LITMIR.BIZ

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shows she wanted to see. Leon was right about her suckering him for all he could give.

      Not that it was an overly disturbing factor. What was money for, anyway, if not to buy life’s pleasures? Except Tanya wasn’t delivering much in the way of pleasure herself. In fact, she was becoming an unreasonable nag, picking fights at the end of the night which inevitably turned him off wanting to have sex with her. It wasn’t so much energy he lacked, but desire.

       His last chance …

      He had a good mind to finish it before the party, which of course she didn’t want to miss. Who would? Leon had organised a marquee on Observatory Hill overlooking Sydney Harbour, a hot jazz band, top caterers. All the young successful men who were making their mark in business would be there for her to cast her eyes over.

      Let her, Nick thought grimly.

      Maybe he would cast his eyes around, too. There had to be someone who’d be more amenable to his needs … who wouldn’t mind occupying her own shelf while he dealt with the stimulating challenge of business. He could certainly do without an unreasonable nag.

      Leon headed for his own private office, hoping he’d just spiked Tanya’s guns with that last comment—selfish trouble-making bitch. She pumped Nick for all he was worth and never gave anything back, as far as Leon could see. Maybe he should rope in some hot party girls for Nick’s birthday bash, show him there were many more fish in the sea, fish that would only be too happy to swim with him without kicking up a storm.

      Better still ….

      Leon smiled.

      Why not a fairy princess doll? With a magic wand that would turn Tanya Wells into an ugly croaking frog.

      The smile broadened to a gleeful grin.

      ‘Party Poppers,’ Sue Olsen announced brightly, tucking the telephone receiver on her shoulder as she reached for pad and pen, hopeful of a lucrative booking. ‘How may we pop for you?’

      ‘You supply acts for birthday parties?’ a male voice answered.

      ‘Yes, indeed, sir. What do you have in mind? We have The Singing Sunflowers, The Cuddly Animal Farm, The Jellybean …’

      ‘I want a fairy princess with a magic wand to sing ‘‘Happy Birthday’’ and sprinkle some sparkle around,’ came the decisive demand.

      Sue grinned at her friend and business partner, Barbie Lamb, who still felt ragged from yesterday’s clown act for thirty screaming five-year-olds. ‘We have the perfect fairy princess for you,’ she answered with proud confidence.

      Barbie rolled tired eyes at Sue. Clearly she needed a sprinkle of magic dust herself to raise some enthusiasm this morning. Four children’s parties over the weekend was a heavy schedule and a huge energy-sucker. On the bright side, the fairy princess job would be a breeze for her, much easier to carry off than the clown act.

      ‘What date are we looking at?’ Sue inquired of the caller.

      ‘I want to be sure of the goods first,’ came the wary reply. ‘Perfect, you said. I need beautiful …’

      ‘Absolutely beautiful,’ Sue assured him, grinning at Barbie.

      ‘Long blond hair? All loose … like flowing around her shoulders?’

      ‘That describes her hair exactly.’

      ‘It’s not a wig? A wig won’t do.’

      ‘I promise you it’s not a wig.’

      ‘Fine. What about her smile? Good teeth? A big warm smile?’

      ‘A dazzling smile. Any dentist would be proud of her.’

      ‘Dazzling, huh? Well, that fits the bill so far. How tall is she?’

      ‘Tall?’ Sue frowned over this requirement.

      ‘I don’t want a midget. I mean, we’re not talking a dressed-up kid here, are we?’

      ‘No. Our fairy princess is a beautiful young woman, taller than average but not quite model height.’

      Barbie pulled a face, distorting her lovely features, baring her teeth and raking out her hair to produce her Wicked Witch of the West look. Sue poked out her tongue.

      ‘Great!’ her caller enthused. ‘This is sounding good. Just one more question. How does her figure rate?’

      ‘I beg your pardon?’

      ‘Her figure. You know … curves in the right places?’

      ‘Uh-huh,’ Sue said non-committally, waiting to see how far he would go on this contentious point.

      ‘A skinny rake won’t do,’ he stated emphatically. ‘If she’s got sexy curves, that’s the ticket.’

      ‘Hmm …’ Sexy set off alarm bells in Sue’s mind and raised a nasty suspicion. They did occasionally get weirdo calls. Time to nail this one down. ‘Is this booking for a children’s party, sir?’

      ‘No. No kids at this party.’

      ‘Would this happen to be a bucks’ night?’ Sue asked sweetly, ready to pour acid on the idea.

      ‘Believe me. Weddings are not in the air,’ he answered sardonically. ‘This is a big party for my friend’s thirtieth birthday and I want this act as a special surprise for him.’

      ‘Will there be women as well as men in attendance?’

      ‘There most certainly will. You could say the bachelors and spinsters of the social-climbing crème of Sydney society will be there. Nothing secret or closeted about this party, I assure you,’ he added, catching the wary drift of her questions. ‘Very public. It’s to be held in a marquee on Observatory Hill.’

      ‘I see.’ Opportunity leapt to the fore in Sue’s thinking. A bunch of eligible bachelors on the loose was an attractive proposition. ‘Well, I would have to insist on accompanying my fairy princess to ensure she isn’t subjected to any … shall we say, indignities?’

      ‘No problem. You’re welcome to join in the party afterwards,’ he offered, striking precisely the bargain Sue had been angling for. ‘I take it she does look sexy,’ he added, wanting confirmation.

      Caution dictated Sue’s reply. ‘Her figure is definitely curvy in all the right proportions. But I wouldn’t want anyone to get any wrong ideas about why she’s there. This is simply a fairy princess appearance to sing ‘‘Happy Birthday.’’ Correct?’

      ‘Spot-on. Oh! Forgot to ask. Can she sing? I mean … really sing.’

      ‘She has toured the country as a professional entertainer. Good enough?’

      ‘Fabulous!’

      This is going to cost you big, Mister, Sue decided, as she proceeded to get party details and settle on the fee, which she enterprisingly quadrupled for both herself and Barbie since it was an after-hours’ engagement … plus danger money. Not that she thought there was any real danger in it but she felt such a consideration was easily justified.

      Barbie was stunned at the outrageous fee Sue was demanding for this gig. No problem about making a profit next week, she thought gratefully. Ever since they’d started Party Poppers, they’d been battling to make ends meet, but at least it brought in more regular work than their Country and Western act, and they were settled back in Sydney. Travelling around the country-club circuit had been fun but not exactly financially rewarding.

      However, listening to Sue talking on the phone, it was clear the engagement she was arranging was not about entertaining children at all. It sounded somewhat dodgy. Admittedly running a car and paying the rent on this two-bedroom apartment in Ryde, not to mention buying food and paying other bills, meant they couldn’t look a gift-horse in the mouth, but …

      The telephone receiver clattered

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