Chapter 4
Chapter Four
TARA
I get to Wharf 2, and my heart starts beating faster. It’s empty. Where’s the boat? And where are the other VIP ticket holders?
I fish my phone out of my shoulder bag. Did I get the wharf number wrong? I double-check the digital ticket.
Damn it! The boat left at six-thirty—fifteen minutes ago. I thought it was due to leave at seven, the same as the Wild Boys showboat. How on earth did I make that mistake?
I’m super annoyed, but I force myself to calm down. It’s not the end of the world. I could walk up to the wharf at Barangaroo and take the public ferry to the Sydney Olympic Park Wharf. Then, I could get an Uber for the ten-minute drive to the venue. Luckily, the event doesn’t start until eight.
Or would it be better to catch an Uber from here, considering my outfit?
Nah. The traffic will be horrendous, especially on a Friday night.
I guess I could still join the girls at the Wild Boys showboat…
I shake my head. No. It’s not an option if I want to keep Eric out of the mayoral seat. That man can’t be trusted with the future of our region. Unfortunately, I’m the only one running against him.
Plus, who knows? Mason might be working on the showboat, too. That reason alone is enough for me to cross off that option.
Letting out a heavy breath, I decide to catch the ferry. But first, I go into the nearby pub to use the bathroom. Wow, everywhere is so crowded tonight that even the queue for the toilets is extra long! I need to pee, so I wait in line.
“That’s a beautiful dress,” a woman behind me says.
I turn and find her smiling at me. “Thank you!” I answer.
“Which party are you going to? Lots are going on tonight.”
“I’m going to A Musical Night in Masquerade at Olympic Park.”
“Oh, that’s great! I went to it two years ago. It was so much fun! I haven’t been lucky enough to get tickets after that. They go so quickly.” She snaps her fingers.
“Can’t wait. It’ll be my first time, and I’m not entirely sure what to expect,” I say conversationally.
“Do you have a VIP ticket?”
“Yes.”
She checks her watch. “Then make sure you get to the dining area in one of the exhibition halls before eight. They serve dinner right on time so that everyone is finished eating when the musical acts start playing at the Dome.”
“Okay, that’s good to know. And it’s standing room only at the Dome, I was told.”
“Uh-huh. Everyone dances and sings along. But you can always go back to the dining area for a bit of a break. That’s what my husband and I did.” She lifts her hand to my face and shows me the wedding and engagement rings on her finger. “I met him there.”
My eyes grow round. “At the masquerade?”
She nods, grinning. “We sat next to each other at dinner. We danced to a couple of songs and then just chatted for the rest of the night. We got to know each other before knowing what the other looked like.”
“Wow!” Imagine that! What if I meet my happily-ever-after guy there, too?
Ha! In my dreams. A one-night stand is my best bet this weekend, and I doubt I’d even be doing that.
I talk some more to the friendly woman as our turn for the toilets slowly gets closer. Soon, we get to pee and say goodbye to each other.
As I leave the pub, I pull out my phone and check the Sydney public transport app to check the ferry times. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” I say under my breath. A ferry is leaving for Sydney Olympic Park in a minute. I’m not gonna make that. And the next one is not due for another hour and fifteen minutes because the one scheduled before it is cancelled. Damn it!
I guess I’ll have to eat something around here before I catch the next ferry because there’s no way I’ll get to the venue in time for dinner. How disappointing!
I check out the restaurants nearby and stop in my tracks as I pass by Wharf 5, where a smaller boat is docked. The people onboard are all in costume and wearing masks!
I pull out my mask from my bag and hurriedly put it on. Then, I approach the person checking the tickets. “Excuse me,” I say to the middle-aged attendant in a white collared shirt and black trousers. “Is this boat going to A Musical Night in Masquerade?”
“No.”
My face falls. “Oh.”
“The people on this boat are going to the masquerade. But the boat isn’t.” He chuckles.
I laugh with him. “Of course. I missed my boat that had already left from Wharf 2. Is there a way I can get on this one? I’m happy to buy a ticket.”
“Sorry. Tickets were sold out weeks ago. You can catch the ferry. It leaves from Barangaroo Wharf.” He points in the general direction.
“I know. I was just hoping I could catch this one. The next ferry doesn’t leave for another hour and fifteen because there’s been a cancellation.”
“I’m afraid I can’t?—”
An angry voice near us makes us whip our heads.
“You’re a fucking pain in my ass!” yells a man as he towers over his female companion. Then, he takes a swig from the bottle of beer in his hand.
“You promised not to get drunk tonight!” the woman shouts back.
“I’m just trying to fucking have fun! Which is always fucking impossible when I’m with you!”
As one, the attendant and I move towards the couple. But another man in a slim-fit, long-sleeved black shirt and black trousers is already rushing to them, his long black cape fluttering in the breeze. And, oh my, his black face mask, the upper half decorated in what seems like gold patterns, makes him look formidable.
“What’s going on here?” Caped Guy demands, pulling the drunk idiot away from his companion.
“None of your fucking business,” Drunk Idiot hissed. “Who the fuck are you?”
Caped Guy looks in our direction. He seems to freeze for a moment before saying, “Jerry, call the cops!”
“Okay!” Jerry says.
Oh, the ticket attendant’s name is Jerry. I give him a grim smile as he taps on his phone.
“Fuck you!” Drunk Idiot yells, pushing Caped Guy forcefully. But, in his inebriated state, he almost loses his balance while Caped Guy only staggers back a step.
“Leave me alone!” Drunk Idiot tries to escape, but Caped Guy stops him, grabbing his arm and forcing him to sit on the ground.
“Stay,” Caped Guy growls.
It looks like Drunk Idiot knows when he’s overpowered because he doesn’t try to get up. He does take another swig of his beer, but that, too, is snatched away from him by Caped Guy. “You should know it’s illegal to drink alcohol in this public area,” he says.
Peeling my eyes off Caped Guy and his heroic actions, I go to Drunk Idiot’s woman companion. She’s already surrounded by three concerned passers-by. “Are you okay?” I heard one of them ask.
She nods, glaring at Drunk Idiot.
“Is he your partner?” the same person prods.
“Boyfriend of three weeks. Ex, as of now,” she says with determination.
“Do you need help with anything?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “I’ll be fine. Thank you all for checking up on me. And nice mask,” she adds, pointing to my face.
I send her a smile. “Thanks.”
“Romeo!” Jerry calls.
Romeo? I watch as Jerry approaches Caped Guy. His name is Romeo?
“Cops are almost here,” Jerry informs him. “And Captain says we’ll need to go as soon as you finish with them.”
“Okay,” answers Romeo. With his arms crossed and chest puffed out, he looks entirely capable of dealing with troublemakers like Drunk Idiot.
And I’m gawking. Even if I don’t know what he looks like behind his mask, I feel pulled by a powerful, undeniable attraction. Could it be some sort of fate that I’ve decided to call myself Juliet tonight and then bump into a Romeo? I mean, what are the odds of that?
“Miss,” Jerry says. He gives me a grin as he stops in front of me.
I didn’t even notice him approaching.
“Captain says it’s okay for you to join us, but only if you don’t participate in any of the activities. And you can’t have food and drinks, either, as we don’t have payment facilities onboard. Everyone else has prepaid.”
“Oh, thank you!” I gush. “I’m totally fine with all that.”
“May I see your VIP ticket for A Musical Night in Masquerade?”
“Of course.” I hurriedly show it to him.
He nods and motions for me to follow him to the vessel. “Our captain rang the captain of the boat you missed, who confirmed that one of their passengers didn’t turn up. He asked if we could give you a lift to the venue, so we’re doing them—and you—a favour.”
“I really appreciate this. I promise I’ll just sit quietly in a corner and enjoy the ride.”
Jerry chuckles. “Good luck with that. But if you get in any trouble, go to Romeo—that guy back there. He’s our security tonight. He’ll sort it out.”
My lips tug up as I glance back at Romeo, who’s now talking to two police officers. “I can do that.”
Once we cross the gangway to the boat, Jerry asks me to stop. “Let’s wait here so I can introduce you to Romeo. He has to know the situation before you go in there with the rest of the passengers.”
“Okay.”
It doesn’t take long before Caped Guy is making long strides towards the boat. He stops in his tracks when he sees me. Does he know I’m not a paying passenger?
“Hey, mate,” Jerry says. “This is, uh…”
“Juliet,” I answer, giving Romeo a friendly smile.
“Really?” Jerry asks incredulously. “That’s really your name?”
I chuckle. “Yes.”
He laughs. “Well, Romeo, this is Juliet. She missed her boat, so Cap agreed to give her a ride. She’s not supposed to join any of the activities as she doesn’t have a ticket, but she doesn’t intend to do that anyway. I told her to find you if she finds herself in any pickle. Right?” he asks me.
“Right.” I nod vigorously.
“Good! Okay, Romeo?”
“Sure,” he answers.
“Now, let’s get out of here.”
I watch as Jerry and Romeo pull up the gangway and store it on the side of the boat. Then, Jerry casts off the rope and gives a thumbs-up to someone on the upper level. The boat’s captain, I assume.
I turn my attention to Romeo as the boat starts to float away from the dock. It’s only now that I notice that he’s wearing two masks—a decorated one covering the upper part of his face and a black cloth mask that covers his nose, mouth and chin. He has this air of confident authority—the kind that makes you feel safe when you’re with him.
“Hi,” I say with an engaging smile, my heart beating faster than normal. “I promise I won’t be a pest on this boat.”
Romeo stares at me for a moment. “If anyone approaches you, just say you’re with the crew and not a guest. And you can have some food and drinks. No one would ask for your ticket. It’s supposed to have been checked upon entry already.”
“That’s very kind of you. Thank you, but I won’t have anything. That’ll be unfair to everyone else who paid. I’ll just eat when I get to the masquerade since I’ll make it there in time for dinner.”
“Your call. And I don’t know if you have any idea what party you just joined, but if you feel uncomfortable at any time, let me know, okay?”
My eyelids flutter. “Okay. But…what party have I just joined?”
He chuckles. “Masks On. Ever heard of it?”
My mouth forms an O. “The one where anonymous sex is guaranteed to happen?” I ask in an almost whisper.
“Yes, although there are strict rules that everyone must follow, the most important being no one forces anyone to do anything they don’t want.”
“I see. Well, I guess I’ll just sit in a corner and stay quiet.”
“Sure. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the boat ride down Parramatta River.” He starts walking away before turning back to me. “Juliet, huh?”
A giggle bursts out of me. “Yes, Romeo, I’m Juliet,” I say flirtatiously. Gosh, this guy is doing things to my system.
“Well, Juliet… It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Romeo extends his hand for a shake.
Electricity zaps me when our hands touch, and I find myself staring into his eyes. It’s dark brown, and Mason’s face flashes in my head.
I push the image away. A large number of the population has dark brown eyes, including me.
But I’m still gaping at Romeo because… his gaze is arresting. And, if I’m not mistaken, his pupils are dilated. Could it be a trick of the light, or is he also feeling this crazy attraction that’s engulfing me?
He lets go of my hand. “If you need me, I’ll be around.”
“Okay,” I croak. He seems like a nice, decent guy. What does he look like behind those masks?
Regardless, I find him very attractive. If I were to have a one-night stand, he’s someone I’d say yes to.
Whoa, where did that thought come from?
I shake my head. There’s a distinct sexual energy buzzing around this boat, and it must be getting to me.
There’s not much risk with flirting, though, right? What’s a little harmless flirting?
But is he single?
I really, really, really want to know.