Chapter 69
Chapter Sixty-Nine
C hris thought someone had died when Rose rang him. No one from his family phoned when he was overseas. It cost too much, and often you just couldn’t get through. The conversation had replayed in his mind for a long while after he got off the phone. ‘She’s a mess, Chris. Down and out, but bloody lucky to be alive. Some drug gang killed this fella Bob, who she’s been with for years. He sounds as though he was an arsehole anyway. Belted her around. I don’t think she’s so upset about him dying, it’s more that she has nothing and no direction in her life, or a place to go. She doesn’t want to involve her parents.’
‘Make her stay at Point Lookout. With five bedrooms, a spa and every luxury she’d want, she can spoil herself.’
‘I don’t think she will. I’m ringing because I wondered if The Magic Fish was empty.’
‘Yes, it is. I took it off the rental list because there’re a few maintenance jobs to be done, and it needs a coat of paint. It’s small, Rose. She’d be better at Point Lookout. ’
‘There’s no way she’ll stay at the big house. I’m going to have trouble convincing her to take anything from you. I’m not sure what happened between the two of you, and I hate to say it, but she doesn’t want to see you at all. Lucky you’re overseas.’
‘Why wouldn’t she want to see me? I talked to her at the wedding.’
‘She’s ashamed of her past life. I’m telling you, she’s been through the wringer and, like all of us, made some shitty decisions.’
He hoped that Rose would be able to convince Evie to stay at The Magic Fish . It was one of several homes he owned on the island. His business had done so well that he had to do something with his money, and buying property seemed like a good investment. The island had also become his refuge, a place to escape, away from the crowded beaches of the Gold Coast and California where he had set up factories and shops for his expanding surfboard business.
It was the nineties, and with the recent recession finally over, the economy was booming. Young people were flocking to the beautiful beaches that encircled Australia, and Chris was riding that wave with them, supplying not only the big names of the surfing world with their winning boards, but also every other board rider who wanted a Vivre board. He was at the forefront when it came to design, technology and craftsmanship, and he still had plenty of innovative ideas buzzing around his mind.
He leaned back on a cabana lounge on Huntington Beach, watching the flocks of people in front of him, sunbaking or swimming in the ocean. It was the perfect place, with the Pacific Ocean delivering superb swells and, at certain times of the year, steep curling waves that drew surfers from all over the world.
Behind him, people walked or roller skated along the concrete esplanade, a few spindly palm trees throwing the only shade. He wondered if the beaches along Australia’s coastline would one day become as popular, filled with surfers and holidaymakers. He hoped not. This spot was great for business, but too busy for his liking. The area was also fast becoming home to the rich and famous, with condos and other tall buildings taking over from the original low-set bungalows that still appeared sporadically in between the large concrete structures.
At night, the place came alive even more, with hordes of people flocking to the precinct to enjoy the many bars and restaurants. It was a perfect setting for his new shop, but it wasn’t where he wanted to stay. Travelling overseas had been a novelty to start with. But now he was bored. Uninterested in the women who tried to hang off his arm and gain his attention, he was tired of the endless parties, dancing and drinking that seemed to go hand-in-hand with the elite of the surfing crowd.
At Stradbroke, he didn’t need to go to any flash bars or drink until the sun came up. Thinking about Evie being at The Magic Fish by herself, he was envious. How stupid was that, when he owned the place? That house and the others were always there for him to live in at any time. But he became restless when he stayed there. His sisters told him he needed a girlfriend, but he had been in relationships a few times. He got bored with them. He knew it wasn’t the fault of the girls he dated. It was his problem. Cold, emotionless, detached. Something was missing.