Blackbird Page 12
“Right. Of course he is.”
“You’re mad.”
“I’m not mad, Claire. Just leave it, okay?”
“Okay,” she agreed reluctantly. They’d arrived at access to the beach anyway. She hadn’t been surfing in days, so the last thing she wanted was the beginning of a perfect day to turn bad by a simple conversation. Although it wasn’t really simple, was it? How could she even explain what was going on? She didn’t know, that was for sure.
They both got out of the car, Nate walking off to check the surf while Claire pulled the surfboard out of the car to wax it up.
“Sorry to burst your bubble,” Nate said, walking back to the car. Claire looked up at him. “It’s flat as a lake out there. We won’t be surfing today.”
“Damn it!” Claire leaned back against her car in defeat. “That sucks.”
“It does.”
“What are we going to do now, then?”
Nate grabbed the surfboard from her hands and put it back into the car. “Just because there’s no surf doesn’t mean we still can’t go for a swim.”
Claire really only wanted to go for a surf, but she wasn’t about to turn the car around and go sit around at her place doing nothing, so a swim it would be.
“Okay.”
They grabbed their belongings and headed for the beach, dropping them on the sandy dune and taking off their clothes to put on their swimmers.
It never gets old, Claire thought as she watched Nate take off his shirt, leaving his masterpiece for all to see.
Claire wasn’t the only one to notice his body. Two women nearby were nearly wetting their pants at the sight of him.
Claire laughed. “Looks like you’ve got admirers,” she said, nodding her head in the girls’ direction.
Nate turned towards them and then turned back to Claire with a confident smile. “Well at least someone notices it. It’s not easy staying this fit.”
“You’re joking, right?”
How could I not notice you!
He shrugged.
“I’ve noticed your body, Nate. Don’t act like you think I haven’t noticed it.”
“And what do you think of it?”
And the old Nate emerges once again.
“Seriously? You really want me to tell you how hot you look?”
“You think I’m hot?” Nate’s smile widened.
“Of course you’re hot, Nate. I never said you weren’t. You’ve got a body that girls drool over and a face made for modelling.”
Nate straightened his back. “Knew you always thought I was hot.”
Claire shook her head. Typical that he would take it like that. “Now that your ego is as big as a hot air balloon, can we go for a swim?”
Nate laughed. “Hot air balloon reference, nice!” Claire rolled her eyes. “And yes, let’s go for a swim. Race you?”
“I’m not going to race you.”
“Come on, afraid you’ll lose?”
“What about your leg?”
“I’ve been running on it for a while now.”
“Well in that case,” she said quickly turning and sprinting for the water’s edge.
Claire didn’t know Nate was racing after her until he had his arms around her, lifting her over his shoulder. “You know what happens to cheaters?” Nate asked, carrying her quickly to the water.
Claire was too busy laughing and kicking her legs upside down to answer him
“They get punished.”
“No, Nate, don’t!” she yelled when Nate was waist deep in the water. With one quick movement she was flung into the air, landing in the water.
She came up splashing and waving her arms around. She stood and looked at him. “I’ll get you for that!”
“I’d like to see you try,” Nate said confidently.
She splashed water straight into his face. He wiped it and looked at her smiling. “Oh, it’s on.”
He leapt forward, splashing water into her. She turned and quickly started swimming until she was chest deep in water.
Nate grabbed her waist and pulled her back against his body. “I always win, Claire. When are you going to learn that?” he said deeply into her ear, sending chills down her spine.
She turned her body slowly, pressing it up against his. She moved closer to his face, his eyes closing, breathing her in.
“We’ll see about that,” she whispered, quickly moving back from his grip and diving under the water.
***
“You look beautiful tonight, Claire,” Dave said.
Dave was taking her on a surprise dinner date. Claire assumed it would be a nice fancy restaurant but when they reached the marina and she saw a black and gold gondola, she looked at Dave in shock.
‘Surprise,” he said, smiling.
“We’re going on a gondola?”
He nodded his head.
“This is awesome!” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him passionately.
He looked at her when they’d stopped kissing. “I thought it might be a good way to remember me while I’m away.”
She smiled and kissed him once more before they stepped onto the gondola and sat down on the seats.
“Champagne?” Dave asked, holding out a wine glass.
“Yes, please.”
Dave poured the glass of champagne and placed it back into the cooler. He leant back and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer.
“Welcome aboard,” said the man dressed in a striped outfit with a broad straw hat. The hat was wrapped with a ribbon to resemble a Venice gondolier. “My name is Mark, and I’ll be your host this evening. Dinner will be served shortly after a ride through the canals along with a scrumptious desert. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate in asking.”
“Thank you,’ they both said simultaneously.
Mark smiled at them, moving to the front of gondola and grabbing the long oar. He used his foot to push the gondola from the side of the jetty and began using his oar to push them through the water.
It was warm beautiful night, not a cloud in sight.
“This is great, Dave. It really is,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder.
This was exactly what they needed. Time together to just be them, not worry about anything else going on. Their only concern was each other.
The night was over before they knew it and everything went perfectly. Their dinner was just as good as Mark had said it would be, and the ride around the canals was wonderful.
They walked to Dave’s car, holding hands and kissing like lovers should. He opened the door for her and she climbed in, completely smitten by evening they just had.
When Dave had started the car up, and they were driving down the road she placed her hand on his lap. “Thank you Dave. I know I’ve already said it, but I really mean it. It was great.”
“I knew you’d love it. You’ve been going on about Venice since I met you, so I thought if you can’t go to Venice, I’ll bring Venice to you.”
“What do you mean, can’t go to Venice?”
Dave took a quick glance at her. “Well you won’t be going anytime soon, I doubt in the next decade.”
“What?”
Why wouldn’t I be going in the next decade?
“You’ve just finished your degree so you’ll be going out finding a full time job soon. Then you’ll need to work for a few years. By then you’ll probably be starting a family and be a stay at home mum.”
“Excuse me?” Claire pulled her hand from his lap and sat up straight. “Since when was this the plan?”
“Since you turned twenty-one and got a degree. You can’t honestly be willing to throw your degree away to go travelling?”
“It’s not throwing it away, I’ll just be putting it aside for a while. People do it all the time.”
“No,” Dave said sternly. “People finish school and go on a gap year. They do not do it after their degree. You’re twenty-one, and you need to settle down now.”
“No, you don’t. And what about me? I’m too busy with work. I don’t plan on doing any travelling for a long time. Now is the time to focus on our future, Claire.”
“Whose future, yours or mine?”
“Both of ours. We are in this together.”
“I know we’re together but that’s not going to stop me from going travelling. I’ve always wanted to go and now that I’ve finally finished uni I can, so I will be. With or without you,” she snapped.
“You’d seriously break up with me to go travelling?” Dave looked at her in doubt.
“I didn’t say break up, but if that’s what has to happen, then yes. I’m not going to throw my dreams away because you don’t want to me to do them.”
“Just find other dreams for now.”
“What! You are being ridiculous! Are you even hearing yourself? We have been together what? Six months or something, and suddenly you’re telling me how to live my life and what I should and shouldn’t do?”
“Maybe you need to be told what to do, you aren’t exactly the-”
“What Dave? What aren’t I?”
As far as Claire could tell this conversation was over. It was Claire’s life and she would do what she wanted. If she wanted to travel, that’ was exactly what she was going to do. “Stop the car.”
“What? I’m not stopping the car.”
“Stop it now!” she yelled.
Dave pulled the car to the side and she opened the door, slamming it behind her.
Fortunately she was knew the area and was just around the corner from the nearby esplanade where she could go for safety. It was only nine at night so many of the restaurants would still be open.
“Get back in the car,” Dave pleaded. “Look, I’m sorry. Just get back in the car and we’ll talk about it.”
“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m done talking.” She started walked down the road towards the esplanade, Dave following her slowly in his car.
“Claire-”
Claire stopped in her tracks and turned. “No, Dave! I think it’s best if you just leave me alone right now.”
“You’re serious?”
She nodded. “Yes, I’m serious.”
“Fine!”
She heard his tires squeal as she watched him speed off into the night.
So much for a great night.
She quickly walked to the corner of the esplanade. She stood outside one of the restaurants and looked into her clutch. “Shit!” She had no money or cards with her. She had no way of getting home. The only items in her clutch were her phone, lip gloss, and blush.
Smart move, Claire, smart.
She couldn’t even get a taxi ride home and pay for it when she got there because her house keys were at home. She had no way of getting in.
The only thing she could do was call her friends and see if someone could pick her up and let her stay at their place. She opened up her phone, went into the phone book and called Layla. She listened to the dial tone, waiting for Layla to answer.
“Hello!” Layla yelled into the receiver. Claire could hear music in the background.
“Layla? It’s Claire.”
“Who?” Layla yelled once again.
“Claire,” Claire said loudly into the phone.
“Claire! What are you doing?”
“Where abouts are you?”
“We’re at Lachy’s, remember? It his birthday tonight, you said you couldn’t come.”
Double shit. She’d forgotten about that. Although Lachy wasn’t a close friend of hers, she knew all her friends would be there.
“Is everyone there?” she asked, hoping someone she knew hadn’t gone.
“Yeah everyone’s here! They have a cocktail slushy machine so everyone’s getting drunk!”
Triple shit. She wouldn’t even be able to get anyone to come and get her who was capable of driving.
“Who’s driving?”
“No-one, we all caught a maxi.”
Claire cursed under her breath.
“Is everything okay, Claire?”
“Yeah everything’s fine, Layla, don’t worry about it. Have a good night okay?” Claire said reassuringly.
“You too! Bye, babe!”
“Bye.” She hung up the phone and looked down at it. She scrolled through her phone book hoping to find someone that could give her a lift.
After calling three more people and getting their voicemails she only had two options left. Call Dave and get him to come and pick her up. Who was she kidding? She was too stubborn. There was no way she was calling him. So it only left Nate.
Truthfully Nate had been the first person she’d thought of, but she hadn’t thought he would pick her up because a) he couldn’t actually drive and b) she’d just been on a date with Dave.
But after going through all of her options, Nate was the only person left, apart from people she knew but not well enough to pick her up and let her stay at their houses all night.
She dialled his number, and he answered after only a couple of rings.
“Hello.”
“Hey, Nate, it’s me.”
“Is everything okay?” Nate asked quickly.
“Not really.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked, panic in his voice.
Claire calmly answered, “Nothing bad. Well, sort of. Dave and I had a fight. I ended up getting him to pull over, and I got out of the car. Long story short, I’m stuck here with no money and no way to get home.”
“He just left you on the side of the road?”
“I told him too. I’m safely outside restaurants on the esplanade, but I have no way of paying for a taxi to get home and my keys are at Dave’s so I can’t even get into my house.
“So you need a lift and somewhere to stay?”
“If it’s okay?”
“Of course it’s okay. How long have you been there?”
“Fifteen minutes or so. I know it’s a lot to ask, but there is no one else to ask.”
“It’s not a lot to ask. I don’t want you hanging around the streets at night by yourself even if it is on a busy road. Jump in the next taxi you see and come to my place. I’ll pay the driver when he gets here.”
“Okay. There’s one here right now, I’ll get in it,” she said walking up to the taxi and opening the door.
“Good, I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay, see you soon.”
“Oh, and Claire?”
“Yeah?”
“Next time call me first, okay?”
“Okay,” she replied, smiling and hanging up the phone.
She slid into the taxi. Thankfully Nate was the kind of guy you could rely on.
Claire arrived at Nate’s house shortly after. He was waiting outside his apartment for her.
He approached the taxi as it pulled up and opened the door to let her out.
“Hey,” she said.
“Hey,” he replied, smiling.
He helped her out of the car and leaned into the passenger seat to pay the driver. “Keep the change,” he said, turning and facing Claire.
“Are you okay?” he asked as the taxi pulled away and they were left alone.
“I am now.”
“I was serious before, though,” he said placing his hands on her upper arms. “Call me first, for anything, okay?”
“Okay.”
It warmed her heart knowing that Nate cared that much for her. Sure, he could be a cocky, arrogant guy, but he had a sweet side to him that she was discovering, a side she was growing to love.
“Let’s get you inside,” he said, holding her hand and leading her towards the building.
Once they were inside Nate’s apartment, she took her heels off and left them near the door.
“Are you tired? I was going to watch a movie if you want.”
“Movie sounds great.”
She slumped herself on the couch next to Nate. She rested her head on his shoulder. It had been a long day and an evening she hadn’t expected.
He lifted his shoulder out from under her head and wrapped his around her, letting her head rest on his chest.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
She sighed. “Not really.”
He switched the TV on. Claire didn’t catch the movie he’d chosen because by the time it had reached the opening credits, she’d fallen asleep in Nate’s arms.
CHAPTER TEN
When Nate woke the next morning, he went to check on Claire in the spare room. As he reached the room, he heard her talking on the phone to Dave. Although he wanted to stay and listen to that asshole get a talking to, he wouldn’t invade her privacy. So instead he left her to sort things out and went and cooked them breakfast.
Claire emerged shortly after Nate plated up their pancakes and placed them on the dining table. She walked out still wearing her clothes from the night before, her hair pulled up into a messy bun on her head.
“Morning,” she half smiled.
“Breakfast?”
She nodded her head and sat down across from him, picking up a couple of pancakes and putting them onto her plate. She poked the pancake with her fork, stabbing it back and forth.
“If you don’t want it you don’t have to eat it.”
“No, no, it’s not that, I’m hungry…” she said placing the fork on the plate and looking up at him. “When did life get so complicated?”
You’re telling me. Nate’s whole life had been complicated and the minute Claire had walked into it, it got even more complicated.
“Life’s always complicated.”
“True.” She picked up her fork then dropped it down again. “Is it that bad to want to be your own person?”
“No, of course it’s not.”
If only he could read her mind, figure out what she was thinking. No doubt it had something to do with dickhead Dave.
“If I want to travel, then I’m going to travel. Just like if I want to work I’ll work, if I don’t, I won’t… and I don’t even know if I want kids.”
Kids?
“What do you mean kids?” Nate asked, slightly hesitant, not knowing where this conversation was going.