there was one thing that Tyler hated more than being trapped inside his shoebox apartment, it was his monkey suit. It didn’t matter that it had been custom made and perfectly tailored, he still hated it. It was stuffy and uncomfortable and suffocating. Yet he’d suited up and climbed in the back of the car once again only to be whisked off to the ball.

“Stop looking so damn grouchy, Tyler,” Jonathan admonished him.

“Give me a break,” Tyler replied dryly. It was obvious to anyone who saw them that something was very wrong. Neither wanted to be there, and the way they were glaring at each other could have caused even the bravest person to take a step back to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

“Fuck you, Tyler,” Jonathan snarled through clenched teeth. “Pull that stick out of your arse, would you? You won’t be able to swim forever and then what are you going to do? Have you given any thought to that? No. I bet it never even crossed your mind. And that’s okay because that’s what you pay me to do. Look after you. Look out for your best interests. And that’s what I’m doing and have been doing whether or not you realise it. For some reason people like you, although right now I’m fucked if I can see why. But they do. They want to hear you speak and shake your hand and have their photo taken with you. And they will pay for the privilege. Now you’re being paid very well for being here tonight, so get over yourself. Smile, laugh, make small talk and at least pretend to be having a good time.”

Tyler stepped backwards. He and Jonathan had been working together for many years and never had Jonathan ever raised his voice or spoken so bluntly to Tyler before. The shock was overwhelming and caused Tyler’s stomach to twist. He knew Jonathan was right and he hated it.

With a curt nod, Tyler spun and strode purposefully through the wide double doors and into the gala, nodding politely to the teenagers who were blatantly gaping at him. He needed a drink and a friendly face but he didn’t even know where he was or what he was doing there. He’d just been given his marching orders and like a good solider he’d obeyed. Sure he’d done it with a pout and maybe a small tantrum, but he was still standing there.

Ten minutes later Tyler found himself standing in the midst of a group of middle-aged men sipping sparkling water while secretly envying the others as they gulped down their premium beers. As soon as he’d stepped into the ballroom he’d become the centre of attention…something he had grown accustomed to but still despised. He was being peppered with so many questions it felt like an interrogation. Trying to focus on the answers and tell them exactly what they wanted to hear, Tyler smiled and laughed and played along.

“Worst part out of your job?” a short, round man asked.

“Not the women, that’s for sure,” another responded, earning himself a hearty slap on the back.

“Yeah, I’ve seen you in the paper with models and actresses. Mustn’t be too bad?”

Tyler prayed the questions about his personal life would end. Everyone seemed to have this image of him being the international playboy, with a different woman on his arm every night, but that was as far from the truth as he could get. But as Tyler glanced around at the men, he realised they were hanging on his every word. Waiting for him to tell them about a glamorous life that didn’t exist. But as Tyler looked at them, he realised he couldn’t disappoint them. What harm would it be to stretch the truth? After all, there were a million pictures of them doing exactly what they thought.

“Something like that.” He smirked.

But the round man didn’t let go. He wanted more. “Hey, come to think of it, didn’t I see your picture in the paper with…” But he was cut off with a stern look as an overly confident, immaculately dressed gentleman joined the group.

Suddenly Tyler relaxed. A friendly face. “Jake.” He nodded before raising his glass in salute to the newest addition.

“Tyler.” Jake grinned, returning the greeting.

The others swiftly vanished into the sea of tuxedos and ball gowns. It took barely moments and some strange, unexplained looks before Tyler and Jake were standing alone. “I owe you,” Tyler stated matter-of-factly.

“All good, mate. All good,” Jake replied with a slap on Tyler’s shoulder. “I need another drink if I have to sit through this for another couple of hours. Coming?” Jake invited, heading towards the bar. Not keen to be left alone to face the vultures again, Tyler followed.

Moments later they were standing at the end of the bar sipping their refreshed drinks. “Well, I’ve never been so popular,” Jake chuckled, his deep voice crackling.

“Huh?” Tyler asked, befuddled.

“I mean, I knew I looked hot tonight, but with all these women gawking at me like I was the last Tim Tam in the packet, my wife will have my balls,” Jake stated bluntly.

It took a moment for it to sink in, but when Tyler glanced around the room he understood. It felt like half the room was staring at them, and not in a casual glance kind of way, but more in a drooling manner. “Shit!” he grumbled as he tugged at his collar.

Laughing deviously, Jake clamped his large hand on Tyler’s shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go check out the auction items and put in a few bids. If I know these guys like I think I do, seeing your name on the auction sheet will bring out the competitor in them and all hell will break loose.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Tyler agreed. They headed towards the tables against the wall where a small number of people had gathered.

“Yeah, and it’s for charity, so it’s worth it.”

“Which charity?” Tyler asked, slightly embarrassed that he was there to support something and he actually had no idea what he was supporting.

“Not a hundred percent sure of the name. Something to do with mental health issues.” Jake shrugged.

“Oh, okay.”

As they approached the table, Tyler realised how much bigger he was than almost everyone else. He could see clearly over the tops of many of the men’s heads and his shoulders were wider than most. Glancing over the tops of some very shiny bald heads, Tyler checked the items spread out before him. He knew he would never bid on something but he hadn’t actually considered what he should put his name against. He knew that Jake was probably right and just seeing his name would spark competition, so maybe he’d just bid on all of them, but then that seemed a bit pretentious. Instead Tyler quickly scrawled his name and bid on three of the items before shuffling out of the way.

An overly skinny blonde appeared at his side, her bright red polished claws wrapped around his forearm. “Hi. I’m Amy,” she cooed, flashing her most seductive smile.

He looked for someone, anyone to save him, but there was no one. This time Tyler knew he was on his own. “Hi, Amy. I’m Tyler,” he replied tightly as he untangled her fingers from his arm.

“Bugger off, Amy,” a deep voice boomed from behind Tyler, causing him to spin in shock.

“Fuck you, Jake,” she seethed, stalking away on her ridiculously high stilettos.

Tyler wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. Instead he bent over, clutching his stomach and laughing it off.

“Geez, Tyler. It wasn’t that fucking funny.” Jake joined him.

“It never bloody ends,” Tyler admitted through the fit of the laughter.

“Oh, poor you,” Jake mocked.

Tyler wanted to wipe the smirk right from Jake’s smug face. He wanted to make his life miserable but the truth was Jake was the best friend Tyler had since he’d moved to town. Sure it was an unconventional friendship but it was effortless. No pretending. No hiding.

When Tyler had been forced to move from his perfect home in Sydney and relocate to Canberra for at least the next two years to meet his commitments both in and out of the pool, the idea of living in someone else’s house made him queasy. He hadn’t wanted to move. His team, coaches, and managers had convinced him somehow that change was as good as a holiday. So he’d packed up his life and moved it three hours down the road. But just because he’d been coerced into a new city, didn’t mean he had to live uncomfortably, and it didn’t take long for him to put a deposit on a brand new apartment in the city. When he’d found something that offered him the privacy and security he was after, he rang the number at the bottom of the page and put an offer in, sight unseen, His new home had all the creature comforts he’d desired. Views for miles, soft luxurious carpets, oversized showers, but the one thing he hadn’t counted on was how quickly his newfound home came to feel like a cage. Jake was the agent at the other end of the phone. He’d been honest almost to his own detriment and self-deprecating, but Tyler instantly had felt a kinship with him. Two weeks later he’d packed his car, driven down, met Jake, and signed the paperwork. A friendship was born. Some days when Tyler was stuck in one of his weaker moments he questioned his friends’ motives, but Jake had proven himself to be selfless and genuine, even opening his home up and inviting Tyler to dinner with his family. Tyler adored Jake’s young family and got along famously with Jake’s wife, Jennifer. He loved being a part of their circle of friends even if sometimes watching Jake and Jennifer fuss over each other made him green with envy.

“Hey, Tyler.” Jake’s voice brought him back to the present. The silent moments in his head evaporated and the chatter infiltrated his peace.

“Yeah?”

“Can you look after something for me?” Jake asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Sure,” Tyler agreed, stretching out his fingers. “What?”

“This.” Jake laughed, pulling his arm out from behind his back and dropping a hand into Tyler’s outstretched palm.

Chapter 36

Ava

Ava almost tripped over her dress. With a tug on her arm she was pulled from the conversation she’d been engaged in and her hand deposited in a much warmer one. Her stomach clenched as she spun around. “Jake, you shithead…” she growled.

Jake’s mischievous cackle didn’t shake her annoyance. Her eyes landed on the hand wrapped around hers and followed the arm up. When her eyes locked with the arm’s owner, she gasped in shock. Tyler was here, standing before her, looking like James Bond in his tuxedo. Holding her hand. The only hint that he was as stunned as Ava was the look of pure terror in his eyes.

Jake folded his thick arms over his chest and leant back with a satisfied smirk plastered across his face. After a few moments of awkward silence, Jake allowed himself another half-hearted chuckle. “Sorry, Ava, you were saying?”

“I-I hate you, Jake,” Ava muttered as embarrassment flooded her.

“Sorry, didn’t quite catch that,” Jake taunted.

“Shut up, Jake,” Ava retorted, gathering all her courage and squaring her shoulders. She went to withdraw her hand from Tyler’s but he held firm—a sight that wasn’t lost on Jake.

“Ava!” Tyler exclaimed breathlessly.

“Tyler!” Ava returned, equally as dumbstruck.

“Okay then. Well, this is awkward!” Jake grinned as he signalled the bartender. He waited a moment, then grabbed the beer that was pushed towards him before turning his attention back to the confused couple. “Well, Ava, seems like you are in capable hands. I’ll get out of your way. You can thank me later,” he said with one final smirk. He dropped a chaste kiss on Ava’s burning cheek before disappearing into an abyss of suits and sequins.

Tyler and Ava watched him move away before their gazes once again fell on each other. Absentmindedly Tyler traced light circles on the back of Ava’s hand with his thumb, sending shivers down Ava’s exposed back. Neither moved. Neither spoke. It was like they were frozen in time, too afraid to step away in case the other was an illusion.

“B-But what? How? Why?” Ava stuttered completely flustered.

“I was invited.” Tyler shrugged. “Okay, I wasn’t, but my manager Jonathan was and I’m his lucky plus one.”

“Oh, okay. That makes sense, I guess,” Ava mumbled as she continued to stare at their still intertwined fingers. She couldn’t help herself. She felt like the room was completely empty and they were standing alone. There was no one there to bump into them, to watch them, to interrupt them. What freaked Ava out even further was that she was okay with that. More than okay.

Again, Ava tried to pull her hand away but Tyler held on.

For the first time since their fingers had touched, Tyler made an attempt to move. She’d fled on him twice before—she wasn’t going to get a third chance. He tightened his grip and led her towards the deserted dance floor in the centre of the room. Tyler weaved them through the maze of tables before reaching the very centre. Without a word of warning, Tyler swept her into his arms and began leading her around.

“People are staring,” Ava complained as the shock wore off and the embarrassment took hold of her.

“Yeah,” Tyler agreed, his eyes never leaving Ava’s blushing face.

“I-I should get back to my friends,” Ava said, scanning the room for a saviour. No one stepped forward.

“Or…you could just dance with me.” Tyler grinned.

And like that Ava’s shock was back. “I…I can’t.”

“I can. Just try,” Tyler declared. As Ava moved back and forth, safe in Tyler’s embrace, she couldn’t help but notice the questioning glances being thrown in her direction. She knew that come Monday she would have some serious explaining to do, but it would be worth it.

“Stop it!” Tyler commanded, snapping her out of her trance.

“Stop what?”

“Stop thinking what I know you’re thinking.”

“Well then, Mr. Know It All, what am I thinking?” Ava challenged.

When Tyler flashed his panty-dropping, crooked grin, it threw Ava completely off kilter. It may have been that her brain was only functioning on the minimum blood supply as her whole being was focused on the warmth radiating from Tyler’s large hand as it rested innocently at the base of her spine. Whatever it was, it was making Ava’s whole world spin.

“You’re embarrassed and you’re convinced you can’t do this. But I’ll let you in on a little secret, Ms. Jacobs. You can. You are. And you’re beautiful,” he whispered into her ear. As the warmth of his breath tickled the soft hairs on her neck, Ava’s knees buckled.

And then, just as she had managed to right herself, Ava surprised him yet again. As if it was the most natural thing in the world, Ava dropped her head onto Tyler’s shoulder. Breathing in his strong, masculine scent, she was overwhelmed, but when she heard Tyler swallow his deep gasp, she knew she wasn’t the only one affected.

They danced in silence as Adele’s haunting melodies echoed through the room. They moved in their own private bubble, completely unaware of the other couples who had joined them on the dance floor. When the song ended, Ava’s trance was broken and she went to step away, causing Tyler to tighten his grip.

“Ava,” his gravelly voice cooed into her ear.

Ava wanted to melt into a puddle at his feet. She couldn’t feel the floor beneath her and she wasn’t exactly sure how she was still standing. If it wasn’t for Tyler’s arms wrapped around her waist, she would have toppled straight off her impossibly high heels. Ignoring the voice in her head screaming at her to walk away, Ava sank even further into Tyler’s warm, protective embrace.

A few songs later an overheated and overwhelmed Ava made her escape, begging for the ladies’ room. The truth was she needed to put some distance between them so she could think straight. She didn’t know if it was his velvety voice, his bedroom eyes, the warmth of his skin, or the strong, masculine scent that radiated from his every pore that had Ava’s every nerve on edge. All she knew was she needed a moment. Maybe more than one.

As she walked purposefully towards the lobby, Ava could feel Tyler’s gaze burning into her skin as he tracked her every move.

By the time she reappeared, people were milling about trying to find their seats while Christopher stood proudly behind the microphone, politely prodding them to hurry up so the formalities could begin.

For the past couple of days Ava had lived and breathed this event. She knew every detail. But as to what was about to happen, she was clueless. And with Tyler in the room Ava was unexpectedly on edge. Her plan had been to organise everything so that she could hide in the corner for the night, enjoy her wine and people-watch. But that wasn’t to be. Instead she sat on the edge of her seat, nervously drumming her fingers on the edge of the table until a perfectly manicured hand reached out and covered hers, stilling her twitching fingers.

“Ava, breathe,” Amanda reminded her.

For a few moments that’s exactly what Ava concentrated on. Sucking in deep breaths, one after the other, pushing all her fears aside.

“Did you know?” Ava dared to enquire once she’d sufficiently pulled herself together.

“Know what?” Amanda asked with a smirk.

“Don’t be a bitch. Did you know?”

Amanda didn’t have to answer. Her eyes gave it all away. She was in on it. Ava was not impressed.

Snatching her hand from under Amanda’s grip, Ava shot her best friend a look that would terrify most, but Amanda knew her better than that.

“Oh, come on, Ava. Don’t tell me you’re not happy to see him. You’ve been moping about for weeks. And as much as you won’t admit it, I saw you out there dancing and you were happy. And not the fake happy I know you have mastered. You know that I can see past that shit. You were genuinely, one hundred percent floating on a cloud, doing a stupid happy dance, happy,” Amanda said bluntly.

Ava snorted in a most unladylike fashion, refusing to meet Amanda’s gaze, but in her heart Ava knew she was right. She would never admit it to anyone, let alone herself, but she had been happy.

“And just for the record, he looked pretty happy to see you too. Not lying. I promise,” Amanda confirmed with an exaggerated scout’s salute.

As Amanda’s words settled in, Ava couldn’t wipe the glee from her face. Now she was only thankful that she’d had the forethought to seat herself in the darkened corner where no one could see her. As Christopher’s rich voice filled the room, Ava’s mind floated away, filled with happy thoughts. She wanted to disagree with Amanda. She wanted to call her out, but she couldn’t. Not really. Because as much as it pained her to admit it, Amanda was right. Ava had unknowingly been traipsing around the office with a heavy heart and it had confused even her as to why. But as soon as her eyes locked with Tyler’s, as soon as their fingertips touched and the electricity sparked, Ava knew without a doubt what it was that was causing her melancholy. She had a crush. A big one.

Ava didn’t hear one word of Christopher’s speech but figured since she knew the order of events it didn’t really matter. The entree would be served momentarily and the noise would increase. Ava just hoped she was sufficiently hidden in her corner that people would wait till Monday to begin their questioning.

As her nerves increased, Ava’s tapping resumed. Amanda leant over and whispered in her ear, “Ava, it’s okay. No one’s going to make a scene. Not tonight anyway,” Amanda assured her.

Ava was wary of the resoluteness etched in Amanda’s face. She had a cocky confidence that Ava didn’t understand, but she wasn’t about to question it. All she could do was pray Amanda’s intuition was right.

The night passed quickly and Ava was called away to tend to a minor crisis, but nothing that anyone would actually notice or even remember. It wasn’t like she’d forgotten to order someone dinner or the bar had run dry. But the fact that everything was running so smoothly was making Ava even more jumpy than normal. She’d even managed to eat a few bites of her own dinner.

The minutes ticked over and Ava had no idea where Tyler had disappeared to. She hadn’t seen him since she’d left him standing alone in the middle of the dance floor. Guilt gnawed at her stomach but she quickly squashed it and forced her eyes to do another scan of the room. There was no sign. Maybe he wasn’t really there. Maybe he’d been an apparition. Something she’d conjured up with wishful thinking. Desperate thinking. After all, she was playing the role of Cinderella in her floor-length baby blue gown. And what was Cinderella without Prince Charming?

As Ava let out a defeated sigh, Christopher appeared and once again took centre stage.

“Quiet down!” He laughed. At the sound of his voice, people dropped into the nearest seat and ceased their conversations. It was an eerie quiet that engulfed the room and Ava was surprised by how quiet that many people could be.

“So now that you all have full bellies, it’s time to empty your wallets,” Christopher began. Ava felt herself watching intently as Christopher spoke. He was a brilliant orator and when the topic was something near and dear to his heart, he had this uncanny ability to make others feel it. “As you know, the silent auction has been running for the past couple of hours and I now have the pleasure of announcing the winners. But firstly, thank you to all of you who took part and bid on one of these fabulous prizes which were all so generously donated.” A round of applause broke out and Ava realised that she’d meant to go over and have a look at the prizes, but every time she headed in that direction she got sidetracked.

“So firstly, the signed football jumper. The winning bid is Amber Jones.” Once again the applause broke out as a teeny tiny blonde scampered up on stage to collect the jersey. In its frame it stood nearly as tall as she was. Christopher’s voice interrupted the clapping and chattering and focused people’s attention once again. “The dinner for two at the amazing L’amour goes to Michael Popple. Congratulations.” And so it continued until Christopher had managed to give away boxes of rare wine, country getaways, cooking classes, behind-the-scenes zoo tours, and corporate seats at sporting events. After all the auction winners had been announced and prizes collected, Christopher once again called for calm. “So thanks to your generosity tonight, we have already raised over fifty thousand dollars.” Another round of applause broke out as people exchanged satisfied congratulations.

“Now, has anyone seen Ava Jacobs?” Christopher’s voice carried through the room.

Ava heard her name and froze. She was in hell. If she thought wearing a dress and high heels made her uncomfortable, being called out in front of a crowd was even more torturous. Amanda dug her elbow into Ava’s ribs and Ava gasped.

“Ava! Would you please come and join me?” Christopher invited in the only way he issued invitations. The type where he didn’t really give her any options.

“Go on,” Amanda encouraged, pulling Ava’s chair back.

Ava walked carefully towards the stage like a woman being sent to the gallows. With her dress bunched in her sweaty palms, Ava stepped through the crowd, aware of the hundreds of eyes watching her every move. When she reached the stairs, she looked up at Christopher, who had a wide, satisfied smirk plastered across his face. Clearly he was enjoying Ava’s resistance. Being the gentleman he was, Christopher stepped down beside Ava and led her up the stairs and to the centre of the stage.