Читать книгу Christmas Brides And Babies Collection - Rebecca Winters - Страница 43

LUCI’S MORNING STARTED with orientation at the family and community health clinic attached to North Sydney Hospital. She spent the morning getting her ID, setting up her email and running through the safety policies and procedures for the site. Once the administration side of things had been dealt with, she would start work. The course participants would be given a case load as the service tried to get through their waiting list. The system was under the pump, there were always more people who needed the service.

Her diary showed her running an immunisation clinic. It was an easy, straightforward introduction that didn’t require her to have detailed backgrounds or rapport with the clients. She worked steadily through the hours after lunch. She had bumped into Seb once but it seemed that the staff worked autonomously and she was almost able to forget that he was there. Almost.

But all that changed when her two-thirty client didn’t keep her appointment. Melanie Parsons had booked her son, Milo, in for his six-month check and immunisations. When she failed to arrive Luci pulled up her file on the computer. There were numerous entries and lots of red flags.

This woman was a victim of domestic violence. Her past medical history included three full-term pregnancies, one miscarriage and a long list of broken bones and medical treatment for bruising and lacerations. And they were only the things she’d consulted a doctor about. Luci would bet her house that there were more incidents that had gone unreported.

Luci picked up the phone and dialled the client’s number. The community health centre’s policy stated that all no-shows had to be followed up with a phone call. She checked the file again. It was possible that Melanie had just forgotten her appointment or was catching up on some sleep; it couldn’t be easy having three children under the age of five.

But the phone went unanswered.

Luci needed to be able to record a reason for the non-attendance. In instances where that wasn’t possible she had been told to let the co-ordinator know. She went to discuss the situation with Gayle, the health centre co-ordinator, to find out what the next step in the process was.

Gayle brought Melanie’s notes up in her system.

‘Can you discuss this with Dr Hollingsworth?’ she suggested. ‘He knows Melanie, he’s treated her before.’

Luci heard the unspoken words and she’d seen the supporting evidence in Melanie’s file. Seb had treated her for injuries sustained at the hands of someone else.

She knocked on Seb’s open door.

‘Have you got a minute?’ she asked. He was entering notes into the computer system. He looked up and smiled. His blue eyes sparkled and Luci felt herself start to blush.

‘Sure.’

She stepped inside and closed his door. She didn’t want anyone else to overhear the conversation. ‘Melanie Parsons. Do you know her?’

Seb nodded. ‘Is she here?’

‘No. She had an appointment to get her baby’s six-month immunisations but she hasn’t shown up. Gayle suggested I talk to you about her.’

‘Have you called her?’

‘Yes. There was no answer.’

‘Do you know her history?’

Luci nodded. ‘I’ve read her file.’

‘Someone will need to call past her house and check on her. What time do you finish?’

‘I don’t think I should be the one to do a home visit,’ Luci objected. ‘She doesn’t know me from a bar of soap.’ She was not the right person for that particular job. Someone who had already established some rapport with Melanie would be far more suitable.

‘I agree. But if our timing is right we can go together. You can immunise the baby and I’ll see what’s up with Melanie,’ Seb replied. He clicked his mouse and opened his diary. ‘I should be finished by three-thirty. Let me know if that works for you.’

Seb was waiting at Reception for her when she finished her clinic. ‘Do you want me to drive or navigate?’ he asked her as he signed out one of the work cars and collected the keys.

‘I don’t think I’m game to drive on your roads,’ Luci replied. The streets of Sydney were narrow, winding and steep, not at all like the wide, straight roads she was used to. ‘But I should warn you, my navigating skills might not be much good either as I’m not familiar with Sydney.’

‘No worries. I’ll get the map up on my phone.’ Seb handed her his phone and she followed him out to the car.

It wasn’t long before Seb pulled to a stop in front of a squat red-brick house. It had a low wire fence and a front lawn that needed mowing. There was an old station wagon parked under a carport at the side of the house and a couple of kids’ bikes were lying abandoned behind the car in the driveway. The house could do with a coat of paint but it looked lived in rather than neglected. Luci had seen plenty of houses just like it in country towns in her district.

The driveway gate squeaked as Seb pushed it open, announcing their arrival. He closed it behind Luci before leading the way up the concrete path to the veranda. He knocked but there was no answer. The screen door was locked but the front door was ajar. Someone was home. Luci could hear the sound of children playing.

‘Melanie?’ Seb called out. ‘It’s Dr Hollingsworth. You missed Milo’s appointment at the clinic. I need to know that you are okay.’

Through the screen door Luci could see movement in the dark passage. A woman came to the door but didn’t unlatch it. She stood, half-hidden behind the door with her face turned away from them to her left.

‘Hello, Melanie.’ Seb struck up a conversation as if it was perfectly normal to talk through a door. ‘Milo was due for his six-month check-up and vaccinations today. This is Luci Dawson.’ He lifted a hand and gestured towards Luci. ‘She’s a nurse at the health centre. Seeing as we’re here and you’re home, can we come in and see the kids?’

Melanie nodded. She unlocked the door and stepped aside. She was thin. Luci knew they were the same age but Melanie looked older. Her shoulder-length brown hair was lank but her skin was clear. However, Luci didn’t really take any of that in. She couldn’t when all she could see was Melanie’s black eye. Her left eye was slightly swollen and coloured purple with just a hint of green. The bruise looked to be a day or two old.

‘Thank you,’ Seb said, as he stepped into the hall and reached for Melanie’s chin. Luci expected her to flinch or pull away but she didn’t. She must trust Seb.

Luci knew Seb had looked after her before. He’d filled her in on his involvement on the drive over here but Luci hadn’t anticipated that she would see the evidence of Melanie’s husband’s abuse for herself. She hadn’t been expecting that.

Seb turned Melanie’s face to the right.

‘You’re hurt.’

‘I knocked into the corner of the car boot.’ Melanie’s eyes were downcast.

‘I haven’t heard that one before.’

‘It’s nothing. I’ve had worse. You know I have,’ she said, as she turned away and led them into the house. They followed her into a tired-looking sitting room. The arms of the couch were ripped and stained but Melanie had put a sheet over the cushions in an attempt to brighten the room or maybe disguise the state of the furniture. Everything looked well worn and tired. A bit like Melanie.

She collapsed onto the couch and Seb pulled an upright dining chair closer to the couch and sat on it, facing Melanie. ‘What was it this time?’

‘It’s not his fault, Dr Hollingsworth. I’m pregnant again.’

‘And how is that not his fault?’ Seb’s voice was quiet. He wasn’t judging her but Luci could tell he was frustrated.

‘He says we can’t afford more kids.’

‘It takes two, Melanie. He can’t blame you.’

Melanie kept her eyes downcast. She had her hands in her lap, clenched together, and Luci knew she was close to tears. Luci wanted to tell Seb to let it go but she knew he couldn’t. They couldn’t ignore what was going on here. She knew from Melanie’s file that she already had three kids—Milo, who was six months old, a two-and-a-half-year-old toddler and a four-year-old. That was a handful for anyone, let alone a woman with an abusive partner.

Seb had told her that he had advised Melanie to take her kids and leave. She had left once but had then gone back, making the usual excuses about him being the kids’ father and saying that she loved him. Luci knew it was a difficult decision and something that was hard to understand unless you’d been in that position yourself or had worked with victims of domestic violence. The women were often trapped by their circumstances and Luci suspected that would be the case for Melanie. With three kids under five it was unlikely she had time to work, which meant she had no source of income if she left. And potentially no roof over her head either.

Even while Luci realised it wouldn’t be easy, she couldn’t stop the twinge of jealousy that she felt when she heard that Melanie was pregnant again. Luci would give her right arm for a family.

But she knew she had to put her own issues aside. Her job, their job, was to help Melanie. Luci wanted to jump in, she had suggestions on how to assist Melanie to change her situation, but Seb must have sensed her desire to offer her opinion and he put a stop to it by asking her to do Milo’s health check. Did he think Melanie would open up more if she wasn’t in the room? He was probably right. Melanie was unlikely to want to discuss her problems in front of a stranger.

‘Milo hasn’t had a cold or been unwell?’ Luci clarified with Melanie. ‘Any concerns at all?’ she asked, figuring that as Melanie had three children she would know what to look out for by now.

Melanie shook her head. ‘He’s been fine. He’s on baby formula now and some solids. He’s in the room across the hall.’

‘No ear infections, colds or reaction to any other immunisations?’

‘No.’

Luci picked up her nursing bag and crossed the hall and found herself in a child’s bedroom. A bunk bed stood against one wall and Milo’s cot was in the opposite corner. He was lying in his cot but he was awake. His eyes followed her as she came towards him.

There was a change mat leaning against the cot and she put it on the bottom bunk. She chatted softly to Milo as she lifted him out of the cot. She could smell a dirty nappy. She laid him down and undressed him, removing his nappy and singlet. She needed to check his hips and testes and it would also give her a chance to check for any bruises or other signs of maltreatment. She was relieved to find nothing. His soft baby skin was unmarked and besides his dirty nappy he was perfectly clean and seemingly well cared for. She found a clean nappy and his blue health-care book on a shelf. She changed his nappy and listened to his chest then recorded his length and weight. He was in the average range for both. He seemed like a happy, healthy little boy.

She gave him his oral polio vaccine and then his immunisation injection and then she couldn’t resist a cuddle. She took a deep breath, getting her fill of tiny baby smell. He smelt like talcum powder and baby lotion and the smell made her heart ache. She closed her eyes and wondered if coming to Sydney to study family and community health had been the right decision. She’d been so keen to escape Vickers Hill that she hadn’t really considered the ramifications of taking the course. She was going to be exposed to plenty of babies and pregnant mothers. Perhaps she should have enrolled in an aged-care course instead.

Milo was grizzling a little after his injection so Luci took him back with her and handed him to his mum. She recorded the details of the vaccinations in the little blue book while she listened to Seb’s conversation with Melanie.

‘It’s worse when he’s been drinking,’ she was saying.

‘Today is Friday. I suppose he’ll be going to the pub after work tonight?’ Seb asked. When Melanie nodded he continued, ‘Is there someone you could ask to come over? A friend, your mum or a sister? If you are going to stay here then I think it would be wise to have someone else here with you for support when he gets home.’

Melanie wouldn’t maintain eye contact and Luci knew she had no intention of following Seb’s suggestion.

‘Your decision, Melanie,’ Seb said as he stood up. Perhaps he realised he was getting nowhere. ‘But I will be checking to make sure you keep the appointment that I’ll make for you with the counsellor, okay?’

He gathered his things and Luci went with him out to the car.

‘We can’t just leave her there,’ Luci exploded as she clicked her seat belt into position. She’d been fighting to keep her temper under control and had just managed to hold it together until they had some privacy.

‘What else do you suggest we do?’ Seb asked. ‘She doesn’t want to leave and when she has left in the past it’s never been for long. She always goes back. We have to pick our battles.’

‘But she should be thinking about the children.’

‘Melanie says he’s never hurt them. Did you see anything to indicate otherwise?’

‘No.’ Luci shook her head. ‘Milo was perfectly healthy and happy but still it’s no way for those children to grow up. They shouldn’t have to see that, plus it perpetuates the cycle of abuse.’

‘I know that. Trust me, we’re working on it. I will make an appointment for her to see a counsellor. For us to be able to make any real difference we need to support Melanie to find a way out of this. She will need somewhere to live and she will need money. There is new legislation that can force the perpetrator to leave the premises so that the victim can stay in their home, but I’m not convinced that is a workable solution. It makes it far too easy for the abusive party to find the victim. Court orders ordering them to stay away are violated on a regular basis. This is a problem that can’t be fixed overnight and it can’t be fixed unless Melanie wants it to change, but I promise I will be doing everything I can.’

Luci nodded. ‘I’m sorry,’ she apologised. She should have guessed Seb would do what he thought was best. ‘I jumped down your throat.’

‘It’s okay. I know it’s hard to understand when you’re strong and independent how someone else can put up with circumstances that you would never dream of tolerating. But try to see it from Melanie’s point of view. She feels she doesn’t have any other option. Again it’s about education and support. But these things take time. Not everyone can just up and leave. If you want to work in community health you’re going to need to have patience and empathy. Don’t stop wanting better things for people but don’t expect them all to be like you.’

Luci got off her high horse. She knew all that. She didn’t have to look too hard to find the similarities between her situation and Melanie’s. She understood how much effort and energy and strength it took to leave the familiar. She hadn’t left Vickers Hill without a push from Flick, and her circumstances were far better than Melanie’s. She’d only had to leave behind an ex-husband—one who had never beaten her, just one who’d decided he wanted a different life. She knew she couldn’t be critical of Melanie or Seb.

‘Now, let’s talk about something else,’ Seb said as he turned onto the main road. ‘Something happier. What are your plans for the weekend?’

‘I should be studying,’ she replied, as she tried to put Melanie and her circumstances out of her mind. Seb had said he would monitor the situation and she had to trust him to do that. ‘I have an assignment due Monday.’

‘How long do you need?’

‘I’m not sure. Why?’

Seb shrugged. ‘You said you’ve never been to Sydney before. I have a free day tomorrow. If you like, I could show you around.’

She should get started on her assignment but when faced with a choice between spending her day with a gorgeous tourist guide or her laptop it was a no brainer. If she got started on her assignment tonight she should be able to finish it on Sunday. She’d get it done on time even if it meant staying up all night. She wasn’t about to knock back Seb’s invitation.

‘I’d love that, thank you.’

There was a sticky note from Seb stuck on the kettle. In two days he’d figured out that the first thing she did every morning was switch the kettle on. She smiled as she read the note and waited for the water to boil.

Meet me on the beach at ten a.m. Bring togs, a hat and sunglasses.

Excitement swirled in her belly. She knew she needed to get her assignment finished but she’d just work all day tomorrow. She wasn’t going to miss this opportunity for sightseeing or spending time with Seb. In just a couple of days she could already feel herself changing, becoming the person she thought she could be. She was leaving the old Luci behind. Leaving behind the doubts and the failures. This was her time to start again, to step through the doorway and into her future, and it felt like Seb could help open the door.

She slipped a white cotton sundress over her black bikini, sunglasses over her eyes and a soft, straw hat onto her head. Figuring she’d need a towel if she needed her bathers, she stuffed one and some sunscreen into a bag and headed to the beach across the road.

The beach was small, really only a cove, and apart from a couple and their dog it was empty. Luci scanned up and down along the sand but she couldn’t see any sign of Seb. Assuming he wouldn’t be far, she sat on the sand and looked out to sea. Little boats bobbed on the water at their moorings, but there were a lot fewer than normal. People must have headed out for the day. The weather was perfect for boating, the sky bright blue and cloudless, the water relatively calm, and the sun was already warm.

Movement to her right caught her eye and she watched as a man rowed a dinghy towards the shore. He had his back to her and was bare to the waist, and she watched the muscles in his back flex and relax as he pulled the oars through the water. As the boat got closer she realised the oarsman was Seb. She barely knew him and it wasn’t like she could recognise his movement patterns or even the shape of his shoulders and torso yet, but she recognised the funny fluttery feeling in her stomach that she got when he was nearby.

The boat ran aground and he stowed the oars and jumped out in one fluid and graceful movement. He turned and smiled when he saw her waiting there. His hair was wet, it looked darker than his normal chestnut, and his bare chest was lightly tanned and perfectly sculpted. His swimming trunks were damp and clung to his thighs. She swallowed as the fluttery feeling in her stomach intensified.

‘Good morning,’ he greeted her.

‘Good morning,’ she replied, hoping the sun was hiding the blush that she could feel stealing over her cheeks.

He reached out a hand and helped her to her feet. His hand was warm and strong but his grip was gentle. The butterflies in her stomach went crazy.

‘You’re ready?’ he asked her.

‘Where are we going?’

‘Out on the harbour.’

Luci looked doubtfully at the boat at the water’s edge. ‘In that?’

Was he kidding? The boat was barely ten feet long and had no motor.

‘At first.’ He was laughing at her discomfort. ‘You’re not a sailor?’

‘I grew up in the country. This looks a little small,’ she said, as she stood and surveyed the little vessel.

‘It’s okay. I have a bigger boat.’ He smiled at her and Luci noticed that his eyes were the same bright blue as the sky. ‘This is just the tender to get us out there. Hop in.’

He took her bag and held her hand as he helped her into the dinghy. Her body came to life with his touch. The butterflies took flight and swarmed out of her stomach and lodged in her throat. She didn’t think she could breathe. But he had to let go of her to push the boat off the beach and then she was able to inhale a lungful of salty sea air.

He spun the boat around and jumped in, sitting on the seat opposite her. Their knees were almost touching.

He gripped the oars and pulled through the water. She could see his muscles straining. His biceps and triceps alternately tensed and relaxed. His pectoral muscles flexed in his chest. His abdominal muscles were taut. She could feel a blush deepening on her cheeks. She looked out at the harbour as she tried to get herself under control.

‘What is your boat called?’ she asked, as she scanned the yachts, reading the names painted on the hulls.

‘She doesn’t have a name yet. She needs a bit of work and once she’s finished I’ll work out what to call her. It will depend on how she feels.’

‘She?’

‘All boats are female.’

‘Why is that?’

‘I’m not sure.’ He grinned and she suspected he was about to spin her a story. ‘Probably because no matter how much money you spend on them, it’s never enough.’

‘Hey, that’s not fair,’ she argued, as he laughed. ‘We’re not all high maintenance.’

‘Well, I hope you’re not because you might be disappointed by today if you are.’

Luci doubted that. In her opinion the day was already off to a very good start.

Seb pulled the dinghy to a stop beside a sleek white cabin cruiser, then secured the tender before stepping on board and reaching for her hand. Luci was prepared for her reaction to his touch this time and managed to take a deep breath before she took his hand. He helped her on board and then picked up a boathook and dragged a mooring rope closer and tied off the tender.

‘Come, I’ll give you a tour before we take off.’

‘A tour?’ Of what? she wondered. Surely there wasn’t much to see?

He opened a small gate at the rear of the boat and Luci stepped off the back ledge. There was a steering wheel with a driver’s seat and a small bench seat ran perpendicular to that along the left-hand side of the boat. Luci knew that left and right weren’t called that on a boat but she didn’t know much else.

Seb put her bag on the seat. ‘Follow me,’ he said as he ducked his head and made his way down three small steps into the front of the boat.

Luci hadn’t noticed the steps until Seb showed her but she did as she was told, finding herself in a compact cabin. A kitchen bench complete with a sink ran along the wall to her right and a small table surrounded by a bench seat sat to her left. In front of her, at waist height, raised above a bank of cupboards, was a large flat wooden surface. But all of that barely registered. Seb was still shirtless and the small confines of the cabin meant he was standing only inches from her. She realised that he must have swum out to the boat to retrieve the tender before rowing back to shore to collect her. His chest was smooth and almost hairless and she could see the white spots where the salt had dried on his skin.

‘This is it.’ Seb’s head was almost brushing the ceiling and his left hand almost brushed against her as he gestured to the space around them. ‘I have to install new kitchen cabinets and appliances, these have seen better days, and…’ he slapped his palm a couple of times on the flat wooden platform ‘…get a decent mattress for my nautical futon and then I’ll be able to take her out for more than just day trips.’

‘You’ll be able to sleep on the boat?’

‘I already have but only in my swag. But if I’m going to live on her I want something a little more comfortable and permanent than that.’

‘Live on it?’

‘That’s my plan. There’s a bathroom in here, the toilet is working,’ he said as he opened a narrow door next to the bed, ‘and once the shower is operational and the new kitchen is installed I’m good to go.’

‘But it’s so small!’ Luci looked around. It possibly had everything a man might need but there was no getting away from the fact that it was at the compact end of the scale spectrum.

‘Haven’t you ever had a holiday in a caravan?’

Luci laughed. ‘A holiday, yes, but I’m not sure I’d want to live in a caravan.’ Or on a boat.

‘I’ve spent plenty of nights in my swag under the stars with just my bike and a camp fire for company. This will be five-star compared to that. And whenever I get tired of one place I can just haul up the anchor and be off.’

Luci didn’t want to rain on his parade. It wasn’t her place to comment on his choice of accommodation and she supposed it did sound romantic—for a while.

She wondered what it would be like to be so free. She was busy trying to pay off the mortgage on her house and it would be years until she was free of that commitment. But while she could see the appeal of being debt-free, she knew that deep down she would still want a home. She needed that security.

‘It sounds like fun,’ she said, determined not to be a naysayer.

She looked around. It didn’t take long. The boat was only big enough for one person to live on—just. It looked like Seb wasn’t planning on sharing it with anyone on a permanent basis and she wondered why. He was a smart, attractive man; he must have women lining up at his door. Why would he choose to hide away on a boat built for one? A boat that for all intents and purposes seemed very much like a bachelor pad?

The tour over, she followed him back up the steps.

‘Have a seat,’ Seb said, indicating the bench seat to the left of the wheel. ‘There are cold drinks in the ice box and life jackets and a bucket under your seat. Fire extinguisher here.’ He pointed to a small red cylinder attached to the side of the steering mechanism. ‘And that concludes the safety briefing.’

‘You’re making me nervous.’

‘I may not have finished the cosmetic side of things but I promise she’s seaworthy,’ he said as he pushed a button and the engine roared to life. He released the boat from her mooring, put it into gear and headed out of the cove.

The boat’s engine rumbled under her feet and the noise made conversation difficult but Luci didn’t care. She stowed her bag beneath her seat and stretched out, enamoured with the view of both scenery and the driver. North Head and South Head jutted out into the ocean to their left. Luci could see a lighthouse on top of South Head and whitecaps on the water of the Pacific Ocean through the rocky outcrops, but Seb veered to the right, staying within the harbour, and followed the Manly ferry on its way to Circular Quay.

Seb pointed out the Prime Minister’s house and Taronga Park Zoo as they motored further into the harbour. It was incredibly beautiful. And busy. It seemed like half of Sydney must be out on the harbour but that didn’t detract from the experience.

The Opera House blossomed on the foreshore to their left and Seb slowed the boat down as they approached the iconic building. The drop in speed was accompanied by a decrease in engine noise, allowing them to talk normally.

‘This is just brilliant. Thank you so much,’ she said as Seb took them under the Harbour Bridge. She looked up at the massive steel structure that spanned the harbour. ‘Have you walked across it?’ she asked.

Seb laughed. ‘You know you can drive across it? Or catch a train? Walking across is the sort of thing tourists do.’

‘Well, I’m a tourist.’

‘Add it to your list. But you might prefer to climb it or the south pylon. You get a pretty good view of the harbour from up there.’

She was disappointed. It didn’t sound like Seb would offer to keep her company if she did want to walk across the bridge.

She rummaged in her bag for her phone to take some pictures. She might not get this view again.

‘What, no selfie?’

She turned to find he was grinning at her.

‘I’m not that photogenic,’ she said, but she suspected that he was. It was a good excuse to capture a picture of him. She stepped beside him and held the phone at arm’s length. He put his arm around her and she leaned in and snapped a photo of the two of them.

She checked the photo. Still shirtless, Seb was lean, muscular, gorgeous and definitely highly photogenic. She’d managed to capture the bridge in the background but she doubted anyone could look past Seb. Not that she planned on showing that photo to anybody, it was strictly for her eyes only.

He circled the boat, turning in front of Luna Park and the clown over the entrance gate grinned manically at them as they passed the jetty. Luci could hear kids screaming on the roller-coasters and she hoped he wasn’t planning on taking her to the sideshows. She wasn’t keen to spend the afternoon surrounded by a bunch of kids. She needed something less stressful than that but thankfully Seb kept going, steering the boat back towards the Opera House.

‘Hand me your phone and I’ll take a photo of you,’ he said as he put the boat into neutral and idled in front of the Opera House.

Luci passed him her phone and Seb looked at the screen. The tiles that covered the sails of the building sparkled and shimmered in the sunlight, blindingly white against the brilliant blue of the sky. Luci shone just as brightly in the foreground.

She was sublime. She’d taken her hat off for the photo and her golden hair glowed. The sun was on her face, the tip of her nose was going slightly pink and her cheeks were flushed from the breeze. Her eyes were hidden behind sunglasses but she was laughing as he pressed the shutter. Her sundress framed her diamond-shaped freckles. He checked the photo, wishing he’d thought to take it on his phone. That way he would have had a copy to keep.

He tried to ignore the stirrings of lust as he put the boat into gear and cruised between Mrs Macquarie’s Chair and Fort Denison and headed for Milk Beach. Luci was like a breath of fresh air in his stale world but his world was no place for her. She was gorgeous but she seemed far too delightful and pure for someone as jaded and disillusioned as he was. Too innocent. The women he’d chosen of late had been just as disheartened by life as he was. There had been no agenda other than short-term, mutual satisfaction, no danger of him damaging anyone’s fragile psyche. Girls like Luci were not for him. Or, more specifically, he was no good for girls like her.

He cut through the wake of dozens of other boats, powering through the churned-up water that crisscrossed the blue of the ocean with white foam. The harbour looked magnificent and as they rounded Shark Island the mansions of Point Piper and Rose Bay clung to the hills on their right, adding to the picture-perfect view they had from his boat.

Milk Beach came into sight ahead of them and he pulled back on the throttle as he eased the cabin cruiser into the bay. He cut the engine and dropped anchor a hundred metres off the beach. From this spot they could look back towards the Sydney skyline and, as the boat swung around so her bow faced the city, he heard Luci’s intake of breath.

‘Wow!’ She turned to him and smiled. ‘Did you park here deliberately?’

The Harbour Bridge rose majestically across their bow.

‘I did.’ He was pleased with the reaction he’d elicited, it was just what he’d hoped for. ‘The view’s pretty good, isn’t it?’

‘It’s incredible.’

It was, he thought. Luci was looking across the water to the bridge but he was watching her. ‘I thought we could stop here for lunch and a swim,’ he said. The small beach was busy with day trippers but he had been careful to anchor his boat away from the few others that were also enjoying a day out, in order to give them some privacy.

He grabbed the ice box and some cushions from the bench seat and took Luci around to the bow of the boat, where there was room to stretch out. He dropped the cushions on the deck, they would need some padding as the fibreglass hull of the boat could get a little uncomfortable after a while.

Luci spread her towel over the cushions and pulled her sundress over her head, revealing a very tiny bikini. Four triangles of black fabric tied together with black ties. His eyes were drawn to the diamond freckles that nestled between the swell of her breasts.

She pulled a tube of sunscreen from her bag and rubbed it into her shoulders and chest. Seb’s brain pounded in his head and his heart raced, sending blood rushing through his body into all five of his extremities. He squatted down and took the lid off the ice box, giving himself a minute to regain his composure. He breathed deeply. He could smell the sea air and sunscreen. He thought he could also smell Luci. Fresh and floral. This girl was doing his head in. She was quite unselfconscious, apparently quite comfortable stripping off in front of him. He guessed there was no reason why she should worry. She had no reason to think he wouldn’t be able to keep his eyes off her and people showed just as much flesh on Bondi Beach. But seeing her in a tiny bikini was sending his hormones wild. Not that it was her fault.

He was worried now, worried that she might prove irresistible, worried that he could find himself in hot water. She was down to earth, gorgeous, funny and she smelt sensational. And now she was stretched out beside him wearing nothing but a string bikini. He wasn’t sure how he was going to be able to keep his hands to himself.

He wasn’t sure he wanted to.

Actually, he knew he definitely didn’t want to but he had no idea what she thought. Maybe she was looking for some fun, maybe she was disillusioned after her divorce and was looking for some short-term satisfaction, but he suspected it was just wishful thinking on his part. He didn’t even know how long she’d been divorced. It could be five minutes or five months. She could have sworn off men altogether.

He offered to rub sunscreen onto her back. That was a legitimate way of not keeping his hands to himself and was possibly the best idea he’d had in a long time, along with inviting her out for the day. Her skin was soft and velvety smooth under his fingers. She lifted her hair away from the nape of her neck, getting it out of his way, and he was sorely tempted to press his lips to the knobbly bone at the base of her neck where it met her shoulders.

Instead, he stepped back, opened the ice box and offered her a drink. God knew, he needed something to help him cool off. He passed her a bottle of water. She sipped her water and then lay back, lifting her face to the sun and closing her eyes.

Seb turned back to the ice box and began to assemble a small plate of cheese, crackers and fruit. He was trying to keep busy, to keep his mind on mundane things and off the fact that a very attractive and semi-naked woman was lying inches away from him. He was unaccustomed to feeling this nervous, and to make matters worse Luci appeared completely at ease and unaware of the effect she was having on him. Which was probably just as well.

He could probably learn a thing or two from her. She was relaxed, easygoing and she didn’t appear to have let her failed marriage stop her from having fun. She certainly hadn’t shut herself off from others, like he had. He knew he had laughed more often and smiled more frequently in the past three days than he had in the past three years. And the only thing that had changed was that Luci had come into his life. He had separated himself socially, his focus had been on his work and his boat for the past three years, and he had kept any interaction with others to a minimum. His chosen response to any invitation was to decline it politely and yet Luci hadn’t hesitated to say yes to all three of his invitations—an after-work drink, a lift home on his bike and now a day on his boat.

For a man who had knocked back most opportunities to spend time with other people over the past three years he didn’t want to think about why he was suddenly inviting someone into his life. He must be crazy. Maybe his solitary lifestyle was slowly driving him mad.

What was it about Luci that made him feel the need to spend time with her?

He knew what it was. It was the way she made him feel.

Three years ago he’d lost everything, including a large chunk of his heart and soul, but Luci was waking him up again. He’d been holding his breath, marking time, treading water, and now he felt like he could breathe again.

He put the fruit platter into the shade and ran his eyes over her still figure. Her skin was already turning golden in the sun, her breasts were round and firm, her stomach flat, her legs were toned and athletic, and her toenails were painted pale pink.

Luci sat up. Had she felt him staring at her? Maybe, but she didn’t seem perturbed.

‘This is much more fun than studying,’ she said as she sliced a piece of cheese and popped it onto a biscuit. ‘I have never spent a day like this before. All the boat trips I’ve ever been on involved fishing with my dad in the Gulf of St Vincent in a little tinny, much like the one you rowed before. Nothing nearly as fancy as this.’

‘Wait until I finish her. Then we’ll be talking fancy.’

‘Really?’

Seb laughed. ‘No. I don’t need fancy. She just has to be comfortable. A decent bed and a fridge and I’ll be happy.’

Luci stretched her arms over her head and her breasts lifted. They were barely contained in her minuscule bikini and Seb couldn’t help but notice. He was finding it extremely difficult to ignore her. He really was in trouble.

‘Poor Callum,’ she said with a half sigh as she surveyed their surroundings. ‘I wonder what he’s up to this weekend. I think he might have drawn the short straw in the house-swap stakes.’

Seb smiled. ‘I’m sure he’ll be okay.’

‘Have you spoken to him?’ she asked.

‘No. I sent him a text, saying I was in town and that I was crashing at his place—after discussion with you. He replied saying he’s not fussed.’

‘I hope he’s settling in.’

‘You said he’s working with your dad?’

‘Yes. And with my friend Flick.’ Luci laughed, a warm, rich sound. ‘God, I hope he survives. There’ll be plenty of patients inventing illnesses in order to get a look at the new doctor. I hope he’s made of stern stuff.’

‘You don’t need to worry about us Hollingsworths. We’re tough.’ They were definitely the strong, silent type, masters of putting on a brave face and keeping their own counsel. Sometimes he wasn’t sure how they had managed to get through the couple of traumatic events they had faced in their lives but he didn’t want to think about those days now. Today was about Luci and he was keen to find out more.

‘You haven’t spoken to your dad?’

‘No, I’ve spoken briefly to Mum but not Dad. He works such ridiculous hours, I don’t like to interrupt unless it’s something really important. He’s supposed to be retiring this year. I know Mum is looking forward to that. Perhaps they’ll finally be able to do some of the things they’ve been putting off. But, of course, that depends on Dad finding someone to take over the practice. Even though Vickers Hill is only a couple of hours from Adelaide, not everyone wants to work in the country and he won’t leave his patients in the lurch.’

‘Vickers Hill is north of Adelaide?’ Seb asked, even though he knew the answer. He’d looked it up, intrigued to know where Luci had come from.

Luci nodded. ‘Known for its wine. Dad has bought a small acreage and he and Mum are going to grow grapes and have chickens and ducks. That’s the plan anyway. I think they should move further away otherwise Dad will find it hard to retire completely. Old patients will still come to him with their troubles if they see him around town but I guess that’s for him to sort out.’

‘Can you see them leaving?’

‘Not really.’

‘And what about you? Are you missing home?’

‘Not one bit. How can I be missing home when I’m surrounded by this? So far I don’t have any regrets about coming to Sydney. I’m going to make the most of my time here.’ She looked up at Seb and he wondered if spending time with him qualified as making the most of things. He hoped so. ‘I jumped at the chance to come to Sydney. Well, not so much jumped, Flick pushed me, but now that I’m here it seems like it was a really good decision.’

She rolled over onto her stomach and Seb struggled to keep his eyes off her very shapely behind.

‘You have no idea how nice it is to just relax and do my own thing, without everyone telling me what they think is best for me. I’m old enough to work that out for myself.’

He did have some idea what it was like to have everyone interfering in his life in what they thought was a helpful way. That’s why he loved having the boat. It had been his escape route and he was convinced it had saved his sanity. He’d been able to disappear and avoid talking to anyone.

Luci might profess that she had chosen to take Flick’s advice to study interstate but he still thought a large part of her motivation stemmed from having a reason, an excuse, to leave. He still thought she was running away. She might deny it but he recognised the signs. He had seen those same signs in himself. He knew exactly what it was like—he’d been running for three years. He recognised the need to get away from all the people who knew you and your past and your story.

But even though he thought Luci was running away from Vickers Hill he knew he was in no position to judge her for it. He’d shut himself off from the world completely. At least she was still living.

He knew that was the difference between them. For the past three years he hadn’t been living. He hadn’t thought he was allowed to enjoy life. It hadn’t felt right but was it okay? Was it allowed? Did he have to continue to ignore the world?

Possibly. It was the only way to ensure it didn’t hurt him again.

But he knew it was going to be hard to ignore Luci.

‘And what is it you should be doing?’ he asked, continuing the conversation she had started.

‘I don’t know yet.’ She laughed. ‘That’s a little ironic, isn’t it, but it’s early days still. I’ll figure it out. On my own. My life is different from how I pictured it. I just have to figure out what I want it to be like from now on. And one benefit of being divorced is that I can figure it out for myself. It’s up to me.

‘What did you think your life would be like?’

She shrugged and averted her eyes. ‘Married with kids.’

He supposed that was quite different from being divorced with no kids. ‘Your husband didn’t want kids?’ he asked. Maybe that was why they’d got divorced.

‘No, he did. We both did.’ Luci was restless. She rolled back over so she was sitting up now. ‘But he decided he didn’t want them with me.’ She stood up and dropped her hat and sunglasses onto her towel. ‘I think I might go for a swim.’

It was clear she wanted to avoid this particular conversation. There was obviously more to the story but he wasn’t going to push her. It was none of his business. He would listen if she wanted to talk but from what she had already said she was tired of interference. He decided he would just let her be but he wondered about her ex-husband. What sort of man was he? Luci had told him they had been together for almost ten years. What sort of man took that long to decide that he didn’t want to be with someone? What sort of man married a girl like Luci and talked about raising a family together, only to leave her right when they should have been starting that future?

Seb felt a sudden surge of anger towards Luci’s ex. He wasn’t normally a violent man but he could see the hurt in her eyes and hear it in her voice and something within him made him wish he could fix it. But that reaction was out of character for him. He expected other people to leave him alone, not to interfere in his life, and he had learnt to do the same. But he wanted to help her and had no idea what to do.

He suspected she was not over the divorce and not over the loss of her dreams for the future but he had no idea what she needed. He could almost feel steam coming out of his ears and knew he needed to cool down. Calm down.

Luci was treading water a few metres from the boat, looking towards the shore. He dived in after her. He would keep quiet. He was good at that, it was easy not to speak about his thoughts and feelings or anything emotional. He floated on his back and waited to see what Luci would do. After a few minutes she drifted over to him.

‘If you weren’t messing about in boats when you were growing up, what did you do on weekends?’ he asked.

‘Chased the boys,’ she replied.

Her mood had shifted, she was happy again. He thought that by nature she was a sunny person and that drew him to her even more. She balanced out his sombre side. He hadn’t always been dark but the events of three years ago made him more reserved, less carefree and more sceptical about the good things in life.

‘I thought the boys would have been chasing you.’

‘There wasn’t much chasing going on, if I’m honest. The girls played netball in winter and tennis in summer. The boys played footy and cricket. Our parents tried to keep us busy. We’d ride around town on our bikes and during harvest we’d often lend a hand if we had friends who had vineyards or farms. There was plenty to keep us out of trouble.’

Her stomach rumbled.

‘Time for lunch?’

She nodded. ‘Swimming always makes me hungry.’

Sex always made him hungry and Luci made him think of sex. Therefore he was hungry too but he didn’t mention that.

Luci was looking back at the boat. ‘I didn’t think that through when I went for a swim.’

‘What?’

‘How I was going to get back on.’

‘Swim to the back, and I’ll help you up the ladder.’ The ladder was short but it required substantial upper-body strength to haul yourself out of the water. ‘I’ll go first and give you a hand.’

They swam side by side and when they reached the boat Seb stretched up for the top rung of the ladder and pulled himself up onto the deck.

‘Reach up and give me your hand.’ He leaned down and grasped her hand in his. ‘Grab the ladder with your other hand,’ he said as he pulled her up into the boat and into his arms. Luci might not have thought about the logistics of getting back on the boat but Seb hadn’t thought about the logistics of helping her. There wasn’t much room at the back, just the small ledge. His back was to the gate and to open it he had to turn round and let her go. He didn’t want to do that. They were squashed into a space less than a metre square. Her body was soft against his, slick with water. Her skin was cool and he could feel her heart beating in her chest, beating against his.

She looked up at him.

They stared at each other in silence until he could stand it no longer.

He didn’t stop to think about what he was doing. He couldn’t think. All he could do was see and smell and feel.

He saw her blue-grey eyes looking at him, the freckles dusted across the bridge of her nose, the tip of it turning red with the sun. Saw the pink rosebud of her lips and wanted to taste her.

He couldn’t ignore her and he couldn’t resist. He bent his head, making his intention clear, waiting for her to tell him to stop. But she remained quiet. He couldn’t hear the sound of the ocean or the other bathers. All he could hear was the sound of their breathing, heavy in the stillness. He could see her eyes watching his and then they flicked down to his lips. He knew she understood his intention but she didn’t protest and that was all the invitation Seb needed.