Authors: Michelle Love
‘Are you okay?’
Cosima had been quiet since Arlo had arrived, preparing the food for the meal. She smiled and nodded. ‘Of course, sorry, I’m just trying to remember this recipe.’
Arlo was satisfied with this. On her kitchen counters, there was an
array
of colorful vegetables and a scent of jasmine rice hung in the air. ‘Can I help?’
Cosima grinned. ‘How do you feel about preparing the garlic? You can use the
press,
so you don’t have to touch it.’
‘No worries.’
She watched as he expertly peeled the garlic bulb then squeezed them through the press, mixing them into a paste. ‘Want me to add the spices to this?’
Cosima’s eyebrows shot up. ‘You can cook? Why,
Mr.
Forrester, you are a dark horse. Yes, please.’
Together they constructed the curry, Arlo frying off the spice paste with onions, Cosima preparing the chicken and vegetables. They moved in tandem, working together on the meal as easily as they did working on the hotel.
Arlo grinned at her as the curry bubbled gently on the stove. ‘Our first home-made meal together.’
She nodded. ‘You’re a great sous-chef.’
‘Why, thank you. Can’t wait until we can do this in our
own
home.’ He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her. She tasted of coriander and cumin. ‘God, I love you. You and your curry.’
She grinned. ‘You haven’t tasted it
yet,
and I warn you, Harpa is a much, much better cook.’
‘When am I going to meet this master chef?’ He took the wine bottle she offered him and opened it.
Cosima considered. ‘Soon, I hope. Maybe, after everything’s cleared with Jack.’
‘Hmm. Not sure I like the idea of my relationship having to be approved by ‘Jack’ but as long as you’re safe, I’ll live with it.’
The doorbell rang. ‘Speak of the devil.’ She went to the door and greeted Jack. Arlo wiped his hands on a dishcloth and shook the man’s hand. The two men sized each other up.
‘So, Arlo Forrester, meet Jack Hampton. You’re both rich and cute. The End.’
They burst out laughing as Cosima deflected the awkwardness. She ushered them into the kitchen. ‘Supper’s nearly ready. It’s curry again,’ she said, apologetically, to Jack. ‘We always seem to feed you the same thing, I’m sorry.’
‘Hey, don’t apologize; I live for your curries. So, let’s get the awkward stuff out of the way. Arlo, when Cosima called and told me that she was in a new relationship, I did what I had to do in that situation and checked you out. Sorry for the intrusion but I’m sure, in the circumstances, you understand.’
‘I do, and it’s no problem. I have nothing to hide.’
Jack smiled. ‘Indeed you don’t – at least not you, yourself. I do have a couple of questions, no biggie, but I’d appreciate if you would answer them.’ He took out his notepad.
Arlo nodded, seeing Cosima glance at him nervously. He put his hand over hers. ‘Like I said, nothing’s too much trouble if it helps protect Cos.’
Jack nodded. ‘Good.’ He shot a look at Cosima, and Arlo saw his face soften. ‘Don’t worry, Cosima, it’s just the finer details. Arlo, you were in a relationship previously, yes?’
Arlo
nodded,
and Cosima sighed. ‘The delectable Sabine,’ she said, rolling her eyes. Jack looked surprised.
‘You’ve met her?’
‘All of her,’ Cosima said with meaning then grinned at Arlo. He winked at her, glad she could look back on that awful evening with humor.
‘Sabine was still married when you began seeing each other?’
Arlo nodded. ‘Yes, but she was separated. I never knew her husband.’
Jack looked at his notes. ‘Her husband was Sanjit Khan, a wealthy businessman from Mumbai.’
Arlo shrugged. ‘Honestly, she rarely mentioned him, and his name passed
me by
. I got the impression it wasn’t a happy union.’
‘Did you know he was Sabine’s third husband?’
Arlo was shocked. ‘No. I had no idea.’
Jack nodded. ‘The reason I ask is this: Khan has some links – albeit not directly – to the group who overthrew Cosima and Harpa’s grandfather. Now, we don’t think it’s an issue, but you never know. If it seems like I ask inappropriate questions, please know, it’s only to protect Cos and Harpa.’
Arlo nodded but something was bugging him about the man’s attitude. He couldn’t figure out
what,
though, so he pushed it to the back of his mind. ‘Did you have any more questions?’
Jack looked through his notebook. ‘Your cousin, Hunter? He did some time for arson?’
Arlo’s face shut down. ‘He was a
kid,
and he was messed up. He got clean and is now a stand-up guy. How did you find out about that? He’s over twenty-four; those records should have
been expunged
by now.’
Jack gave him a wintry smile. ‘There is no information we can’t find out,
Mr.
Forrester.’
Cosima, sensing the tension between the two men, cleared her throat and smiled at them both. ‘Food’s
ready
if you’ve finished.’
Jack smiled at her. ‘Of course, I’m sorry. To both of you, it’s never a pleasure to
be questioned
.’
Arlo helped Cosima bring the food to the
table,
and they ate, chatting casually. Jack told them the arrangements he was making so Harpa could move to Seattle for catering college.
‘It’s going to be weird, not living with Harpa,’ Cosima said, a tiny quiver in her voice. ‘I can’t remember a time…anyway. It’ll be a new thing for both of us.’
‘At least she’ll have Deacon, so you know she won’t be alone.’ Jack tucked into the curry with enthusiasm. Arlo noticed Cosima had stopped eating.
‘Deacon…is going with Harpa?’
Jack looked up. ‘You didn’t know?’
Cosima shook her head and looked down at her food. She seemed to be struggling with something but then she shrugged. ‘I guess, if that what she wants, it’s okay.’
Jack patted her hand. ‘He checks out, Cos. He’s cleared.’
She nodded then looked at Arlo. He gave her a
smile,
and she nodded. ‘Yeah. I want her to be happy and if he makes her happy
…then
I guess I’m okay with that.’
‘Good. Now, why don’t you tell me some more about this hotel you’re renovating?’
Later, when Jack had gone, Arlo cleared the dishes, insisting on Cosima taking it easy. She sat in a kitchen chair, sipping the remains of her wine, deep in thought. Arlo loaded the dishwasher and switched it on. As he wiped down the kitchen surfaces, h
e kept glancing at her. ‘It
really
bothers you about Deacon, doesn’t it?’
Cosima gave him a sheepish smile. ‘It does and it shouldn’t, I know. Deacon hadn’t done anything but…did you ever just get a gut instinct about someone? That’s something was off?’
Arlo wiped his hands and sat down. ‘Funny you should say that.’
Cosima looked confused. ‘Huh?’
Arlo smiled and touched her face. ‘You
really
don’t know, do you?’
‘Know what?’
‘Jack Hampton.’
She shook her head, bemused. ‘What about him?’
Arlo picked her hand up and kissed her fingers. ‘Cosima, darling, that man is in love with you.’
They’d followed the blonde after she spoke to Cosima on the street and now he as sitting beside her in her hotel bar. He ordered a scotch then sat sipping, waiting. He knew women like
her,
and he knew that sooner or later, she would check him out, see the wealth radiating off of him, and move in for the kill. He’d fuck her, lead her on, pump her for information, and use her. When she became a problem, he’d deal with that too.
It took less than an
hour,
and he was in her room, stripping her as she told him she didn’t kiss. She’d do anything else but not kiss. He smiled and agreed; neither did he, he told her. She had a spectacular body, tall, lean; her tits were small but perky. She sucked his cock until he thought he might explode then he fucked her hard
in
the bed, on the floor, against the wall.
When she was asleep, he went through her bag, finding any information he could. Her name, her California driving
license
. He texted the information to his associate who came to him quickly:
She’s Arlo Forrester’s ex-girlfriend, Sabine Karlsson.
He smiled. So that was it –
she
was checking out the opposition. Arlo Forrester was fucking
Cosima,
and this woman wasn’t happy about it. He was starting to change his mind about the blonde in his bed. She might prove useful – and maybe she would even want what he wanted so badly
…
…for Cosima Malhotra Bedi, the beautiful, sweet lover of Arlo Forrester, to
die...
End of Part One
We have to talk.
In Harper Bedi’s experience, those words were never followed by good news. Which is why she was sitting in a coffee shop waiting for her boyfriend of four months, Deacon McCoy, feeling sick to her stomach. He’d been radio-silent for a few days then this morning, the text message.
Can you meet me at Lou’s,
11 a.m.
? We have to talk.
Her heart was thumping
unpleasantly,
and her palms were damp. Inside, she knew what was about to happen - Deacon was breaking up with her. Fuck – why now?
She’d only just talked Cosima around on Deacon coming to Seattle with her; her older sister, blissfully in love with Arlo Forrester, had never liked Deacon but last night, they sat up and talked for hours about how Harpa felt about the man – boy, really, at least emotionally. Cosima had finally told her that as long as Harpa was happy, she’d accept it.
Harpa had woken up so happy, so optimistic that she’d tried to call Deacon right away – only for the call to go to voicemail…again. His text message came about five minutes later. We have to talk.
Harpa looked up as the door opened and Deacon, his face blank of expression walked in. He nodded at her then indicated he would grab a coffee before joining her. While she waited, Harpa felt awkward, embarrassed – even tearful. Do not cry; do not give him the satisfaction.
Deacon sat down, a steaming mug of coffee in front of him. Harpa tried to smile. ‘
Hi,
babe...I missed you these last days.’
He looked away from her gaze and now fear began to make her
heart
beat faster. ‘What is it, Deacon? What’s the matter?’
He looked back at her, his eyes cold. ‘I don’t want this anymore.’
She was confused. ‘What? The coffee? Okay then, we’ll go someplace else, I…’ her voice trailed off as she saw his jaw clench.
‘Not the coffee. Us. You and me. I don’t want this anymore.’
Even though she had been expecting it, all the breath was pushed from her lungs, his words a sucker punch to her gut. She started to tremble, grabbed the soda in both hands.
‘I don’t understand,’ she tried to speak steadily, ‘what’s changed?’ She wanted to scream, to sob, to beg but she kept it all inside. Deacon was silent, just watching her reaction. For a moment they sat in silence.
Finally,
she exploded.
‘Say something! I don’t understand what you’re talking about, I thought we were…’
‘I can’t do it. I can’t move to Seattle with you, I…’
Harpa’s face was wet with
tears,
but she stared at him coldly. ‘What? What is it? Are you fucking someone else?’
‘No. Not anymore.’
Wrecking ball to the chest. ‘Not…’anymore’? You’ve been cheating on me?’
Deacon nodded. ‘And for that I’m sorry. Truly.’
Harpa was silent for a moment. ‘I forgive you. Every relationship goes through things like this….we can make it work, Deacon, please.’
‘No, we can’t.’
‘Why not?’
‘Harpa…’
‘Just tell me!’ She was trembling now. ‘Just tell me why.’
There was a long silence then Deacon sighed, looked her straight in the eye and told her simply. ‘I don’t love you anymore.’
His words, spoken softly, calmly, felt like a death to her. She stared at him for a moment then got up and stumbled out of the coffeehouse, oblivious to the stares of the other customers. Tears were pouring down her face, her breath coming in short, painful gasps. She staggered to the edge of the sidewalk and threw up. At any moment, she expected to feel his hand on her back, comforting, helping. It never came.