The Road South The lake was still half-asleep when I pulled the car onto the road out of Taupō. Mist clung to the surface like steam rising from a secret, and the world smelled of wet earth and coffee. Violet sat beside me, hair tied in a loose knot that would never survive the trip. Dressed in her short mustard skirt, tight black top and matching pink bra and knickers Violet was gorgeous as always. She was reading the li...

The neon lights of the Pool Hall flickered as the regular Friday night crowd buzzed with energy. Laughter, clinking glasses, and the crack of pool balls echoed around the room. It was me versus Violet. Violet stood beside the pool table chalking her cue slowly and with a sly smile playing on her lips. She had dressed for attention — and got it. Her outfit was pure mischief: a short black leather skirt hugging her waist ju...

Violet and I as well as friends Greg and Tasha were halfway through a jug of beer and one terrible basket of jalapeño poppers when Violet pointed at the pool table and said, “Couples match. Losers do a dare.” I should have known then and there that Violet had a plan. She always had a plan. Greg leaned back, cracking his knuckles. “I’m basically a pool shark.” “You once scratched five times in a row,” Tasha said. “That was...