Holiday affair, p.10
Holiday Affair, page 10
By Monday morning, Lissy had shed the hangover and accepted that any chance of a relationship with Nick was not going to happen. She puttered around, getting ready for work. The cottage sparkled, the ironing done for the week, and she had cooked dinners ahead and placed them in the freezer.
Still feeling embarrassed, she hoped Nick had not sensed the real reason that she’d gone knocking on his door on Saturday afternoon. She tried to hold on to her anger, but she felt quite sad.
He’s impossible to understand.
She groaned as she remembered the look on Tom’s face when he had seen her come out of Nick’s door, obviously fresh from Nick’s bed. She was determined to phone him from her office on Monday and explain and break-off their relationship. A relationship that had never really started. She stood in front of the mirror, putting on her makeup and pinning up her hair.
I hate the way Nick makes me feel.
No you don’t, said the truthful part of her heart. He makes you feel alive and you love it.
She paused, mascara wand halfway to the wide eyes staring back at her from the mirror.
Where the hell did that come from?
She was not going to listen to her heart. After the weekend, she realized that she needed to get out of this mess. In a way, she was grateful to him for his clear rejection. Better now than later, when she’d gotten used to having him around. God knows, she had seen the effect of that on her mother over the years.
Lissy finished applying her makeup, all trace of hangovers, tiredness and tears now camouflaged. Nodding at her now calm reflection, she moved to her bedroom and chose her red suit and highest heels for confidence, and headed off to work.
…
“Woohoo, here’s Dr. McIntyre, life and soul of the party.” Lissy was greeted by giggles from her work colleagues. She had forgotten about Clare and Jenny, as she had worried all weekend about Nick and Tom.
“Don’t know about life and soul, but the headache was a beauty,” she said laughing with them, not letting any hint of her true feelings slip. I could win an Oscar, she thought to herself. It was like being two different people—
the happy carefree woman chatting to her friends, with a sad and tightly curled up emotional wreck hidden deep inside.
“Did Professor Richards get you home safely, Melissa?” Jenny asked.
“Yes, he was very nice. Got me home safely,” she said, lying. “I slept most of the weekend away. Nothing like a good night out with the girls to clear the cobwebs.”
“Are these yours, Melissa? They found them in the ladies room.” Clare held up a set of keys.
“Yes, what a relief,” said Lissy. “I was worried they’d been stolen.”
“How did you get in on Friday night?” asked Jenny.
“Oh, I have a spare key on the veranda.” The vision of Nick climbing through the window, with Tom looking like his world had come to an end as she stood there in Nick’s shirt, popped into her head.
“Anyway, girls, I have a ton of work today, so I’ll catch you later,” she said as she turned toward her office. She entered the room and shut the door firmly, preparing to bunker down. The morning passed uneventfully and there was no sign of Nick.
The hardest part was calling Tom, which she did as soon as she sat at her desk. He answered his telephone across the other side of the campus in his usual calm and polite manner.
“Tom, it’s Melissa.”
“Good morning, Melissa.” Tom’s voice was guarded.
“I owe you an apology. I was very rude to you and your cousins Friday night.”
Tom accepted her apology and agreed to apologize to his mother for her non-attendance at Saturday’s lunch. He cleared his throat as she said good-bye to him.
“Err…just one more thing, Melissa.”
Lissy held the telephone to her ear, looking out at the clear winter sky through her window, wondering what was coming. She was in a numb state as it was and nothing could make her feel any worse.
“Yes, Tom?”
“Melissa, I think it would be best if we don’t have dinner this Friday evening.” He said quietly. “I need some time to think this through. I’m not sure what’s happening with you and Nick…”
“Just a moment, Tom. Nick and I, we’re not an item.” He sounded skeptical. “Be warned Melissa, while I love Nick dearly as my brother, I am well aware he can be hard on women. He has never forgotten how badly Olivia, and then Rebecca, hurt him.”
“Tom, I have to go. Let’s just agree we’re over, even though it didn’t ever really start. I’m sorry. I think you’re a great guy, way too good for me.”
“Just be careful with Nick, Melissa. He knew you were going to be at Ivy Cottage on Friday night and he insisted we go there. We had planned on staying at home. He’s up to something. I know Nick well and I would hate to see you get hurt.”
Lissy put the phone down carefully, determined not to let thoughts of any scheme of Nick’s interfere with her hard-won calm or her work. Booting up her computer, she tried to immerse herself in her work and forget about Nick Richards.
Lissy spent the week in her office, typing up her research and annotating her web references. She survived on cups of coffee and didn’t leave her office during the day for the whole week except for the faculty meeting on Thursday. To her great relief, Nick was at a teleconference in another room and the meeting finished before she could attend. She also managed to stagger her work hours, leaving and arriving so that she didn’t see Mrs. Mac or Nick. She was feeling so brittle she thought she would snap if anyone tried to have a conversation with her. Sleepless nights and dreams of Nick in her bed contributed to her edginess.
Chapter Fourteen
Lissy survived the week. Just barely. It was with a great sense of relief that she turned eastward out of Armidale after work on Friday afternoon. She was headed for her grandfather’s house on the coast, where she would later meet up with her mother and Lars, as they’d agreed. When she deposited Luney and Sylvester with her neighbor, she saw Mrs. Mac’s brow furrow.
“I’ve hardly seen you this week, Lissy. You’ve been working too hard,” she said. “And you look tired…and you’ve lost weight.”
“It’s okay, Mrs Mac, work is really busy. That’s why I’m taking a break down at the coast this weekend. Catch a bit of sun and warm up.” She reached over and hugged her old friend.
“You really are a sweetie to help with this pair.” She handed over the cage, but Mrs. Mac persisted.
“Is that professor still giving you a hard time? I’ve hardly seen him around either.”
“Just at work,” said Lissy. “We have a deadline looming.” Mrs. Mac still looked skeptical as Lissy backed out of the driveway.
She always enjoyed the drive from Armidale down to the coast. The road wound past the green pastures of the huge cattle properties on the fertile plateau for the first hundred miles, before it meandered through the quaint village of Dorrigo, perched on the edge of the escarpment.
A flashing sign at the top of the mountain road advised the roadway would be closed for repair at the night from Friday through Monday.
The drive down from the top of the mountain to the coast through the World Heritage rainforest always made Lissy nervous as the narrow, winding road passed two waterfalls that often crossed the roadway in heavy rain.
Crews were constantly repairing the road as the mountain was unstable and there were frequent rock falls. Although the scenery was breathtaking, Lissy breathed a sigh of relief as she reached the bottom of the mountain and turned on to the flatlands of the Bellinger River valley.
An hour later, she turned into the driveway of Gramp’s old fishing cottage behind the dunes of Black Rock Beach. The afternoon light had faded and the headlights lit the front of the old cottage. The grass was long and newspapers littered the front porch. Removing the key from under the big rock in the unkempt garden, Lissy squealed when a sticky spider web clung to her face as she crossed the porch. Her footsteps echoed on the wooden floorboards of the front hall and she swallowed a sob, her throat aching, when she saw Gramps’s raincoat hanging on the hook inside the front door. The house was silent and cold, and she looked at the mess scattered throughout the small space. Piles of newspapers covered the table and chairs, and boxes of old fishing gear lined the bench along the wall.
Next weekend, when Mum is here…This weekend is to recharge my emotional batteries, not cry over Gramp’s belongings. It was late and she was tired, so after a quick sandwich and a wash, she went to bed in her old room. The gentle lull of the waves breaking on the sand lulled her off to the deepest sleep she had had all week.
The screeching of the rainbow lorikeets woke her the next morning. Lying in bed, she watched the birds hang upside down in the huge bottlebrush tree outside her window as they ate the honey from the red flowers. Their squawking contrasted with the muted roar of the ocean coming over the dunes. Stretching, she stepped out of bed feeling more at ease than she had for weeks. This was her true home, and the familiar sights, smells and sounds soothed her soul.
She pulled on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, appreciating the warmth of the coast. Even though it was early winter, the warmth from the ocean kept the temperature mild all year. Putting some money in her back pocket for breakfast at the cafe on her way back, she headed off for a walk along the beach. Lissy waved at a few familiar faces as she walked to the boat ramp. Recognizing Harvey’s old four-wheel drive and rusted trailer, she realized he was still out fishing for the morning. Crossing the esplanade, she headed up the hill and walked onto the veranda of the coffee shop on the headland overlooking the beach. She would sit with a coffee and paper and wait for the fishing boats to come in.
“Hey, Kevin,” she said greeting the owner of the coffee shop.
“Hi, Lissy, long time since we’ve seen you. How’s life up on the tablelands?”
“Pretty good, thanks. How’s business?”
“Tourists have been steady and fishing’s good. Have you caught up with old Harve yet?”
Shaking her head, Lissy ordered her coffee and gazed out over the ocean. She saw a couple of fishing boats in the southern bay and she tried to concentrate on them rather than the thoughts that were crowding her head.
She had blocked them all week and had concentrated on her research. She would love to share this view with Nick.
With her chin, propped on her hand, she gazed out over the ocean, wondering how it would feel if he were here sharing breakfast with her.
Pushing that thought from her mind, she realized she needed to sort out the situation in her head—and heart—
before she went back up the mountain to her life in Armidale. She was so sorry that Tom was caught up in the middle of her affairs with Nick, but it couldn’t be helped.
Tom clearly knew something was going on. She sighed as she tried to analyze her feelings for Nick.
For the life of her, she could not read him. One minute, she was sure that he cared for her and showed how kind and thoughtful he could be. The next moment, he was cold as ice and treated her with contempt. She compared the happy-go-lucky bum of the islands with the cold and unreachable professor at the university. Unless he was in her bed, everything was different.
The wind blew softly from the ocean and Lissy pushed a strand of wayward curls back and sipped her coffee.
After she had slept with him last weekend, she had been trying to fight her strong attraction to him. She would be sensible and apply logic to the situation. A relationship with him would never succeed, even if he did want her.
The attraction was purely physical. When his immediate need was satisfied, he lost interest in her. It had happened twice, no matter what he said. Each time they slept together, he walked out and left her.
So, Lissy, move on and ignore the attraction…or just take what he offers and enjoy the sex.
She paid for her coffee and headed back to the beach.
Harvey’s boat was coming in through the break. He sent one of his crew up to get the boat trailer and unload the fish boxes when he spotted Lissy waiting on the sand.
Arms outstretched and a huge grin on his weathered face, Harvey held her tightly for a fishy-smelling hug. His hands held her face and looked closely at her, and he gently flicked his finger on her cheek.
“What are these black circles under your eyes, girl?”
“Big drive down after work last night,” she said, grinning back at him.
“Hmm.” He sounded skeptical. “After we’ve finished here, give me time to get the boat cleaned down, and come back for a coffee. This afternoon we’ll have time for a good chat.”
As she turned to walk back home, a large black motorcycle roared up the hill from the beach and her heart jumped in anticipation, even as she shook her head at her foolish hope. She sauntered back along the sand track to Gramps’s cottage, and even though the water would be chilly, she decided to have a swim while she waited for Harvey to get his boat home. Putting on her bikini, she found a clean beach towel and headed back through the dunes to the beach and ran into the waves. The cold water was exhilarating and she floated on her back, letting the waves wash over her, clearing her mind and gazing at the cloudless sky. Goose bumps eventually sent her from the water and she headed up the beach toward the dunes, away from the northeasterly breeze that was starting to tip the waves with white caps out in the bay.
Flopping on to the towel, Lissy lay on her stomach, with her head on the soft white sand. Her eyes slowly closed. She dozed, drifting in and out of a light sleep, lulled by the sound of the surf and the happy shrieks of children splashing in the waves. The gulls swooped and squawked above the dunes, and the sun warmed her bare skin. Contentment stole over her like a soft blanket as her mind cleared for the first time in days.
Footsteps on the sand woke her a short time later, and she lay there, eyes closed, enjoying the kiss of the sun on her shoulders. The steps paused and she slowly opened her eyes to see a pair of tanned, male legs in front of her.
With a groan, she rolled over and sat up, knowing without looking up just who those legs belonged to and understanding that those few minutes of peace had come to an end. Nick walked closer and sat down on the edge of her towel. She reached for her T-shirt and pulled it over her head to cover her bikini.
Hunching her knees up against her chest, she snapped at him.
“What the hell are you doing here and how did you find me? Why can’t—”
“I asked Mrs. Mac where you were when I couldn’t get ahold of you this morning.” He put his hand on her arm to stop her as she attempted to push herself to her feet.
Lissy shook his hand off angrily and stood up, looking down at him and watching warily as he played with handfuls of sand, funnelling it through his fingers as though he didn’t have a care in the world. He repeated the action three times without either of them speaking a word until she couldn’t stand it any longer. She kneeled down next to him on the towel, her eyes level with his as he played with the sand. She put her hands on his shoulders and felt the instant jolt of heat through her fingertips as she gripped him tightly.
“Nick,” she said, enunciating each word clearly as though she was speaking to a child. “You didn’t come here to build sandcastles. What are you doing here?” His hand stilled and he lifted his eyes to meet hers.
“The simple truth, Lissy? I had to come. I couldn’t stay away from you.”
He reached for her and tried to pull her into his arms.
Her body trembled as a sudden strength surged through her. She pushed him and he fell back on her towel as she stood and ran through the dunes, leaving him lying on the sand. The passion she’d experienced with him was already unforgettable, and had touched her in ways she had never felt before. If she allowed him to touch her again, she didn’t think she would have the strength to face his next rejection.
Much easier to stop him now. She was panting by the time she reached the cottage and she slammed the door shut behind her. Standing at the sink, gripping the edge of the bench, she looked out the window at the big black motorcycle parked in the driveway. Her heartbeat slowly returned to normal, her anger subsiding. She reached for the kettle and stood wearily waiting for him to follow her, as she knew he would.
…
Nick waited on the beach for a couple of minutes before he followed her. It was important that he say the right thing to her and not come across as an adolescent with raging hormones. The look on her face as his lust flared had unsettled him; he didn’t want to hurt her anymore than he already had. He walked up the track through the dunes and pushed open the squeaky screen door and entered the old fishing cottage. Waiting beside the door and watching her warily as she stood at an old stone sink, he waited for her to invite him in. He looked at her white knuckles and felt a pang of regret for the distress he had caused her.
Lissy looked at him for what seemed an eternity before silently pointing to a chair at the old wooden table.
As she made a pot of tea, he noticed the tense set of her shoulders and nodded his thanks when she put an old chipped mug in front of him.
Pouring her tea, she wrapped her hands around her mug before moving across to the other side of the room, and sitting on a chair under the window. She raised a shaking finger and pointed at him. Her voice trembled, and he could see the control she was exerting over her emotions. Her face was flushed and her eyes wide as she sat, with her long, bare legs tucked underneath her.
“Stay there. I don’t want you anywhere near me at the moment.” She sipped her tea and looked at him over the rim of the mug. “I don’t trust you, but I’m going to be honest. I can’t think straight when you touch me. You leave me so confused. One minute you want to sleep with me, the next minute you’re not talking to me. I won’t play these mind games any more, Nick. We either have a sexual relationship with mutual honesty or you leave me alone.” Her voice was hard. “Stop turning hot and cold and confusing the hell out of me.” Placing her mug carefully on the kitchen bench, she stood and put her hands on her hips. “Now tell me, why are you here?”
