The Girl on the Beach

by Morton S. Gray

  Coming down the last step and around the corner into the gallery, she was greeted by the sight of Lucas and Harry embracing. Both had tears on their cheeks.

  Lucas spotted her over Alex’s shoulder. ‘Mum, look who’s here. Meet my new sports teacher, Alex Pretty.’

  Alex disengaged himself from Lucas and turned to Freya.

  ‘Hello.’

  ‘Hello … Alex.’ She tested the name on her tongue, as she looked him up and down. She didn’t trust herself to say anything else and felt frozen to the spot.

  ‘I came to buy a picture of a man running on the beach … if you have one.’

  ‘It was you, wasn’t it, running on the beach the other day?’

  ‘Yes.’ He smiled, but a wariness had crept into his face, as if he feared she wasn’t pleased to see him. ‘Was that you at the top of the beach?’

  She nodded.

  ‘What a coincidence. Fate even. Seeing a woman watching me, I was reminded of another time at Borteen and couldn’t help but wave.’

  ‘I wanted to believe it was you, but didn’t allow myself to hope.’ The tension overwhelmed her and she began to cry.

  Then, his arms were around her, pulling her close. He felt warm and strong as he supported her body, wiping her tears away with his fingers, stroking her hair.

  Lucas had retreated to lean against the desk.

  When she’d calmed down a little, she turned to her son. ‘Lucas, would you go and get us some coffees?’

  ‘It’s okay, Mum. I get that you want some time alone. Lattes all round?’

  Alex and Freya nodded in unison. Lucas turned the gallery sign to closed as he darted off to the coffee shop down the road.

  She turned back to Alex. ‘I can’t believe you’re here.’

  ‘I can hardly believe it myself.’

  ‘Are you okay? I mean after the beating you took?’

  ‘I’m fine. I was quite poorly due to internal bleeding and bruising. It took a while to recover fully.’ His hand moved to his abdomen, as if he was remembering the pain.

  She grimaced. ‘I’ve thought of you so many times.’

  ‘And I’ve been sending thoughts back to you too – always in the direction of Australia.’

  She traced a finger around his face, drinking in his features and revelling in the warmth of his skin. When she’d finished, he echoed her movements by moving his finger around her face, stopping to rub gently at a patch of paint. Her body tingled at his touch. They moved closer, but neither seemed to be able to make the final move that would lock their lips together. Freya could feel sparks of electricity passing between them. She moved forward at the same time as he did.

  There was silence for a while as they made up for lost time. Freya kissed Alex, the only man she had ever truly loved, as if she would never get another chance. They seemed to fit together perfectly, his kiss made her breathless and her body longed to get closer.

  She clung to him. ‘I don’t care what your name is, you’re the only man I have ever wanted.’

  He was whispering softly into her ear and making her senses go into overdrive. ‘It’s so lovely to be able to hold you and kiss you properly without restraint or suspicion getting in the way. Everything finally open between us.’

  The gallery door bell sounded as Lucas came back with the coffee. They reluctantly disentwined, but kept hold of each other’s hands as if they couldn’t bear to break contact after finding each other again.

  Lucas gave out the coffees, raising his eyes heavenwards. ‘You two!’ But, his broad smile belied his words.

  ‘I was just telling Alex about how we came here on a visa based on my art teaching.’

  ‘Yeah right!’ nodded Lucas.

  Freya felt her face blush red. ‘I teach at two after-school clubs and do specialist teaching when required, especially for pottery. I still run school art competitions and am mentoring again because I found it so rewarding.’

  ‘Sounds a busy life. Have you got room for a new friend?’

  She couldn’t answer, as the lump in her throat was so large.

  Lucas appeared to ignore what Freya was saying. ‘Fetching the coffees, I was thinking back to a conversation we had in Borteen when things looked bad for us both. I commented how alike we look and that you could pass for my dad. You had such a strange expression on your face. You are, aren’t you?’

  Freya and Alex leaped apart and turned as one towards him.

  She spoke first. She knew she needed to tell her son the truth, no matter how she worried what he would think. ‘Yes, Lucas, this man, by whatever name we call him, is your dad. I thought he was dead for many years, which is why it was such a shock when I met him again in Borteen.’

  ‘And I truly didn’t know you were mine, didn’t even know I had fathered a child, until you went missing on the night of the firework display.’

  They all stood looking at each other for long moments.

  Alex broke the silence. ‘How do you feel about all this?’

  ‘I feel as if I should be angry or something with both of you, but if I’m totally honest, I think it’s great having a cool guy, even if his surname is weird, for my dad. In fact, it’s great having a dad. I’ve never had one before.’

  Freya looked from one to the other and laughed. ‘You are very alike, especially since Lucas has grown. How did you find us?’

  ‘I pulled every string and favour imaginable.’

  ‘You couldn’t bear not to be with your son?’ She glanced across at Lucas. His face was full of joy. She knew that his reaction could have been so very different. She was pleased, but then a little disappointed that Alex hadn’t come to Australia for her.

  Alex tugged her toward him and put his hands either side of her face, so she had no choice but to look into his eyes, his big brown eyes, the ones she had fallen in love with all of those years before.

  ‘I must admit I couldn’t stop thinking about my son, but I couldn’t stop thinking about his mother either.’

  His face softened and her tears began to flow again.

  ‘Do you think we might make it third time lucky for us?’

  ‘Oh Har … I mean Alex, I hope so.’

  * The End *

  We would love to hear how you enjoyed Morton's story. Please leave a review on the eBook store where you purchased this novel. Reviews on eBook stores really do help the author. Thank you!

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  Thank You

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for reading my debut novel, The Girl on the Beach. I hope that you enjoyed meeting my characters and sharing their story. I’m a little in love with Harry Dixon (Shhh don’t tell my husband) and I hope that you are too.

  It is both exciting and scary to be able to put my work out into the world. Writing is quite a solitary occupation, as you wrestle the plot, characters and words into order and sense. Ideas come from many sources and join together in a writer’s imagination to make a book that you hope your readers will care about.

  If you enjoyed this book, a review is always welcome on the retail site where you made your purchase. Reviews help to improve a book’s profile and sales, so are always appreciated.

  Details of how to contact me are given at the end of my author profile.

  Love

  Morton x

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  About the Author

  Morton S. Gray lives with her husband, sons and Lily, the tiny dog, in Worcestershire, UK.

  She has been reading and writing fiction for as long as she can remember, penning her first attempt at a novel aged fourteen, the plot of which closely resembled an Errol Flynn film.

  Life got in the way of writing for many years, until she won a short story competition and the spark for writing was well and truly reignited. She carries a notebook everywhere as inspiration strikes in the most unlikely places.

  She studied creative writing with the Open College of the Arts and joined the Romantic Novelists’
Association New Writers’ Scheme in 2012.

  Previous ‘incarnations’ were in committee services, staff development and training. Morton has a Business Studies degree and is a fully qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Reiki Master. She has diplomas in Tuina Acupressure Massage and Energy Field Therapy.

  She enjoys history, loves tracing family trees and discovering new crafts. Having a hunger for learning is a bonus for the research required for her books.

  The Girl on the Beach is her debut novel with Choc Lit and winner of the 2016 Search for a Star competition.

  For more information on Morton:

  Website

  Twitter

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