Exotic Nights

She’d worked hard to turn it around for the poor kid. Wished the audience of adults would just go away so she could have some fairy fun with the wee ones. In the end it had been good old-fashioned bubbles that had saved it—as she’d made big ones they’d spotted the rainbows in them. And then she’d read them the tale of the unicorn and the temporary tattoos had come out and the face paints and the magic of make-believe.

Bella parked Bubbles in the garage and braced herself. The week had gone quickly and she still hadn’t moved out. Still hadn’t the strength to leave the man she ached to love.

Now, with the payment from this party, she had no more excuses. She could give him at least some of the money she owed and get out. She’d phone her father for the rest to start afresh. It was best, because now she’d thought about it, she knew she wanted the whole marriage and kids bit. She couldn’t live with less. So she needed to get away and over him.

He wasn’t waiting to pounce on her the minute she walked back in. Instead he lifted his head from the paper he was reading in his big chair, took one look and frowned at her.

‘Didn’t it go so good?’

She sighed. ‘It was OK. But the house was tiny—and I mean tiny. And they’d invited twelve kids and all their parents were there.’

It made her skin itchy just thinking about it—all that close contact with complete strangers. The kids were OK. It was the adults who grossed her out. And she simply couldn’t perform to her best in an environment like that.

He shoved his paper to the floor and stood. ‘Actually I’ve been thinking about you and your parties.’ He paused, then words seemed to tumble from him. ‘Why don’t you use some of the space downstairs? You could do it up and get all the kids to come here. It would save you from lecherous uncles.’

Bella stared at him. ‘You’re kidding, right?’ He’d never want that—would he?

‘No. It might as well be used for something. It’ll get other prospective tenants off my back and it’ll only be used part of the time. During the week when my guys are in upstairs it’ll be quiet.’

‘Isn’t it a waste of your resource?’

‘It’s mine to waste.’ He shrugged. ‘And it’ll only be part of it. Still room for a restaurant if I ever want one.’

Oh, my, she thought as he winked. That sparkle was back and his expression was lighter and Bella felt herself falling once more, mesmerised by his vibrancy.

‘I’d have to decorate it,’ she said, half dazed. ‘I don’t have the money.’

‘I’ll loan you. Start-up costs. You can pay me back once you’re up and running. You’ll make it back in no time.’

She shook her head, stopped thinking completely. This was crazy.

‘Bella.’ He stepped near her. ‘This is what you’re good at. This is what you love. Every time you do a party you come home with bookings for at least one or two more. You’re a wonderful entertainer. This is what you’re meant to do.’

The idea was so tempting. Her own party space. She’d never even thought of it before. And she’d have such fun designing the venue … Unstoppable ideas swirled through her head.

He was grinning at her, as if he knew.

She inhaled deeply, shook her head. ‘Owen, I can’t.’

‘Why not?’

Because things were complicated between them. She didn’t want this to be his latest idea that he’d set up and then skip on to the next. They weren’t together any more—were they? She really needed to get over him and on with her life. ‘I need to get out and find a new flat. I can’t stay here for ever.’

There was another non-committal shrug. ‘Maybe, but there’s plenty of time for that. Why not focus on building a business first? You could do the food too, couldn’t you?’

Of course she could—standing on her head. More ideas teased her—of menus and fun things and dreams and fantasies.

‘Tell you what.’ He kept talking. ‘Why don’t you just take a segment downstairs and paint it? See what you think. It might not be right as there isn’t an outdoor area. It might not work out at all.’

But it would work out. No outdoors didn’t matter, not if she created a grotto indoors. And she knew she could do that. And if they built a pirate ship the kids could climb up it and hunt for treasure and … and …

She looked at him. He was acting so casually

about this. And yet, in his own way, he was pushing it. Batting away her arguments with a shrug and his usual ‘of course you can’ attitude. What was his real agenda? Was there anything more to this than a simple offer of help?

Her mind—and heart—leapt to the most blissful conclusion. Was this his way of keeping her in his life? On the terms that he could handle?

Probably not, she scoffed at herself. This was just his latest obsession. And once it was set up he’d be onto something else. She was looking everywhere for anything. But the little bubble of hope wouldn’t be popped. She’d keep on hoping, keep on dreaming. Maybe, just maybe, he’d wake up to the fact that there was more between them than either of them could have imagined. Or was it just her imagination going overtime again?