Page 31 of One Weekend in Sydney

“Okay. I’ll see what I can do, too. But I’m sure the video is just a misunderstanding. Tara was just having fun at Odette’s bachelorette party. Why would anyone get mad about that?”

I shake my head. Did Arpi take a video of me and Tara dancing to slow music at A Musical Night in Masquerade? She wasn’t with Odette. She left the masquerade early with a masked stranger. Was that in the video, too? Is Tara going to have another humiliating moment?

I clench my fists. The thought of Tara being humiliated again through a video that involves me is making my stomach churn. I need to find out what’s on that recording and who the hell circulated it. And more importantly, I need to find Tara and warn her before this blows up in her face.

I dial Odette’s number, tapping my foot impatiently as it rings.Come on, pick up. After what feels like an eternity, she finally answers.

“Hey, what’s up?” Odette’s cheerful voice filters through the speaker.

“Odette, where are you? I need to talk to you and Tara right now,” I say urgently.

“Whoa, calm down. We’re just finishing up brunch at the cute little café in our hotel. What’s going on?”

“Wait there for me,” I say before hanging up and heading to the café.

My eyes scan the tables, and I spot Tara and Odette with six other women. Damn this is such bad timing.

Odette sees me and waves me over, her expression shifting to one of concern as she takes in my face.

I glance at Tara, and she’s busying herself with stirring her smoothie. She doesn’t even want to look at me. I’m not wearing Romeo’s masks.

“What’s wrong, Mason?” Odette demands.

“There’s a situation,” I say, “I need to talk to you and Tara in private.”

Tara finally looks up at me. “Why?”

I sigh. I don’t want to say anything in front of all these people. “It’s private. Please. It’s very important.”

Odette stands. “Maybe you can tell me, then I can tell Tara afterwards.”

I shake my head. “It’s better that I tell both of you at the same time.”

Tara’s brows furrow, and she gets up from her seat, nodding at Odette.

I lead them out of the café to a quiet part of the hotel where we can talk in private.

“This better be important, Mason,” Odette says with warning in her tone.

I nod, wishing I could cushion the blow for Tara. But I don’t know how to, so I just look at Tara and say, “There’s a rumour that a video of you is circulating back at Moonstruck Cove. It might affect your election chances.”

Tara’s eyes widen in shock. “What video? What are you talking about?”

I try to keep my voice calm. “I don’t know.” Then I tell them what my mother told me.

“But it could just be Eric trying to start a scandal, right?” Odette suggests. “He wouldn’t have a video because Tara wasn’t at the Wild Boys showboat. She was at A Musical Night in Masquerade. That was a sell-out event. They couldn’t have followed her in.”

Tara clasps a hand over her mouth. “Maybe they saw me leave you at the wharf, “ she tells Odette. “Maybe they knew I didn’t board the showboat and got on the Masks On boat, instead,” she whispers in horror.

I shut my eyes. If they had a video of that, it wouldn’t be good for her reputation.

“What do you mean you boarded the Masks On boat?” Odette asks Tara.

“I missed my ride, and I ended up there. I’ll tell you everything later. But, my God, I can already imagine what Eric would say—that I’d rather have anonymous sex with people instead of celebrating my best friend’s bachelorette party or entertaining investors.” Tara hides her face behind her hands.

“Hey,” I say soothingly. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. We don’t know if that’s the video they have.”

Odette grabs Tara’s arms. “Are you sure there were no cameras last night when you…you know…went home with a guy? What if he was the spy?”

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