Risk Taker by Sonia Stanizzo

Chapter 19

“I’m sick of you kids hanging around here and leaving a mess, which flies onto my property and I have to clean it up. I’m calling the police.” A short, round man with a grey combover, wearing blue boxer shorts, white singlet and a thick gold chain glared at them. If he wasn’t swinging a baseball bat in their direction, he’d comical.

Holly quickly picked up the bag of the rubbish and Ethan held out a hand to try and placate the angry man.

“We’re sorry, sir, we didn’t come here to cause any trouble. We’ll leave right away.”

The man pointed the bat at Holly, and Ethan stepped in front of her. “I’ve chased her off before.”

Ethan flicked a questioning glance over his shoulder. Holly pulled a sheepish grin.

“I’m calling the police,” he said again, taking a phone from the waistband of his shorts.

Holly poked Ethan in the back. “Run!”

She took off toward the trail they’d trekked through to get there.

Ethan followed, fleeing blindly through the dark, shrubs and branches slapping him in the face and body, hoping they didn’t get off track and stumble over a cliff to their deaths.

Soon they were back in the car park panting for breath. Holly was bent at the waist with hands on knees. Her body shaking. The old man must have terrified her.

“Are you okay? I don’t think he chased us.” Especially with his short stumpy legs and barrel stomach.

He placed a hand on her back and she straightened. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She wasn’t crying from fright. She was laughing! She found almost getting bashed with a baseball bat… funny?

“You… should have seen… your face,” she said breathless with laughter.

“It’s not every day you’re threatened with a deadly weapon and warned about being reported to the police.” He tried to sound stern but his lips twitched and seconds later, he laughed along with her. “How many times has he busted you there anyway?”

She ducked her head. “Once or twice.”

“And you keep going back even though you know you could get yourself into trouble?”

She shrugged. “The view’s worth the risk. And I didn’t think he’d be out this time of night or swinging a bat.”

This woman was crazy, and he hadn’t felt so alive in years.

When was the last time he’d forgotten about work and had fun? Sadly, he couldn’t remember a time. Sure, he went to bars and clubs. Had women throwing themselves at him. That was all great, he’d had a good time. It just felt like it was all part of an act. Expected in the entertainment industry. This was different. Freer. Even with a madman after them. He’d do it all again to see the laughter on Holly’s face. The laughter that arrowed through his chest.

Then she threw a worried glance over his shoulder. “Umm Ethan? How fussy are you about your car?”

Foreboding clenched at his gut and his jovial mood, fizzled out. He slowly turned around and his heart dropped to his feet. His BMW was gone.

* * *

Holly swiped the key card into the door of her room and pushed it open. It wasn’t the luxury suite at the Ainsworth, but it looked clean, comfortable and had everything she needed. After Nancy’s visit, Lucy had given her a small private room with a tiny bathroom attached. She was grateful she didn’t have to share with other people and it gave her a roof over her head for the next two weeks. That’s if she could convince Trinity in payroll to pay her in advance. After that, who knew where she’d be? Ethan said Nancy might help her find work on another film or TV sets. It would be amazing if she could continue working in the industry. With no qualifications, would others be so easily accepting like Nancy? Getting professional training was a must.

During her break on set while looking for accommodation, she’d also researched makeup academies. Sydney had one that looked great and affordable. Well, that was if she got a steady income to pay for it.

She sat on the edge of the bed and her shoulders slumped. Was it even worth looking into the courses? When she had to be back in Melbourne in a few weeks. What if she could do both? Work for the family and do makeup? Working on movie or T.V sets were hard positions to get, who knew how often she could land a job? Perhaps, in between filming, she could work for the hotels. It would be a lot of work and totally worth it. All she had to do was convince her parents.

She pulled out her phone. No point waiting until the six months was up to present her ideas to them. She dialled her mother’s number and it went straight to voice message. Next, she tried her father, also no response. She left a quick message on their phones, telling them she was doing well and that she’d love to talk to them and to call her back as soon as possible.

That was all she could do tonight, so she put her bag on a small round table in the corner of the room and opened it to remove the few items of clothing and stored them in the faux timber wardrobe.

The night hadn’t turned out the way she’d hoped. Dinner on the rocky ledge was supposed to ease her jittery nerves before she jumped into bed with Ethan. And it had—until his car got stolen and the evening came to an abrupt end.

Poor Ethan, she’d never forget the look of despair on his face when he saw his car was gone. Guilt niggled at her even though she was unintentionally responsible. He’d smiled like it was no big deal, but she thought she was about to witness a grown man cry.

After calling an Uber and dropping her off at the hostel, he headed to the police station to report the stolen car. She should be in his arms and not alone in this room.

In the bathroom, she pulled out her vanity bag and placed her toiletries in the medicine cabinet above the sink and hung her robe on the hook behind the door.

The attraction they shared was exciting and a little scary. After they’d opened up about their lives, it brought their relationship to a closer and more intimate level. More intimate than having sex. And that’s where the fear set in. She needed to guard her heart against him because he could easily slip past the ‘this area is prohibited’ zone.

The pain Holly could hear in Ethan’s voice when he spoke about his family and childhood speared through her chest. And she could tell by how difficult it was for him to get the words out, he rarely opened up or maybe not at all about it. And he’d done so with Holly like they’d known each other for years.

Sitting on the side of the bed, she reached for her mobile phone on the bedside table tempted to message Ethan and saw Oliver’s unread text was displayed on the screen. With the debacle of being chased by a bat welding old man and Ethan’s stolen car, she’d forgotten about it. Once she’d handed over her heart to Oliver. A man she believed loved her as much as she’d loved him. He crushed her with no care.

Sighing a deep breath, she opened the text from Oliver.

I understand if you don’t want to see me. I miss you. You were the best thing in my life and I was such an idiot for hurting you. Please can we talk?

She pinched the bridge of her nose she’d moved past the pain he’d caused, the last few weeks she hadn’t even thought about him. Maybe he was dying and needed to confess his sins. No, her mother would’ve been on the phone the minute the news broke sobbing over the son she wished she’d had. And how selfish Holly was for dumping him.

Whatever the reason he wanted to ‘talk’, she’d stopped all communication with him and that was the way she needed it to stay. She blocked his number and dropped the phone on the bedside table.

She slid in bed, turned off the lamp and stared at the ceiling. Thoughts of Oliver quickly drifted away and, in its place, Ethan entered front and centre. In a perfect world, what would it be like to have Ethan as her boyfriend? Her perfect world didn’t include the five-star luxuries anymore, the ones Ethan enjoyed and took comfort in. Could their lives blend together? No point imagining something out of reach. She was happy being single for a change. She ignored the contradicting twinges deep in her heart.

If she stayed in Sydney and wanted more, he was leaving. If she enrolled in the makeup course, she couldn’t go with him and he’d be away for months at a time. Could she handle the separation? Wow! Take a step back. She was getting ahead of herself. It wasn’t going to happen.

To be on the safe side, and not fall for him completely, should she stop things from continuing? She was only human; it would be easy to love a man like Ethan Doyle even if she did put up extra-strength barriers around her heart.

She’d gotten a taste, and it was damn good. One more time with him then she’d end things. She tossed and turned in bed wrestling with her thoughts. No, she shouldn’t risk it. There was a good chance she’d get too attached. Decision made—she’d break the news to him tomorrow.

Her phone beeped. For a second, she feared it was another message from Oliver but now that he was blocked, she wouldn’t get them anymore. Maybe it was from her parents. Sitting up, she checked the screen.

Sorry to cut the night short. Looking forward to making out with you tomorrow. I mean, making it up to you tomorrow.

E.

Decision amended. One more time then she’d call it quits. She sighed and flopped down on her back on the bed.