The Love Contract by Steph Vizard

Author:Steph Vizard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
Published: 2023-07-25T00:00:00+00:00

As I left Camille’s house, part of me wanted to scoop up Hazel and take her home. But she was sound asleep, and I’d be back when she woke up.

I walked from Camille’s salubrious suburb to my own, passing gaggles of hens’ parties dressed up and heading to bars, pumping restaurants and couples en route to date night. I felt like Dorothy arriving in Oz – I’d forgotten the world could be so bright and shiny. And that people made plans at night.

Finally, I reached the front of my own empty house. I’d hoped the walk home would help me shake off all the emotions swilling around me. I did feel exhausted. The week had begun with an emotional crisis, ended with a hideous work event, with a nice sandwich of gastro and extreme dehydration in the middle. But I also felt as if I’d never be able to sleep again.

As I settled on the couch with another glass of wine, trying to remember how I used to spend my free time, there was a knock on the door. Even before I opened it, I knew it would be Will.

‘I wanted to say sorry for slightly overstepping today,’ he said.

‘I missed that. What did you say?’

‘You heard. Don’t milk it. Contrition isn’t a natural state for me,’ he said in a low voice.

‘You don’t need to whisper, Hazel’s at Camille’s for the night.’

‘Wow. Are you going to sleep for twenty hours?’

‘I thought that’s what I’d want to do. But I think I just want to get out into the real world.’

‘I’m going out tonight. You could come?’

‘Where are you going?’

‘Surprise.’

‘You want me to use my one night off, possibly ever, to go somewhere random with the guy who honestly, I’m considering relegating back to enemy status?’

‘Get your stuff,’ he said.

‘Fine,’ I agreed. It’s not like I had any better offers – since I’d been pregnant, I’d barely been out and I’d dropped off all the group message threads organising fun nights. And I knew Sofia, my go-to choice, was spending the evening with her new dance-class BFFs, crafting costumes for their concert. So, that left me with Will.

I was sure that Will was going to take me to a fancy restaurant, but we drove down Chapel Street and along Toorak Road, past a dozen bustling restaurants with linen tablecloths, without stopping. Finally, still giving nothing away, Will parked in a tree-lined side street near The Tan.

‘If your secret plan is a late-night run, I’m out,’ I said. A pack of fruit bats swooped overhead.

‘Yes, I thought I’d spring some twilight interval training on you.’ He pulled a picnic rug out of his boot.

It turned out Will’s big night out was a free concert at the Music Bowl in the Kings Domain.

‘The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra do one concert here every year. Tonight, they’re doing film scores,’ he said, unable to disguise the excitement in his voice.

The sloping lawn, which overlooked the sunken stage, was heaving with people – a jigsaw of blankets and picnics across the grass.

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