Ocean of Fire (9 page)

They stopped to look at art works on display in the park on their way to the markets. Even though there were plenty of people milling amongst the stalls it wasn’t crowded. Something about the city of Hobart gave it a big country town feel which appealed to Nicole.

Trisha bought some hand-made sweets and an embroidered T-Shirt. She talked Nicole into buying a straw sun-hat, as she was concerned about the smattering of freckles forming across her nose.

“Honestly Trish. Sometimes I think you and Mum are more worried about my appearance than I am,” she grumbled, dubiously eying the hat in her hands. It had a red and gold ribbon around the rim. No doubt her friend had picked it off the rack because she thought it would go with her hair.

“Well, now that you’ve got a man to look attractive for, you might as well make the most of yourself.”

“I don’t believe I’m hearing this,” she laughed, but secured the hat on her head regardless.

“Stunning. Simply stunning,” Trisha declared, as Nicole glanced into the mirror provided.

The stalls were closing when they finally headed back to the hotel. Not only had she been talked into buying the hat, Nicole had also bought a new sun-dress and a small bottle of perfume.

Somehow she was swept along with the mood, for the fuss Trisha made about her appearance didn’t stop at buying new clothes. As they got ready for the dinner she fussed over first her own make-up and then Nicole’s. Gail had bought her another evening dress, a form-fitting black gown with a seductive little split which revealed more thigh than she was comfortable with. It had gold braiding around its border, and was almost identical to the one her mother was wearing, since she had purchased them at the same boutique.

When Nicole glanced in the mirror she was amazed at the sophisticated young woman looking back at her. Her riotous curls were for once staying in place, secured with two emerald side combs which matched the earrings and necklace her father had given her for her twenty-first. Her gold strappy sandals were higher than she was used to, but for once she welcomed the extra height.

They found most of the crew and their family members crowded around the restaurant’s bar. Jim was there to greet Trisha. He didn’t seem to be able to take his eyes off her. Nicole wondered for a moment if she’d have the same effect on Philip when he arrived. She still found it hard to believe such a stunning man would find her attractive.

Most of the people in the restaurant were from the yachts. All the women were garbed in their best evening gowns, and the men in dinner suits. Some still looked worse for wear from the grueling sail across the strait, but it seemed everyone was determined to enjoy themselves on the last day of the year.

Her father brought her a cocktail from the bar. “My, you’re as pretty as a picture tonight,” he commented, before turning to his wife. “Amazing what she can do when she puts her mind to it.”

“And we didn’t have an argument about it either,” Gail smiled. “Such a pity it seems to have been in vain.”

Nicole knew she was referring to Jim’s preference for Trisha.

“Maybe someone else will show an interest,” she couldn’t help imparting.

Gail eyed her curiously. “I suppose I could introduce you to some of the other families here tonight, but you’ve always been so reluctant to...” she trailed off, as Nicole’s gaze fell on the tall, handsome man making his way towards them through the crowd. He was wearing an immaculate black dinner suit which complimented his raven hair, just as the crisp white shirt contrasted with his olive complexion.

Nicole was compelled to tear her eyes off Philip when she felt her mother’s hand on her arm. She must have given herself away, for she saw Gail purse her lips together as she always did when a situation displeased her.

“Not him, Nicole,” Gail murmured in concern. Neither did she miss the lingering look he cast Nicole when he stopped in front of them, taking in the way her gown clung to her slender curves as his gaze slid down her body, then back up to lock with her eyes. The unrestrained desire gleaming in his eyes sent a warm shiver of pleasure rippling through her. He really did find her attractive.

“You look particularly stunning tonight, Nicole - and Gail. You could be sisters.” That should have raised her mother’s esteem, but perhaps it was the familiar way he used her name, or that she’d already convinced herself she didn’t like him, which made her mouth compress even more.

“Feeling better?” he inquired, smiling down at Nicole.

“Much thanks.”

Just then her father decided it was time for them all to take their places at the table. Gail’s attempt to separate Philip and Nicole failed when he politely asked Robert to swap seats. Grinning knowingly, the teenager obliged.

Casting a sidelong glance at her parents, Nicole wondered again whether Philip was deliberately trying to goad them. Something within her still found it hard to believe his interest was for her own sake. Part of her continued to be suspicious as she recalled the first conversation she’d ever had with him. Judging by the concerned glances they were casting in her direction, she was almost inclined to believe it. Could he be interested in the Aztec fortune after all?

Nicole’s mind was soon distracted from her perplexing concerns. Steve’s girlfriend and mother had flown down to meet him, and Nicole soon found herself engrossed in the friendly older woman’s tales. Her name was Rachel, and Nicole couldn’t believe that at sixty she still sailed her own twenty-four foot skiff around Sydney Harbour.

“Don’t let the fact that you got ill put you off, dear,” she told Nicole. “It only means you’ll have to be more prepared next time.”

“Don’t encourage her,” Philip interjected. “She might be tempted to do it again.”

“And why not, may I ask?” Rachel contradicted.

“I was with her, that’s why. Going north into warmer waters would be more appropriate for someone with Nicole’s constitution.” If she was to believe him, this meant he wasn’t against her sailing, merely sailing in the colder southern waters.

Rachel grinned broadly. “Oh yes, you’re the young man who put the wind up Peter Cameron. Sorry Nicole. Don’t take it the wrong way.”

“That’s all right. I know how overbearing and self-righteous my father can be.” She caught Philip’s eye. He was nodding silently. Of course he would agree with that, but the same terms could also be applied to him.

“I’d watch it if I were you,” Rachel said to Philip. “The vibes they’re sending in your direction aren’t the friendliest I’ve ever seen. He’s quite capable of destroying careers, you know.”

“I’ve learnt to cover my back. He wouldn’t dare cross me.” Nicole could tell he meant every word. There was so much steely strength in his character, she was certain it could only have come from bitter experience. He was tough, a fighter, the exact opposite to what she thought she liked in a man. Yet, as he reached for her hand under the table, she knew she was getting more attracted to him each passing minute. When his fingers grazed against her thigh, a rush of fiery sensations engulfed her, almost making her jump. He drew her hand across to his lap. Slowly he uncurled her fingers, placing her palm against his leg. She felt the hardness of his thigh through the fabric of his trousers, and a pulsing heat settled low down in her own loins as he pressed his hand over hers to keep it there.

Surely everyone could see the effect he’s having on me, she thought, glancing at the faces around the table. But it seemed nobody had. They were too involved in another one of Rachel’s adventure stories.

Philip released her fingers when their entrees arrived, but Nicole found it difficult to concentrate on her meal or what was being said around her. She was still thinking about the secret intimacy they had shared.

“Still off your food?”

Nicole glanced up from the plate upon which she had been rearranging the remains of her seafood avocado. She saw the concern flicker in Philip’s golden-brown eyes.

“No, I just had a late lunch,” she replied.

“You can’t afford to lose any more weight. You’ll disappear altogether.”

“Would you believe I was twice this size as a teenager,” she blurted out, and wondered why she’d admitted that painful part of her life to him.

“I couldn’t imagine you ever suffering from puppy-fat,” he remarked, as he swept his gaze over her slender frame.

“At least I didn’t suffer from acne. I managed to escape that curse,” she gushed in an attempt to change the subject.

“No, I couldn’t imagine a zit ever marring your smooth clear skin. But I did. I was covered in them. There I was, fourteen years old, over six foot tall, and scaring off all the girls with my pizza face. Luckily it only lasted a year or so.”

Grateful he had shifted the onus off her she relaxed again. “Then there was no stopping you, right?”

“Believe it or not, I wasn’t chasing girls at that age. I had to work you see. If I wanted to get my HSC I had to pay my own way. I think your parents would love knowing I come from a working class immigrant family. I wonder if you’re going to tell them.”

So she’d been right. He
was
testing her. But he still hadn’t worked out that she didn’t allow her parents to control her life anymore. Yet it made her aware of the fight she’d have on her hands if she did get serious about Philip and they discovered what he’d just told her.

“I gathered as much,” she said at last.

“My, what a clever little social worker you’re going to make,” he remarked. But it was merely an observation, not one of his mocking comments.

“Perception and observation are the most important skills of counseling.”

“So they are. Now let’s see how perceptive you really are. Has anyone told you where I work?”

“No.” It was true, she had no idea what kind of legal work he was involved in. The first thing she thought of was corporate law. Someone wanting to shirk his impoverished background would want to distance himself from the past as much as possible. But that was too obvious. A large reputable law firm came to mind next, but they were very selective about who they employed. Philip would have had to lie to get into one of the legal companies her father dealt with. He could always have started his own business. If the car he drove was anything to go by, he must have done well for himself.

“A small firm of solicitors specializing in convayencing and litigation?” she finally said.

The smug expression on his face confirmed she’d got it wrong.

“Try Legal Aid. That’s where the most interesting work takes place. No dull property deals or run of the mill compensation cases there. A Legal Aid lawyer really gets to the grass roots of society’s outcasts, Oh yes, it’s often a losing battle. The same people keep passing through the system, but I was once in their shoes. It’s poverty, lack of education, the wrong upbringing which sets people on the treadmill of crime.”

“You got out of it,” Nicole stated the obvious, surprised to discover he was so magnanimous. But she should have known after he’d told her about his Christmas lunches at the Mathew Talbot Hostel. She’d already concluded that there was more to Philip Pelayo than met the eye. The tough-guy image was merely a front for the difficult task he’d set himself.

“With a lot of hard work and plenty of knockbacks. Working at Legal Aid made me realize there are only a few who really want your help, and even fewer who’ll make it, It’s also made me realize I don’t want to do that kind of job forever. You’ve heard of burn-out. Well, it’s very high where I work. I don’t intend being among their numbers. I’ll give myself a few more years, and then I’m shipping out, preferably aboard my own yacht. I think somewhere like Tasmania would be a good place to relocate to. The country life-style has always appealed to me. What about you, Nicole? Are you a city girl, or do you have a yearning for the country lifestyle?”

Nicole had always harbored a secret dream about living in a quaint country cottage, with a dog and several cats, growing her own vegetables. The only problem was, the city was where the jobs and the people she wanted to help were. She didn’t realize until then how much the two dreams ran at cross purposes with one another. Perhaps when she was older she could indulge in the latter and buy herself a house in the country.

Philip was still waiting for her answer, so she gave him an abridged version of her thoughts. He might have opened up about his past, but Philip Pelayo was the last person she wanted to reveal her inner most hopes and dreams to.

As the meal progressed, they continued to laugh and joke with one another and the rest of people at their table. Rachel and Steve had many entertaining stories to tell. Trisha and Jim were too engrossed in one another to contribute to the general discussion, and when the band started playing rock songs, they were the first on the dance floor.

Watched Trisha moving easily to the beat brought back memories of a time when Nicole had sat on the side-lines, while girls like Trisha danced with one handsome young man after another. For years she’d managed to keep the pain at bay, but Nicole couldn’t deny it any longer. She did want romance - passion - love. And it was Philip who’d brought it all back, Philip who only wanted to fulfill a physical longing. Nicole wanted more than that. She wanted it all. She wanted forever.

“What’s bothering you, Nicole? What perplexing thought brought that frown on?” the object of her troubles queried.

“Nothing,” she murmured uncomfortably. That was one thing she’d come to realize about Philip; his incredibly accurate perception. She supposed he had to be if he wanted to be a good lawyer, but she wished he wouldn’t comment on every expression that crossed her face.

He leant closer. “I thought social workers were open and honest people. You’re not making it easy for me to get to know you.”

“And I thought you’d already worked me out,” she retorted.

“The only sure thing I’ve got worked out about you is that you’ve convinced yourself I can’t be trusted - which isn’t very heartening.”