Songbird (Songbird, #1) Read online

  “Absolutely,” I replied enthusiastically. “It was awesome, and it was very kind of you to take such good care of us. I noticed we didn’t pay for any of the drinks that came our way.”

  He shrugged. “No problem. I like to look after my friends.” He nodded toward Jason. “Jase and I go way back—all the way to sunny Queensland when we were kids. We’ve supported each other through all our harebrained schemes.” He took a sip of his coffee and sighed contentedly. “It’s always been a dream of mine to open a little bar of my own and make a go of it.” He looked around proudly. “It’s not a lot, but it’s what I’ve always wanted to do.”

  “Well I think people should always follow their dreams.” Kelli said it casually enough, but I knew she was directing the comment fairly and squarely at me. I rolled my eyes at her.

  “For a new bar, it was packed tonight. You must be really pleased,” I said trying to ignore Kelli. “And I love the decor. What made you open a karaoke bar?”

  He smiled his dimpled smile. “I can’t complain about the patronage,” he said and his smile broadened, going from cute to sexy. “The karaoke theme was a no-brainer for me; I’m really a frustrated musician.”

  Jason nodded in agreement.

  “I can play a couple of songs on the guitar, but I’m no Jimi Hendrix. As they say, those who can, do; those who can’t, teach—or in my case, those who can’t, sell drinks to those who can.”

  I laughed at his spin on the well-known saying, and he laughed along with me. I liked Marcus. He was funny, and it sounded like he loved music as much as me. Not to mention he was very easy on the eye. I could see why Jason was drooling over him; I just hoped the feeling was mutual, for Jason’s sake.

  His voice took on a more serious tone. “Thursdays and Fridays are going great. Saturdays are okay, but I need to do something during the week. The crowd is different, a little older and quieter. I can’t do karaoke every night if I want to keep pulling a different crowd, but I’m not sure what to do yet. I’ll have to think on it.”

  He pointed beyond the far corner to a door I hadn’t noticed before. “There’s a kitchen through that door, and an area upstairs that’s currently being used for storage, but could potentially be a small restaurant. They need some refurbishment, and I don’t have the money right now, but I’d like to eventually serve meals as well.”

  His brow furrowed as he pondered his dilemma. It was true; karaoke fitted the crowd that was here tonight, but if he wanted to cater for a variety of people he would have to mix it up a bit.

  “Well, let us know if there’s anything we can do to help,” I offered.

  I liked Marcus, and if he was a friend of Jason’s, or maybe even more than a friend, then I wanted to help any way I could.

  His smile returned, and his eyes sparkled. “Thanks, Tara. You will definitely be hearing from me.”

  It was finally time to go, and I was exhausted and a little worse for wear. We were getting up to leave when it suddenly dawned on me that my car was at Jason’s, and with the constant flow of margaritas, I’d been drinking way too much to drive from his apartment back to Kelli’s.

  “Um, how are we getting home?” I asked Jason and Kelli.

  Jason bumped my shoulder with his jokingly. “We walked, remember? Don’t tell me you’ve had so much to drink that you’ve forgotten.”

  Bumping him back in reply, I nearly lost my balance on my wobbly legs. “Yes, I know we walked from your place, but we drove there from Kelli’s. It’s too far to walk all the way home.”

  I felt like such an idiot. The designated driver was not supposed to get drunk.

  “Hey, what’s up, guys?” Marcus was getting ready to lock up and came over when he saw us discussing our situation.

  “It appears the designated driver is drunk, and the girls are stranded,” Jason said, laughing, obviously finding the whole situation terribly funny.

  I waved shyly to Marcus, indicating that I was the problem.

  “No worries, Tara, I’d be happy to drive you home … and Kelli, too, of course,” he said, eyeing me as he said it.

  For some reason, the look in his eye made me blush, but I’m not sure why. It must’ve just been the alcohol clouding my judgement.

  “Actually, I’m staying at Kelli’s, so it’s only one stop. Thanks, Marcus; you’re a lifesaver.”

  He shrugged and gave me a dimpled grin. “No trouble at all, Tara.”

  Jason slung one arm around Kelli’s shoulders, then went to wrap the other one around me, but Marcus got there first.

  “Here, let me help you,” he said with a chuckle, pulling me in against his side. “You look like you’ve had one too many margaritas.”

  I HALF listened to Kelli as she told me excitedly over lunch about her plans for the weekend. Her dark brown eyes were shining with anticipation because her boyfriend, Cooper, was coming home to Melbourne for a visit, on leave from his barracks in Sydney. It had been almost two months since they had seen each other, and her face was beaming as she went through their plans for the upcoming three days.

  My mind drifted to not-so-pleasant thoughts. I was planning on heading to the house tonight after work, with the few boxes I had folded in my car. I wanted to pack up the rest of my things, but I dreaded having to set foot back in that place.

  “Hey! You’re not listening to a word I’m saying, are you?” Kelli’s slightly raised voice full of feigned indignation, accompanied by a slap on the arm brought me back to present time.

  “Of course I am. Your exciting and romantic plans with your gorgeous boyfriend are what I live for.”

  “Oh, don’t give me that. You’ll meet someone, and then you can make me blush with all the raunchy details.”

  The truth was, I was happier being single than in the bad relationship I had been in when I’d first met Kelli.

  “I know what you were saying.” I rolled my eyes and hazarded a guess. “You don’t have a thing to wear, and you want to borrow one of my new outfits for a hot date.”

  She laughed. “Well, you do have the best clothes now.”

  Although Kelli and I were not the same height or build, she was shorter and slight where I was all long legs and boobs; we did still manage to wear the same clothing size, it just fit differently.

  “Of course you can borrow anything of mine; you know that. After all, you did help me choose most of them.”

  Kelli’s face softened. “You know I can come with you to pack your things if you want.”

  She had offered several times, but this was something I wanted to do alone. I needed to say goodbye to that part of my life once and for all before closing the door on it. I couldn’t put this off any longer, Stephen was due home the day after tomorrow, and I needed to be completely gone before he returned.

  “No, it’s fine, really, but thank you.”

  Knowing Shithead wouldn’t be there, didn’t stop my stomach twisting into knots as I pulled into the driveway. I didn’t park in the garage, even though I still had the automatic door opener. It didn’t seem right; after all, I didn’t live there anymore. I had only been away for five days but it felt like an eternity. This house was definitely not my home; I was a visitor.

  This was the final loose end I needed to tie up. I sat in the driveway for a few more moments, looking up at the imposing facade of the house. Just the thought of stepping foot back inside made me anxious, and I had contemplated turning the car back around more than once on the drive over.

  Okay, you can do this, I told myself as I climbed out of the car.

  Walking through each room, I allowed myself a moment to drown in memories, then, not wanting to spend any more time there than was necessary, started quickly packing. Luckily—or maybe unluckily—I didn’t have a lot to pack, so was finished in just under two hours. For the last time, I walked through each room and turned off all the lights. I then entered the kitchen and placed my front door key and garage remote on the black marble counter.

  I should leave a note, but wha
t would I say? I walked back towards the study and found some monogrammed stationery in a tray on the desk. I sat in the high-backed leather chair, staring at the blank sheet of paper, trying to figure out what to write. I stared, tapping the pen against my forehead for a full fifteen minutes, before finally scribbling a quick line, then returning to the kitchen, placed the note next to the key and remote before reading it one final time.

  Stephen, I can’t do this anymore. It’s over. Tara

  That would have to do. I knew after two years it was completely inadequate, and I was taking the coward’s way out, but what could I write that would explain how I was feeling?

  How about, Stephen, you’re an ass who has turned me into a puppet, and manipulated me into giving up the only thing that ever made me happy: my music.

  Or, Stephen, the only person, in your opinion, who could ever be good enough for you is you, so I hope you and your hand are very happy together.

  Now I was just being ridiculous, but I was on a roll. Dear Shithead, I am not a worthless shell of a person and I deserve to be loved and supported, not used as a doormat, so I’m getting the fuck outta here.

  I was laughing and crying at the same time. I seriously needed counselling.

  You’re doing the right thing; this is the start of something great.

  As I was walking back through the foyer, past the hall table, I did something I thought I would never do. I rearranged some of the pieces on display. It was something minor, something most people wouldn’t think twice about, but I knew it would really annoy Stephen.

  Smiling to myself, I turned and left the house for the last time.

  The following morning, Kelli and I were going about our usual routine, part of which was making a packed lunch to take to work—anything to save a little bit of money. I looked at the sandwich fillings sitting on the bench, totally uninspired.

  “Let’s buy lunch today,” I said. Kelli started to protest, but I raised my hand and cut her off. “My treat. It’s the least I can do, considering you won’t let me contribute to the rent.”

  “Okay,” she said resignedly. “But nothing over the top. You need to save some money.”

  At lunch time we headed off for a walk down the bustling main street, which was lined with cafes and restaurants of every origin. The aromas wafting out onto the sidewalk were delicious and made my mouth water, and the customers sitting at tables that had been set up outside on the footpath were talking and eating as they relaxed in the sun.

  I pointed to the Japanese restaurant. The sushi was always fresh there, and we both loved it, but Kelli just shook her head. We had agreed on a sandwich, so she continued to head straight to the little cafe we sometimes went to on the rare occasion we decided to treat ourselves.

  I was standing three deep in the queue, waiting to be served, when Kelli pushed her way through and came up beside me, handing me a bright green piece of paper.

  “What do you think?” She looked pleased with herself, as if she’d found some treasure.

  Taking the paper from her hand, I read it, and then smiled back at her. “Sounds great. I, for one, really need to do some form of exercise.”

  The paper was a flyer for a new gym that had opened nearby at the beginning of the month. They were trying to draw in new members so were offering a two for one deal … perfect!

  “But can we afford it?” I asked. I knew money was tight for both of us.

  “Let’s go down there after work tonight and find out.”

  We hurriedly packed up at 5:00pm on the dot, and made our way to the gym which was only one and a half blocks away, in one of the many large office buildings on the same street as ours.

  We could hear the music pumping through the speakers as soon as we entered the foyer on the second floor. It was typical workout music, designed to motivate, and Kelli and I did a little spontaneous dance to the beat as we made our way through the entry double doors. It smelled of fresh paint and new carpet, and the equipment looked new and shiny. The workout areas were spacious and brightly lit, but there were only a handful of people there.

  This could work in our favour. They need the business.

  A very bubbly young girl at the reception desk, who was wearing a Pump It polo shirt, welcomed us. She quickly buzzed someone and then directed us to take a seat, before turning back around to resume her filing task. I smiled as I noticed Pump It was also emblazoned across the back of her tracksuit pants.

  I nudged Kelli and she grinned back. “Remind me to get a pair of those pants, will you?” I whispered, signalling to the receptionist’s behind.

  “Nothing like free advertising, I guess,” she joked. “Beats a dating site.”

  Within a few minutes a tall, young, fresh-faced and very muscular man emerged from some hidden doorway, and greeted us with a firm handshake and a warm smile.

  “Hi, I’m Malcolm, you can call me Mal. Welcome to Pump It.”

  Mal took us on a guided tour of the facilities. He was very proud of the space, the equipment, the staff, and even more enthusiastic about the few people who were there exercising. I liked him instantly. At the end of the extensive tour, Mal showed us back into his office behind the hidden door.

  “Okay, here’s the thing,” Kelli started as soon as we were seated. “We’d like to join, but money is tight. What can you do for us?”

  Mal sat back in his chair and chuckled. “Straight to business, hey?” He pulled one of the green flyers out of a drawer and laid it on the desk facing us. “We’re offering two for one at the moment, which in my opinion is a great deal.”

  “It’s a good start. What else?”

  I was starting to shrink down in my chair. Kelli was going to try to screw every last cent out of the guy.

  Mal laughed. “Okay, how about no joining fee … and you can pay monthly, provided you sign up for twelve months, unconditional.”

  Kelli smiled then looked at me. We nodded to each other. “Deal!”

  The next morning we woke up extra early. We had decided to try to work out in the mornings and get it over with, as something always seemed to come up after work. Quite often that something was Jacqui, Kelli’s pain-in-the-backside boss, making her work late. It also meant we could use the change room facilities, which were huge and provided everything we needed. And as a bonus, if we were finished and ready to leave by eight am, we could also enjoy the light complimentary breakfast provided. It was a win/win situation.

  As we were sitting in the small café-styled area, enjoying some fruit salad and the endorphin rush of having completed our first exhausting circuit class, I saw a notice up on the bulletin board for boot camp, starting in two weeks.

  “What do you think of trying boot camp?” I asked, half-jokingly as I pointed to the sign.

  “Could be fun. Does it cost extra?”

  I got up to read the fine print. It was included for full members, so probably not for us. Kelli got up, and spying Mal in the weights room, headed straight in there. Five minutes later, she came out looking very pleased with herself.

  “We’re in,” she said, smiling.

  I looked over at Mal. He was shaking his head and laughing with a guy he was spotting on the bench press. I don’t think he knew what to make of Kelli’s straightforward approach, but he always seemed happy enough to oblige her.

  It was finally Friday, and Kelli got up with an extra spring in her step. Cooper was coming home this afternoon, and she was so excited.

  We got up early, as usual, to go to the gym. I’d had a restless night on the thin sofa bed mattress and had finally dozed off at around four am, only to be woken by Kelli at five thirty.

  I threw on the first thing I could find in the half light, not really caring how I looked, and pulled my hair back into a messy ponytail.

  “Okay, let’s do this, Kell,” I told her, stifling a yawn as we walked out the door.

  Jumping onto the treadmill for a quick warm up, I wasn’t sure if it would wake me up a bit, or if, in my half-asleep state,
I would fall flat on my face and knock myself out. The run was energising me, so I turned it up a couple of notches and ran flat-out for about fifteen minutes.

  Sweat was pouring off me by the time I stepped down from the treadmill and moved towards the weights area. I looked down at my clingy grey T-shirt. Oh great, I’d put it on inside-out. I debated going into the change rooms to fix it, but then looked around. There was hardly anyone there, so I decided not to bother.

  Grabbing some free weights from the stand, I then sat on the edge of a weights bench to do some bicep curls and tricep dips. I’d lined up a couple of pairs of weights on the floor, and as I was picking up the first pair I noticed my socks. Terrific, odd socks too. One was white with a blue line around the top edge, the other was pale blue. I smiled to myself. I must remember to get my gym clothes ready the night before in future.

  “Psst!” I looked up as Kelli came over and squatted down beside me. “Don’t look now, but that guy on the bench press is hot, and he has an awesome tribal tattoo all down his left arm.”

  My head swivelled around, and Kelli slapped my arm. “I said don’t look now.”

  Quickly, I changed my blatant perv to a casual look around the weights room, before allowing my gaze to pass by the bench press and the hot guy. Kelli was right; he was extremely hot, and was pressing what looked like the weight of a small car. His arms were enormous.

  He sat up, wiped the sweat from his brow, and ran his hand through his messy dark brown hair before his eyes rose in our direction. I drew a breath. Even from this distance I could see he had the most vivid emerald-green eyes, and they were staring directly at me. I half expected him to blank us. We were, after all, staring at him and giggling like silly schoolgirls, but he smiled an easy, sexy grin in our direction so we smiled back.

  “You should definitely talk to him,” Kelli said, nudging me. “He could be just what you need. You know, get back on the horse and all that.”

  I looked down at my mismatched socks and inside-out sweaty T-shirt. “Ah, yeah, ‘cause I’m looking so hot right now. How could he resist?” I shook my head at her. It was not going to happen.