Thirty-eight
The week had been busy, giving Joe little opportunity to do much other than council work. He had called Gill a couple of times, feeling the need to hear her voice, but she had been busy too, and it hadn’t been possible for them to meet, though she had agreed to going out on the bay with Cam and Poppy. He had managed to squeeze in lunch with Cam at The Grand one day and, after being the butt of his friend’s teasing, had arranged for the four of them to meet at the marina on Sunday morning to spend the day on the water. Joe was looking forward to it, not only to seeing Gill again, but to getting out on the bay with Cam, something he hadn’t done for some time – apart from the time they went scuba diving. Since Cam had linked up with Poppy, he hadn’t had much time for his old friends.
Now it was Sunday and Joe couldn’t wait. He had risen early, but not early enough to beat Erica who was still enjoying her early morning swims.
She was already eating breakfast when he walked into the kitchen to be greeted by the aroma of fresh coffee and the enticing scent of bacon. ‘Hey, sleepy head,’ she said. ‘Aren’t you going sailing today?’
‘I am.’ Joe rubbed his chin and checked the time. It was only seven o’clock, and he was due to meet the others at the marina at eight. ‘Time for a quick bite before I go,’ he said, helping himself to coffee and dropping a slice of bread into the toaster and another strip of bacon into the pan.
‘You and Gill,’ Erica said. ‘Is it serious? I love you and I like her. I’d hate to see either of you get hurt.’
‘Difficult to tell at this stage.’ As the toast popped up, Joe topped it with the piece of bacon and took it and his coffee to the table. He sat down and took a sip of coffee. ‘Gill is the first woman I’ve been interested in since Barb. I never thought I’d feel this way again, Erica, but Gill has got under my skin.’ As he spoke, Joe remembered their kiss on the beach, remembered the sweetness of Gill’s lips, the way her body had melted into his. It had been all he could do to stop himself from taking it further. But it was broad daylight… on a public beach, so common sense and his innate sense of decency prevailed. However, Gill’s unexpected response had given him more than hope.
The others were already there when Joe arrived at the marina. He’d left Coco at home with Erica who was happy to have her company. She said the dog made her feel safe, which worried Joe. Did she think Geoff was going to turn up looking for her ? Now wasn’t the time to worry about his brother-in-law, he decided, seeing Gill standing there.
She was wearing a pair of white shorts with a blue and white striped tee-shirt which looked very nautical. The sight of her sent Joe’s heart racing. He felt somewhat overdressed in his jeans and white, short-sleeved shirt, but seeing Cam similarly dressed made him feel better. Poppy had donned a pair of khaki, three-quarter pants with a pink shirt tied at the waist.
They made their way to Cam’s boat, Cam carrying an esky, and Poppy a picnic basket which she said the kitchen at Crossings had prepared. When they were all on board, and the food had been stowed in the cabin, Cam cast off, and they were on their way.
It was glorious to be out on the water, with just enough swell to make things interesting, and the sun beating down on them. When Joe put his arm around Gill’s shoulders, he felt her tense for a moment before she relaxed against him, turning to smile into his eyes. He felt as if all his Christmases had come at once and knew Barb would approve.
As they sailed along, a pair of dolphins joined them, delighting them with their antics before they swam off again. The water was so clear, they were able to spot a few turtles and several varieties of fish. They were even lucky enough to see a whale breeching in the distance.
By the time Cam dropped anchor in a quiet bay, they were all ready for lunch, but first Poppy suggested a swim.
Joe was glad he’d had the foresight to wear a pair of board shorts under his jeans, just in case. He’d had the suspicion swimming might be part of the day’s activities, and he couldn’t wait to see Gill in a swimsuit again. He remembered the brief glimpse he’d had of her on that first morning when he’d driven Erica to the beach. On that occasion, she’d quickly waded into the water. She wouldn’t be able to do that today.
The women disappeared into the cabin, while Joe and Cam stripped down to their shorts. When Gill reappeared, Joe found it difficult to keep his eyes off her. She looked amazing in a turquoise and black swimsuit which revealed her perfect figure. She was hugging her arms around her body as if ashamed of it, but she had nothing to be ashamed of. Joe wanted to hug her again, to tell her how beautiful she looked, but something in her expression told him a hug wouldn’t be welcome. This was different from seeing her in a wetsuit, and Joe knew he needed to tread warily.
Once in the water, Gill seemed to be in her element, swimming off, then turning to float on her back. Joe wondered if this was what she did each morning and wished he had the courage to join the women, as Erica had. He swam over to join her. They floated side-by-side for a few moments, then Gill said, ‘I love floating like this, looking up at the sky, It helps me to forget everything going on in my life, and I feel as if I could stay like this for ever.’
‘Is it why you swim every morning?’
‘Partly. I do enjoy swimming, and there’s nothing quite like being out on the ocean watching the sky change colour as the sun comes up, a new dawn. It’s magical. You should join us.’
‘I thought it was only women who were part of the group.’
‘It mostly is, but sometimes the odd man joins us. I’m not suggesting you’re odd,’ she said, laughing. ‘Not too odd, anyway.’
‘Thanks.’ Joe chuckled, intrigued by the idea he might join the wild swimmers. Now they’d swum together here, it wouldn’t seem such a challenge, such a test of their friendship. ‘I might take you up on that. Erica is certainly enjoying it.’
‘I’m glad. It’s been hard on her, leaving Perth, coming here, and with her daughter-in-law pregnant…’
‘Hopefully, it’ll all sort itself out.’
‘If she can just stick it out for the requisite twelve months, then apply for a divorce.’
‘Yeah.’
‘Hey, you two,’ Cam called. ‘Time for lunch.’
Joe waved, and he and Gill swam back to the boat where Cam and Poppy were already drying off. When they climbed aboard, Poppy produced towelling robes for each of them.
‘I thought this would be better than climbing back into our clothes,’ she said. ‘We may want to take another swim later.’
Dressed in the thigh-length robe, Joe felt as if he was lounging around in a resort instead of sitting on the deck of Cam’s yacht. Cam brought the esky and picnic basket out of the cabin, and they laid the food on a table on the deck.
Soon they were drinking champagne from plastic glasses and enjoying the selection of tiny quiches, sausage rolls and sandwiches the Crossings chef had prepared, along with fresh bread and a variety of cheeses, with strawberries and grapes to finish. When he was unable to eat another morsel, Joe leant back against the side of the boat. Gill fell back against him.
‘That was delicious,’ she said. ‘All I want to do now is have a nap.’
‘Why don’t you close your eyes? We’re not going anywhere right now. I thought I’d do a bit of fishing,’ Cam said, ‘and Poppy…?’
‘I might have a nap too,’ Poppy said.
‘Joe? Fancy a spot of fishing?’
Joe was happy to stay exactly where he was, with Gill lying against him. ‘I’m fine here,’ he said, feeling her snuggle into him.
*
It was late afternoon when they returned to the marina, feeling tired after their day in the fresh air. They’d had a second swim after their nap – and Cam’s unsuccessful attempt at fishing.
‘Thanks for a great day,’ Joe said, giving Poppy a kiss on the cheek and slapping Cam on the shoulder. ‘I’ll have to figure out how to return the hospitality. I assume another council meeting is out of the question?’ he chuckled.
‘You’re right there,’ Cam said with a grin.
‘Guess I’ll have to think of something else.’
‘No need. We enjoyed it too. It’s not often we have the opportunity to go sailing with good friends.’
‘Thanks so much. I had a lovely time,’ Gill said, kissing both Poppy and Cam on the cheek. ‘Sailing, swimming, good food, good company, what more could I ask for?’ She grinned and looked directly at Joe.
As their eyes met, Joe’s heart skipped a beat. Did she mean his company ?
‘Bye, guys.’ Cam and Poppy headed off, leaving Joe and Gill standing alone.
‘Well,’ Joe said. He wasn’t ready to leave Gill but hesitated to suggest anything. It was late afternoon on a Sunday in Pelican Crossing. People were leaving the beach, preparing for the evening. Owners of boats on the marina were gearing up for the evening too. What he wanted was to spend the evening with Gill.
‘I need a shower. You probably do too,’ Gill said. ‘Why don’t you come back with me? We can freshen up and have a bite to eat. It won’t be a gourmet meal. I’m not much of a cook, and I don’t know about you, but I’m not very hungry after the lunch Poppy and Cam provided.’
‘Thanks, I’d love to.’ Joe couldn’t believe his ears. It was as if Gill had read his mind.
‘You’ll have to put up with Freya’s company too, I’m afraid,’ she added.
‘No problem.’ He liked what he’d seen of Gill’s daughter and had the impression she liked him too. Her company could be a bonus, even if it did mean he wouldn’t have Gill to himself.
*
Gill’s heart was thudding as she opened the door to her apartment. Was it a mistake to have invited Joe back here? She had been careful to keep her home to herself. Apart from her and Freya, the only people who had been here since Max left, had been the group of friends she lunched with. She took a deep breath as she walked in, very conscious of Joe’s presence behind her. ‘Freya!’ she called. There was no reply.
The silence of the apartment wrapped around them as she and Joe went through the hall and into the kitchen.
‘This is different,’ Joe said, glancing around at the stark white kitchen with its bare, white surfaces. ‘Very… functional.’
‘I guess so.’ For the first time, Gill was aware of how her home must look to a stranger, how the Scandinavian style she had sought to emulate might seem odd to someone more accustomed to the normal clutter of the average home. ‘It’s easy to maintain.’
‘Hmm. You mentioned a shower?’
‘Of course.’ Gill directed Joe to the main bathroom, while she headed to the ensuite, checking Freya’s room on the way, but it was empty too. Where was her daughter? When she’d invited Joe back, she hadn’t expected them to be alone. Would she have made the same decision if she’d known Freya wouldn’t be here?
Hearing the shower running in the bathroom along the hall, Gill hurried into the bedroom and into her own shower. The rush of hot water, both washed away the salt and restored her confidence. She’d been alone with Joe before. He was an honourable man. She could handle this.
Dressed again, this time in a pair of jeans and a white linen shirt, Gill emerged from her bedroom, just in time to see Joe, his hair wet from the shower, step into the hallway. Her breath caught. Even though she had seen him half-naked already earlier, the sight of him here in her apartment, knowing he’d recently been naked in her shower, sent her stomach into freefall.
‘Hey,’ he said. ‘You changed. You look good.’
‘Thanks,’ Gill said, suddenly shy and aware they were completely alone.
‘Your daughter?’
‘She’s not here,’ she said, then realising she was stating the obvious, added, ‘I thought she would be.’ As if by magic, her phone pinged. Gill took it out of her pocket to see a text. She scanned it quickly. ‘It’s from Freya. She’s gone to Tara’s for dinner. Seems it’s just us.’ She looked up to see Joe grinning at her.
‘Sounds good to me.’ He moved forward, his arms outstretched, and without thinking, Gill moved towards him, into his arms, into a kiss that seemed to go on for ever.
‘I’ve been wanting to do that all day,’ he said, when they finally parted.
Gill was too breathless to reply, stunned by the realisation it was what she’d been wanting too, ever since she’d seen Joe standing on the marina. But now they were alone in her apartment, she wasn’t sure how to react. She pulled herself out of his arms and headed to the kitchen, Joe following. ‘I promised you something to eat,’ she said. ‘Wine?’ She needed a drink to calm the trembling in her legs after that kiss.
When Joe nodded, clearly as stunned as she was by the torrent of emotion their kiss had unleashed, Gill opened the fridge to remove a bottle of semillon blanc. She poured two glasses, handed one to Joe and took a gulp from the other. Then she fossicked in the freezer, before taking out a pizza. ‘Pizza?’ she asked, holding it up.
‘Fine by me.’
While they waited for the pizza to cook, Gill and Joe went out to the balcony where he admired the view. The lights on the marina and on the boats were being turned on, and tiny figures were visible moving about on the decks. Gill could imagine them drinking wine too, and probably cooking something more exotic than pizza.
By the time the timer on the oven went off, the temperature was dropping, so Gill and Joe were glad to go inside to eat. They were more relaxed with each other now and were able to chat comfortably while they demolished the pizza. After helping Gill load the dirty plates in the dishwasher, Joe held up the half-empty wine bottle. ‘Shall we finish this?’
‘Let’s,’ Gill said, trying to still the butterflies in her stomach.
They carried their refilled glasses into the living room and sat together on the sofa. It was becoming dark, but neither of them turned on the lights, content with the glimmer from outside which filtered through the windows from the balcony.
‘Thanks for today,’ Gill said.
‘I didn’t do anything. It was Cam and Poppy’s thing.’
‘You were there, and I would never have gone on my own. I doubt if they’d have invited me.’ Poppy never had before.
Joe reached an arm around Gill’s shoulders and to her surprise, she found herself leaning into him, her head falling on his shoulder. It was comfortable there, his warm body close to hers. She inhaled the scent of the soap from his shower and another aroma that was his alone and felt a peace she hadn’t experienced for as long as she could remember. They finished the wine, but didn’t speak, content to be together.
As time passed, despite her attempts to stifle it, Gill was aware of a rush of desire. She could sense Joe’s rising passion too. She turned towards him, his face a pale glow in the darkness, when there was the sound of a door opening, a light was turned on, and she was almost blinded. She and Joe leapt apart.
‘What are you doing sitting here in the dark?’ Freya asked.