2

"Done!" Leonard readily agreed, grinning his head off. No problem in his mind.

Collins relaxed. Let tonight take care of itself, he thought, having dealt himself a ready bolthole.

__________

A blind date...

Jasmine Leclaire gave her sister a look designed to kill the idea on the spot. Stone dead. This weekend with Favour was a much needed time out from men— one in particular—and even being polite to any male at the moment would be an effort she didn't want to make.

The look didn't work. It spurred Favour into attack mode, eyes flashing the light of battle.

"You know your problem, jasmine?" she began. "You've been so fixated on Robert for so long, that you've developed tunnel vision. You can't even see that other men could be more attractive. And a lot better for you, too."

So find me one, Jasmine thought derisively, having done her own looking each time Robert had strayed, then forgiving him and taking him back because there simply wasn't anyone else she wanted to be with.

Compared to Robert, other men were dull, but this last infidelity went beyond the bounds of acceptability. For him to snatch a bit of sex with a graphic artist in her own office, a woman who worked on the accounts she handled...that was too bitter a blow to her pride.

This had to be the end of their relationship. The final end. All the sexual charisma in the world didn't make up for a long, continuing string of hurts, especially this worst one, right under her nose. It was time to let go, time to move on, but to what?

"I'm not up to a blind date, Favour" she said flatly, hoping Favour would end the subject, but Favour wasn't anywhere ready to do that.

"Well, I'm not going to leave you here to mope alone," came the belligerent retort from Favour.

"That's not going to happen. I won't mope. I'll watch TV... Or surf the internet."

"Wallowing in escapism. That sounds like a horrible idea. I bet Robert isn't doing that. Good old action man will be unzipping his trousers for some..."

"Stop it! Stop it, Favour!" Jasmine said, almost yelling.

“No, I won't. He tried it on with me, too, you know. Your own sister."

Shocked out of her irritation with Favour's unwelcome nagging, Jasmine shot a sharp look at her sister, unsure if she was speaking the truth or wanting to blacken Robert's character beyond the pale.

"You never told me that before." she said. A fierce conviction blazed back at her.

"Yeah. Well, I'm telling you now. Get rid of him. Get over him, jasmine. He might have the gift of the gab and he might be a great performer in bed, but he only ever thinks of himself. You are an ego trip for him. And every time you take him back you feed his ego more. Holding on to him is sick."

Jasmine frowned over these discomforting assertions. Was it sick to keep wanting a man who couldn't be trusted with other women? Robert swore she was the only one who really counted in his life, but was that enough to hang on to? Obviously she couldn't count too much when he was hot for someone else, even her own sister.

"I won't hold on this time," she muttered.

"Then let me see you take some positive action in another direction. Like partnering with this other guy tonight. It will really do you some good," Favour strongly argued.

"Thanks, but I'm not in the mood."

"You never are. Except for Robert who continually does the dirty on you. You've wasted four years on a dyed-in-the-wool philanderer and it's only ever going to be more of the same, him having it off with whomever he fancies, while you..."

"I already told you it's over."

"Until he soft soaps you again."

"No. I mean it." declared jasmine.

"Fine! So you should be celebrating being free from him, giving yourself the chance to eye off someone else."

She was just like her dog with a bone. Jasmine looked down at the miniature fox terrier sitting by Favour's feet and was grateful he wasn't yapping at her, too. She did need to be free of Robert, but in her own mind and heart first. Plunging into dating would only throw up comparisons that would keep him painfully alive in her thoughts.

In fact, Favour had just spoiled her attempt to forget him for a while.

Here they were, seated on the balcony of her sister's apartment, overlooking the Brisbane Water at Gosford, idly watching the boats sailing out from the yacht club, feeling pleasantly replete from a fine lunch, during which Favour had raved about her wonderful new boyfriend, Leonard. Why couldn't she just be happy with her own personal life instead of attacking Jasmine's?

"This guy has been a friend of Leonard's since school days. Now that tells you he values the people he likes. He's not a user and a dumper," Favour ran on, relentlessly intent on persuasion.

"Friendship between two men has no relevance whatsoever to how either of them view or treat women," Jasmine tersely commented, wanting an end to the argument.

"Right! So now you're cultivating a negative attitude. Not even giving people a chance. And I might add Leonard treats me beautifully."

"Lucky you! But I don't want to be stuck with a guy I don't know and might not like. It's just not worth the trouble"

"Well, you like Leonard, don't you? His friend should be at least an interesting person. The food at The Galley is always good. It's my birthday, and the best birthday present you could give me is to see you enjoying yourself without that asshole Robert."

"I have been. With you. Before you started on this blind date kick," Jasmine snapped in exasperation.

"As for birthday gifts, I thought you liked the bracelet I bought you..."

"I do. I love it. I really do."

"....and lunch at the restaurant of your choice. Wasn't that birthday treat enough for you?"

Favour's eloquent shrug was apologetic but it didn't stop her from turning the screws. "I just hate going out and leaving you alone, knowing you're miserable. I won't be able to enjoy the evening with Leonard if you don't come with me."

Emotional blackmail.

But there was caring behind it, Jasmine grudgingly conceded, and she didn't want to spoil any part of her younger sister's birthday. Favour had always been a pet, her naturally happy nature making her a pleasure to be with.

Their parents were away on an overseas trip, touring Canada this time, so it was up to Jasmine to make up for their not being here, showering love on their younger daughter. She thought she'd done enough but...would it really hurt to make the effort of being pleasant to a stranger tonight?