Shelby
Chapter Seven
Crimson Coast, Australia
I don’t think I will ever recover from the simplicity of the rolling waves in this remarkable beachside town. The mornings spent with my toes in the golden grains and the melodic backing track of the whispers of the ocean spreading for miles.
Ashy would lay beside me snoozing on the sand and I would spend my time lost to the sanctity of dawn while sporadically encouraging her to wake and share in the beginning of a new day.
Both of our parents were bugging us to come home. Our gap year had taken us away for five months already, but with views like this, I wasn’t ready. Would I ever be?
The endless stretch of untouched sand stilled my racing heart and it was somewhere I would always feel alive.
Having my soul-sister with me only made it all the better and just this morning, I’d reefed her grumpy butt up off the sand and ran with her until we crashed into the frigid waves, our pyjamas sticking to our skin.
I’d screamed my gratitude to the heavens that there was such beauty in this country of ours - and that I got to experience it with my bestest friend .
“How have I never heard of this store?” I said over my shoulder, looking around in awe. “They need this in Canada. But then I’d never leave, and I’d be broke.”
When Corbin said there was a shop up ahead, given the expanse of road we’d travelled this morning, I was expecting a side of the road gas station with bare necessities, but this was something else.
“I’ve never seen anyone so impressed with Alworths,” he mocked, in-step just behind me holding a reusable shopping bag. Such a mundane moment on our thus far, everchanging trip.
“Look!” My astonishment was obvious in the shrill pitch of my voice as I pointed at outdoor items right next to beauty supplies.
“Do I need a tent? No. Do I need a massage chair? No. Do I need a cocktail making kit or a light-up dog collar?” I asked, holding both in the air.
“Also no. But the versatility of these aisles is next level.” Every item begged for my attention, and I was getting whiplash from the sudden movements as I snagged glances at the countless completely unrelated items.
“What about-”
“No,” he laughed. “We do not need a pair of secateurs,” he carefully took the impressively large scissors from my hand and placed them back on the shelf. I tapped his chest lightly, ignoring the firm warmth of his pecs under my palm.
“What about these candles? I mean this one is lychee and the other is blackberries,” I held both aloft with a surreptitious wink.
He exaggeratedly rolled his eyes. “You make candles for a living. Why do you need to buy any?”
“Excuse you – I’m currently on leave which means I don’t have access to my stash.” I whined, taking a deep whiff. “They smell so gooood.”
Corbin continued to stare with raised brows until I admitted defeat. I probably didn’t need one right now anyway, but these aisles were an impulse buyer’s dream .
“Fineeeeee,” I huffed. “But this place is wild. I’m grabbing some chocolate and this blanket, and I don’t care that it’s summer.
” I held the double fleece winter blanket aloft before I wandered the rest of the store throwing another eight things into the basket.
It was the perfect opportunity to stretch my legs and take a break from the sneaky glances I spent half my day throwing at my road trip buddy.
While neither of us had mentioned what happened the other night, there’d been a definite shift.
We’d woken a tangle of limbs, my dressing gown offensively undone and one of my breasts on display, but Corb had only grinned and delicately closed the garment like an annoying gentleman.
I wasn’t expecting him to ravish me or anything, but a little flick or full-palmed squeeze wouldn’t have gone astray.
His request not to be weird had been easy though. Because waking in his embrace didn’t feel weird. The weird part was exactly how right it all felt.
He’d called his parents before we left and Aunty Ash’s larger than life smile told me she knew we’d discovered the sneaky treats in the same way her and Mum had on their travels.
The following two days were spent relaxing, wandering the ostentatious gardens and learning more about each other, but there were no more sneaky kisses, and all food was approved by him first. Despite my best efforts to sneak some of Kenn’s desserts for lunch, he’d vetoed that with that wicked grin which made my stomach twist.
Kenn bid us a fond farewell this morning and invited us back whenever we liked, stating his cakes were better than anywhere else along the east coast of Australia – something I didn’t doubt.
The plan was to head further down the tide-kissed land, and with both of us deciding a break from driving for a few days was necessary, Corb left it to me to find a place to stay.
Littoralnock had grabbed my attention in the same way those aisles at Alworths did and I’d booked us a twin room in a quaint small-town pub.
I’d programmed the map and off we set, the back of the truck packed and a little more of my parents left behind in the sea of thick, dewy grass.
The charming little bridge, where Corbin had kissed me, had been the perfect resting place and now it would always hold two memories for me.
I’d gone alone – at my own request – and snapped a polaroid of the graceful spot of land, more so I would never forget the exact way that secret little garden looked the day I had the best, most unexpected kiss.
Everything felt easy with Corbin by my side and travelling along the edge of the world was a little more beautiful. As we headed back onto the coastal highway, I opened us both a packet of crisps and a soda.
“If you had to choose what’s your favourite thing to drink from? Can, plastic or glass bottle?” He asked.
I made a noise to indicate my contemplation. “That’s a good question. I’m going to say can. And then glass, then plastic. What about you?”
“Glass, can and then plastic. How could you choose a can over glass?” He answered easily.
“Honestly, I just like the sound they make when they open,” I admitted, and he laughed.
“How are the chips?”
I raised the packet of Light and Tangy flavoured crisps.
“Look, they’re not as good as All Dressed flavour but they’re passable.
” I threw a few into my mouth. The snacks here were better than I remembered, but I wasn’t going to admit that when it had been an ongoing debate over the years.
Our parents had often swapped care packages filled with treats and us kids always threw our thoughts in of what to send, debating how much better the treats we sent were rather than received.
Although, he always made Aunty Ash send us Caramello Koalas and while I never admitted this, they were my favourite and better than any of the chocolate back home.
“I told you they’d be good. Just not as good as Salt N Vinegar,” he replied, reaching for his own packet .
I studied his side profile. The way his hair was growing a little longer by the day, now looking soft. The relaxed stance of his shoulders which were more pliable than when I first arrived. The softness of his brows. “Taking leave suits you.”
A sound of scepticism rumbled in his chest. “I thought it was going to be difficult. That I’d last a day or two and then end up back in the office. But I like not being there. Holidays might not be as bad as I thought.”
“It could be the weed still lingering in your system,” I joked, and he shot me a glare before that delicious little smirk split his face.
“Still can’t believe we got stoned. That’s the last time I trust you to organise anything,” he chuckled.
“Untrue. I booked the accommodation for tonight,” I grinned, feeling pleased with myself. “You’re just a control freak.”
“It’s not my fault. I had a receptionist once who would organise my meetings and she always filed them under the wrong name. It was bad.”
We both laughed as he recounted a day where he referred to someone by the incorrect name three times, in a room of thirty people, before they corrected him.
“Okay, I can see why you prefer to do your own organisation. Although, I stand by my order. Nowhere on the menu did it state the food was laced. It’s a fantastic lawsuit waiting to happen.”
“Kenn is lucky you aren’t litigious. And that our mother’s apparently enjoy a sneaky joint.”
“I actually love that we are retracing their steps,” I sighed, rolling my head out towards the oceanic expanse of the horizon.
“Weed included. I would have never come here and seen this without her diary,” I swept my hand towards the coast. Unlike our inland trip a couple of days prior, Corbin had chosen this drive purely for the views it afforded.
The lengthy highway sat adjacent to the never-ending vast cerulean of the ocean and with the coastal breeze, the windows were down a little and the air was fresh.
The oceanic setting accompanied the nearly eight-hour trip to our next location, and we’d spent the morning alternating between music and shared stories.
He’d asked about my business and how I’d gotten into candles, and I’d pried into the things he enjoyed other than work – not in the least surprised when he didn’t have much to offer.
We talked about families, and he admitted he didn’t get home as often as he should despite living only a couple of suburbs away.
He’d seemed sheepish admitting this and I understood why.
We both knew I would have loved to be a suburb or two away from my parents these days, but that was life, and a reminder how often we took those things for granted when they were always there.
“Mum seemed happy this morning too,” he said.
“I think she’s just happy you’re taking some time for yourself.” I admitted and he hummed his agreement.