Meet Me at Crescent Head

by Kaitlynn Clarkson

  But luck was not on her side. Greg answered right away.

  “Hi, it’s Madison,” she said. “Thank you for the beautiful fruit arrangement you sent. It looks amazing!”

  “That’s a pleasure. I hope you enjoy eating it.”

  “I’ll send you a photo if you like. You need to see it.” The nerves were gone and she remembered how easy it was to talk to Greg. He was good at helping her to relax.

  “I’d like that,” he replied.

  “How’s your foot healing?’ she asked.

  “I still haven’t got the stitches out and I’ve been off work all this time, which is a bit annoying. It hasn’t been time wasted though; I’ve been setting up my own business and I’m right to go now. Soon I’ll be out on my own. Goodbye grouchy boss!” His enthusiasm was contagious and she laughed.

  “Well, good luck with it. At least then if the boss is grouchy you can argue with yourself.” He chuckled at the thought, then turned serious.

  “I just have to know one thing, Madison,” he said, sounding hesitant. “Do you have someone special in your life?”

  “No, I don’t. Do you?”

  “No.” He sounded happy about that. “I’d like us to stay in touch but I didn’t want to cause trouble if you had someone.” What a considerate man. She was liking him more and more.

  “I’d like that,” she told him. The conversation moved on to other things and then she had to go back to work. Her heart was light for the rest of the day as she relived their conversation. She was glad she had made the call. He had put her at ease by being himself, open, honest and authentic. She found herself hoping that he would call again soon.

  Chapter 3

  Greg whistled to himself as he strode up to the door of the two story white house with the lush front garden. It was a Friday afternoon and the hum of the traffic provided a constant background accompaniment. But he wasn’t worried about traffic. What he really wanted to know was what would happen when he knocked on the door. He raised his hand and rapped the door knocker. A moment later, he heard footsteps and drew in a deep breath of anticipation, nerves playing in his stomach. The footsteps paused and he stood back, allowing space.

  Then the door opened. And so did Madison’s mouth. She was completely speechless. He laughed aloud at her reaction.

  “Surprise!” he said. He realized how boisterous it sounded. “Sorry. I’m just glad to be here.”

  “But how …” Her voice trailed off and a host of different emotions flitted across her face. She put her hand to her hair, unaware that he was watching her every move as he gauged her reaction. She still couldn’t believe that he was here on her doorstep and not in Crescent Head.

  “I took the day off work to come down,” he explained. “I thought I would pay you a visit.” She gasped and gave a nervous giggle.

  “Well, you’ve caught me completely by surprise,” she said. “I wasn’t to find you on my doorstep!

  “Is it a good surprise?” She blushed.

  “Yes, it is. I just wasn’t expecting to see you again any time soon.”

  “So can I come in or do I only get as far as the doorstep this time?” He was teasing but her hand flew to her mouth.

  “Of course! Where are my manners?” She led the way into the cool interior of the house. It was pleasant after the sticky humidity of late summer. They walked through to the kitchen.

  “Can I get you a drink? You’ve had a long drive down. You must be a bit weary.”

  “That would be great, thank you.” He wandered over to the sliding glass door and looked into the back yard. “Wow, nice garden. Who’s the gardener?”

  “My Dad, Joe. Actually, he’s my stepfather. My real Dad died when I was young. But I think of Joe as my Dad. He’s a great father and my Mum adores him.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that you lost your Dad, that must have been tough.” She handed him a cold glass of dark grape juice. Condensation gathered on the side of the glass and he could feel his mouth watering.

  “Yes, although the thing I remember the most afterwards is how it affected Mum. She struggled without him for a long time. They were close and she missed him terribly. But then she met Joe and he made her happy.”

  “So, do you have any plans for the weekend?” He changed the subject.

  “No, although I usually go to church.”

  “Church?” He was surprised.

  “Yes, I became a Christian when I was in my teens. My faith is very important to me.” He looked at her, wondering what to say next. She continued.

  “I like to be upfront about it because I know that a lot of people don’t like Christians.” It was a bold statement. He could have taken it as a challenge but instead, it piqued his curiosity.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Lots of people express negative opinions towards Christianity, even hatred. If it is something you’re not comfortable with, it’s better for you to know now.” Well, she wasn’t going to let go of her faith easily, not for anyone. It made him admire her even more.

  “It might come as a shock to you, but I’m not one of those people. I don’t attend church regularly, but I have been known to go on the odd occasion.” He flashed her a grin. She was still serious.

  “But have you accepted Jesus as your Saviour? That’s the important thing. Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian.” She was quite passionate about it.

  “Are you always this passionate about things that matter to you?” he asked with a smile.

  “Sorry, I get carried away sometimes.”

  “As for your other question, maybe you can tell me more.” She smiled and he was glad he had broached the subject with her. It would help him to understand her better if he understood the things that mattered to her. Besides, what could it hurt? He had some knowledge of God from the times he’d gone to church with his grandmother when he was a child. It wouldn’t hurt to know more. She seemed satisfied with his answer.

  “OK, but tell me if I get too enthusiastic for you.”

  “I will,” he promised with a laugh. “Now, back to my original question, other than church, which I will be happy to attend with you, by the way, would you like to do something this weekend?”

  “You mean you have nothing better to do than to spend the weekend with me?”

  “You got it!” he said with a grin. “You are my most important priority.”

  “I’m flattered,” she laughed. “What would you like to do the most? I live here. There are things I can see or do anytime, but you’re only visiting. Do you have a preference?”

  “Well, I’d like to take you to a nice restaurant for dinner at some point, and I’d like to see a bit of the harbour. I’m kind of addicted to salt water!”

  “My friend Joel works for a company that does sailboat tours around the harbour. Would that be enough to satisfy your addiction?”

  “Sounds great!”

  “I’ll call Joel and see if he can get us on one of their tours. They are often booked out but maybe he can pull some strings for us.”

  “This is the life!” Greg exclaimed as they stood on the deck of the yacht, watching it carve through the deep green water. He looked up at the houses on the hill above the harbour.

  “Wow, imagine living in one of those!”

  “They sell for a lot of money,” Madison said. “But imagine getting to see this every day.” She waved her hand in the direction of the harbour. It was a maze of activity. Boats of all sizes were moving across the water, some as slow and stately as a royal procession, some leaving white trails of churning wake behind them. Yet despite the activity, it was strangely peaceful in the late afternoon sun.

  “I couldn’t imagine not living near the coast,” Greg said. “I need to feed my saltwater addiction every day!” Madison laughed.

  “You’d better not go out west, then. You’d shrivel up and die!” She turned to face the sun as it sank lower in the sky. The breeze was cool on her
back and she felt goosebumps rising on her arms. She hugged them to herself, wishing she’d thought to put in a cardigan. It wasn’t something you thought of on a hot summer’s day. Greg noticed that she was cold.

  “Are you cold? That wind is a bit fresh.” He moved to stand behind her, blocking the wind. She could feel the warmth of his body close to hers. It was both electrifying and enticing. She couldn’t decide if she wanted to flee or lean back against him.

  “Thanks! You’re a wonderful windbreak!” she said lightly, hoping he didn’t guess the effect he was having on her.

  “Anything for you! Can’t have you getting cold!” His voice was close to her left ear. Surely if she leaned back a little, she could almost feel his heartbeat. He seemed to know what she was thinking. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him. He was warm and solid and it felt good to have his arms around her. He rested his face against her hair and they stood watching the sunset in silence as the water slapped against the hull. Madison's heart was a turmoil of emotions as she stood encircled by Greg's strong arms. She couldn’t believe that one small slice of time could hold such richness. It felt so good to be held and wanted.

  Neither of them wanted to say goodbye when it was time for Greg to go. But with a five hour drive ahead of him, he couldn’t afford to linger too long. With a wave and a promise to call when he arrived so she would know that he was home and safe, he pulled out onto the road and a moment later, was gone. Madison felt deflated but she hugged all the delicious memories of the weekend to her heart. She would get them out later and examine them one by one.

  Later, as she slid into bed, Madison thought about the time that she and Greg had spent together. He was such a gentleman, always making sure that she was comfortable and safe. She thought about the nice dinner they’d had together at one of the Greek restaurants in the city. Greg had never eaten Greek food before but he gamely tried new flavours and willingly sampled unfamiliar dishes. In the process, he kept up a running commentary that made her laugh. He was great company; fun to be with and able to laugh at himself as the inexperienced country visitor. Later, they had gone for a walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, stopping to enjoy the reflections of the lights on the water. The city was throbbing with life and the traffic noise made conversation difficult. As they turned to continue their walk across the bridge, Greg took her hand, sending delighted shivers down her spine. His was warm and large around hers and she felt a sense of safety in being with him.

  God, is this what you want for me? she prayed as the memories of the day flitted through her mind. It feels so wonderful, how could it be the wrong choice for me?

  As she drifted off to sleep with the memory of Greg holding her hand, Madison smiled. Her heart was full of happiness. Could it be that she had found love?

  Chapter 4

  Madison hurried to close the windows and feed the dog. It was late afternoon and her parents were out for the evening so it had fallen to her to do the household chores. Greg was waiting for her on the front porch and soon they would be going out, too. He was going home in the morning, so she was looking forward to spending the evening with him. As she walked through the living room, she could hear his voice coming through the open windows.

  “I would like red roses, please, addressed to Josie.” He gave an address that she didn’t quite catch. She sucked in a deep breath and her heart pounded in her ears. Her stomach seemed to turn to liquid and she felt as if she were being strangled.

  Josie? Surely not. He wouldn’t. Would he?

  But what other explanation could there be? He had already told her about his close family members. There was no one called Josie in his family, she was sure of that. It could only mean that there was another woman in his life and that was something she didn’t think she could face.

  The shock was breathtaking. She pasted on a smile and walked to the door, but everything had changed. She felt numb, almost frozen to the spot. He snapped his phone case shut as she opened the door. Was that guilt on his face?

  “Ready to go?” he asked. She nodded.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be,” she mumbled. He gave her an odd look and she realized that she would have to do a more convincing job of enjoying his company. But how could she when he had dealt such a blow to her heart?

  They were having Italian tonight. Cheap and cheerful, the trattoria was a favourite with locals. Madison was glad of the chatter and clatter of the busy restaurant. It made conversation less of a necessity. Greg tried talking but it was no use. She couldn’t meet his eyes. All she could think of was Greg with another woman. Greg betraying her trust when she’d begun to let him into her heart. Telling her one thing while doing something else behind her back. They finished the meal in silence and headed back to her house. Greg walked her to her front door.

  “Thanks for dinner,” she told him.

  “It was great,” he said, without enthusiasm. He looked at his watch. “It’s getting late. I’d better get going.” She nodded and said nothing. He gave her a searching look but her eyes barely skimmed his.

  “I’m leaving early in the morning so I won’t come around. It’s a long way to Crescent Head.” She nodded again.

  “You’d better get a good rest,” she said. Even to her, the words sounded flat and lifeless. He stepped forward and gave her an awkward hug.

  “Take care of yourself,” he said, backing away.

  “You too,” she said, wanting with all her heart to plead with him to stay, to tell her it was all a mistake and that she was really the only one for him. But what kind of a desperate fool would do that? So she said nothing and watched him walk up the path and out of her life while her heart broke.

  Madison held in the tears until she was alone in her bedroom. Then the dam shattered wide open. How could Greg treat her as if she were special to him when there was obviously someone else in his life? How could she have been so wrong about him? She’d thought he was the most open, honest, authentic person she’d ever met and she’d trusted him.

  Stupid woman, you should have known better, she told herself angrily. She should have spent more time getting to know him before she fell for him. Surely there would have been clues along the way, things that didn’t add up or look quite right. But like a fool, she had fallen for his easy personality and laughing blue eyes that made her heart quiver with delight at the anticipation of his touch. She’d believed him when he acted as if she mattered. In reality, she had been nothing more than a pleasant distraction until someone better stepped up. Well, the other woman could have him. Men were definitely off the menu of her life. She had better things she could do with her time than get her heart broken by a callous cheat.

  God, what happened? Why didn’t You help me to see the truth before now? What a fool I’ve been, falling for someone untrustworthy! Again. First Phillip and now Greg. Why am I such a terrible judge of character?

  She cried herself into a fitful sleep, waking over and over again as the hurt and grief pressed themselves into her consciousness.

  Greg cranked up the radio as he headed north in the pink light of dawn before the traffic became too heavy. He’d been planning to see Madison again before he left but after last night, there didn’t seem to be any point. Things had gone horribly wrong and he had no idea why. He huffed out a great breath of frustration and ran his hand through his messy hair. He hadn’t bothered to get pretty when he was just going to get in the car and drive for hours.

  “Women!” he exclaimed aloud. “Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em. And I definitely do not understand that one.”

  To be truthful, Madison’s strange behaviour hurt. He’d thought things were going really well and he’d even been planning his next visit. He felt the sting of rejection deep in his chest. Obviously, he was a poor judge of character and a woman’s behaviour. He’d certainly been blindsided by this; there was no way he’d seen it coming. One moment, things were great and the next, their newly blossomin
g relationship appeared to be over. He’d set out on this trip with high hopes and a heart full of new love. Who ever would have predicted that he’d be heading home with tears in his eyes and a broken heart?

  Chapter 5

  Greg sighed and stretched. He was out on his own now, building for himself. It was great to be his own boss, apart from one thing. The bookkeeping. He hated it. And in the four months since he’d been on his own, it had piled up into a terrible mess. He couldn’t make sense of it. He really should have hired a bookkeeper to do it for him.

  He’d had plenty of work coming in, thanks partly to his focus on work to distract himself from the pain of losing Madison. It helped to throw himself into work. He did a good job and clients often gave him referrals for other work. Besides, builders weren’t that plentiful in the area. He was even thinking about hiring a labourer or two. But first things first. He picked up the phone and called the first bookkeeping and accountancy company that turned up in his Google search.

  “Hi Mandy,” he greeted the woman who answered the phone. “I need some help. I’m a builder, a sole proprietor, and my books are in a mess.”

  “Sure, we can help you,” Mandy said cheerfully. “Where are you?”

  “Crescent Head, near Kempsey.” Mandy tapped on her keyboard.

  “We cover that area, so that won’t be a problem.” She was silent for a moment. “Are you a new business?”

  “Yes, only been going for a few months.”