15. Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fourteen
BETH
After three hectic days of organizing, Beth had broken free from most of her commitments to leave for Exmouth. A long thirteen-hour drive north. She’d stayed overnight in Geraldton to break up the trip. Maybe she should’ve taken up Nick’s offer to fly. But the price was three hundred one-way. He’d already paid for her accommodation. How much money did he have, anyway?
As her tires crunched over the red gravel driveway, she sighed in relief at the sight of the corrugated blue cottages. A bed awaited her inside, where she could stretch out her tired body.
She scanned the unit numbers as her faithful Toyota Yaris rolled past. Unit eight. That was her. The caretaker said the key would be in the door. Off-peak season ensured there weren’t many guests.
When the car door swung open, a flood of humidity assaulted her skin. Whoa. No wonder the tourists had left. It’d take some time to get used to this climate. Was that a kookaburra she could hear laughing nearby? As if on cue at her arrival? A lovely song of a magpie joined in, and soon peace filled her, content to be close to nature. The beach, only a walk away, and several bush trails were some of the features listed on the RAC Holiday website.
Beth ascended the mini two-level steps and unlocked the front door. Terracotta tiles, pine furniture, and a compact blue kitchen came into view. Thank goodness—an AC unit on the wall. She headed back to her car and used her remote to pop the trunk. She tried to pack light but still ended up with three luggage bags and her laptop pouch.
Her boss wanted her to continue editing work online as he preferred two weeks' notice. Fair enough. But he did cut her hours to fifteen, so she’d have plenty of free time to see Nick when he was available. She promised Cassie she’d do a zoom meeting for an hour on Fridays until they found another volunteer. Hopefully, they wouldn’t need to cancel the English class altogether. That’d be a real shame.
A cramp in her calf muscle made her wince. She leaned down and rubbed her fist into the strained spot. After some relief, she hoisted her bags onto the paved driveway, stacked them together, and rolled the matching green set inside.
She fussed around, making herself at home, washed her face, and ate some of the complimentary fruit from the fridge. She headed to the bedroom and flopped onto the bed. Nick wanted to meet her in two hours. Enough time for a quick nap.
NICK
Nick steadied the Standup Paddle Board as Beth gingerly climbed on the deck pad. The gentle waves lapped around his knees, doing little to cool him as the water was still warm.
“That a girl. Crawl to the middle.” Maybe she wasn’t cut out for water sports. He hoped she enjoyed it once they got going. Turquoise Bay would have to be the most stunning beach he’d seen in his life. The pristine beach bare of seaweed or pollution and the crystal-clear waters made it a spectacular experience. Farther down the beach, a small number of his Navy buddies fished off the beach. The sun dipped toward the horizon. Sunset, not far away.
He laid the paddle adjacent to the board. “Now grip onto this.”
Uncertainty filled her eyes as she searched his. He smiled and nodded. Then she wobbled as she let go of the sides and gripped the paddle with fierce determination.
“Great. Now, I’ll hold the board steady while you stand up with the paddle.”
“Okay. I guess I have nothing to lose. The water isn’t cold if I fall in.”
His toes curled into the sand when a more substantial wave pushed against him. Nick glanced to the horizon. No more large waves for a while. She should get a few minutes of grace while she worked out how to manage her balance.
“Okay. You’re good to go. Keep your head up rather than chin down.”
Beth pushed from the board and shuffled to her feet. He gritted his teeth as he held the board still. He smiled as he gazed up at his queen, standing high with her sceptre.
Nick trudged through the water to take her waist-deep. “You ready for me to let go?”
“If you have to.”
He chuckled. “Yes, I do. I want to get on my board and join you. Look at the view.”
Beth scanned her surroundings and nodded at him. “It’s pretty amazing.” She breathed in deeply and exhaled. “Okay. You can set me free.”
He gave a gentle push, parallel to the beach line.
Beth gave a little squeal of delight. Too cute. And she looked great in her matching aqua swim shirt and shorts.
Nick glided through the water toward the shore, then stomped through the wet sand. He grabbed the t-grip handle of his rented board and turned back to the sea. Beth remained standing and gave small flicks with her paddle, barely gaining traction. He shook his head and grinned. He cupped one hand around his mouth and called, “Turn the paddle the other way.”
She looked over her shoulder and squinted at him. He bent and picked up his paddle and demonstrated the action. It was an easy mistake. In canoeing, the ore angled in the opposite direction. Beth did as he said, then resumed paddling side to side.
To his right, Sonny and Michael strode toward the beach line with Standup Boards too. Argh. He tried to keep a distance from the other guys so he could have Beth all to himself. He’d spent all day with the sailors, and he needed a break. They’d soon realize she belonged to him. He dashed into the water, creating mini waves, splashing either side of his body. He whacked the paddle across the board and pushed off with his feet, then laid flat as he skimmed toward Beth.
She flinched but smiled as she spotted him coming. But one moment later, she wobbled, windmilled her arms to gain balance, and hollered. Her feet shuffled forward, then backward, forward, and oh, no—the board tipped to one side. Splash. He winced.
Beth came up spluttering and scratching at the board like a drowning cat. Her legs had curled under the board. She kicked but that helped little, causing the paddle board to flip and whack her head. Ouch, that would’ve hurt.
He let go of his board as it was strapped to his ankle anyway, swam to Beth, wrapped an arm around her waist, and hoisted her onto the deck.
“Are you okay?”
She huffed dramatically and wriggled her nose, then swiped it with the back of her hand. “No.”
“Don’t give up, honey. You can do this. Best to get back up before you think too much about it.”
Beth feigned a growl, making him laugh.
“Sorry. I should be more sensitive.” Strands of hair matted to her forehead. She looked a sight. But he couldn’t hold back the smile within a smile.
“At least one of us is having fun.” She wriggled like a caterpillar to the middle of the board.
Nick handed over his paddle and looked to find where hers floated. There. He swam to get it, then got on his deck to demonstrate how to do it correctly. But when he turned, she had paddled away. Ha. Miss Independence didn’t need him anymore.
NICK
One hour later, Nick and Beth picked at the last remaining fries at Blue Lips. Beth had showered and changed, but he still wore his damp board shorts and a fresh t-shirt.
Bellows of laughter came from inside the fish and chip shop. The sailors were everywhere, taking over the quiet town. He hoped he didn’t come across as anti-social, but his days with the Navy were numbered. He’d have some extra time with the guys on the way back to the States. But right now, right here, his priority was his new fiancée.
“What do you say to scuba diving tomorrow morning?”
Her brows furrowed. “Don’t I need a license for that?”
“You don’t have one?” He shrugged. “Silly question?” He smiled. “There’s snorkeling with the Whale Sharks. You up for that?”
She gasped. “Sharks!”
An elderly couple at the next picnic table glanced their way.
He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Not the man-eating kind.”
“Oh.” She placed a hand to her chin. “And it’s safe to swim near them?”
“They’re big, so not too close. I’ll send you the links to the website and videos. You can let me know tonight if you’re up to it.”
Her shoulders lowered, and she sank against the wooden bench. “All right.”
He reached across the table and collected her hands. “You said earlier you wanted to talk about something. Is here okay, or do you want to go for a walk?”
Her gaze flickered around the table, everywhere but on him. Not a good sign. Knots formed in his stomach.
She took her hands back and started to clean up the table. “A walk sounds good.” She rolled up the butcher paper around the leftover scraps. Then Beth inched sideways out of the bench seat and stood.
Two American sailors exited the shop with their packages of hot chips. Nick nodded in their direction. “This table is free now.”
Beth moved on and headed to the sidewalk.
“How’d you manage to have that chick follow you up here?” The fool elbowed his friend. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
“We’re engaged.” He turned and didn’t wait for a response, but the sniggers of amusement drifted behind him.
Beth’s face had a hue of pink. She must’ve heard the comments. He slipped his hand into hers. “Don’t listen to them, hon.” He pointed to the distance. “I believe there’s a bush trail up ahead. The weather’s cooled enough to enjoy it.” Unless the conversation ended up too heated. What did she want to discuss?
The sky streaked in colors of russet, pale amber, and strawberry—unusual, but stunning. “Have you spent much time in Exmouth before?”
“Not really. Passed through when we were kids. We had a bus, and in the cooler seasons often camped on the way to Broome. Cooked damper in the coals, delivered donations to the Aboriginal communities, and had a holiday at the same time.”
“Wow. I would’ve loved that upbringing. Big family. Other-people focused.”
“So, tell me more about your mother. Does she live in Los Angeles too?”
Just the mention of his mom caused a sick taste in his mouth. “No. She lives in Oceanside, about an hour from where I stay. Mom managed to get into a flashy senior apartment after dad passed. She’s happy with the facilities and community there.”
“Do you call her much?”
He scratched at the back of his head. “Um. Occasionally.” Mother’s Day. Christmas.
“I guess it’s not as easy on the ship?”
“Mmm.” He didn’t find it easy at any time.
Beth angled her head and studied him. “Would you say you have a good relationship with her?”
Here it goes. Background check. So, this was what Beth wanted to talk about. Was she having doubts about him?
“We had a close mother-son relationship during my childhood. But as my philosophy on life became different to her reserved points of view, a distance formed between us.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Her eyes seemed genuine.
“Yeah. So am I.” He swallowed hard. “As an adult, she’s opposed a lot of my decisions to travel or take financial risks. I can’t talk about any of my insight on anything that could be seen as controversial. She doesn’t get it.” Muscle tension formed in his left shoulder. “Mom’s not supportive in any way, so I don’t tell her much about what I’m doing. I ask her about her life, but don’t go into details of mine. Easier that way.”
He glanced at Beth’s frown. She seemed to have a close family connection, so this would be foreign to her way of life.
He scuffed his shoe against the red dirt bush trail. “Sometimes I just see her as my biological mother, not a real mom.”
Beth’s forehead lines deepened.
“I’m willing to give up anything to achieve my goals. I’ll be rewarded with family and children in the future.” He squeezed Beth’s hand. “By following me to America and Jerusalem, you’re giving up your family too. But you’ll see the rewards for both of us in time.”
She nodded slowly.
“You wanted to talk to me. Are there other questions?”
Beth waved a fly away from her face. “If you don’t mind.” She connected her gaze with his. “I do trust you, Nick. I only want to understand you more and what’s made you the man you are today.”
Nick began to relax. That sounded fair. Her motivation didn’t stem from suspicion, only genuine interest. “Ask away, then.”
“On one of our dates in Fremantle, we talked about our past. I told you about Braydon and you did mention one serious relationship you had.” Beth offered a small smile. “Can I ask more about why it didn’t work out?”
“To be fair on Tracy, you’re only going to hear my point of view. She may have other reasons of why we didn’t stick together.” Nick let go of Beth’s hand and swung his behind his back. Another uncomfortable conversation that needed discussion. “Mom and Tracy became very chummy. She even called her Mamma Sue—the caring mother she never had.” He sighed. He wouldn’t let Beth get too close to his mom. He wouldn’t make that mistake again. “But Mom placed a lot of doubts in Tracy’s head. She doubted my leadership and direction. Tracy broke it off and crushed my heart at the same time. More like she stomped on my heart, squished it into the dirt, wiped off anything to do with me, and cut me off completely.”
Beth collected his hand and stopped their walking. “That’s her loss, Nick.” Her expression conveyed sincerity. “I would never crush your heart.”
He placed her palm on his chest. “I trust you. And you aren’t like Tracy. Your dad has raised you to be dedicated to serving others. We’re on the same page. That’s why our relationship will work.”
She closed the distance between them and rested her head against him. He folded her into his arms and held her tight. Finally, he’d found a woman who would go the journey with him—one who’d trust his lead and partner with him. His soul mate.