We spend the next few hours playing with the food laid in front of us. Dom and I try lots of combinations, with eye-opening results. His combinations are interesting but safe. I listen to the chef and throw the rule book out. The chef’s assistant is incredible at making notes of the combinations that work, ingredients we like, recipes never to be attempted ever again and the winning dishes of the night, which the chef playfully promises to steal for his own use. When Dom and I can’t fit any more food in, we realise that we’ve barely made our way through half the choices presented before us. The second bottle of champagne certainly hasn’t helped. I can barely move when we have to change location so the crew can clear up. We make our way slowly to sit by the stern, with blankets to keep us warm.
‘You know, if I had the choice, I would have been an astronomer,’ Dominic says, breaking the silent joy I was indulging in and moving closer.
‘See that?’ My eyes follow his middle and index finger pressed together into the sky.
‘There’s the Crab – the Cancer constellation – it has a particularly unusual star cluster. And right next to it is Leo. The Lion.’ I follow his fingers, entranced. ‘Above that is the celestial star – you know, the one that guided Mary and Joseph? Whenever that’s above Leo, like it is tonight, it’s called the Ariella cluster, which, as you should know, means the Lion of God.’
‘Wow. That’s incredible, Dom. And it’s up there tonight?’
‘Yes,’ he whispers in my ear, so gently it makes me shiver. ‘There’s more. There’s a line that you may not be able to see in this light, that links the Ariella cluster to the Crab. That line is known as the Bollinger, scallop and chilli dumpling tummy.’
‘Wait. What?’
Dominic bursts out laughing so loudly that a member of the crew appears to check that everything is okay. I wait for them to leave before I smack his arm.
‘Ow!’
‘You had me! I actually believed all that nonsense! Do you know anything about astronomy?’
‘There’s a sky, there are a whole bunch of things burning in it that we call stars…that’s about it.’
‘You were so convincing!’ I laugh, turning to face him.
‘I can be.’
Dominic’s palm comes up to cup my face and he runs his thumb lightly across my lips. He moves even closer. I’m partly to blame for this. I’m here because I didn’t want to lose him as my friend. Part of me knew backing off was going to be a challenge for him.
‘Dom, please, stop. I really want to work things out with Caleb. I’m sorry.’
Dominic sighs, resigned, as he drops his hand. ‘Let’s get you home. Stay here. I’ll be on the bow. It’s better for both of us that way.’
It’s not until I watch him disappear from view that I let myself cry.
We’re silent in the back of his car all the way home. Just before we turn in to my driveway, he strokes the back of my hand with his finger.
‘I can be aggressively competitive, Aari, and I know that isn’t easy to handle. I felt it tonight. I’m going to stick around and I will always be there when you need me, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to spend time alone any more.’
‘At least Samir will be pleased.’ Even I hear the sadness in my voice. I hate that being attracted to each other has engulfed our friendship. Dominic is an awesome person to spend time with. I have also valued his guidance and mentorship at work, because he is such an inspiring collaborator. But then there’s?—
‘And Caleb,’ he adds.
I nod. There’s nothing more to say. I exit the car relieved. Dominic can no longer occupy the role of friend. He can now only ever be my boss. I will miss him but I just have to get comfortable with the sacrifices that come with keeping my heart where it belongs.
TWELVE
CALEB
I’m not looking forward to this wedding at all, but thankfully it’s the last uncomfortable thing Ariella and I have to do before we can leave Melissa in the past for good. We haven’t talked much since she went out with Dominic and unusually, absolutely no evidence that it happened showed up online. It made me yearn for the days they were plastered together everywhere, because then at least I knew what was going on.
It doesn’t help that Samir has me in front of clients most nights, setting up the deals for me to close. Between that, mentoring the two new sales guys I hired and pinching Bree from the project team to join sales, work has been relentless. Ariella has spent most of the time buried in the back corner of the office, working hard and late to deliver the new projects we have coming in. She has been so busy, she hasn’t managed to spend much time with?—
‘What are you roaming around with a face like a slapped arse for?’ Lara asks, lifting her head from my laptop. She has been staying here since she arrived a couple of weeks ago. She refuses to move in with Ariella because of one obvious reason called Honey. Not that she’s admitting it. ‘You’ve got the afternoon off from your paying job, Ariella can’t escape you for the nextfew days and you somehow haven’t been arrested for Melissa’s crimes. Not yet anyway.’
‘Have you packed? Honey and Aari will be here soon.’
‘Yup, and I have my elevator pitch ready. I can’t wait. Someone at the wedding is bound to give me a job.’
‘Feel free to unleash your full “Lara” on Dominic while you’re at it.’
