Chapter 75
Chapter Seventy-Five
T he pub was positioned high on the headland, just north of the small cluster of buildings that made up Point Lookout. Its location was one of the best vantage points on the island, facing north-east, looking straight out across the ocean.
Evie arrived at the carpark and spent some time readjusting her hair, looking at her reflection in the rear-view mirror. Thankfully, the last month spent on the island had allowed her to put some weight on and the sallow, gaunt look had disappeared from her face. Her cheeks had regained their fullness and her complexion radiated a healthy, golden glow, the result of days spent walking along the beach and going fishing.
Tonight, she had even put on some mascara and foundation. Her fingernails had grown, and she had neatly filed and shaped them for the first time in her life. A flowing floral dress that had been a hand-me-down from Rose fitted her perfectly now she had filled out a little. Her clothes no longer hung on her frame. Instead, they wrapped around her body, accentuating her trim waist and small rounded breasts. At least with some weight gain, she had regained some of her curves, and her legs no longer looked like matchsticks. They also had regained some tone and muscle. It was amazing what stress and unhappiness could do to your body. But with time away from all that, she felt like she was gradually returning to herself; her body and mind had healed and revitalised.
Most days, the events of that fateful night found their way into her thoughts though. As much as she tried not to think of Bob’s fate, it was difficult to push it completely away. A night out would do her good, and hopefully the food and company of Chris’s friends would make for a pleasant night.
Chris was at the bar and he waved as she walked into the room. She could feel his eyes on her as she neared him. ‘Wow, Evie. You look fantastic. Island life is suiting you.’
She leaned on the bar next to him. ‘It is. I love it.’
‘What do you want to drink?’ Chris had a tray of beers and wines in front of him and he called the bartender back to order something for her.
‘I’ll just have a beer to start with. One now, and I can still drive home later.’
His eyes hardly left her, his gaze soft and lingering when he spoke. ‘I’ve already had a few, and so have the boys. We got here earlier. I’ll be walking home.’
Chris wore board shorts and a T-shirt with his company’s insignia on the front. She looked at the clever design of the word Vivre , with the V created by two surfboards. It was vintage-style, and she admired the embroidered logo design with clouds and waves in the background.
‘Follow me and meet everyone,’ Chris said, as he picked up their drinks and walked towards the middle of the room. ‘They’re a great bunch.’
Nerves rattled in her stomach and she really wanted to stay at the bar and not follow him back to the table. But he turned around to make sure she was behind him. ‘C’mon. don’t worry, they’re all friendly.’
Chris was right, and it didn’t take long for everyone to greet her and make her feel welcome. The group sat around a long table, the shape of the glossy timber surface that of a surfboard. Chris was directly across from her, and four of his mates—Ben, Liam, Xavier and Jason—also sat on that side. Two of their partners, Melanie and Taneesha, sat next to Evie. Both women were a bit older than she was. Melanie was a naturopath and had a clinic in the small town-centre at Point Lookout, while Taneesha made children’s clothing in a garage at the back of her house. The small business was booming, and she sold her stock at the local markets and on the mainland.
The men were also welcoming, wanting to know how she knew Chris. All of them were tradesmen, except Xavier, and were dressed much the same as Chris; boardshorts, T-shirts and thongs on their feet. Xavier was very good-looking with dark skin, dreadlocks that hung down to his waist, and the whitest teeth she had ever seen.
‘Xavier’s a famous surfer you know, Evie,’ Liam said. ‘He’s also Chris’s poster boy. In California, there’s a billboard that’s fifty feet high, and our mate Xavier here is on it, dressed in all the Vivre merchandise, with one of Chris’s boards under his arm.
Xavier shook his head. ‘Leave me alone.’
They all laughed and Melanie added, ‘These five fellas are all on another billboard. I’ll have to show you a photo. Models for Vivre .’
‘Well, it has saved me a heap of money,’ Chris remarked. ‘Better to use your mates rather than someone you don’t know. Besides, we’re all the real deal.’
‘Wait ‘til he brings out his bikini line,’ Jason said. ‘You girls would be perfect to model for him.’
Evie giggled along with the other women, and they all chatted easily until the meals arrived. She avoided the hard questions about what she had done in Yeppoon, and talked more about the times at Stradbroke, when she was a kid.
Leaning back in her chair as she listened to everyone talking and laughing, she felt a calmness descend. It was a feeling she had forgotten. It was as if some of the tightness and stress had left her body, and she relaxed even more. The beer was icy cold, delivering a delightful tang to her taste buds with each sip, and she relished the freedom and company of the welcoming people around her.
The boys were drinking more than the girls, and she watched them with interest. If things got out of hand, she would just leave. Their beers were going down nicely, and the laughter was getting louder as the jokes got funnier. The girls were also downing their wines quickly. Everyone, except for her, was walking home, so they were making the most of the night out .
After the meal, Chris stood up. ‘Right, who’s up for a game of pool?’
Melanie and Taneesha jumped up. ‘Count us in. Do you play, Evie?’
‘Sure she does,’ Chris said. ‘She used to be the sharpest shooter in the west.’
Evie shook her head. Chris’s words were a bit slurred, and she laughed as he winked at her. ‘Used to be. I haven’t played pool since I was here at Stradbroke as a kid.’
Great. Us three girls will play you boys,’ Taneesha said. ‘Losers shout the meals here next time.’