I smiled. “Thanks Floss, so do you.”
Floss looked very…festive. Gingerbread and candy cane brooches jazzed up her green tent-like dress and she wore a gold tinsel headband in her curly red hair.
Alex moved straight to the kitchen. Gabrielle made a beeline for the Christmas tree to add our gifts to the pile. I wasn’t quite sure how to busy myself. After shifting a sleeping cat, I sat on one of the velvet recliners.
“Where is everyone, Floss?”
“They’ll be here, Lovie,” she replied, shifting the lace curtain aside to peer out. “Any minute now.”
Alex and Norm came back a moment later, beers in hand, debating the riveting topic of how best to change the blades on a lawnmower. Gabrielle shifted a cat and sat on the chair next to mine. “You spent Christmas with Jean-Luc and Fiona last year, didn’t you?” she asked, leaning over to whisper the question.
“Yes.”
“Did they have a lovely tree?” She stared at the Christmas tree in the corner of the room and sighed heavily. “They always have an outstanding tree.”
Floss’s tree would never have been described as outstanding. The top half of the plastic green branches displayed chintzy coloured baubles. I wondered aloud why the bottom half was bare.
Floss chimed in. “The cats attack it.” She picked up a floppy grey cat and cradled it like a baby. “Prevention is better than cure.”
Flynn Davis arrived next. After being swamped by one of his grandma’s hugs, he made it in the door. He looked different without the starchy police uniform, but nervous and ill at ease. His powder blue-and-white plaid shirt was tucked into his dark blue jeans. His brown belt matched his brown boots. All that was missing was a cowboy hat. Floss proudly introduced him to the room.
“You remember Gabi and Alex,” she crooned. Alex stood and shook his hand. Gabrielle gave a smile and little wave. “And this is little Charli. She’s all grown up now.”
Flynn smiled at me. “Good to see you again, Charli. Are you feeling better?”
“Much, thank you,” I mumbled. Alex frowned. “Flynn busted me for speeding on the way into town.”
Alex’s frown intensified.
“And Charli nearly spewed on my shoes,” added Flynn, still grinning. “She wasn’t feeling well.”
Floss and Norm cackled as if he’d told the funniest joke in history. I didn’t find it particularly funny. Neither did Alex or Gabrielle. Both of them remained stone-faced, and I quickly changed the subject. “Lunch smells good, Floss.”
“It’s a fabulous spread this year,” she announced proudly. “Orange glazed beets, sautéed red cabbage, lentil and mushroom pie…”
“Sounds great,” gushed Alex insincerely. Gabrielle took a gulp of wine before dishonestly agreeing.
It was a long day made impossibly longer by the arrival of Wade Davis and his sparkly plus one. Jasmine tottered up the path singing. “Merry Christmas to me! Merry Christmas to me!” She hadn’t changed one bit. Her long blonde hair, over-processed and straggly at the ends, was pulled into a loose ponytail. I couldn’t quite make out the sparkly motif on her white T-shirt, but it perfectly matched her gold sling-back pumps. Wade ambled behind her, carrying an armful of gifts. I used the time it took him to get to the porch to check him out.
He was a monstrously huge man – without an ounce of fat on his body. He was like a beefed-up Ken doll, which made him a perfect match for sparkly tramp Barbie who was now pounding on the door.
Floss jumped up to greet them.
“Granny Floss!” Jasmine beamed, hugging her tightly. “Merry Christmas!”
“To you too, Lovie,” crooned Floss.
Jasmine broke their embrace, leaned back and tugged at her shirt. “Look at this. It’s a cat!”
Floss broke into a hearty chuckle. “Oh, so it is! You have a glittery kitty on your shirt.”
“I knew you’d like it,” replied Jasmine, breaking into a giggle of her own.
I’d stepped into some sort of alien universe. Who was this moron, and what had she done with that bitch Jasmine Tate? I glanced at Alex, perhaps seeking reassurance. He winked at me and stifled a grin.
Wade fell through the door a second later, dumping the stack of presents on the floor. Jasmine slapped his beefy arm. “They’re breakable, babe,” she chided. He kissed her cheek by way of apology.
“That’s enough of that, you two.” Floss pointed at us all. “We have guests.”
Jasmine gasped as if she’d only just realised we were in the room. “Alex,” she greeted with a nod of her head.
“Hi Jasmine,” he replied.
Jasmine nodded again, stiffly. “Mademoiselle Décarie.”
I bit my lip, trying desperately hard not to laugh. Jasmine might have turned over the biggest leaf in the forest but Gabrielle had cut her no slack whatsoever. And Jasmine was still addressing her like an authoritative high school French teacher because of it.
“And Charli.” She purred my name as she tottered toward me, arms outstretched.
I stood up, bracing myself for an artificial hug. Instead she grabbed my hands and held them away from my body while she gave me the once-over. “You look so pretty. Still no fashion sense, though.”
Said the girl with a sequined cat on her shirt. My mouth fell open but I said nothing. She dropped my hands and leaned in to whisper. “White isn’t your colour.”
Floss worked quickly to smooth things over. “Wade,” she said, tapping him on the chest. “You remember Alex’s daughter, Charli. She was just a wee mite last time you saw her.”
A huge grin swept beefy Wade’s face. “How are you, Charli?” He spoke as if I was still a wee mite. “You probably don’t remember me.”
I shook my head. “No. I’m sorry.”
“I’m Jasmine’s fiancée.” He actually sounded proud of it.
“Lucky guy,” I praised, forcing a smile.
***
Dinner was every bit the ordeal I expected it to be. Worse than the sautéed cabbage was the ridiculous toast that Wade insisted on making. He stood, puffed out his already mammoth chest and charged his glass.
“I’d just like to make a toast to my fiancée, Jasmine,” he declared, gazing at her. He cleared his throat. “You are the wind underneath my wings and the flesh overneath my bones.”
I nearly choked on a glazed beet.
As soon as I could escape without being considered rude, I excused myself and slipped out to the back yard. The Davis’s yard was as cluttered as the house. The grass was in desperate need of cutting. Old wheelbarrows and car tyres had been recycled into pots that housed mostly dead plants. Everywhere I looked, a garden gnome stared back at me. In the far corner was La Coccinelle, parked up on a boat trailer. Part of me felt as if I was seeing an old friend. A bigger part of me felt a little wounded by her presence.
I stood on the patio, staring at the boat for a long time. The tinkle of three different wind chimes clashing in the breeze was downright irritating – but less irritating than watching Wade and Jasmine’s public display of affection at the dinner table.
“Nice boat, don’t you think?” came a voice from behind.
I spun around to see Flynn.
“Very nice,” I agreed, turning my attention back to the boat. “She hasn’t always looked that good.”
Flynn moved to stand beside me. “Really? I can’t imagine it.”
“She used to be a pile of junk. Adam spent hours bringing her back to life.”
“Adam?”
“My husband,” I explained, inadequately.
“Oh.” He sounded surprised. “Does he restore boats professionally?”
I glanced at Flynn, trying to work out whether he was fishing for information or genuinely clueless. “No. He’s almost an attorney.”
He laughed. “Almost?”
“He’ll have his degree in a few months.”
“I see. Will he be joining you here then?”
“You’re not very subtle when it comes to playing dete
ctive, Constable.”
“I’m sorry.” He actually blushed. “I don’t mean to pry.”
That was a lie. That’s exactly what he meant to do. He just wasn’t very good at being sly about it.
“Your grandma knows everything about everyone, Flynn. I’m sure she’d fill you in on all the gaps.” He glanced at me, flashing a quick half smile, but I could see the pity in his blue eyes. I shook my head. “There’s no story here, Flynn.”
“Ooh, I’m sure there is,” crowed Jasmine, appearing out of thin air. “And I want to know everything!”
Turning the tables was the only chance I had of escape. “I want to know about you and Wade,” I told her. “He seems lovely.”
It was a less than honest assessment. Wade was all brawn and absolutely no brain.
“He’s gorgeous, isn’t he?” asked Jasmine lovingly.
I nodded, told her how lucky she was to have found him and asked how they’d met, managing to sound interested. Flynn bowed out, making an excuse about wanting another drink. After he’d gone, Jasmine grabbed two plastic chairs from the corner of the patio. She sat on one and pointed to the other.
The story of Wade and Jasmine was hardly spellbinding. They’d met when her father embarked on a fitness kick and decided to hire a personal trainer. Beefy Wade got the job – and the girl.
I had to concede that Wade Davis might be good for Jasmine. Somewhere along the line she’d lost the caustic personality that I despised so much. I still didn’t like her, but I wasn’t feeling any urge to dye her hands orange either. Besides, Floss had warmed to her. That had to count for something.
“Well, I’m sure you’ll be very happy together.”
“Thanks, Charli,” she crowed. “I’m really glad you’re back in town for a while. Will Adam be here soon?”
For once in his life, Alex’s timing was impeccable. “Charli,” he called, stepping out. “Are you ready to go?”
I jumped out of my seat. “Yeah.” I turned back to face the chief Beautiful. “I’ll see you later.”
“Yes. We’ll do lunch or something. We have a lot of catching up to do.”
I doubt she meant to sound threatening. I forced a smile and rushed toward Alex, who was holding the door for me.
“I hope you’ve been playing nicely,” he whispered as I passed. I went into the house without answering him.
December 26
Adam
Travelling over the Christmas period isn’t ideal. It’s supposed to be the season of goodwill and cheer, but everybody I saw looked miserable.
JFK airport was bedlam but LAX was worse. By the time I finally arrived in Melbourne I wasn’t sure what day it was. When I got to Hobart three hours after that, I wasn’t even sure what my name was. I was exhausted. Just after midnight I picked up a rental car and began the hour-long drive to the Cove.
As desperate as I was to see Charli, I wasn’t an idiot. Given the latest turn of events, turning up at Alex’s door at one in the morning would be detrimental to my health. I had no idea what Charli’s explanation for returning home alone had been. The truth was bad enough.
I decided to head to the cottage and wait until morning. I knew it was empty. I hoped that the spare key was still under the doormat.
The street was in darkness. There weren’t even streetlights. A full moon guided me fumbling up to the porch. I finally found the key and made my way inside.
And the ambush began. A tangle of long blonde hair rushed at me through the darkness. I knew it was Charli, because she came out swinging. It was hardly a hardcore attack. Whatever she was whacking me with only registered as irritating because I was so tired.
“Charli, stop!”
She didn’t stop.
I threw her over my shoulder and dumped her on the couch as gently as I could considering she was still whaling at me.
I flicked on the light and stared at my beautiful, crazy wife.
“Adam!” She rushed out my name. “I thought you were a burglar.”
“So what was your plan, Charlotte?” I asked. “Beat me to death with a plastic spatula?”
She looked at the utensil in her hand and dropped it. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to see you.”
Charli took a long time to process my words before jumping up and leaping at me. The hold I had on her kept her feet off the floor. Her hands held my face in place while she kissed me over and over. The reunion was going well until she stopped kissing me, leaned her head back and pinched my cheek, Grandma Nellie style.
“Ow! What was that for?”
“I was just checking that I’m awake. It’d suck if I was dreaming right now.”
I dropped my head, smiling into the curve of her shoulder. “You’re supposed to pinch yourself, not me.”
“Oh.”
I lifted my head and was met by the gorgeous smile I’d missed so much. “I want to tell you why I’m here,” I murmured.
“You chased me,” she said smugly. “That’s why you’re here.”
I needed to set the record straight. She needed to know that nothing had changed. I hadn’t figured a way out of the mess we were in. We were still stuck in limbo and I was still a selfish ass. I was just a selfish ass who couldn’t stay away from her.
I lowered her to her feet. If flee-itis kicked in, she’d thank me for it.
“I just needed to see you. I have a few weeks off so I –”
She put a finger to my lips. “I’m not stupid, Adam. There’s no Disney movie playing in my head. You’re on Christmas break, right?”
I nodded and she dropped her hand. “I’ve got two weeks.”
“Okay. Two weeks.” She calculated. “We’ll just have to make the most of it.”
I grabbed her waist and jerked her forward. “Do you have something in mind?”
Before I’d even got the question out, she was unbuttoning my shirt.
“No,” she mumbled. “Nothing.”
I gripped her T-shirt, yanked it over her head and dropped it to the floor. I then dropped Charlotte to the floor, impatient to feel her body against mine. “Disney would never approve of this,” I murmured, closing my eyes as my lips touched her warm skin.
I felt her hold on me tighten as she shuddered. “I never liked the Disney version anyway,” she breathed.
* * *
I woke early the next morning feeling cold and disoriented. Even in summer, Tasmanian mornings are cold. My neck was stiff and I regretted the decision to fall asleep on the living room floor. The rug did nothing to cushion us.
Charli looked completely content. She was beside me, covered by the throw from the couch, sleeping like the dead. I stroked her cheek. She didn’t stir.
“Charli,” I whispered. I kissed her shoulder, marvelling at how incredibly warm she felt. “Time for bed.”
She groaned but didn’t move. Somehow I got her off the floor and down to the bedroom. I laid her on the bed, covered her up and swept her hair off her face. She was asleep again in seconds.
* * *
It was really early. I stood at the back windows watching the first hint of daylight crack above the horizon. The dark ocean lightened as daylight took hold, revealing pounding waves that raged against the shore. It truly was a beautiful place. The only thing that would’ve made the setting more perfect was a decent cup of coffee. I wasn’t going to get one in the cottage – I couldn’t even find a jar of instant coffee. Plenty of cereal though.
Gabrielle made great coffee. As soon as I thought it was a respectable enough hour to be visiting, I left Charli a note and slipped out the door.
I didn’t make it as far as the house. Alex was in the shed. Sneaking past was impossible. He would’ve seen me coming the second I pulled onto the long driveway. I had no choice but to front him. All I could do was hope that Gabrielle had also seen me arrive as I was probably going to need medical attention at some point.
He barely looked up as I got to the door. As a precautionary measure, I went
no further than the doorway.
“Adam,” he said ominously. “Gabs is still in bed. It’s early.”
It was freakishly early, barely after seven. And if she was still in bed, I was on my own.
“I’ll come back later then.” I replied, making no attempt to leave.
Alex continued scrubbing a block of wax across his surfboard, which was laid out on the workbench. “When did you get here?” he asked.
“Last night.”
“I knew you’d show up sooner or later,” he said. “I was just hoping it would be later – when she’d come to her senses and forgotten your name.”
His attitude was nothing less than I expected or deserved. I wasn’t even going to try defending myself.
“Are you going to try talking Charli into going back to New York?” he asked. “Is that why you’re here?”
“No. I wouldn’t do that. I have a couple of weeks off. I just wanted to see her.”
Alex didn’t reply. In fact he didn’t say anything. I almost wished he’d just thump me and get it over with.
“What do you know about surfing, Adam?” he asked finally.
“Not a whole lot.”
He glanced up at me and smiled – and not in a good way. “Maybe it’s time you learned.”
“I’ve seen the size of the waves this morning,” I replied. “I came here for coffee, not a near death experience.”
“Relax, Boy Wonder,” he taunted. “I won’t let you die.”
Nothing about him sounded believable.
Abandoning the board, he grabbed one of the wetsuits hanging from the rack behind him and thrust it at me. “How tall are you?” he asked sizing me up with his eyes.
“Six, two.”
He turned to the wall and grabbed a board. The thing was huge – at least eight foot.
“I know it looks big but it’ll float,” he explained. “Even if you don’t.” He followed up with another evil smile.
“This wasn’t what I had in mind when I came here.”
“I know that, Adam. But things don’t always work out as you plan, do they?”
* * *