Chapter 5
Act I, Scene V: TA Studios, Hackney
Titan
I regretted my decision to go to the gym.
The combination of the late night and exhaustion from my work week had me pushing myself a little harder than usual.
‘Great, I think you can call it a day.’ My friend Alex grabbed the bar before I dropped it on my face.
‘Thanks,’ I exhaled.
He clapped me on the shoulder. ‘You did great for someone who complained the entire time.’
It hurt to laugh. ‘Watch it or I’ll add extra plates to your bar when you’re not looking.’
He grinned and I knew it was because he could lift it regardless. Our friendship consisted of financial investment advice from him, and a spotting partner who could save him if necessary.
It was never necessary.
With some exertion on my end, I lifted my arm to check the time.
If I left now, I could get back when the cafe up the street—The Brewery—opened. They had the best cinnamon rolls.
The gym was only ten minutes from the studio, so I ran.
I’d expected the cramp as soon as I stopped outside the door to my building. What I hadn’t expected was Kalina; holding a brown paper bag and two unmistakable yellow cups with a castle and The Brewery logo printed on the sides.
She was dressed in her pink coat, her outfit from the previous night peeking through the unbuttoned front. Somehow her makeup was still intact and her hair swooped up onto her head in a messy bun.
The combination was unnerving. She was the most put-together dishevelled person I’d ever seen.
‘Hi, I rang the buzzer, but I haven’t been here for too long.’ Her brown eyes were wide and she looked ready to drop everything she was holding. ‘I realise I should’ve called you first.’
‘Here, let me,’ I said and reached out.
She deposited the items from her arms into mine and let out a sigh of relief. The morning sun made her skin and hair golden. She looked like a little statue or figurine. The kind handed out at awards and placed up on a mantle for you to admire.
I glanced at my watch. ‘It’s not even seven a.m., Kalina.’
‘I’ve been up the entire night, so it feels like one long day. Besides, you get up with the sun.’
I shrugged. She knew me well. ‘Come on up, you can tell me why your walk of shame brought you to my doorstep.’
Kalina scowled at me, but walked beneath my arm as I held the door open. ‘Not a walk of shame.’
‘Kidding, dimples.’
She left a rich floral scent in her wake. One I’d associated with her and would have recognised in the dark.
We took the lift to the fifth floor in silence. Kalina’s heeled boots, the only sound, as it clicked along the polished concrete beside me.
I placed my palm above her head, and pushed the heavy metal door.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered, then stepped inside.
The studio was dark, thanks to the light-tight shades, and I flicked on the lights in the reception area.
Kalina stood in the entryway and stared up at the frames hung on the walls. ‘I haven’t been here since the day Scarlet moved to London,’ she said. She walked alongside them, taking in the black and white prints of buildings I’d admired and captured on film.
‘Kitchen?’
She nodded then shrugged off her coat, depositing it on the hook by the door. It was the first time I saw her outfit properly; a fitted short black skirt and a cream knit sweater. It was a perfect blend of sweet and sexy. Much like her. She followed me into the kitchen, eyed the barstool, then her skirt before opting to lean against the marble island instead.
‘To what do I owe the pleasure, dimples?’ I placed the bag and cups on the countertop beside her.
‘I have a…proposition.’
‘One second,’ I said and lifted a finger. I made my way to the bathroom and discarded my gym top in the washing basket before grabbing a T-shirt. I pulled it over my head as I walked back. ‘A proposition? Sounds raunchy.’
Kalina cleared her throat, but it didn’t go unnoticed as her eyes roamed over my briefly exposed abdomen.
I liked that she didn’t try to hide it. Or, maybe she didn’t realise she was doing it.
‘Yes, anyway,’ she said, and shook her head. ‘Hear me out.’ She offered one of the coffee cups to me.
‘If your question is about how to hide a body, I will say I was seduced and had no idea about it beforehand.’ I took a sip from the cup. It was exactly the way I liked it. ‘Thank you.’
She cracked a smile, her light brown eyes looking like honey under the lights. I leaned closer to see what other colours were flecked in her irises.
‘I want you to teach me how to be like you.’
Her request shook me from my reverie. ‘A photography lesson? Sure.’ I leaned an elbow onto the counter.
‘No.’ She swatted my arm playfully. ‘I want to have the lines and be flirty, and I want to be able to read a guy’s mannerisms and figure out what to do from there.’
‘Oh…not at all what I thought you’d say.’
She groaned. ‘I need to get out there, without the chance of getting hurt again. You don’t even bat an eye when you see women. Like with Lexie? You were so calm, while I was dying inside at the mere idea of seeing Jesse.’
‘My, um, methods aren’t for you.’ I took another sip.
‘What are you talking about?’
‘I don’t date.’ I considered what she’d said. ‘Besides, I’ve been hurt too.’
‘Yes, I’m sure you have, but wouldn’t you say you have the upper hand? At least from what I can tell, you make the rules.’
‘You make it sound so malicious and conniving.’
‘Toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe.’ She brushed her hand through the air.
‘How would this even work?’ I set the cup down and crossed my arms over my chest.
‘I’m glad you asked,’ she said. She pulled her laptop from her bag and set it down on the countertop. Her fingers flew across the keyboard before she swung the screen around to face me.
This document stands between Party 1 (Kalina Ray) and Party 2 (Titan Erik Andersson). Party 2 will teach Party 1 how to date in a more casual capacity and help Party 1 find a date for the Montague-Ray wedding.
‘How did you know my middle name?’ I looked over the screen at her.
She took a sip from her cup. ‘That’s your concern?’
I continued reading.
Further referred to as ‘Agreement’, this document will cover the stipulations, clauses, and any additional information either party should know about the other to make this Arrangement as easy as possible.
‘Agreement?’ I asked. ‘Why does this sound like you’re going to harvest my organs?’
‘I wouldn’t tell you if I were,’ she said, unmoved by my comment.
This Agreement will be valid from the date and time this document is signed up to and until the Montague-Ray wedding on the 28th of November.
Party 2 will include, but not be limited to, the following in their lesson plan:
Flirting and charm. How to attract someone What to do once you have their attention
Using what you have to your advantage
Date etiquette.
First date rules
How to get a second date
Dating apps?
Conversations and topics of interest.
Easy topics for conversations
Index cards?
Figuring out if the man is a giant asshole and not worth Party 1’s time.
‘Thorough,’ I said, amusement teasing at my lips.
‘We have to cover all the bases.’
‘This is…more than the bases.’
‘I’ve watched enough rom-coms to know how this works,’ she said.
‘Yeah…not the most ideal place to be getting your information.’
Both parties must attend any Montague-Ray pre-wedding events to get maximum exposure and practice. Practical tasks may be given (if there is sufficient heads up). This Agreement shall be nullified in the event of death or coma of either party 1 or 2.
‘What is this?’ I asked, scrolling to the second page.
‘Some things you might need to know.’ She inspected her pink manicured nails.
Facts (Party 1):
● Party 1 likes her caffeine in the morning. If she has it in the afternoon, she crashes.
● She also likes pizza. A lot. Even though she is lactose intolerant.
● Party 1 will ensure Party 2 has an unlimited supply of cinnamon rolls.
‘The last point isn’t fair,’ I said.
‘What?’ Kalina asked, and stood beside me to peek at the screen. Some loose strands of her hair brushed against my arm, and her scent drifted toward me.
Focus.
‘Oh, I have to make it worth your while.’ She smiled and reached over, pulled the brown paper bag to the edge of the counter, and opened it.
‘You didn’t…’
‘Do bribes work with you?’ She rummaged through it and pulled out a foil container.
I already knew what the contents were.
‘You’re not playing fair,’ I said, salivating.
‘These are the rules.’ She grinned.
She lifted the container and revealed two cream cheese iced cinnamon rolls inside.
I rubbed my palm over my face. My mind wasn’t in the right state to make this decision, but those cinnamon rolls were all I needed.
‘You still have one more section to read.’
Facts (Party 2):
● Party 2 likes his coffee black.
● He also likes to wear a lot of black (don’t buy him any other colour because even though the green T-shirt is organic cotton, and you bought it for his birthday, he will thank you then proceed to never wear it.)
‘Hey, I’ve worn the T-shirt,’ I exclaimed.
‘Don’t even try it. I’ve seen you since your birthday and it has never once made an appearance.’
‘You should come over more often then. I wear it here all the time.’ I winked.
She groaned.
‘You’re so easy to unnerve.’
● He will never admit it but Scarlet has him wrapped around her finger.
It was true and it made me smile.
‘I knew I’d get it right.’ She was chuffed with herself.
‘Do you really think you have much to gain from my experiences?’
She walked toward the cabinets and pointed to the one on her right. ‘This one?’ She pulled on the door handle before I replied, revealing the neatly stacked white plates. ‘I knew it.’
I laughed.
‘It’s the most logical place to put them.’ She pointed to the toaster and cutting board on the marble countertop below. She placed the two plates down beside the laptop. ‘And to answer your question, your experiences, and your male psyche, are the perfect combination for this task. You also stick to your rules.’
I quirked my brow in a silent question.
‘I know you have some kind of system. Scarlet said it’s like a well-oiled machine.’
‘Weird that the two of you spoke about this.’
‘We all talk about it behind your back,’ she said with a teasing smile.
‘Oh?’
‘Yeah, it would make such a cool app, managing and scheduling appointments. You could make a fortune.’
I chuckled. ‘No sleeping over and I don’t do consecutive days.’
‘You’ve never seen the same person two days in a row? Not even a long weekend?’
‘Nope.’
Her lips turned downward. Was she impressed?
‘What else?’ she asked eagerly.
‘If there’s someone else in your life—even partial interest—then things end.’
‘Even a crush?’
‘I don’t cheat; physically or emotionally.’
‘Good to know.’ She nodded.
‘And the deadline?’ I spun the laptop around to face her. ‘Why is it Savi and Ted’s wedding reception?’
‘Hopefully I’ll have learnt a thing or two by then. I want to show up at the wedding with someone, so I don’t have to deal with my family harassing me about my love life or setting me up on blind dates.’ She opened the container and the sweet scent of cinnamon and vanilla filled the space.
‘Easy?’ I licked my lips.
‘Yup.’
I exhaled. ‘How do you come up with these ideas?’ First the kiss at the expo, and now this. I would love to spend a day inside her head.
‘I lie awake and think of ways to torture you.’ She smiled.
‘We have vastly different definitions of torture.’
I enjoyed the way it made her cheeks flush. It was a great colour on her. As usual, she ignored my remarks.
‘You think this is a terrible idea?’ Her brow furrowed, and her shoulders slumped with defeat.
‘I don’t,’ I said, and ran a hand through my hair. ‘I think you could do it on your own.’
She pursed her lips and revealed those crescents in her cheeks. ‘Yes, but it’s obviously not going well if I’m here on my knees begging for your help.’
I smirked. ‘Now that is an image.’
She stepped up to the barstool and I watched as she manoeuvred her foot onto the footrest without any luck. The hem of her skirt was too restrictive.
‘May I?’ I asked and took a step closer. I reached out to place my hands on her waist. She was warm and soft, and my hands fit perfectly in the gentle curve in her waist.
She nodded, and I lifted her up onto the seat.
A sound escaped her, somewhere between a squeak and a scream. ‘Thank you.’
Everything about her drew me in; her scent, her voice, the look in her eyes. I needed to create some distance between us, but the quiet pleading look in her eyes had me agreeing to this plan before I thought it through. I reached out to grab two forks before I sat beside her and offered her one of the utensils. ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’
‘I’m the one who showed up here with the contract? It’s of my own volition.’ She placed a bun on each plate.
‘Okay.’
‘Okay? You’re in?’ Her face lit up.
‘On one condition.’
‘Which is?’
‘You call me Master Yoda.’
‘No way.’ She laughed and ran her finger over the trackpad to sign the document.
‘Pity,’ I said, a smile playing on my lips.
Signed on the 06th of October.
Party 1
Kalina Ray
I’d barely lifted my hand to sign when she broke a flaky piece of the warm pastry, and popped it into her mouth. She let out a little moan and I cleared my throat roughly. Was she trying to kill me?
‘Sorry. They’re so good. I mean, I can make them but no one does it like The Brewery.’
‘You’re going to make my training really hard,’ I groaned.
‘I could change the treats to something else? Carob buns? Add some protein powder to it?’ The crescents in her cheeks deepened.
‘Don’t you dare,’ I said and scribbled my signature on the screen.
Party 2
Titan Andersson
I grabbed the plate from her and held it above her head and way out of her reach. ‘Did you bring your lactase?’
She reached into her bag, took out a pill box, and gave it a little shake. ‘Happy?’
‘Very.’ I slid the plate back. ‘Am I the only one who cares about your health?’
She picked off another piece and grinned. ‘Yeah, pretty much.’
I pulled apart the outside layer; they were freshly baked every morning, and it took a lot of restraint on my end not to buy one on the daily.
‘What does Savi have to say about this?’ Kalina and Savi were joined at the hip, and nothing slipped past either of them.
‘She doesn’t know.’ She was mid-chew and her cheeks rounded with the pastry. It was adorable. ‘With the inn opening soon, being so very in love with Ted, and her morning sickness becoming day and night sickness, I don’t want to add to her plate.’
‘Always putting everyone else first.’
‘Maybe that’s the problem?’ she mused.
‘I doubt it. People love being put first.’
She had a little bit of cream cheese icing at the corner of her lips and I reached out to swipe it with my thumb, before absentmindedly putting it in my mouth.
Shit.
She gulped. ‘See? You do it so effortlessly and with so much confidence. All I’m thinking is how would I know if someone was going to freak out if I did that?’
I laughed nervously. ‘I didn’t know you wouldn’t, but I do know your boundaries.’
She sighed. ‘I don’t know how you’re going to teach me, but good luck.’ She hopped off the stool and grabbed her things, popping her laptop back into her bag.
‘You’re welcome to stay. My day is wide open.’ I leaned against the backrest of the barstool.
‘I should get home and sleep since this kept me up all night.’ She grabbed her cup and tapped it against mine. ‘To a foolproof plan and an excellent execution, even though I have no clue where we’d begin.’
I wanted to see her in her element. ‘I think I know where to start.’
‘Are you going to tell me?’ she asked and bounced from one foot to the other.
I smiled. ‘Nope. I like watching you freak out.’
‘Sadist.’
‘Well, if you wanted those kinds of lessons you’d have to sign up to the premium plan.’
‘Ha-ha.’
We walked to the doorway, but she paused after slipping her coat on. ‘Thank you for not laughing at my contract and taking it seriously. I think it’s good we have rules and boundaries. It keeps things professional like a business deal.’
‘First lesson,’ I said, leaning over her until her back was pushed up against the door, ‘know your strengths.’ She swallowed as I lifted a hand and tapped her cheek with my finger.
‘My great organisation skills?’
‘You draw people in.’
‘Like a venus fly trap?’
I laughed. ‘We’re not murdering people.’
‘Yet. But, seriously, thank you for agreeing to this.’ She twisted her fingers together.
What I couldn’t tell her lingered in the air around us.
I would never say no to her.