One Weekend in Sydney (One Weekend #12)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

TARA

T wo years, countless video calls, and a million texts later, I’m finally face-to-face with my best friend again—and it’s about time. Odette beams at me from the doorway of our hotel suite at The Rocks in Sydney, where I’m crashing with her and two of her closest friends for her all-weekend bachelorette party. I am beyond excited.

“Good evening, soon-to-be Mayor Tara Davies!” says Odette in a cheekily deferential tone. She’s already in her shiny, tight-fitting dress, hair and makeup all done. “It’s so good to see you!”

I laugh as we circle our arms around each other for a tight, giddy embrace. “It’s so good to see you, too! I’m sorry my earlier flight got cancelled. I was scared you’d be gone by the time I got here.”

“Still here.” Odette leads me into the elegantly furnished living area, where two women in gorgeous outfits smile at me. “Tara, these are the girls I keep telling you about, Kelly and Anne. Girls, this is Tara. As you know, she will be the newly minted mayor of Moonstruck Cove—if all goes well.”

I raise both hands and cross my fingers.

Anne grins. “It’s great to meet you at last, Tara.”

“Yeah! We’ve heard so much about you,” says Kelly, who has generously paid for our weekend stay in this suite as her engagement present to Odette. She comes from a wealthy family and has become one of Odette’s best friends since Odette moved to Sydney four years ago.

I exchange hugs with the two women. “Thank you! It’s wonderful to meet you both. Gosh, you three look amazing!”

“We’ll help you get dolled up,” says Odette. “But let’s continue this chat on the balcony. It’s almost six. Quick!“

We follow her, and my breath hitches as I step out. Damn, this has to be one of the best hotel views ever! Across the harbour, the famous Sydney Opera House is right in front of us. We can see a good portion of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to our left, and the bustling Circular Quay wharves and train station are to our right. On the water are numerous passenger ferries and tourist boats, some speeding away and some sailing slowly.

I’ve been to this part of Sydney several times and still find it mesmerising. Tonight, the multi-art form Vivid Festival starts in a few seconds. I’m hoping to have enough time to check out several light and sound installations across the city before I go back home. I might even get festival ideas to take back with me to Moonstruck Cove. While it’s only a small country town on the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, it’s a hub for artists.

I’m one of them. I hand-make candles, but mainly as a hobby. My day job is helping in my family’s macadamia farm as well as representing the community as the youngest elected councillor in our area.

“The place is packed!” I say as I watch the throngs of people waiting for Vivid to begin from our high vantage point.

“Ten seconds!” Anne says excitedly.

I join them in counting down the time to 6 PM. “Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.”

Then my breath leaves me. Suddenly, everything seems alight with colours. The bridge glows with pink, blue, green and yellow lights, and the sails of the opera house act as projectors of beautiful, fluid patterns. I look around and find light shows dancing against the facade of buildings. It’s as if the structures around me are the canvas of artwork made of moving lights. Music filling the air adds to the awesomeness of it all.

“Wow,” I breathe. I’ve seen pictures of the Vivid Festival before, but nothing compares to seeing it in person. “I’m glad I made it up here for this.”

“So am I,” says Odette. “But we’ll need to go soon.”

“Oh, yeah.” I hurry back inside and start opening my suitcase.

“Are you looking forward to tonight?” Kelly shakes her hips, dancing in place. “We’re meeting the rest of the girls at Darling Harbour.”

“Kelly’s already jumping out of her skin,” Anne says teasingly. “She has her sights set on one of the strippers tonight. She’s the one who suggested the Wild Boys showboat so she can pick up James.”

“All the Wild Boys are hot, but James is a dream,” Kelly gushes. “You’ll know what I mean when you see him.”

A regretful sigh escapes me. “Odette hasn’t told you? I won’t be joining you on the showboat.”

“What do you mean?” Anne asks.

“It’s all Eric Hislop’s fault!” Odette spits out. “He’s the person running for mayor against Tara, and the reason she’s not coming with us tonight.” She turns to me. “Mind if I tell them the whole story?”

“Go for it,” I say with a smile. I have nothing to hide.

“Well,” Odette says with a huff. “Someone told Tara that Eric will have spies on the showboat, who plan to record her letting her hair down and going wild for strippers.”

“No way,” Kelly utters while Anne’s mouth forms an O .

“Uh-huh. He wants to show voters that Tara is not ready to become the mayor because she’s still too young and too focused on having fun. He’ll claim that she should have stayed at Moonstruck Cove to entertain would-be investors to the region at a fancy dinner tomorrow night.”

“A dinner he only told me about a couple of nights ago,” I say dryly. “He arranged it and made sure it coincides with Odette’s bachelorette weekend so that I won’t be able to make it. And , to counter my perfectly good excuse that I’m celebrating a once-in-a-lifetime event with my best friend, he’s been telling everyone that he cancelled his attendance at his cousin’s wedding in Melbourne so he can wine and dine the investors.”

Odette snickers. “We think it’s a made-up wedding just so he can make himself look like a hero.

Anne shakes her head in disbelief. “That’s very manipulative! How did you know about this?”

“A Mooner told me.” At the blank look on Kelly’s and Anne’s faces, I add, “That’s what we locals call ourselves.”

They let out a chuckle. “For a second there, I imagined a person baring his ass to you,” Anne says.

I laugh. “We’re proud of our nickname for ourselves. We’re a fun-loving lot. But I don’t find Eric’s actions funny. Thankfully, several people encouraged me not to change my plans. They can see right through him. And I also called the other councillors to make sure they knew about the dinner and encouraged them to join even if Eric hadn’t invited them.”

“Why some Mooners are willing to vote for him remains a mystery to me,” Odette muses. “He’s only lived in Moonstruck Cove for three years. And aren’t there whispers that he’s in bed with unscrupulous developers who are likely to ruin the town if they get their way?”

I smile grimly. “Well, Eric’s a liar. He categorically denies his close ties with those developers. Plus, he’s very good at spinning things. He knows that most Mooners have a soft spot for me because I’ve been active in community matters from a very young age. So, he’s telling them that there’s plenty of time for me to become a mayor after I’ve enjoyed life more. He’s basically suggesting that it’s unfair both to me and the town to put mayoral responsibilities on my shoulders at this time.”

Kelly gasps. “And he’s going to use the video of you with the strippers to prove you’re craving more fun in your life!”

I nod. “I wouldn’t even be surprised if he suggests that Moonstruck Cove is too tame for a fun-loving girl like me and that I might prefer to live in a big city like my best friend, who left our hometown for better career prospects.”

“I’ll wring his neck myself if he says anything like that!” Odette cries. “I know I haven’t lived there in four years, but I still love that place. I wish I could vote for you.”

I pat Odette’s arm. “Thanks. Fortunately, a lot of Mooners know how passionate I am about what’s best for Moonstruck Cove, and they don’t see my being only twenty-eight as a negative.”

“If you win, you won’t even be the youngest mayor in Australia,” Anne supplies. “The mayor in our district is only twenty-two.”

“Yeah, age doesn’t matter,” Odette says. “Anyway, that’s why Tara and I decided it would be best for her not to go with us to the Wild Boys showboat. We don’t want to give Eric any ammunition. He’s getting desperate because, despite his efforts, the polls are tipping Tara to win by a wide margin.”

“But you’ll be joining us for the other activities planned for the rest of the weekend, right?” asks Anne.

I nod. “Absolutely.”

“Where are you going tonight, then?” Kelly asks.

“To A Musical Night in Masquerade at Sydney Olympic Park.”

“Get out of here!” she cries. “When I heard that the Glowing Devils are part of the line-up, I immediately rushed to buy tickets in the hope that we could add the event to our weekend plans. But it was sold out by the time I checked. How did you score one?”

I grin. “As you know, the Devils grew up in Moonstruck Cove, and Theo Cresswall is still best friends with a Mooner—Gia. She learnt that I wouldn’t be joining you on the showboat, and she offered to get me a ticket through her connections. I thought, why not? It would be a new experience for me.”

“I’m so jealous! The Glowing Devils are my favourite rock band, and Theo is the hottest member.” Kelly lets out a swooning sigh. “I’m assuming they know you. Will you get to hang out with them tonight?”

“No. Gia said the Devils are on a strict schedule. They’re only showing up to perform a couple of songs, and then they’ll have to leave straight away. I did get a VIP ticket, which includes dinner. I’ll be sitting at a table with strangers, and I guess it’ll be nice to meet new people.”

“Oh, yeah, that should be fun,” Anne says. “Let’s see your outfit.”

I take out a burgundy gown with a sleeveless corset top and a flowing, floor-length skirt from my suitcase. Fortunately, the material isn’t the type to crease. It’s unseasonably warm tonight for the last day of autumn, and I’ll be fine not wearing a cardigan. “Gia lent me this and a push-up bra to go with it. Luckily, we’re the same size. And I got this mask from a local shop.” I retrieve a velvet pouch and pull out a red and black half-mask adorned with fake pearls and flowers. “I didn’t have time to find a full-faced one elsewhere.”

“I think that should be good enough to hide who you are,” Odette says. She holds up my dress. “This looks great! Put it on.”

I change in front of them, and all three help me get ready. Anne starts doing my make-up while the other two decide on a suitable hairstyle for my outfit. I’m content to just sit here and let them make me look good.

“I think you should wear your hair down,” Odette says.

Kelly agrees. “You have gorgeous, long, wavy hair. You should showcase it.”

“Okay.” As someone who hardly styles my jet-black hair, I’m happy with that decision.

Anne dabs foundation all over my face. “Are you catching the ferry to the Olympic Park?” she asks.

“No. The VIP ticket includes private transport by chartered boat. It’ll pick up city-based attendees from King Street Wharf and head straight to the Olympic Park Wharf. Then a bus will take us to the venue. The Dome, I think it’s called.”

Odette taps my shoulder. “Speaking of pick-up, maybe you can pick up tonight. Remember you said it’s about time you get laid again? She’s been single for four years,” she adds for the benefit of the other women. “There’s just not enough single guys at Moonstruck Cove for our picky friend here.”

“Tell me about it,” I say ruefully. I don’t even see myself as having a boyfriend in the foreseeable future because no one at Moonstruck Cove strikes my fancy. And casual dates with men in the region aren’t a good idea either, because in a small town like ours, everyone tends to know about everyone else’s business. As someone who aspires to be the mayor, I’m very careful about my reputation.

“Well,” Kelly says, “no one knows you here in Sydney, so tonight is the perfect time for a one-night stand—especially when A Musical Night in Masquerade is known to attract people looking to hook up.”

My brows rise. “Really? I didn’t know that. I don’t think Gia knew that, either.”

Odette chuckles. “There’s even a company that offers a guaranteed way to meet people who are into anonymous sex. They make an event of it, starting with A Musical Night in Masquerade. Then they enjoy other activities during the weekend.”

A nervous laugh escapes me. “That’s not my scene, I’m afraid.”

“It’s a membership-only group called Masks On,” informs Kelly. “The company ensures that everyone has passed health checks and that no one has a police record. They’ll be sticking to each other, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally mingling with them. I think they wear special bracelets for identification. But you can also meet someone at the masquerade party itself who won’t get insulted if you ask for your masks to be left on during sexy times. In fact, that’s the drawcard for some.”

I blink. “Wow. I bet some married cheaters would be out in force, too.”

Odette grins. “But you’re an expert in drawing the truth out of men. You’ll be able to smoke out the cheaters.”

“Really? How do you do it?” asks Anne.

I chuckle. “My method is not foolproof. I just surprise them with an unexpected question, then I try to read from their response and body language if they’re lying. For example, if someone flirts heavily with me tonight, I might flirt back and get him thinking I’m into him, too. Then, out of the blue, I’d ask something like, ‘Are you sure your wife won’t find out about us?’ A cheater is likely to get nervous and trip up because he’d immediately wonder how I knew about his wife.”

“Ooh, I like that!” Anne says.

Kelly nods. “Me, too! That’s why it’s always a good idea to have a long chat first. So, Tara, you’ll have some sexy fun tonight, right?” She winks at me.

“That’s not part of my plan,” I say with a laugh. Frankly, I won’t even know how to go about it. I haven’t dated much and have never had a one-night stand.

Odette brushes my hair. “The election is in two weeks, and everyone expects you to win. I’ll bet my bottom dollar that you’ll win again and again in subsequent elections. Before you know it, you’ll be middle-aged and have no fun memories of your younger years. Use this weekend as your own kind of bachelorette party before you dedicate yourself to your mayoral duties. And remember that there’s no one in Moonstruck Cove that you’re interested in. Unless the town suddenly has a deluge of attractive, single men, you might be in for a prolonged dry spell, which already started four years ago.”

A future full of responsibilities and never meeting The One flashes before my eyes. I push away the fear that Odette might be proven right.

But a one-night stand with a total stranger?

Excitement zings throughout my body. Being in a big city where hardly anyone knows who I am is a stark contrast to being back home, where practically everyone knows me. The opportunity to enjoy a night of passion with a stranger might never come again.

But, no. The repercussions are high even if the probability of being recognised is low. I don’t want to do anything I might regret.