True North

Chapter two

He lifted a cream coloured biscuit to his lips. "Wow. These are great."

"They're about 50% butter," I explained. "The other 50% is sugar."

"I used to love these as a kid."

"You remember your childhood?" I sat opposite him, studying this odd man. I would have given anything to forget my childhood. Perhaps his curse was a blessing too.

He shrugged. "I remember some things. I know that I grew up in Melbourne, but I couldn't tell you where. I prefer blondes over brunettes. And I like to laugh; I've seen every Jim Carey film known to man. I swear, I could recite Ace Ventura 2 line for line, but I can't tell you my home address."

"Alrighty then," I quipped.

He grinned. "You do have a sense of humour."

The comment stung, like a tiny split in my skin. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Nothing, I'm sorry," he waved me down, face stricken. "I just... Dr Mike and Marie talked about you, and I think... they just don't understand you, that's all."

"They think I'm a robot, right?" I pushed away from the table and reached for the dish cloth, rubbing at a splodge on the side of the fridge. "Because I don't giggle or gossip or drop babies like every other young woman in town." I loved Marysville, and the town had sheltered me, but there was always a wall of misunderstanding between us. How could I ever explain who I was and what I was hiding from without destroying the life I'd found there?

"Hey, it's okay." North walked over and placed his ham-sized hand on my shoulder. "So, you're not a smiley person. I am." He beamed at me in proof. "I'll do the smiling for both of us."

His fingers burned though my light shirt, searing my skin, the nerve endings singing happily. For a moment, I almost let myself enjoy the feeling, wanting nothing more than to lean back into his arms.

Voices from down the hall shook me out of the melting moment. I pulled away. "Don't worry about doing anything for me," I said. "My life is just fine."

"Oh, yes," said Mrs Waters, entering the room. "Just fine. The racy lingerie at the bottom of my drawer gets out more than you do, Emily. North, it's good to see you." She wrapped the slender man in a cuddle, her voluptuous curves balancing out his painful thinness.

"Thanks again, Mrs W. You're a life saver. And, might I add, beautiful women like yourself should wear lingerie as often as possible." He bantered easily with her, obviously comfortable around people.

"Oh! Be off with you, young man." She batted him on the arm, clearly delighted. "Now, North, I've set you up in the Blue room, and I don't want you to do anything but rest for a few days. Will you join us for dinner?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?"

Mrs Waters eyed me superciliously. "Not everyone feels the needs to grace the table with their presence."

"And I'm out." I stalked from the kitchen, leaving my new housemate to flirt with our elderly saviour.

I really did love Mrs Waters, and I knew my absence at dinner was a sore spot with her. I normally followed every one of her small requests, but sharing meals with loved-up couples who might recognise me at any moment? That wasn't a possibility.

I retreated to my room to read for a few hours before dinner, knowing that books were the only place I could truly escape my twisted thoughts and snarled past.

***

The after-party is buzzing. The record label has hired the top floor of the Eureka tower, and the sprawling, luxurious penthouse is crammed full of beautiful people. Everywhere I look, there are soap stars flirting with recording executives, rock legends leering over debutants, reporters fishing for gossip.