Page 14 of Pillow Talk (Rally Romance #1)

His cousin continued. ‘Not likely. I’m loving this. I can’t believe we haven’t been to Rally in more than 20years. It’s like living in a Christmas movie.’

‘You’re delusional,’ Sen replied.

Kaavi was his father’s sister’s daughter.

Her dad was a real piece of work and he had an issue with everything.

They’d stopped visiting Rally when Kaavi was five because he didn’t like the name of the town.

Apparently, it sounded trashy. In order to see them, Sen’s family, including his grandfather, were expected to travel to where they lived – six hours away by road.

At first, Sen’s father had wanted to write them off completely, but his love for his sister and his own father’s pleading had persuaded him to back down and drive the distance.

Kaavi was her own woman now and, after a five-year stint as a model overseas, she’d returned to visit their grandfather.

‘What went wrong?’

Sen ignored her.

She took her phone out of her handbag and scrolled through social media. ‘What did you say Shona’s surname is?’

‘I didn’t,’ Sen said, his tone flat.

Kaavi began to type. ‘Let’s see if I put in “Shona” and “Rally”. Yes, it worked. Ah, not a private profile. Even better,’ she cried.

Sen ignored her. He was still processing seeing Shona. Why was she dressed up in the middle of the afternoon on a Thursday? Although, he had no room to talk. He’d ditched work to ‘party’ with Kaavi and his grandfather.

‘Wow, Sen. This is amazing!’

Sen changed gear and continued to ignore Kaavi.

‘I can’t believe this. Why didn’t you tell me that she was this Shona?’

Sen didn’t know what she was talking about.

‘Look, she’s tagged in a post by Felicity Swanson of Perfect Weddings,’ she held the phone out to him.

‘I’m driving,’ he said.

‘Fine. I’ll read it to you: Shona Shah of The First Look Bridal Shop is making a bold statement. The popular designer is creating Maddie Harper’s wedding dress. Watch this space…’

Kaavi practically shrieked with excitement. ‘Sen, do you know who Maddie Harper is? She’s the heir to Harper’s Airlines.’ Sen slowed down. ‘Shona is designing a wedding dress. Whoa,’ he said softly.

Kaavi turned to look at him.

‘Stop that,’ he said, keeping his eyes on the road.

‘Sen, I get it, you know.’

‘Get what?’

‘Loving someone so much that you’ll celebrate their achievements even when that person has hurt you.’

Sen remained silent as he turned into the driveway of his grandfather’s mansion.

Shona yawned, stretched and kicked off the blankets.

She’d had an odd dream about her grandmother. The old woman was shouting at Shona’s dad and he just kept his head down and walked away. Shona stood up to her: ‘How dare you speak to my father like that?’ Her dream was so vivid that now, awake, Shona was ready for a fight.

She went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth and stepped into the shower. The hot water washed away her anger and she smiled, remembering that Anni had got back last night.

After a quick breakfast, Shona packaged two veils to drop off at the courier.

There was no headgear to go with them; the brides simply wanted tulle featuring Shona’s intricate embroidery.

She hadn’t done embroidery in a while so her fingers still hurt from the fine needlework that had taken many hours to complete.

Shona dressed in denim shorts and a tank top.

It was a scorching day and the courier company was quite a distance away.

She could have taken a taxi but she wanted to be outdoors.

She slipped on her most comfortable pair of flat sandals, grabbed her handbag and set off down the stairs carrying the two packages.

About five minutes into her walk, someone called her name. She turned to see Sven approaching her.

‘Hey Shona. Where are you going with those?’

‘To Go-To Couriers on Armstrong Street.’

‘Let me help you and tag along,’ Sven said, taking both packages from her.

‘Thank you. When do you leave on your next mission?’

They walked slowly, side by side.

‘Actually, I’m not going back. I resigned and flew back home. I’m taking a three-month break and then I start at a hospital in Grayston.’

‘Wow, that’s amazing,’ Shona replied.

‘It is but it wasn’t an easy choice. I loved the outreach work, helping people who needed it the most. But the politics got too much for me. Too many want to be the boss and too many are slacking off. I just had to make a decision and leave,’ he explained.

‘How did you feel when you resigned?’

‘Like the biggest jerk alive. I felt like I was letting down so many people. But I felt liberated too and I told myself I wasn’t going to look back. Does that make sense?’

Shona nodded.

‘It does. I made similar changes recently,’ she replied.

‘I know,’ he stated.

Shona stopped walking. He stopped too. She looked at him.

‘You know?’

‘I just got home on the afternoon of…’

‘Afternoon of what?’

‘I shouldn’t have said anything, Shona. I’m sorry,’ he said.

‘Please tell me, Sven,’ she pleaded.

‘I was unloading my boxes from the service lift when I overheard the fight with your boyfriend,’ he said awkwardly.

Shona brought her palm to her chest.

‘Oh gosh. We were that loud?’

Sven nodded. ‘I really tried not to listen, but I couldn’t leave my boxes unattended.’

Shona started walking again and he fell into step beside her.

‘I’m sorry you had to hear that.’

He shrugged. ‘It wasn’t that bad. I take it that was the end?’

Shona nodded. ‘But it wasn’t a relationship. It was just a bad decision by two idiotic people.’

They reached the courier company.

‘Let’s get this sorted out and I’ll treat you to an ice cream to cool off,’ Sven said as he held the door open for her to enter.

Shona read the message twice.

We’re back. No jet lag, thank heavens. It was fabulous. Sam wants to take us all out for drinks tonight. Meet us at Trendz Bar at 6pm – or can we fetch you?

If she accepted this invitation, she would have to see Sen, but what if he brought his new girlfriend?

If she didn’t go, Anni would be upset.

Without thinking, she replied, asking if she could bring a date. Of course Anni was now even more excited about tonight. But Shona didn’t have a date. Sen was right: messy, chaotic, complicated Shona.

A few hours later, as they turned into the Trendz parking lot, Shona said, ‘Thanks for doing this, Sven.’

He parked the car and turned to Shona, a wide grin on his face. ‘I get to make the ex-boyfriend jealous, have a drink and enjoy your company. It’s a win-win situation.

Shona smiled nervously. When she’d approached him to be her ‘date’ she thought she was going to die of embarrassment.

But he’d agreed immediately and it wasn’t because he wanted to hit on her; he genuinely wanted to help her.

Sven was already in a relationship with a boyfriend, who was moving from Norway to Rally at the end of the month.

They got out of the car and headed for the entrance of the bar. Shona smoothed her black bodycon dress and tried not to trip on her new, silver stilettos.

It wasn’t called Trendz for nothing; people dressed up and went there to pretend that Rally had a nightlife.

It called itself a bar but it was more of a nightclub.

The second floor was dark and loud, while the first floor was where you could sit and have a quiet drink or order something to eat.

Trendz was decorated by an out-of-towner: it had glossy finishes, abstract art and, naturally, overpriced drinks.

Sen and Kaavi had arrived 20minutes before and were already deep in conversation when Shona entered the bar.

Sen’s throat constricted and his heart pounded in his chest. Who was the man walking beside her? In the blink of an eye, they were at the table.

Anni jumped up and hugged Shona.

‘I missed you so much. I want to hear it all. Sit down, sit down,’ Anni said.

Before Shona could introduce her date, Sam held out his hand for a handshake.

‘Dr Sven Kristiansen, I’m so honoured to finally meet you. I’m Sam and this is my wife Anni. That’s Sen and Kaavi,’ he said, shaking Sven’s hand and pointing to Sen and Kaavi.

Sen stood up and shook hands. When his eyes landed on Shona, he nodded and went back to his seat.

They were sitting around a large table in the corner of the bar. Shona and her date somehow ended up opposite Sen and Kaavi.

Sen unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up while Shona and Sven gave the waiter their drinks order.

‘I know the air conditioner is working but it’s very hot in here. Are summers always this hot in Rally?’ Kaavi asked.

‘It can get hotter but summers are the best here. Isn’t that right, Sho and Sen? I’ll never forget our memorable summers together,’ Anni said.

Sen decided to play this differently. He was a cut-throat lawyer, for Pete’s sake. He was not going to be the uncomfortable one here.

‘What was your favourite part about our summers together, Shona?’

He looked her straight in the eye, waiting for an answer.

‘The Wishing Tree,’ she replied immediately.

Sen sat back and looked at her. She didn’t break eye contact.

‘I can’t believe you remember that. Gosh, we were so goofy. I wonder if it’s still there,’ Anni interjected.

‘What’s The Wishing Tree?’ Kaavi asked.

Sen turned from Shona and brought everyone into the conversation.

‘The Wishing Tree was…Let me rather give you the backstory first. Is that okay Shona and Anni? Can I tell them?’ he asked.

Both women nodded.

‘I know you won’t believe it but Shona, Anni and I were not exactly popular.

We were outcasts. Anni and Shona took pity on me and allowed me to tag along.

One summer when we were around 9 and 10, we were cornered by the popular kids, the bullies.

They said some pretty nasty things to us,’ he stopped and looked at Shona and Anni.

The emotions of that day were displayed on their faces now.

Shona bit her lower lip and Anni’s eyes glistened.