A Date with Fate (11 page)

EIGHTEEN

Eve's first instinct was to stop Ryan from saying any more. The crowd had already started murmuring, looking at each other and wondering. Instinctively, she threw her head back and laughed as loudly and realistically as she could. She'd had plenty of practice at diverting attention in this way. It wasn't difficult.

“You're such a drama queen, Ryan,” she said, still laughing. “Whatever do you mean?”

“Everyone knows the construction of the shopping centre has been delayed,” Ryan said nastily. “What has Daddy been doing with everyone's money, I wonder?”

Shut up, shut up, shut up.
Eve kept her smile pinned in place as her brain clamoured for Ryan's blood.

“You don't understand a thing about business, do you Ryan?” she said in her most condescending voice. “Why would you? You don't run a multinational business like my father. You're just the kid from the café.”

“Stop being so boring, guys,” Lila complained. “Is he staying or not, Eve?”

Eve pretended to consider. “Fine,” she said, as if it didn't matter to her either way. “He can stay.” And she waved at the bouncers, who stopped and headed back the way they had come.

“Now kiss and make up, both of you,” said Lila, rolling her eyes. “This is meant to be a
party
.”

Eve didn't like the smile Ryan gave her. He knew he'd hit a nerve. As she stepped towards him for a loud air kiss, she hissed into his ear: “Keep your big mouth shut, Ryan, or the police might just find something belonging to you inexplicably lying around in the shopping centre. OK?” Then she stepped back again, her smile firmly in place. “There,” she said for Lila's benefit. “Friends. Come on Lila, I want to dance.”

Lila slipped her arm through Ryan's. “I think I'll stick with Ryan for a while if you don't mind, Eve.”

Eve felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. So much for Lila being her friend now.

“Suit yourself,” she said coldly, turning on her heel in the sand.

This is meant to be a party.
Lila's words echoed round Eve's head as she moved among her guests alone, her head held high. All of a sudden, she wasn't in the party mood.

“Want to dance, Eve?” said Ollie, jumping around the dance floor like an excitable puppy with his Hawaiian shirt flapping open to his navel.

“If I wanted to dance with a clown, I'd go to the circus,” Eve snapped. “You dance like a toddler needing the bathroom.”

“Cheers for that, Eve,” Ollie said, looking offended. “You really know how to make a guy feel good about himself.”

Eve swept on towards the marquee. Nothing ever worked out the way she wanted it to. Nothing ever went right for her. How could Lila act as if she liked Eve one minute, and then choose to hang out with someone who had said such an awful thing about Eve's father?

If it wasn't for my dad, we wouldn't even be HAVING this party
, Eve thought savagely. He didn't deserve to have people talking about him behind his back.

You're as big a fraud as your father. . .

Was Ryan right? Was her father a fraud?

Was
she
a fraud?

Fraud. . . Fraud. . .

She nearly bumped into Polly outside the marquee.

“Have you seen Ollie?” asked Polly shyly. “I've lost him.”

“You really should keep tabs on that boy,” Eve said harshly, pushing past. “He's so shallow he's probably forgotten about you already. You need to hurry up and find him again before he kisses someone else.”

Polly looked stricken. “Don't say that.”

Everywhere Eve looked, people were getting it together. Talking quietly, their heads close. Dancing with their arms round each other. Kissing. So much
kissing
. The thought of all the romance sickened her.
It was her party
. She wanted to be laughing, holding hands and kissing too. Instead here she was, alone and confused. She was
always
alone.

She stopped dead as she saw yet another couple in a tight embrace. Caitlin's dark head, Jessica's fair one. Jessica's pink hat had fallen off and was lying on the sand at their feet. Eve stared at them in their private bubble of romance, and bit her lip so hard she could taste blood. They made it seem so simple. As if it was nothing at all. She felt more alone than ever.

Tearing her eyes away, she hurried on across the sand. She was climbing on the rocks now, heading for higher ground, away from the crashing surf and the lazy boom of the music. How was she ever going to feel happy again?

A lone figure sat a short distance ahead of her, his long legs folded underneath him, his straw hat pushed to the back of his head and a sketch pad on his lap. Eve felt a rush of hope.

“Hey stranger,” she said, sitting down beside him. “Not dancing?”

Josh added some cross-hatching to his lively rendition of the party down below their feet. “I dance like a giraffe on roller skates,” he said. “Dangerously. It's better for all concerned if I stay right here.”

“The music sounds gorgeous,” Eve said as the steel band echoed on the wind. “Like a Caribbean dream. How would you draw music?”

Josh thought about the question. “Probably as badly as I dance,” he said at last.

“Parties aren't really your thing, are they?” Eve asked, looking at him sympathetically.

He looked a little embarrassed. “Honestly? No. But I'm very grateful that you invited me.”

Eve nudged him with her arm. “Of course I invited you,” she said with a laugh. “I like you, Josh. Don't you get it? I really, really do.”

And before she lost her nerve, she removed Josh's hat, put her arms round his neck and kissed him.

NINETEEN

Eve felt Josh freeze. He tentatively returned her kiss, but pulled back almost at once.

“Sorry,” he said, flushing bright red. “You kind of took me by surprise.”

Eve wanted to die a thousand deaths of humiliation. “It's fine,” she said, forcing a laugh. “I just thought I'd give it a try.”

“I really am sorry, Eve,” he stuttered. “I like you a lot, but . . . just not in that way.”

Eve refused to let herself cry. Her mascara could not take much more punishment. “Honestly, Josh, it's fine,” she repeated. “It's good for me to know that I'm not entirely irresistible.”

She sounded wooden and pathetic. But “you were my last hope” would have sounded a lot worse, she knew.

“That was probably the worst kiss you've ever had,” Josh groaned. “I haven't had much practice, you see. Beautiful girls don't jump on me very often. I'm basically an idiot in that department.”

Eve found that she was already feeling a bit better. “A very talented idiot,” she pointed out.

“Just not at kissing,” said Josh gloomily.

“I'm sure you'll be just fine when you find someone that fits.”

Eve realized with a little stab of shock that she was echoing Caitlin's words from earlier. She recalled Caitlin's other words from weeks ago, about romance coming and going but friendship remaining. Maybe what she needed right now was a friend.

“You really are beautiful, Eve,” said Josh helplessly. “And kind when you want to be. And funny. And you give great parties.”

“Parties you don't enjoy,” Eve pointed out.

“Parties that are great to draw,” Josh corrected, blushing again. “And you are an awesome business partner. Seriously, I'll be your business partner any time you want. I like being with you, even though you ask weird questions about flowers when I'm trying to sketch. It's just—”

“It really is OK, Josh.” Eve found that she meant it this time. “I can do friends if you can.”

Josh beamed with relief. “I'd love that,” he said gratefully.

They sat together in the moonlight for a while, and Eve did her best not to interrupt as Josh shaded in the stripes on the marquee. She found that she was feeling more relaxed than she had all evening.

“Enough,” said Josh, folding up his sketch pad. “Do you want to do something else?”

The whole island was on a slope, cliffs at the back and a flat shoreline at the front. Guitar music and laughter were drifting down to Eve from above where she and Josh were sitting, mingling with the mellow tones of the steel band below on the beach. It sounded as if a few guests had split from the main party and were making their own entertainment on the highest point of the island.

“Let's go and see what's happening higher up,” Eve suggested.

It was a steep climb. Eve kicked off her jewelled flip-flops and hitched up her dress, grabbing Josh's hand for the steeper parts. The music grew louder and more rhythmic the closer they got to the top.

“Hi, guys!” said Rhi in delight as Eve and Josh scrambled on to the wide, flat plateau at the very top of the island. She laid aside the guitar she was holding.

“Eve was missing me,” said Max, grinning beside Rhi in the firelight. “Weren't you?”

“In your dreams, Max,” Eve responded. She took in the quiet groups of people perched on the rocks around a flickering camp fire someone had built. “Josh and I thought we'd check out the music up here.”

“Be our guests,” said Brody Baxter, a tall blond guy who played guitar and sang at the Heartbeat on weekends. He took up the guitar and started strumming it, singing softly. His voice was warm and mellow and echoed off the rocks.

It's beautiful up here
, Eve thought, gazing out at the great glittering moonlit sea far below.
So peaceful.
All her troubles seemed a world away. Up here it didn't matter if you were fat or thin, gay or straight, ugly or beautiful, rich or poor. All that mattered was the flickering flames and Brody's voice pouring through the air like cream.

Brody switched to a faster song next, tapping his fingers against the body of his guitar. The sound bounced and echoed around the rocks. Eve found herself starting to sway to the hypnotic rhythm. The crowd clapped and urged Brody on.

“It's a really great party, Eve,” said Rhi behind her.

Eve looked round and smiled. “I'm glad you're enjoying it.”

Rhi waved down to where the flares glowed along the beach like fireflies. “Looks like we'll have more company in a minute.”

Eve saw a stream of people moving away from the beach up the slope towards them, scrambling over the same rocks she and Josh had just climbed, drawn like moths to Brody's singing.

“Dance?” offered Josh, startling her. “I'll try not to kick you off the cliff by mistake.”

There was a cliff edge not far from where they were standing, the rocks falling away in a sheer drop fifty feet or more to the sea below. “Fine,” Eve laughed. “But we're dancing on the other side of the fire.”

Josh wasn't kidding; he was a terrible dancer. But Eve found that she was enjoying herself regardless, twirling around him to a Brody Baxter favourite,
Fast Lane Freak
. Other people joined in, whooping and stamping their feet on the rocky ground.

“We should do this more often, party queen,” said Max, snaking his arm around Eve's waist and kissing her on the neck.

Eve pushed him away. “Stick to your girlfriend, Max Holmes,” she teased, and whirled away under Josh's flailing arms.

“What are you lame dudes doing up here?”

Ryan had appeared, the usual smirk on his face and his arm around Lila's waist. Eve thought Lila was looking a little bored. Her good mood evaporated.

Why doesn't Ryan just leave?
she thought in irritation.
Everyone's tired of him already.

“Dancing,” said Brody Baxter mildly. “Singing. Chilling.”

Ryan strutted around the fire, poking at the flames with the tips of his trainers. “It's kind of early for chilling, don't you think?”

“Let's go back down to the beach, Ryan,” said Lila, giving his arm a tug.

Ryan laughed and glanced at the edge of the cliff. “We should do something really wild. Like cliff jumping or something. The uni kids are always doing it.”

Eve found herself disliking Ryan even more than she thought possible. “Absolutely not,” she said icily. “It's dark – you can't see what's down there. Only someone completely insane would do it, Ryan.”

It was the wrong thing to say. Ryan's eyes gleamed in challenge.

“So I'll be the first then, shall I?” he said. “Anyone want to join me?”

“We're just relaxing up here, mate,” said Max uneasily.

“Chicken?” said Ryan with a sneer.

“No one's a chicken,” said Max, colouring. “We're just having a good time, OK? What's wrong with that?”

“You guys wouldn't know a good time if it bit you on the backsides,” said Ryan.

He walked around the fire and peered over the edge of the cliff. Someone gave a little shriek. Eve felt her blood turn to ice as Ryan paced back five steps.

“No,” said Josh, starting forward.

Ryan puffed out his chest and winked at his breathless audience. “See you at the bottom, losers,” he quipped, blowing a kiss in Lila's direction. “Let it never be forgotten that Ryan Jameson is a legend.”

Lila screamed as Ryan broke into a run, jumping away from the cliff edge and into the darkness. His shriek of defiance faded into the night as he fell towards the sea.

“WHOOO!”

TWENTY

Eve rushed to the edge of the cliff, dimly aware that Lila was still screaming. The moonlit sea lapped peacefully at the base of the cliff, fifty feet down. Apart from a few spreading ripples in the water, there was no sign of Ryan.

“Oh my God,” said Rhi hysterically. “Is he OK?”

“He's not coming up,” said Eve. She could hear her voice trembling.

The music had stopped. All anyone could hear now was the crackling of the campfire. Even the steel band down on the beach had quietened to nothing, as if the musicians sensed that something had just gone horribly wrong.

“He's not coming up,” Eve repeated, her voice higher. “He—”

Something appeared in the water far below. A body, bobbing on top of the waves. Ryan lay face down in the sea, unmoving.

Rhi burst into terrified tears and flung her arms around Brody Baxter's neck. More people started screaming. Josh started ripping off his clothes.

“I have to go down there,” he said.

“You can't be serious,” said Max in astonishment.

“What else do you suggest?” Josh shouted. “He's face down in the water! If the fall didn't kill him, the sea will!”

Eve couldn't tear her eyes from Ryan's body. The way his hair drifted on the water like seaweed.

Josh folded up his glasses and laid them on top of his shirt and trousers. Then he started climbing gingerly down the cliff, holding on to the rocks, stretching with his legs to find footholds with his toes. About five metres down, he stopped.

“I have to jump the rest,” he said grimly.

“Be careful!” Eve called in agony.

Josh looked up, his face and long frame ghostly in the moonlight. “It's fine from here, I know the safest place to jump.”

There was a splash. Josh bobbed up almost immediately and struck out towards Ryan, turning him over. Eve could see the way the gash in Ryan's forehead shone black against his pale face. His eyes were closed.

There was a moment of stillness. Eve was aware of everyone clustered around her now, right on the edge of the cliffs, as Josh gave a hopeless cry that echoed around the rocks.

“Ryan.
Ryan!
”

Ryan was dead.

 

Lights flashed on the top of the police boat, round and round in a haze of blue. Paramedics moved quietly, with none of the urgency Eve had come to expect from watching hospital dramas on TV. There was no rush. No one to save. Just a boy's body to carry away.

There were people all around Eve, talking quietly and holding each other. Eve was numb to everything but the crashing pain in her head and her heart. The flares on the beach had guttered and died; the unattended fire pit glowed and the charred remains of the barbecue scented the air with grease and charcoal.

This must be what hell feels like
, she thought.

Ryan hadn't been so different to her. He had wanted attention. Friends. That was all. And they had pushed him away at every turn, laughed at him and teased him. Shouted at him. Called him stupid and insane. They had as good as pushed him off that cliff themselves.

Dimly she heard her mother in her head.

You're the hostess, darling. It's your job to look after your guests.

There was nothing she could do for Ryan. But perhaps she could help someone else.

Eve stood up slowly, brushing the sand from her dress. Every person she saw was crying. Some were alone. Some were in huddles. She walked up to the solitary grievers, hugging them, talking to them and listening to them cry.

“You'll be going home soon,” she said mechanically, over and over again. “You'll feel better in the morning.”

Rhi stood at the water's edge, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, gazing out over the sea towards the lights of Heartside Bay.

“How are you doing?” said Eve, slipping her arm around Rhi's waist.

Rhi shook her head. “Not great. I keep thinking about Ruth. And then I feel guilty. It was Ryan who died here tonight, not my sister.”

“You're bound to think of Ruth,” said Eve. “She was the last person that you lost. Something like this . . . it will bring it all back.”

“It's the flashing blue lights,” Rhi said flatly. “I keep seeing the police officers on our doorstep, telling us about the car crash.” She turned with a sob, burying her head in Eve's shoulder. “Why do people have to die young? Poor Ryan, Eve. He didn't deserve to die.”

“No one deserves to die young,” Eve said, holding her tightly. “But life doesn't seem to care, does it?”

A little further down the beach Eve saw Josh with his arms tenderly around Lila, stroking her hair as she wept. Eve hadn't cried yet. She was determined to save it for the privacy of her bedroom tonight, when she didn't have to be strong any more.

There was the sound of an approaching motor boat. Eve recalled with a shudder how Ryan had arrived in a similar style. A short time ago Ryan had been alive, and now he was dead. It was almost impossible to process something so enormous.

The motor boat moored at the jetty and a familiar figure jumped out.

“Daddy!” Overwhelmed with relief, Eve stumbled into her father's embrace.

“Are you all right? Are you hurt?” her father said urgently. “I came the moment I heard the news. Oh princess, I was so worried. . .”

The smell of her father's overcoat against Eve's cheek was strong and reassuring. He was here now and nothing could hurt her. Everything would be OK.

“I need a word with Eve, Henry.”

Chief Greg Murray, head of the Heartside police force, was jogging towards them from the police boat.

“It wasn't my fault!” Eve said, stricken.
But it was
, hissed her inner voice.
It was all your fault.

“Not now, Greg,” said Eve's father. “Can't you see how upset she is?”

“I'm sorry, Henry, but it has to be done,” said Chief Murray. He glanced towards Lila, still standing with her arms around Josh by the water's edge. “I have a daughter here as well – I know how you feel. But Ryan Jameson also has parents. The sooner we ask our questions, the sooner all this will be over. We need to investigate Ryan's death before these youngsters forget what happened.”

I'll never forget what happened,
Eve thought, feeling the horror of the moment Ryan jumped all over again.

She felt her father steering her firmly away from the beach, towards the glossy little motor boat idling at the jetty. “If you want to speak to my daughter,” he snapped at the Chief of Police, “then you'll have to call her lawyer. She needs to go home at once.”

Eve suddenly felt as weak as a paper doll. Her knees had started shaking badly. Delayed shock, she guessed.

“Have it your way, Henry,” Chief Murray called after them. “But your refusal to help with our enquiries might end up counting against you.”

“I'll live with that,” Eve's dad snapped back. He turned back to Eve, his voice gentle again. “It's OK, Evie, we're nearly at the boat. You poor love, you look done in. Everything's going to be fine. I'll sort all of this out for you. You don't have to worry about a thing.”

The little boat coasted away from the jetty as her dad took the helm, steering fast and sure towards the lights of the town. Resting against the soft leather seats, Eve buried her face in her hands and burst into tears. She sobbed until her throat felt raw.

Ryan was gone for ever. And there was nothing anyone could do about it.