“Are you shitting me?”
“Oh, come on, Myla, we all know it’s been years since you got laid, you’re off to spend a week with a hot man who oozes sex appeal, the sexual chemistry that is sizzling away between you two? It’s going to combust before long,” Avery said with a knowing look.
“Look, there is no sexual chemistry between us, I’m simply tolerating him, the same way he is tolerating me, it’s a business deal. Nothing more!” Myla said as she sternly looked from Cass and then to Avery.
“Keep telling yourself that, babe,” Cass replied and gently patted Myla’s shoulder, condescendingly.
Blowing out a deep breath, Myla changed the subject. “Right, Avery. You have enough work for the week, please don’t take any more bookings for before November. Can you re-order some more burgundy satin, the measurements are on the Fallon file and I also need some gold fabric, the measurements for that are attached to the Jennings’s file.”
Walking to her desk, Avery retrieved a manila folder and held it in the air, “Myla Fox, everything you have just babbled is already in this fifteen-page document you so painstakingly typed out for me the other day. I’m not a child and I’m more than capable of running this place whilst you are away. Now go and have fun with your family, and have lots of hot steamy sex with Kai, the details of which, I will be waiting for with baited breath upon your return.”
“You’ll be dead before anything happens between us, Avery Walsh,” laughed Myla. She enveloped her arms around her shoulders and pulled her in tight. “I’ll see you soon, any problems, call me.”
“Bye Stavros,” Myla hollered, towards the back of the Boutique before turning to leave.
“Ooh Myla,” called Avery, “don’t forget your muff buster,” she trilled holding up the feather duster.
Shaking her head, she threw a sarcastic smile and strode towards her. “Thanks,” she mumbled, snatching it from between a laughing Avery’s fingers.
*
“You sure don’t travel light, do you Myla?” Cass asked lifting the last case from the car.
“Well, I’ve packed for all occasions. Lord knows what my mother has planned for us over the next week, so I’ve covered every possible eventuality.” Pulling up the handles on her cases, she hoisted her carry-on bag onto her shoulder. “Thanks for bringing me to the airport, Cass, I really appreciate it.”
Smiling, she snatched a case from Myla’s hand. “If you think I’m leaving you here to make your own way, you are mistaken. I’m walking you to as close to that flight as possible.”
“Honestly Cass, there—”
Holding her palm up, she silenced her. “There is every need, Myla Fox, I’m yet to meet this Kai person so I’m coming with you, whether you like it or not!” Turning on her heels, she marched towards the electronic doors of the airport. With a deep breath and shaky legs, Myla trailed behind.
Waiting in the departures lounge of Terminal One, Myla became restless and agitated, standing up, she paced up and down with manic speed. Now the time had come to do this thing, she was suddenly a nervous wreck. Her breathing was becoming heavy and beads of sweat were beginning to form across her brow. Please don’t let me down, Kai.
“Bloody hell, you’re going to wear out the carpet the way you are going.” Cass laughed pointing the feather duster in her direction.
“What if he doesn’t show? What if he’s had second thoughts? It’s plain for all to see, how much we despise each other.”
“Myla, you really need to calm the fuck down. You have nine minutes left before boarding starts, he will be here.”
“Calm down? I can’t calm down until we are both on that flight, and by then another bout of nerves will ensue at the thought of my mother. What if we can’t pull this off and she sees straight through our act?” she rambled. “Oh God, I think I’m going to be sick,” she added. Hunching herself over she rested her palms on her knees.
A loud raucous noise suddenly broke through Myla’s hearing, standing herself upright she turned towards the deep roaring of men’s voices. “Holy shit,” gasped Myla as Kai came into her eye line, waving manically towards her, “what the fuck is he wearing?”
“Myla!” He shouted.
Swallowing hard, she watched him approach her. Cass jumped to her feet. “Which one is he?”
“The one that looks like a dick,” mumbled Myla causing Cass to laugh loudly in her ear.
“Hey, I found you,” he said when he came to a standstill in front of her. She was rendered speechless as she looked him up and down. He was wearing flip flops, a pair of bright green Bermuda shorts with black flamingos sporadically displayed, a bright Hawaiian shirt unbuttoned half way down showing off a trail of dark chest hair, and all topped off with a straw hat.
“These are my friends, Ben, Josh and you have already met Brody,” he smiled.
“Brody? Oh, my God, how are you?” Cass asked loudly down Myla’s ear as she pushed past her to Brody and threw her arms around him.
“Cass? Oh, my God. You are a friend of Myla’s?” Brody replied slightly wide-eyed and returned her hug.
“You two know each other?” Kai asked looking from Cass to Brody with a questioning stare.