Short Soup (12 page)

“You don’t care about our daughter like I do.” She bristled, hair quivering as she hunched up her shoulders. “You don’t remember when she got divorced? How sad she was? I
do. I feel it right here.” She thumped the centre of her bosom. “I want her to be happy again. That’s all
I
want.”

“You won’t make her happy by nagging her to marry Dion.”

Pearl’s freshly plucked eyebrows shot up, disappearing beneath her curls. “Nagging! I’m not nagging. She already sleep with Dion. I didn’t tell her to do that! She did that all by herself.”

Toni kneaded her temples where an almighty headache was brewing. “Mum, Dad, please stop this,” she protested, but they took no notice of her.

Kai’s lips worked up and down as he glowered at his wife. Never one to raise his voice, especially not in public, his tone was deliberate and forceful as he retorted, “Just because she sleep with him one night doesn’t mean she wants to stay with him permanently. What is she going to do in Piper Bay? She worked hard for her degree and her CPA. She can have good career in Sydney. That’s what makes her happy. Not chasing after another man.”

He took a deep breath, clearly forcing his hands to relax. His initial anger had blown over, and his eyes were less harsh as he looked at Toni. “I understand you feel lonely after your divorce. You want some comforting, and Dion is a good friend, nice boy, always looking out for you. But you must be careful what you do to him. Dion struggle hard to get where he is now. Don’t mess it up for him. And don’t hide yourself here. You go back to Sydney, find good job, stand on your own two feet. That’s the only way you’ll be happy again.”

Her chest felt as if it would cave in. “Dad?” She blinked at him, the back of her throat stinging. “You
want
me to go away?”

Just for a second his chin trembled before he pressed his lips together. “You my daughter. I don’t want you to go away but I think it’s better for you, and for Dion.”

She glanced at her mother. “Mum?” Surely she would protest?

“I don’t know …” Pearl fretted with a napkin, her gaze darting between her daughter and her husband. “If you love Dion then stay, but maybe your father is right. If you not serious then don’t make things worse for him.”

Toni pushed her barely touched plate of food away. “Huh, so much for parental support. I can’t do anything without you two criticising my every move.” That wasn’t true, but she was too worked up to care. “I’m not sixteen any more. I don’t need your permission for anything. I can make my own decisions. I can sleep with as many men as I like.” As her mother winced, she added for good measure, “Hell, two men at the same time if I’m inclined. And whatever’s going on between me and Dion is no-one’s business except ours, so I’d appreciate it if you respected our privacy.” She folded her arms across her chest in an effort to conceal the trembling in her hands.

Instead of exploding at her, as she’d half-feared, her parents exchanged doubting looks across the table. Her mother scrunched up her napkin, then proceeded to rearrange her
cutlery, her fingers restlessly darting about. In contrast, her father ponderously dabbed at his mouth, straightened the cuffs of his shirt, rested his fists on the table, and finally exhaled a long sigh.

“Yes, you’re an adult and so is Dion, but remember, to us you will always be our children and we must give you advice, even if you don’t want it. I don’t want to argue with you, especially on your birthday. I won’t say anything more, okay?”

“Okay, Dad,” she replied huskily.

True to his word, for the rest of the meal her father didn’t return to the subject and her mother followed suit, but Toni could only pretend to enjoy her birthday lunch. It seemed unfair that just one night with Dion could snowball into so many complications, but she couldn’t avoid them, and neither could Dion. She was a grownup capable of making her own decisions, she’d insisted to her parents. She’d made the wrong decision marrying Nick but the right one leaving him. Could she get the next decision right too?

The front of the Happy Palace was deserted, but she knew the kitchen would be buzzing with preparations. Afternoon heat shimmered off the pavement as she walked round to the rear of the building. Several cars were parked there, including Dion’s SUV. The back door of the restaurant stood open. Waves of heat and cooking aromas greeted her as she entered the kitchen. Gary stood at a bench, chopping up a mountain of onions. He glanced up as she walked in and she waved at him.

“Hi Gary.”

“Hi.” He grinned at her, his face flushed to the hairline. “Hot enough for ya?”

Dion walked in from the store room and paused as he caught sight of her. “Hey, chuckle berry.” He dumped the tray of cucumbers he was carrying onto a nearby table and strode towards her, his whole face lighting up.

She gave him a nervous smile. “Hi, hope I haven’t come at a bad time.”

“Nah, we’re only about an hour behind schedule. Not a bad time at all.” His fingers curled around her wrist, tugging her towards him. “Did you have a good time in Newcastle? Got yourself all primped up?” He lifted her hand to examine her manicured fingernails. “Nice colour.”

The warm roughness of his fingers distracted her thoughts. “It’s watermelon red,” she replied and then wondered at her inanity.

“Delicious. Come upstairs, I want to show you something.”

She allowed him to lead her up the stairs, hyperaware of the hairs of his arm brushing against her sensitised skin. The room above the restaurant was normally used to
store excess furniture or tins of oil, but now it had been transformed into a private dining room. The walls were freshly painted, the floor sanded and polished, the tables and chairs brand new. There were modern couches, coffee tables, and a stereo system, all providing an airy and relaxing space for a private party. In the centre of the room a table was already laid for five.

“For your birthday dinner this evening,” Dion said. “I thought it would be nicer to have your table up here than downstairs with all the other diners.”

Her throat tightened at his thoughtfulness. “Thanks, Dion. You think of everything, and I know how busy you are …”

“Not so busy I haven’t been thinking of you all day.” He pressed his hands to her waist, his grip light yet possessive. “I’ve come up with a special menu for you tonight, and the piece de resistance is dessert.” He brushed his lips against her cheek. “But it’ll be a very private dessert back at my house. Just the two of us.”

The lure of his body was too much. She slid her hands over his chef’s whites, admiring how the jacket accentuated his shoulders. Closing her eyes, she breathed in his scent. At the moment he smelled of onions. Strange how sexy onions could smell if the aroma was on the right body.

His lips inched towards her mouth. “Sweetie, I can’t wait to get you alone tonight.”

The raggedness in his voice almost dragged her under but just in time she snapped back to reality. Bracing her palms against his chest, she wedged a little distance between them.

“Dion, I’ve been thinking.”

He gazed down at her, his chocolate eyes growing wary. “Hmm, this doesn’t sound too good.”

“I think we got too carried away last night.” She took a deep breath and plunged on, “My dad saw me sneaking into my bedroom this morning, and Uncle Shen told him about you oversleeping and missing the fish market, and now my parents know about us, and I’m so sorry, Dion. I never meant to cause you so much trouble. I didn’t–”

“Wait a minute.” His fingers gripped her waist tighter. “Let me get this straight. Your parents know you slept with me last night and now they’re blaming you for me not waking up in time?” She nodded. “That’s bloody ridiculous!” He let go of her to wipe the back of his hand across his upper lip. “How typical of my dad to run around trumpeting my faults.”

“I don’t know if he was trumpeting–”

“Of course he was. He can’t wait for me to screw up.”

The bitterness in Dion’s expression made her heart ache. “Dion, that’s not true. Why would he agree to you running the restaurant if he thought that?”

“I don’t know. Maybe my mother pestered him until he gave in. But the truth is, he doesn’t trust me, and now he’s infecting your father with his lack of faith.”

“No, my father believes in you. He does.”

“But he still thinks I’m easily distracted by a pretty face.”

“I feel terrible, Dion. I shouldn’t have–”

His eyes burned into her. “You’re regretting last night just because I overslept? That’s a bit facile.”

She stiffened her back, lifted her chin. “No, I regret last night because I didn’t think enough about the consequences.”

“I
liked
it that you didn’t think too much about the consequences.” A very different kind of heat flared in his eyes. “I like it that you allowed yourself to get carried away by the heat of the moment. You were so wonderful, so uninhibited, so free. I’d never seen you like that before. You were happy, I know you were.”

She couldn’t deny it or hide from it. “Yes,” she gulped, “but these things don’t happen in a vacuum. Last night was incredible, but where does that lead us?”

A faint frown appeared on his brow. “I don’t understand. Why does it have to lead us anywhere?”

The knot deep in her abdomen snarled. She’d known all along Dion was only interested in a casual relationship, but hearing confirmation from his own lips made her insides shrivel.

“I’m going back to Sydney tomorrow,” she said, the effort of making herself sound composed bringing beads of perspiration to her nape. “I’m determined to get a job there, and once I do, I don’t suppose I’ll get back here more than once a month, tops. I don’t want you thinking we have some kind of ‘friends with benefits’ deal going on.”

Blank confusion flickered across his face. “Friends with benefits?”

She sighed impatiently. Surely he knew what that phrase meant? “I’m not going to sleep with you every time I come to Piper Bay.”

He stared at her, astonished. “You’re not?”

“No! I – I’m not like that. My life is in Sydney–”

“You keep saying that, as if I’ve been trying to convince you otherwise.” He frowned in frustration. “Have I ever tried to talk you into staying here? No, never. I know you’re going back to Sydney. You don’t have to keep rubbing it in. Your life is somewhere
else. I got that ages ago. What I didn’t realise is that you don’t want to sleep with me again. Is that right?”

His biceps were straining against his jacket, while his face had turned a little grey. She swallowed, hating herself for hurting him. Her father had been right to criticise her. “It’s not just you and me, Dion. There are other people involved. Our parents are so connected. Whatever we do affects them too.”

He stuck his jaw out, his eyes flashing. “I don’t agree with you. This is between you and me, no-one else, but you’re too scared to admit it.” The end of his mouth curled in derision. “You always have to do the right thing. For once in your life why don’t you have the guts to rebel?”

“Get stuffed, Dion.”

“Huh, you can’t even say ‘fuck off’, can you? Can’t bring yourself to swear even when there’s no-one around.”

A flood of tears stung her throat. Even Nick’s infidelity hadn’t left her feeling so bereft, but she’d be damned if she cried in front of Dion. She tilted her chin higher. “You’re just as immature as always,” she retorted, forcing the words through her aching throat. “Just as well I’m leaving tomorrow. I need a long break from you.”

She swung to go, but he caught her elbow. “Wait.” When she looked back, the strain on his ashen face made her pause. Letting her go, he pressed his fingertips against the bridge of his nose for a few moments, obviously trying to regain his self-control. “I didn’t mean that last bit. That was immature.” He rubbed his face viciously, dragging his fingers over his head several times. “I don’t want us to part on angry terms. We have dinner with our parents tonight. Can we at least be friends just for one night?”

The tears threatened again, but she swallowed then back. “I’ll always be your friend, Dion.”

His eyes dulled, growing strangely red-rimmed. “Yeah?”

She nodded, too choked to speak.

He let out a small sigh, his shoulders drooping. “Okay.” He wiped his mouth then rested hands on hips, his eyes lowered. “Good.” He cleared his throat several times. “I’ll be honest with you. I’m disappointed we won’t be having sex any more, but I’m glad we can still be friends. That’s more important.”

“Uh-huh,” she managed to get out.

Yes, no matter what arguments they had, they would always be friends, but even as she acknowledged that, emptiness yawned inside her, and she realised she wanted more from Dion. More than friendship, more than casual sex, more than he was ready or capable of
giving to her. She wanted love, commitment, a lifetime of shared laughter and tears. She wanted everything of him and then some. She wanted more than she had a right to ask of him.

After Toni had gone, Dion remained in the private dining room. He pulled out a chair and sank onto it, bending forward to wrap his arms around his chest, forcing himself to breathe in and out slowly. This wasn’t what he’d expected when Toni had walked into the kitchen. Why was she so determined to push him away? Did she think he would hurt her the way Nick had done? He hadn’t handled the situation very well. Jeez, he’d never found himself in such a situation before.

From the kitchen below a dropped pot clanged on the floor. He needed to get back there. He didn’t have time to mope around and nurse his rejection. Wiping his face, he made himself stand. He flexed his shoulders, ignoring the ache in his ribs, and marched downstairs.

Gary glanced up at him as he re-entered the kitchen. Dion grabbed the box of cucumbers he’d fetched earlier and dumped it on Gary’s bench.

“You need to get these done too,” he said, dead-pan.

Gary continued to study him, his knife moving automatically through the vegetables on his cutting board. “You okay?”

Dion scowled at him and turned away to the opposite bench where he began to clean a tray of squid. For a while there was silence between them. Gary started to whistle.

“Mind cutting that out?” he snapped, yanking at a squid beak.