Heat Wave (16 page)

‘I'm so sorry, Tanner,' said Callie, her eyes liquid and beseeching. ‘Today, I'm hoping you can help me with something to benefit kids just like you. The Good Start Breakfast Clubs run around Australia. They're supported by Red Cross, to help give school children who can't afford it a healthy start to the day, and they need donations. Do you sing?'

Sumara poked me. ‘Does he?'

I couldn't answer her; I could only watch in horror as Callie's genius plan unfolded. She began to play a familiar tune as she said, ‘I'm hoping we can record a song together today, then put it up on iTunes and donate the proceeds. What do you think?'

My cowboy looked overwhelmed with emotion as he said, ‘That's the sweetest idea I've heard in a long time. I'd be honoured.'

‘Do you know “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles?'

‘That's an old favourite of mine.'

‘Great! I was thinking it would work because it has that morning vibe, you know, like starting the day off right.' She smiled brightly at him, her loose hair falling around her shoulders. ‘Like when you wake up in bed and stretch and you just know it's going to be a beautiful day.'

Tanner cocked his head, relaxed but excited. ‘That's exactly how I felt this morning.'

‘Me too! Can you take the melody and I'll jump in and harmonise?'

‘Sure—but are we going to do one chorus or two?'

As they quickly discussed their performance, I gestured to the other two members of Team Maddie. ‘You guys, we should go. We can't ruin this.'

‘Sure we can.' Sumara's blue eyes glistened through her mask. ‘There's tons of stuff we can do—mess with the lighting, make fart noises—'

‘No, Sumara, I meant we
shouldn't
. They're recording a song to support a charity for hungry kids. Even if I didn't want to look like a monster in front of the world for messing with that, I genuinely don't want to. It's a good cause.' I started crawling for the door. ‘Come on.'

‘What's the big hurry?' grumped Greg. ‘Can't the millionaire cowboy with the washboard abs sing?'

‘The opposite …' I murmured as Callie strummed louder and Tanner's clear voice rang over the empty club.

I closed my eyes, swept away by his rich, earthy tone, just as I had been when we were teenagers and I used to beg him to sing for me while we rode. He had a distinctive country twang to his voice, and although I'd never really clicked with that particular style of music, I'd loved the way he could make any boring lyric sound soulful and deep.

‘Holy shit!' said Greg, his jaw slack. ‘This will be an instant hit, you know that?'

‘Maddie, we have to stop it. Otherwise, she's going to end up looking like the second coming of Mother Theresa!' Sumara was completely angst ridden, her fingers twitching.

I let my shoulders slump. ‘For the greater good. Come on, we'll regroup and get ready for round two.'

We scuttled our way back out through the staff doors, the final strains of the simple song echoing down the hall after us. I heard Callie gush, ‘Wow, Tanner, that was perfect!' and my fingers balled into fists.

When we made it through to a service corridor filled with boxes of booze, I leaned heavily against the wall. Greg was still filming for some reason and I asked him, ‘Why is the camera still on? Nothing happened. It was a bust.'

‘If I've learned anything from my time behind the lens, it's that the most interesting stuff always happens when you least expect it.'

Wanting to vent, I said, ‘Then you should be back in there, filming the man I love recording a hit song with the competition-crazed clone of me!' To emphasise my frustration, I slammed both my elbows backwards into the wall behind me.

My right elbow thumped satisfyingly against the wooden surface. The left hit something much harder, which made a loud crack.

‘What the …' I spun to look, only to see that I'd managed to smash a fire alarm panel. Instantly, a shrieking siren sounded throughout the deck, and the sprinklers above us began to gush freezing water on our heads.

‘Shit!' Greg started running for the door, trying to keep his camera dry. His ninjas followed, one of them with her head bowed in total shame.

We took the stairs two at a time, racing back to the upper deck again, just as Callie and Tanner burst out of the nightclub doors below us. They were both drenched and laughing.

‘Are you okay?' asked Tanner. ‘I can get you a towel?'

Callie shivered a little in the wind that had picked up across the deck. ‘I'm okay. Thank goodness we got the song in one take!'

‘Damn straight. I wonder where the fire is?' said my cowboy, looking around at the ship's officers who had appeared in their white uniforms, puzzled by the lack of smoke or flames.

‘Maxine is going to have my arse on a plate for this,' I said in despair. ‘I mean, she is literally going to chop it off and have it served for a main course, and devour it while Instagramming a pic of it to me.'

‘You worry too much.' Greg was using his shirt to wipe moisture off his gear. Unbelievably, he was still grinning. ‘As long as it makes great TV, remember?'

Callie spoke again. ‘Oh gosh, Tanner! My shirt has gone completely see-through. I'm so embarrassed.'

I'll bet you are …
I was amazed by the smooth moves on this woman, who seemed to take every disaster and turn it to her benefit.

Tanner tried gallantly to avert his eyes from her nipples, which pointed clearly through the damp fabric of her tank. ‘Oh, uh … I hadn't noticed. Do you want to take a minute and get changed?'

‘Perfect.' She shuddered again. ‘Do you think you could keep me warm while I walk back to my room?'

‘Uh …' I could see Tanner's instincts warring, his desire to be a gentleman battling against where the blurred lines lay in this strange world. ‘Sure, pretty lady. Let's go.'

They sauntered away, Callie leaning into Tanner's embrace, the dogs and the crew following behind like obedient shadows.

When they were gone, I lay back flat on the deck and screamed to the sky, ‘
Goddamn it!
Are you
kidding
me?'

‘It's okay, it's okay,' said Sumara soothingly. ‘We can still make this work. After all, we know the wardrobe surprise she has waiting for her, and where they're going next. Come on!'

We bounded off, heading for the kids' deck, our damp clothes drying along the way in the heat and excitement. The sprawling play zone extended over two levels; inside, there were ball-pits, climbing frames and a laser tag centre. Outside was a water playground, with slides, whirlpools and fountains.

‘Apparently, they'll be inside. Look! There's the film crew,' said Sumara.

There were high windows ringing the play zone so parents could keep an eye on their offspring. But with the absence of all kiddly-winks on the ship for our particular cruise, the primary-coloured equipment was bare, as were the viewing areas. Sumara and I crept around quietly until we found a perfect perch.

A few minutes later, I looked down to the lower level and spotted Tanner waiting by the rock-climbing wall. He'd changed from his jeans and button-down combo into a pair of ivory cargo shorts and a fitted black tee. He looked relaxed and positively edible, even if he did seem naked without his hat.

‘Oh! Oh! Here she comes,' whispered Sumara excitedly.

We clutched at each other, trying to giggle silently, watching Ricky's work appear. Callie crept up behind Tanner and clasped her fingers over his eyes. ‘Guess who?'

‘Must be my singing buddy,' said Tanner, grinning and shifting his weight, making to turn around.

‘Wait! Just before you look at me, I have to explain about this part of the date.' She kept her hands planted firmly over his eyes. ‘I wanted us to just forget about all the stress we've been under and have an afternoon of being kids again. Climb, run, play tag, laugh.'

Tanner shrugged appreciatively. ‘Sounds swell.'

‘Yeah, the thing is … wardrobe got their brief a little confused. I said I wanted to wear something fun and playful, something young. They sent me this.'

She dropped her hands and let him turn to see. Ricky had truly outdone himself—on her top half, she wore a barely-there crop tee in a pastel pink, which was printed with the image of a feeding bib that read,
Daddy's naughty little girl
. Below her bare belly, she sported an honest-to-goodness diaper. I had no idea where he'd found it, and I was probably happier not knowing how Ricky could produce an oversized puffy white cotton nappy on short notice, but it was genius.

The diaper rode high up on her thighs, leaving her legs naked. They ended in white baby slippers. The entire look was horrifyingly inappropriate and completely hysterical.

Even Tanner couldn't resist a good-natured chuckle. ‘Oh, darlin'. That certainly is a young look.'

‘You know what?' She planted her hands proudly on her hips, thrusting the diaper forward. ‘I was going to make a fuss and demand they bring me something else to wear. But instead, I'm just going to own this. Sometimes, you just have to laugh at yourself!'

‘I love your spirit,' said Tanner, throwing his arm over her shoulders. ‘Besides, you're still a pretty cute baby.'

‘Thank you, kind sir. Are you ready to have some fun?'

Trampy baby: two, sexy ninjas: zero. We watched them horsing around the play zone for an hour, scaling the climbing walls and playing laser tag, laughing and completely at ease.

My throat swelled shut as they dove into the ball-pit, Callie throwing herself onto Tanner's back and wrestling him under the brightly-coloured surface. A tickle-battle ensued, which ended with Callie shrieking, ‘Uncle! I give up!' and they both fell back, breathing hard and laughing.

‘Lordy, this was fun,' enthused Tanner.

‘I know, right? I can't wait to have kids of my own someday. I really want to be a fun, active mum who does things with her kids, not just watch from the sidelines.'

He spoke with genuine warmth. ‘Callie, you'd make a great mom.'

‘What about you? Do you want kids one day?'

The cameras zoomed in, as did my attention. ‘I used to think that I'd never want to have little ones, but I think I was just worried that they'd end up like me—poor and hungry, failing their way through school in a Podunk town.'

That was definitely how he'd felt the last time we'd spoken about the idea of having a family, when we were only kids ourselves. Tanner had been vehemently opposed to the idea. Now, I knew why.

But apparently, he'd changed his mind. ‘Now, though, I'm thinking about it pretty seriously. I know I can give my kids a great life, and I think I'd make a good papa.'

Callie reached over and interlaced her fingers through his. ‘You'd be the best. I can just picture you now with a little boy who looks like you … and maybe a little girl who looks like her mama.'

Tanner smiled distantly, and my breath hitched. ‘I need to get out of here,' I muttered to the other two.

Sumara's face was grief-stricken. ‘Maddie, I'm so sorry. Do you want to just give up?'

‘Hell no.' The next day was my date, and I'd be dammed if I was going to let Callie wrap up her day with a flawless finish and make me look worse. I knew how devious Callie was, and she had to be stopped before she lured Tanner into a snare of crafty words and empty promises.

Something cold brewed inside my chest, a feeling of wrath and righteousness. ‘There's still one part of this date left, and I am going to fuck. It. Up.'

Chapter 14

We were hard to see; night had fallen and the sexy ninjas were in total stealth mode. Like silent shadows, Sumara and I drifted along the top deck, bound for dark deeds, with our trusty cameraman bringing up the rear.

At the bow, just below the Captain's bridge, bamboo planters and folding silk screens had been arranged to frame a low table, surrounded by cushions. The area was lit by paper lanterns and sheltered from the night by a thick white sail, suspended between four poles. From hidden speakers, Shamisen music plinked, perfecting the illusion of having stepped into a Japanese fantasy.

‘What's all this about?' whispered Sumara. ‘Is Beau secretly from Japan or something?'

‘No. He's never even been there, as far as I know.' My eyes narrowed. ‘What is that bitch up to?'

As if she'd appeared on cue, Callie crossed from the far stairwell. Gone was the diaper; in its place, she wore an elegant kimono with a midnight blue pattern. The hem ended halfway down her thighs, leaving her long, supple legs to stretch endlessly down to her slippered feet. Her glossy hair shone even darker in the evening light, tied up in a magnificent bun, and her eyes were outlined in a rich kohl.

A production assistant wheeled a trolley forward, close to where we hid behind a wall of bamboo. ‘Miss Callie? I have the tea here for you.'

‘Leave it there,' she ordered. ‘Tell anyone else who brings food up tonight to park it exactly where it is right now, not come barging in and interrupting.' She scowled slightly, giving me hope that we might have made an impression with our meddling after all. ‘I don't want anything else getting in the way today.'

‘Yes, miss.' The assistant pushed the trolley towards us and scurried away.

‘This is perfect!'

I couldn't understand Sumara's excitement. ‘Why?'

‘Shh!'

Callie approached us and lifted the small tray. Transporting the teapot and handle-less china cups back to the table, she knelt and began to prepare for the arrival of her target.

‘Howdy!' Tanner's voice caused me to jump; just listening to him speak was still enough to send my pulse thudding. He padded across the deck, wearing a silken kimono shirt and flowing pants in the same blue as Callie's. Although his sandy blond hair meant he'd never be mistaken for anything other than a Caucasian male, his costume leant him a very exotic appeal.