Cupid and Psych (Cupid Inc Book 2) Page 9

  The guy looked at me and at the others. “Oh, my apologies. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Fate’s brother, Chance. I thought we should mix things up a little.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Fate turned to us. “He does this occasionally, and no one can actually stop him. So on this occasion there’s nothing I can do. What will be will be.”

  She grabbed his arm and they both disappeared to wherever they came from.

  It was while we were all taken aback and standing around stunned that Julie-Anne ran up to Rebecca and threw a punch that knocked her clean out.

  “Well if no one else can do anything then this little human will sort it out. Keep away from my man, bitch.”

  She had a point.

  I called Cupid. Rebecca was his mess ultimately and he should decide how to deal with her.

  While she was out cold, I summoned my bow and arrows. “Let’s get this union created once and for all.” I told them, and I shot them both.

  I watched as love filled them both up. There was no space to hate Rebecca any longer within them. Their souls had bound together. We wished them goodnight and all the best for their future.

  Then we waited for Cupid to turn up with the clean up crew.

  Samara

  We were supposed to be off on a Sunday. Instead it was ten am and we were all sat in Cupid Inc’s reception.

  Cupid’s voice boomed out. “Our first week has proved very interesting.”

  That was one way of putting it.

  “So, Samara, very well done on your Aftercare project. We have one set of happy customers.” He paused and then looked at Jessica briefly and then back to me. “Now for another.” He turned to Jessica. “I hear you have a date tonight, my lovely.”

  “Yes,” Jessica smiled smugly at him.

  His face paled which was never a good sign in a rosy cheeked Cupid. “Well, moving swiftly on. How are you progressing with Maisie, Max?”

  “A solid first week’s work. Jess is doing some counselling work with us to try to get to the bottom of why Maisie can’t find a partner.”

  “And what have you uncovered?”

  “That she’s undateable, so we know for a fact now that she’s in the right department. Like I said, solid first week. Firstly, make sure they are genuinely undateable.”

  “Well, we’ll see what further revelations you unearth on week two. And no, you can’t suggest having her put down.”

  “Hahahahaha. As if I’d do that.” Max said, picking up his pad and crossing something off of it. He caught me staring at him. “What? It was an option. Leave no stone unturned.”

  “So now I must address the elephant in the room.” Cupid said.

  “Actually, she’s not in the room now.” Max guffawed. “Sorry.”

  Cupid sighed.

  “As Max may have told you, Rebecca has been admitted to a place of respite.”

  “Where all the nutters go.” Max added helpfully.

  “She’ll have some therapy, but ultimately when a Cupid goes wayward there’s only one thing you can do.”

  Max picked his pad back up. “Can I have my sister put to sleep?”

  “Enough.” Cupid commanded and Max paled and sat still.

  “My apologies, Sir.”

  “Rebecca will be stripped of any memories of Cupid Inc whatsoever. Your parents have signed a consent form that they will follow our direct orders. We will make up a new life for her. Rebecca will believe that she has always lived in Australia and to that end her and your parents as you know will be emigrating.”

  Max was fighting to keep his mouth closed.

  “Carry on the good work. A new point and shooter for the area will be appointed in due course, but I’ve decided to keep that part of things entirely separate from this business. Instead I will appoint a receptionist so you may be free to work without interruption.”

  With that Cupid bade us farewell and left.

  Max let out a huge exhale. “I got rid of my sister and my parents. We need to throw a huge party to celebrate. Who’s coming to the pub?”

  “I have a date tonight.” Jess reminded him.

  “I’m pregnant and can’t drink. Plus, I think I had enough excitement for one night, last night in that place. Thank goodness we know people who can wipe memories.”

  “Hopefully my night will be a lot calmer.” Jessica said. “Anyway, if that’s all, I’m going to go back to my flat to start primping and preening for tonight.”

  When she’d left, I went over and hugged Max. “Are you really so excited to see them all gone?”

  “I really am. I love my parents, but I’ll love them more if they’re on another continent, and well, I can’t stand my sister. Sorry, you can’t choose biological family. Well, maybe you can, I don’t know where we’re up to with cloning and genetic selection, but she’s gone and good riddance to her. The bitch has left the building.”

  “Maybe she’s going to be really nice now that she’s got her mind wiped?” I suggested.

  “Yeah, and maybe Jessica’s date is going to be a huge success.” He rolled his eyes.

  “Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “Because I’m telling you, that guy is gay. No one is more surprised than me that he accepted her offer of a date, because that guy has been giving me goo-goo eyes all last week. He must not be out of the closet. Anyway, it’s going to be a complete disaster. I just know it.”

  “In that case then maybe we should hang around tonight, nearby?” I suggested, while internally my mind was screaming ‘don’t do it’.

  “I was so hoping you’d say that.” Max grinned. “And I’ll wear my best clothes just in case I’m right, so waiterboy and I can ride off into the sunset together.”

  “Er, wouldn’t you want to console Jess instead?”

  He pulled a face looking around. “Why do you think you’re coming too, sweetiepie?”

  One day I’d lose it and strangle him with his own feather boa.

  Jessica

  I had eight missed calls from Lachlan and four texts all asking me to contact him. The last text had said he wouldn’t text me any further, but he really would like to meet with me again to talk, or if I liked, to simply go for a run.

  I should have been excited for my date but instead I wished I’d never even arranged it. There was no future for myself and Brandon, and really it wasn’t fair to have asked him on a date, not when I knew my heart belonged to Lachlan and always would. I figured the least I could do was turn up, have a drink, and ask Brandon if he wanted to be friends. Feeling that was the best plan, rather than primp and preen myself, I watched old movies all afternoon and then half an hour before my date I put on some light make-up, jeans and a sweater and I headed to The Marine.

  When I arrived, I spotted Brandon sitting at a table near the window. Rather than look pleased to see me, he looked past me as if he was looking for someone else. Then his face fell, before a look of resignation came over him, and he stood up and gave me a quick hug.

  “No date then?”

  Jesus. How did he know just by looking at me that I wasn’t interested in that way? Maybe it was my low-key appearance that gave it off?

  “No, sorry. But I thought maybe we could be friends?”

  Brandon nodded. “That’d be cool. Would you like a drink?”

  Wow. This had gone so much easier than I had imagined.

  “Yes, I’ll have a glass of white wine please.”

  “Okay, I’ll be right back.”

  I sat back in my seat feeling relaxed. We were just going to be friends and now I could enjoy a nice relaxing drink with a new pal. All the pressure was off. I sighed. Maybe I didn’t know what to do about Lachlan, but for tonight I might just allow myself to get a little bit merry and maybe I could see if Brandon had unrequited love or was undateable. If so, I’d do my best to help my new friend find a date.

  Brandon had just brought my drink over to me and sat back down when suddenly he jumped a foot in the air. “Oh my god, he’s here. He�
�s here. I thought he couldn’t make it? Fuck. How do I look, Jessica?”

  I span around to see Max and Samara heading over to us. She beckoned me over and confused, I walked towards her while Max took my place at the table. He even started drinking my wine!

  “What’s going on? Why are you here?”

  “Max is convinced your date is gay.”

  I laughed. “If that was the case then why did he agree to go on a date with me?”

  Samara shrugged her shoulders. “Damned if I know, so let’s get a drink and go and join them for five and see if we can find out what’s going on.”

  As we went over with our drinks a loud cackle emitted from Max’s mouth.

  “Oh my god, your gob is so big.” Samara looked around the pub.

  “I know right, and what I can fit in it is impressive.” He winked at Brandon who went bright red.

  “What’s so funny anyway?” I asked.

  “Oh, honey. Somehow you two got your wires crossed. Brandon thought you were arranging a date for him with me.”

  “No, it was clear the date was for both of us.”

  Brandon shook his head.

  I replayed our conversation the best I could remember. Max had turned up while I was arranging it and I remember saying he’d be excited about the date. It was entirely possible we’d got our wires crossed.

  Well then, I was free of ‘arranging a panic date’ guilt and had actually made my own first match. I might not have a bow and arrows, but I certainly had the talent. However, I decided I’d quit while I was ahead and stick with psychology.

  “You don’t look very disappointed that your date went wrong.” Samara queried.

  “I’m really not. There was no future for me and Brandon.”

  “That’s right, there really wasn’t. Single tingles.” She said and producing a bow and arrow she shot through Brandon and Max.

  “So have you finally realised you should be with Lachlan and there’s no fighting your ideal match?”

  “Maybe.” I smiled at her. “I think I’ll send him a text to see if he wants to go for a run sometime, and then take it from there.”

  “At least you’d be running with him, not away from him; but you need to tell him the truth. He deserves to know. Otherwise it will always be there eating away at you.”

  “Yeah, I know you’re right.” I sighed.

  “I know that if I lost my baby when Johnny was away, I’d have wanted him to know so that we could grieve together. You shouldn’t have had to shoulder that burden on your own.”

  “You’re right. Do you want another water?” I asked her.

  “Oh why not, let’s push the boat out and put me a slice of lemon in it this time.”

  I went to the bar and that’s when it all went wrong.

  A fight broke out near to where I’d just been standing and I watched in horror as Samara was pushed out of the way by one of the men, lost her footing, and fell straight into a table, the corner hitting her in the stomach.

  “Samara!” I screamed, running back towards her. She was lying on the floor clutching her stomach, her eyes filled with panic. Max phoned the police and an ambulance, and I phoned Johnny. The fight had been taken outside and I could still see punches being thrown through the window, but right now my concern was for my friend and her baby.

  “What’s happening? Are you bleeding?” I asked her.

  “I don’t know. I can’t feel anything, but my stomach hurts so bad. Oh God, my baby.”

  “Baby!” Max gasped. “You’re having a baby?”

  “Yes, I didn’t want to tell anyone until I was past twelve weeks.”

  “Oh, of course, I get that.” He went down to the floor and sat behind her. “Breathe carefully, darling. Lean back on me and clutch my hand. If you get any pain feel free to squeeze my hand.”

  “She’s not in labour, Max.”

  “I don’t know what to do with injured pregnant women!” Max shouted.

  “I’m feeling a lot better now. I think I just got a bit winded.” Samara said, trying to stand up. We wouldn’t let her move.

  “You’re to stay still and resting, honey, until you’ve been checked over.” A paramedic came through the door and Max’s eyes widened.

  “Can we say I got injured and need checking over too?”

  “I’ve got a paramedic dress up outfit at home, I can give you a thorough work-up.” Brandon said.

  Then the police followed through the door and suddenly I was faced with Lachlan once more.

  Johnny arrived. He’d phoned Theo who’d whizzed him to the pub. He looked sick to his stomach from the journey and I bet he’d give his wife even more sympathy for her morning sickness from now on. He accompanied Samara into the ambulance and then they were off. Lachlan and his colleagues had apprehended most of the drunks involved in the fight. There was just one who’d got away.

  “Hopefully, one of his enemies will grass his name and address to us and we can pick him up later.” Lachlan said. “Anyway, come on, let me see you home.”

  “But you’re working.”

  “I’ve told them my ex-wife is involved and that I’m making sure you’re home and safe. I have time owing. They’re more than capable of booking a few drunks. Let’s go.” He told me. I followed him out of the pub.

  Lachlan took my keys off me and opened the door at the bottom of the stairwell and then he walked up the stairs and opened the next door.

  “Alarm code?” He asked.

  I told him and he turned the alarm off, before turning to help me out of my coat. “Lachlan, I’m not an invalid. I only witnessed the events. No one hurt me.”

  “Yeah, but if they had.” His eyes showed concern as I stood in front of him, and then they showed hunger. The next moment his lips were on mine.

  I didn’t want to, but I pushed him away.

  “Lachlan, I-”

  “I’m sorry. I’d better leave.” He told me, turning for the door. I grabbed his arm. “No. You don’t understand. I wanted to, but we need to talk first. There’s something I have to tell you, from before.”

  I beckoned over to the sofa and I fixed us a glass of wine each and then I confessed about the baby.

  “You lost our baby and you never said a word? What were you thinking?” Lachlan spat. His eyes were full of fury and he leapt to his feet. “You were pregnant, you lost it, and your response to that was to leave me?”

  “You were always at work.”

  “Do you really think I’d have gone to work if I’d have known you’d lost our baby? What kind of monster do you take me for? I might have overlooked you and taken you for granted while I tried to secure the promotion to better our life, but I was doing that because I loved you. However misguided my attempts were, I did it for us.” He paced around.

  “I am so sorry. I know what I did was wrong, but I didn’t see why both of us should suffer if our marriage was coming to an end anyway. I thought if I left then you could concentrate on the job.”

  “My life is nothing without you in it. Don’t you understand that? I loved you. I still love you. But I can’t be here right now, Jess. I don’t know what to think and what to do. I need some time.”

  He made for the exit, but just as he reached it an almighty crash came and glass exploded from the now broken window. The brick and the fragments stopped about an inch from my body. I was surprised my shriek didn’t break the rest of the windows. Before I knew what was happening, Lachlan had picked me up and was walking me out of the apartment.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m taking you home. To my home. And we’re going to talk about things, Jessica. Properly talk about things. With a counsellor; you must know some with your profession. And we’re going to move past all this and then we’re going to get remarried and have children, and if you want you can be the career woman and I’ll stay home because you are mine, and I am yours, and that’s final. Do you understand, Miss Fazakerley?”

  I was dumbstruck, but boy was he hot
when he was masterful. I just nodded my head before resting it on his shoulders. He carried me out of the building ‘Officer and a Gentleman’ style and inside I swooned.

  Cupid

  It’d almost gone wrong once more, but I’d known Jessica’s confession would cause problems between them. Fate had told me so. But I was Cupid and if anyone could sort the two of them, it was me. Samara had managed to get another undateable matched tonight—Max—and so as far as I was concerned, she’d definitely passed her probation period.

  So I decided to take matters into my own hands once more. The first brick had brought Lachlan to Jessica’s door, the second had stopped him from leaving without her. And even better for me, one of those middle-aged men who’d been fighting in the pub happened to be passing, so as I threw the brick through the window, a chasing policeman had accused him of it, carting him off to the local station.

  A brick through the window, just far enough to cause a fright, but not too much that it would cause an injury. Of course, I’m Cupid, a perfect shot.

  And I hoped soon, I’d get to be a perfect grandad.

  Samara

  They’d done checks and a scan on me. I had a picture of our little baby. Johnny had told me straight that any matchmaking took place in working hours in the office and that I was going nowhere near bars any more unless he was there to protect me. I was more than happy to stay home with my little family from now on.

  It was funny. My parents were the worst parents in the world. They’d never given a damn about me and never would, and I’d carried a lot of baggage around about that fact. But now me and Johnny were going to be parents, I realised that none of that mattered any more. It was the future that mattered, and the future was me, Johnny, and our baby. I also had the most incredible job at Cupid Inc and my grooming business. Cupid had called to see me as soon as I got home and brought the most enormous bunch of red roses with him, along with an employment contract. I’d matched up two couples and he was hopeful we’d have a third soon as he told me about his brick trick to get the Harts reunited.