by A. K. Steel
“Good, I’ve done my job then. You won't go anywhere else if you know you can get the best from me.”
“You know I’m not going anywhere else,” I mumble sleepily, hugging his arms closer into me. I close my eyes as blissful sleep takes hold.
I wake up a couple of hours later to a ping. I check my phone and it's not me. It must be Fraser’s phone. I sneak out to use the bathroom, and on my way back, I hear another message ping on Fraser's phone. I can't help but glance over to see who'd be messaging him at this time of night. It’s that bitch Shea. Of course it is! What could she want? I can only see the first part of the message. “Hey, sexy, looking forward to seeing you on...” before it cuts off and I would need his pin code to see more.
Damn! When is she seeing him? It's probably just work-related, but why would she message at this time of night, with “hey sexy” if it's work-related? Grrr, there’s no way I’m going to be able to go back to sleep now!
Chapter Eleven
Fraser
Elly is still fast asleep. She looks so angelic with her hair fanned out on the pillow around her. I could wake her and go for round three, but she looks so peaceful. I’ll leave her a bit longer and attempt to make breakfast before she wakes up. We don’t have much in the way of breakfast food. But I've got sourdough and avo, I'm sure that will be all right. I’m really not very good at this kind of thing.
Normally I don’t let girls hang around for breakfast. If you let them stay that long, they get all clingy and want a second date. But Elly's not any girl. She can stay as long as she wants.
I pour coffee for each of us and look up to see her wandering out of my bedroom. She's wearing my T-shirt from yesterday, looking cute as ever, still half asleep.
“I was going to bring you breakfast in bed, so you didn’t have to get up yet.”
“Oh, that's all right, I’m up now. What have you made me? I’m starving.” She sits at the dining room table, combing her long hair with her fingers, then swirling it up into a messy bun on top of her head.
“I bet you are! Sorry it's nothing exciting.” I place the toast and coffee down in front of her.
“Thank you, this looks delicious,” she smiles.
“Got to look after you," I say, pulling her in for a kiss. “So, what’s your plans for today, gorgeous?”
“Probably just packing, getting ready for the move next Sunday. It's mostly just clothes, but I don’t want to leave it to the last minute. I've got too much on with work this week.”
“Blake, Drew, and I’ll help you move. So you don't need to stress about anything. We’ll have it done in no time. Spend the day with me.” Now I'm the one sounding all clingy.
“Thank you, that would be great. I didn't want Dad to do it all. I think there’s something going on with him at the moment.”
“Do you think he's sick or something?”
“I don't know. He’s had lots of appointments lately. He just worries me. He never takes it easy, always puts everyone else first. He forgets he’s nearly sixty.”
“Don’t worry about him. Jim’s as strong as they come. You know that, and I’m sure he would tell you if there’s something to worry about.”
“Yeah, I guess.” She smells her coffee. “Smells so good.”
“You always do that.”
“What?”
“Smell your coffee before you drink it.”
She laughs at me. “Do I? I like the way it smells, I guess that's why.”
"You didn't answer my question earlier, spend the day with me?"
"I'll stay a little longer, but then I really do have a list of jobs to get done today."
“Hope Indie’s ready to have my ugly face around. I plan on having lots of sleepovers at this new place of yours and actually getting some time with you.”
“Is that right, hey? What if I’ve decided, after last night, this isn’t for me?” she teases cheekily.
“You're just asking for trouble, missy! Do I need to come over there and remind you how good I am?”
“No. I remember,” she laughs. “And now I need food so I’m ready for round three.”
“Is that right?”
“Yeah, I guess,” she shrugs, shoving more toast in her mouth.
We sit for a while eating our breakfast. She looks lost in thought.
“Hey, Fraser?”
“Yeah?”
“Last night, when I was coming back from the bathroom, I saw the message on your phone from Shea. Is something going on with you two I should know about? Cause if we're doing this, I’m not sharing you!”
“There’s nothing to worry about, Elly. She was just confirming our appointment with the photographer for Monday.”
“Late on a Saturday night?” she raises her eyebrow at me.
“Yeah, I can see how it looks. I’ll talk to her to make it clear I’m taken and she needs to be professional.”
“You better, or I’ll hunt her down and make it clear for her!” She glares at me with her best death stare so I know she's serious.
“You're scary when you're jealous. I wouldn’t want to be another girl.”
“I’m not jealous. She just needs to make sure she stays away from you. Simple.”
We both turn toward the front door when we hear the noise of a key turning. In walks a sheepish-looking Blake. I was wondering why he wasn’t up yet. He’s always up early. Thought maybe he was off on a run, but by his attire, I would say that's very unlikely.
“Big night out, hey, man?” I tease.
“Must have been,” Elly says, raising a suspicious eyebrow. “He's still in the same clothes as last night. Walk of shame. What did you get up to, Blakie?” she pushes him for answers.
“Nothing. Just drank too much and crashed at a friend's place. Thought I was being nice giving you two some space. Won’t bother next time if I’m going to get one hundred questions when I get home,” he grumbles.
“I’m not convinced. You look like you’ve been up to no good to me!” taunts Elly.
“You can think whatever you want, Elly. I’m going to take a shower.”
Elly turns to look at me all wide-eyed. “How interesting. I bet there's more to that.”
“It's none of our business, Elly, stay out of it.”
She rolls her eyes at me as she collects her plate and cup and heads for the kitchen. “Since when do I do what you tell me?” she mumbles under her breath.
“That's it. I heard that!” I jump up and run into the kitchen behind her, picking her up and throwing her over my shoulder.
“Fraser,” she squeals. “What are you doing? Put me down!” She slaps my back, laughing.
“Not a chance, missy, you're going to pay for that comment!” I march into my bedroom and throw her down on the bed.
Two hours later, we were still in my bed wrapped around each other. “Fraser, I need to get going. As much as I’m enjoying lazing about in bed all day with you, I really do have to get my stuff packed up today. I won't have time with work this week.”
“Okay, guess I’ll let you go home.” I kiss her again. “Do you have time to drop past the office this week? I've got another styling job for you.”
“You're not just trying to trick me, are you? Luring me into your office under false pretences again?”
“That was fun. But this time I do really have some work to show you.”
"I’ve got the morning shift at the café on Wednesday, so I’ll drop in about two, if that works?” She kisses me goodbye as she rushes off.
Elly has just left when a message pings on my phone:
Drew: Wanna go for a surf this arvo? I’m bored!
Fraser: Yeah. All right. Going to be pretty rusty, though. Been a while.
Drew: I’ll pick you up at two. We’ll go to Watego’s.
Fraser: See you then.
I strap my board onto Drew's jeep and jump in. I feel so guilty. I’m seeing his sister behind his back, but she's not ready to tell him, so I have to respect that.
“Hey, man, what
's going on?” I ask.
“Not a lot, just needed to get out of the house.”
“Elly driving you nuts like she used to?”
“The opposite, actually. She’s avoiding me. There's something going on with her, she's been acting weird since our party. You don’t know anything about it, do you?” Drew asks, raising a questioning brow at me. I get the feeling that he knows more than he’s telling me.
“No, why would I?” I say, trying to play it cool. Shit, what does he know?
“Just cause you’ve been working with her lately, I guess. Thought you might know what’s going on. Are Elly and Blake dating? She's always on the phone texting him.”
My heart starts to beat faster, and I can feel my hands clenching. She better not be talking to him that much. “Is she? No, I think they're just friends.”
“Well, she’s talking to someone with the goofy smile on her face.” I can breathe now, it's probably just when she’s messaging me. Drew has no idea what’s going on.
“She’s probably just talking to Indie or checking Facebook or something,” I say, with a shrug. “Probably just distracting herself so she can get over her ex.”
“Yeah, I guess that could be it. Doesn't explain why she's avoiding me, though. Don't know what she saw in him anyway. The guy was a total dick! And why would you want to get married at this age. We’re way too young for all that, right, mate? Too many chicks to bang.”
“Hah, yeah, that's right.” I need to change the subject, this is too weird. “When do you go back on the circuit?”
“Two weeks. I can't wait. I always want to come home when I’m away, but when I get here, I just want to be out there again competing.”
"Yeah, I bet, you lucky bastard. You're living the life."
“Have you seen your dad lately?” he asks.
“No, not since last Christmas. He’s off travelling with his new wife. They have one of those converted combies and have been travelling around Australia for a couple of years. They come check in every now and then.”
“Good for him. I’m glad he’s doing so well.”
“Yeah, it's nice to see him so happy. I just hope she sticks around, for his sake.”
“I’m sure she will, man.”
We pull up at the beach and hop out, undoing our boards from the roof racks.
“Race you to the water,” he calls, already running down the beach, board under his arm.
“What’s wrong with you Walker kids? You have to compete over everything,” I call back. He probably can’t even hear me. He's halfway down the beach already. Why do I feel like there was more to that conversation? Is he on to us?
Chapter Twelve
Elena
This week has flown by, between working at the café, starting on the next styling job the boys have given me, and packing for the big move tomorrow. I've hardly seen Fraser at all.
We have been texting every day, and on Wednesday, when I met him at the office, he wouldn't let me go, so I told Mum I was at Indie’s again and spent the night with him. Not ideal when you're in your mid-twenties. I’m glad I'll be in my own place tomorrow, so I don’t have to sneak around anymore. It's kind of ridiculous.
Drew is being an even larger pain in my arse than normal and keeps questioning where I’m going every time I leave the house. He’s acting all clingy and needs to be back on the surf tour. He's too bored sitting around the house so he's pestering me.
It’s now Saturday afternoon and Indie and Blake have met up with me and Drew to walk up the street to our local rugby field. Fraser has a home game. We thought we would make an afternoon of it, watch him play, then go for drinks and dinner.
“Remind me why we're going to a football game again?” Indie complains, bumping shoulders with me as we walk.
“Drew’s idea, blame him!” I say, loud enough so he can hear.
“Isn’t it every single girl’s dream to be watching sweaty men run around on the footy field, tackling each other?”
“What on earth gave you that idea, Drew! We have much better things we could be doing with our time than watching a bunch of meatheads running around a footy field,” Indie replies back, as we both shake our heads at him. I can't say I agree with her, though; I’ve been looking forward to this all week. Any chance to perve on my man and his ridiculously hot body and I’m there.
“True, I’m sure you would prefer watching me surf some waves, half naked, hey, Indie?” Drew brags, as he wraps his arm around her. She shrugs him off with a smile.
“Eww gross, Drew,” I whine. “Can you not flirt with my friend in front of me?”
“Calm down, Elly. Just joking.”
"Don't you two have that pact anyway?" grumbles Blake. I don't think he likes Drew's arm on Indie.
I glare at him for reminding Drew of the pact and throwing me under the bus at the same time.
"Yeah, I still remember our pact as teenagers. Best friends are off-limits. Sorry, Indie, we could have been amazing together,” he laughs.
"It's okay, Drew, really," she assures him.
I get that sudden uneasy ping of guilt in my chest. If only he knew about me and Fraser. I’m such a hypocrite.
“Ha, yeah, that pact, I had forgotten about that. It was so long ago.”
I’m getting sideways glances from Indie and Blake. They know I’m in big trouble when the truth comes out. I already know that, I’m not stupid, that's why I don’t want to tell Drew. I know he hangs on to things. As a kid he would always make us go through with any bet we made. There was no backing out no matter how bad it was.
Maybe I’ll just wait till he’s back overseas and tell him over the phone, so I don't have to deal with the tantrum. But I can't bear him not talking to me for weeks when he’s away. Like last time we fought. He's a pain in the arse, but I also like to know I can check in with him whenever I need to. I hate people being annoyed with me. I think that's why this situation is getting to me. I hate feeling like I’m doing the wrong thing for the people I love, especially my family.
We arrive at the field. The same field where we used to play sports as kids. It's still exactly the same. Indie and I make a beeline for some spare seats at the back before they're all gone, while the boys go line up to get us a drink.
“Drew's going to be so pissed when he finds out you're dating Fraser,” she warns.
“Yeah, tell me something I don’t know! Maybe tonight we need to find Drew someone of his own. So he’s all happy and loved up, that way he’ll be more understanding,” I suggest.
“You're talking about your brother, right? There's no way he’s going to be loved up with anyone, he’s the biggest man-whore I know!”
“Yeah, you’re right, scrap that plan. Maybe whatever this thing is with Fraser will fizzle out in a few weeks and I will never need to tell him.”
“Yeah, maybe. All I’m saying is good luck if he ever finds out,” she whispers as the boys arrive back with our beer as the players run onto the field and the game kicks off.
“What number is Fraser, Drew?” asks Indie.
“Four, he’s the lock,” he answers.
I had already worked out where he was as soon as he ran on the field. He spotted me and gave me a cheeky wink. I have no idea what the lock is supposed to do in the game, sports are not my thing, but I really hope I’m not going to see him get smashed up today.
We're ten minutes in and I’m bored already. Watching sports, playing sports, or talking sports, just not my thing. The boys are totally preoccupied with the game and won't let me talk to them because they're concentrating, and Indie’s on her phone. Least I get to watch Fraser running around; he’s a god, so hot to watch.
“What are you looking at? You’ve been on your phone since we got here,” I ask Indie.
“Sorry, I’m trying to work out how to sell my art on Etsy, but I’m so crap with computers. I can't get anything to work.”
“You should show it to Blake. He’s good with computers, he’ll be able to help you out.”
“Yeah, okay, I’ll ask him later. I dare not disrupt the game and get yelled at like you,” she whispers.
“I know, right? Men and sports,” I say, rolling my eyes.
The whistle is blown for half-time and the players gather on the sidelines for a drinks break. I nudge Blake so it's not obvious to Drew. “What’s the go with the groupies?” I recognise Shea, the real estate agent from the townhouse. She and a bunch of her slutty friends have gathered on the sidelines, talking to our team. I wouldn’t normally call other girls slutty. Cause I think we should be able to wear whatever we like and not be judged for it. But in this case, we’re at a football game and they’re in next to nothing. This week it's turned cold as it's the start of winter. I’m in jeans and a jacket and I’m still cold. They must be freezing. Of course Shea’s focused on Fraser, touching him playfully on the arm and laughing with him. He was supposed to have talked to her this week, but clearly that hasn’t happened. He’s like a magnet for slutty girls. They love him, and it looks like he loves the attention back just the same.
“Don’t worry about her, Elly, it's you he’s into. You know that,” he whispers back.
“If that's the case, he doesn’t have to look so interested in her,” I complain.
“He’s not, she just throws herself at him. Trust me, if you know Shea, she's like that with everyone.”
Fraser looks over to us, knowing I’m watching the whole show between the two of them. He doesn't look worried, though, even though I’m giving him an evil stare. He just smiles at me and carries on. I want to get all possessive, go over there, slap her fake face, and show her who he belongs to, but I can't with Drew here.
He’s infuriating. Either he’s stupid or he just doesn't care! I don’t normally get so jealous. I don't even know why I’m letting her bother me so much. With Jessie, I didn’t care who he was talking to. Maybe that's why this is bothering me. Look how that ended up, and he was supposed to love me and want to spend the rest of his life with me. He was cheating on me right under my nose! How can I possibly trust anyone else? Or maybe it's because Fraser has never had a real relationship before?
