CHAPTER 2 - THIS IS THE SOUND OF SILENCE

LOUNGE

JUSTIN

I glare at the door and wait for her to come downstairs. I groan as I hear the sound of the cabinet being closed and even worse, locked...yeah, I fucked up!

“What the hell?!” She shouts as she comes down the corridor. “Were you thinking playing at this time in the morning?!”

“I just had a tune in my head and I wanted…”

“To fuck off your neighbour!” She glares at me and I know better than to contradict her at this point. A tired and cranky Daphne gets violent. “Now go the fuck to bed and sleep!”

“I can’t sleep because of that fucking tune in my head!” I point out as calmly as I can.

She snatches up the remote control and turns on the TV, finding the classic music channel. I reach for my headphones and hand them to her. She almost knocks the TV through the wall as she connects them and then flounces out without a word.

“Sorry, Daph.” I whisper, feeling upset that I have made my best friend mad. I close my eyes and let the music take me when I feel a thump on the sofa, a duvet is thrown over me and a head rests on my shoulder.

“So why pick this particular mansion out of the many in the world that were available? And when you could have chosen to move to any city, why come here?” Daph asks quietly.

“To be honest, I don’t know. It just felt the right thing to do. Though I am slightly regretting it now because of my Neanderthal of a neighbour.”

“It is 3:45am. He’s not a Neanderthal; he was asleep!”

“Okay.” I yawn and burrow down under the duvet and soon fall back to sleep.

BRITIN - THREE HOURS LATER

DAPH

Wow, this is beautiful! It’s like Justin’s, but not. I knock on the door and hear the sound of barking followed by a laugh before the door is opened by a bare chested, tousled haired GOD!

“Are you lost?” He asks, holding an adorable puppy to his chest, who I want to be so badly!

“Nkksd!” I blather.

“Is that Romulan for yes or no?” He frowns.

“Sorry! Uh Daphne!”

“Who is lost or not?” He sighs impatiently.

“Not lost, just coming to say sorry officially.” I finally get my brain and mouth to connect. “For the idiot across the way. It was a cello.”

He continues to frown for a few minutes before realisation hits him. “Oh, you’re mommy. Who’s the child?”

Even though I should be insulted on my best friend’s behalf, I can’t help the smile. “Justin. He sometimes gets an earworm that only he can hear. He’s a musician, you see. And you two are?”

“I see. Shadow and Brian. Silver is around here somewhere.” I nod. “Thanks for apologising. I just moved here for the peace and quiet and it was a bit of a surprise.”

“I will let you carry on looking gorgeous and…” I trail off, mortified. “...going now! Just going now!”

OPERA HOUSE - SAME TIME

CYNTHIA

Man, this is wonderful! I just love the creamy colour of the building. It’s the same as Brian’s, but that’s where the similarities end.

I knock on the door and wait and wait and wait. Okay, so I tried and am about to leave when the door opens and a very sleepy, but utterly beautiful young man is at the door.

“Hello. You okay?”

“Uh yes, I’m Cynthia. I’ve come on behalf, not that he knows, of the Neanderthal.”

“Neanderthal?” He mumbles as he leans against the door.

“Okay, who are you and where’s the kitchen?” I demand and stride in.

“To your right.” He mutters as he shuts the door and just trails after me.

When I get to the kitchen, I note the same coffee machine as Brian has and heave an internal sigh of relief. “How strong in the morning?”

“Intense.” He replies and sits down, putting his head on the table. I rifle through cupboards and find a suitable cup. Soon, I am pushing it towards him and waiting for him to come back to life. It takes a few minutes for the snuffling to stop and he sits up. He’s like a coffee seeking missile as he picks up the cup and takes half of it down. “Oh, that’s so good! When did you learn to…” He opens his eyes and then stares at me. “...you are not Daphne.”

“Nope. Cynthia, introduced myself earlier. Still waiting to know who you are.”

“Well since murderers and burglars don’t tend to make you coffee, and since I allowed you to come in, I guess it's safe to answer that.  I’m Justin.”

“Nice to meet you. I’ll let you finish the other half.” He nods and takes the rest of it and then waves the cup at me and I raise an eyebrow...nobody waves at me.

“Please.” He blinks owlishly at me.

“Much better. I’m going to blame you playing at bumfuckoclock for your temporary blip in manners.” I find his snort adorable. “So what was it?”

“A cello.”

I pause as I come back to the table and stare at this sleep rumpled being. Holy fuck, that is Justin Taylor, the world renowned cellist! I put the coffee down and wrestle my fangirl back down. “I see. Well Brian isn’t normally so rude, but he bought it for the peace and quiet and…”

“The Neanderthal?” He interrupts.

“Yep. And...oh dear God, who are they?” I gasp as I spot a basket of gorgeous fur.

“Cantata and Sonata. And they are monsters.”

“Why and what are they?”

He looks embarrassed. “I didn’t quite do my research and didn’t realise how much work Savannahs are. They have gotten into everything!”

“This is a beautiful place. Just you, Justin?”

“No, I live here with my best friend, Daphne. How do you know the Neanderthal man?”

“Brian is my best friend and boss but no, I don’t live with him. Just making sure he didn’t do something stupid.”

He frowns, but I shake my head and he nods slowly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have played that early.”

“I shall pass them on. I’m going to go now. What coffee does Daphne like?”

“Sumatran.” He smiles and rubs his eyes.

“Okay, I have set that up for both of you. Go back to bed after I leave.”

He just nods and follows me out. I wait for the click of the door being locked before heading back to Britin.

KINNETIC - THREE DAYS LATER

BRIAN’S OFFICE

BRIAN

And yet again, she’s not let me down. Ted Schmidt is a good guy. I mean, on paper he can do the job. But doing the job and taking my shit at the same time are two totally different things. I was a shit to him in the beginning of the meeting and he let me know exactly how far I could take that.

“Okay, do you know your way around town, Ted?”

“Yes, where do you need to know?”

“Food. Dancing. Gym. Booze.”

“Not necessarily in that order.” Cynthia laughs.

“Well let’s start with food. There’s a diner on Liberty Avenue that…”

“Oh yeah, I saw that. What’s it like?”

“Food is good. They do a good turkey and avocado.”

“Liberty Avenue, I know it. So turkey and avocado for you, Brian. Ted?”

“Just say to Debs: Can you give me Ted’s usual.”

“Okay. Won’t be long.”

LIBERTY AVENUE DINER

VIC

Debs is still pouting that I made her poor widdle boy work on Sunday. But tough shit! She might not want to discipline him, but I have no such problem. I watch her work her room as usual and head back to the office.

“Excuse me, but I’m looking for Debs?”

“And you are?”

“Cynthia!” I whirl around and gape at her.

“Vic? Vic?!” She screams and runs towards me. I brace for impact and hug the daughter of one of my best friends.

“When in the fuck did you get back?” I demand, dragging her back to the office and shutting the door on the inherent nosiness that is my sister.

“A month or so ago. Needed to set up a new branch of Kinnetic.” She is just staring at me. “I can’t believe you’re back here!”

“Only the last five years. After Rodney…”

“I still miss him.” She sighs.

“I don’t...I mean, I’m sorry he died, obviously, but he told me to live my life and not dwell on him. And he taught me how to love perfectly imperfectly.”

“You two were the perfect example of how opposites attract.”

“We were. So where are you living?”

“Shadyside.  But Brian has bought Britin.”

“You know the guy who bought that place?”

“Yes. Now there is one guy that I just wish someone could love like you and Rodney did. He just needs the right guy.”

“How broken is his heart?”

“To dust, buried in Davy Jones’s Locker. That fucker!” She snarls before looking at her watch. “Oh fuck, I need to order and then get back.” She rifles in her purse and pulls out a business card. “Call me on my cell and we will meet up properly. You promise?!”

“I promise! Now get going!”

E’S HOUSE OF DELIGHT - AN HOUR LATER

DAPHNE

I look at the gorgeous samples of food. “So you can do a weekly food order?”

“Of course I can, darling!” Emmett tells me.

“Hi, Ems!” A voice calls and I turn around to find a twinkly eyed gentleman coming towards us.

“Vic, this is Daph. She has moved into the Opera House.”

“Oh, you have?” He looks disappointed, and I am slightly annoyed. “Oh sorry, Daph. It’s just that there is a myth and an urban legend that the people who inhabit the Opera House and the place opposite, called Britin, find the love of their lives while living there and I had hoped…”

“With Justin, who is my best friend and has never loved anyone. So here’s hoping this legend becomes a reality.”

“Never?” Emmett and Vic say at the same time.

“No. Complete workaholic. Never has any fun. Nothing.”

“Really? And does he fly our flag?”

“Vic!” Emmett gasps.

“Yeah, he’s out and proud is our Justin.”

“Is he indeed? So what are we doing?” Vic turns back to Emmett.

“Just set up a weekly food order for Daphne.”

“Really, have we indeed?”

“Now Daph, you said he has a sweet tooth. How sweet is sweet?” He asks and leads her to the pastry counter.

Hmm, so we have a man whose heart has been broken and someone who has never loved...well let’s see what we can do about that, shall we?