Hayley played with the gold ring around her wedding finger as she surveyed the damage the fire had caused. She ran a hand over the destroyed canvases she had poured her heart and soul into. She picked up unidentifiable items. She looked sadly at Scott's beloved 80's collection and gave a rueful laugh. She could distinctly remember Dani giving him grief about his awful taste in music. It certainly looked like she had gotten her wish.
As she was dwelling on it a sleek black Porsche pulled up to the curb. Dani got out and swung her long dark brown hair out. It had been cut dramatically and stylishly. She wore a simple white V-necked shirt underneath a plunging necked brown cotton jumper. She wore a short black expensive looking miniskirt and sheer black stockings and knee-high leather boots. She had a white, black and brown scarf around her neck. She reached into the passenger seat and lifted out a black leather handbag.
A handsome man about five or six years older than Dani took her hand. It was Stafford McCrae, her publisher. Hayley did a double take when she heard Dani's voice. "Dan!" she cried happily. She took in her friend's new sophisticated look. Gone was the floral floaty miniskirts and bikini top under a sheer top. She looked polished and together while Hayley felt self-conscious about her cotton short-shorts and singlet top with a halter-neck bikini underneath. Dani smiled warmly though and Stafford began to look through the damage.
"Thank goodness the pot-plant with legs was burnt!" he laughed. Dani joined in his laughter while Hayley just stood there. "Thank goodness the POT-PLANT burned?" Hayley asked incredulously. "We were lucky the palace didn't burn to a crisp…with me inside," she said pointedly. "Sorry…that plant was an eyesore though," Dani said.
"Hayles! I just spoke to the police…" Scott trailed off when he saw Dani and Stafford.
"Dani. Stafford," he said stiffly acknowledging them.
"Hi Scott," Dani said softly. Her familiar warm voice sent ripples of emotion through his sleep-deprived body. "Aren't you hot?" Hayley eventually asked her friend when there had been an awkward silence. "Yes. We just got off the plane from Canada," Dani said. "I called Kirsty and she told me so we came straight back here to see if we could help," Dani said. Stafford nodded looking disdainfully as the grey ash crumbled under his polished leather shoes. He still wore his signature sunglasses. Hayley felt a twinge of annoyance.
"Did you want to borrow something?" Hayley asked.
"That would be great actually, I only have winter things in the car," she said.
"Did you want to borrow something?" Scott asked Stafford. He looked at Scott's flannel checked no sleeved shirt and grungy three-quarter jeans. "No, thanks," he said.
"You sure? It's 42 degrees out there," Scott pressed.
"It's fine, I've got some boardshorts and a shirt in the Porsche," Stafford said.
"A Porsche?" Hayley asked. "Wow," she said. "Come Dan before you melt," she said. Dani smiled as she started up the familiar staircase. Granted she lived in a luxurious apartment in the city right on the beach with three huge cold pools, indoor pool, gym, sauna, golf-course, tennis-courts in a white, glass and stainless steel beautiful apartment with tasteful artworks, leather-bound books…she thought as if trying to convince somebody else she was entirely happy in the city.
Hayley handed her a short pink pastel floaty miniskirt and a black cotton halter-neck and a pair of thongs. Dani changed into clothes completely forgein and alien to her now. She wore designers and not surf labels, which she used to love.
She slipped them on and they went downstairs. "Dani…you look lovely," Scott said automatically and then blushed bright red. Hayley felt a twinge of jealously but why? She didn't like Scott like that…did she? She looked at the heavy gold ring on her finger and tried to put the thought out of her mind but she couldn't. She shrugged away feelings and focused on Noah. You can't have a relationship with a ghost. You need to move on with your life. Noah would want that a little voice in her head told her.
With that in mind Hayley smiled at Scott and felt a wave of adrenaline course through her body when he smiled back at her.
