The Christmas Holiday

by Maxine Morrey

  ‘Oh, Hunter. Don’t get all creative and precious, now. You know selfies are pretty much compulsory anywhere these days. It doesn’t mean we love you or your work any less.’ Sandy did a pouty lip thing and Hunter gave him the finger, his eyes betraying his amusement.

  ‘Well done on the act back there, by the way,’ Hunter said, his eyes on Liv and Sandy pulling duck faces into the lens of her phone.

  ‘What act?’

  He smiled and tilted his head down at the ground, taking his sunglasses off as he did so.

  ‘OK…’ He lifted his head and looked directly at me. ‘Look me in the eye and tell me you knew you were expected to take part in all the activities on this trip, and not just write about them from an observational point of view.’

  I took a slow, calming breath. ‘I knew all about the activities.’ I shifted my weight and straightened my back.

  ‘Yep. And? By the way, classic defensive stance there.’

  ‘It is not!’ I said. Defensively.

  I saw him smother a smile.

  ‘Oh, OK. Fine. You win. Again. Happy now? You’re right. I had no idea I was expected to actually take part in things. Jeremy conveniently forgot to mention that bit of the arrangement.’

  ‘On purpose?’

  ‘Jeremy never does anything that isn’t on purpose.’ I chewed my lip, ‘Do you think Olivia realised?’

  ‘No. Not for a minute. Especially not with the whole bouncy bouncy celebration thing. What the hell was that anyway?’

  ‘I’ve no idea. I sort of got swept along. So you’re sure she doesn’t realise?’

  ‘Positive. You’d know. She’s sweet but she can be pretty forthright when she needs to be. Seriously, the only reason I knew is because I know you… better than they do. Anyone else wouldn’t have had a clue. I promise.’

  I nodded. ‘Right. Good.’

  ‘So what are you going to do?’

  ‘About what?’

  ‘About all the stuff lined up on the trip that you’re expected to do.’

  ‘Do it, of course.’

  Hunter frowned. ‘You do actually remember what’s on the itinerary, don’t you?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Hiking, zip lining, white-water rafting, bungee jumping—’

  ‘I said I remember. What’s your point?’

  ‘My point is you’re not exactly Dora the Explorer.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘You’ve never really been the outdoorsy type, Mia. Some of this stuff—’

  ‘You don’t think I’m up to it, do you?’

  ‘That’s not what I was saying.’

  ‘It sounds like that’s exactly what you’re saying. And don’t you dare tell those two I didn’t know! Do you understand?’ I was close to him now and jabbing my finger in his chest as I issued my warning. He held my eyes a moment before dropping his gaze to my finger. Wrapping his hand around it, and consequently enclosing practically my entire hand within his own, he gently pushed it down.

  ‘You have really bony fingers.’

  I opened my mouth to say something.

  ‘Don’t worry. I’m not going to say anything. But you shouldn’t feel you have to do something if you don’t want to, just because you got dropped in it.’

  I pulled my hand away from his. ‘I never said I didn’t want to do any of it. I was just... surprised to find I’m going to get the chance.’

  ‘Yeah. Remember a few minutes ago when I said I know when you’re not telling the truth?’

  I glared at him.

  ‘I still have that skill.’

  ‘Then I guess you’re not as skilful as you think you are.’ With that, I pushed past him and walked to the shore where two double kayaks were lined up, and another single one ready for our guide. Sandeep and Liv were getting into one of the double ones and I was staring at the other one as excitement and nerves tumbled in my stomach. Just across the water, a manatee blew out a plume of water and a big grin spread over my face at the thought that I was now going to get even closer to them.

  ‘You forgot this.’ Hunter handed the lifejacket to me, emphasising the middle word as he did so.

  ‘Oh, so I did. Whoops!’ I smiled at the guide. ‘Hopefully won’t need it anyway.’

  ‘Always best to be prepared,’ he grinned back. He was actually kind of cute. I’d been expecting some backwater, bearded buddy but Marty was tall, broad, tanned and, well, really rather fit.

  ‘Here you go, ma’am,’ he said, steadying my hand as I climbed into the kayak. It swayed a little on the water as I did so and I hurriedly sat down, making Marty smile. ‘Don’t worry. You’re going to be just fine.’

  ‘Yep. Thanks, mate. I think we’ve got it,’ Hunter declared as he got in, rocking the narrow boat a lot more than I had.

  ‘Hunter!’

  ‘Mia. It’s on the water. It’s going to rock. You’re in a few inches of water. I don’t think you’re in any danger.’

  I narrowed my eyes at him, a colourful collection of words forming in my head. Hoping to prevent the release of them into the wild, I smiled at him instead.

  ‘I didn’t think I was in any danger. But it might be good if you could be less of a great lummox moving about. If that’s at all possible.’ I gave him a sweet smile and he gave me a look like he wanted to use me as alligator bait.

  ‘OK. Everybody ready?’ Marty called out as he expertly slid into his own kayak and pushed out into deeper waters.

  Apparently, we were all ready. Admittedly, some of us more than others, but if enthusiasm counted, then I was right up there with everyone else.

  ‘So, Mia, just move your paddle like this.’ Marty glided over to me and gave a quick demonstration of a smoother alternative to the slightly haphazard one I was currently employing, which had resulted in my already being surrounded by a small puddle of water.

  A short while later, Hunter glanced back at me. Immediately, my rhythm disappeared and I clonked him on the shoulder with the paddle.

  ‘Don’t watch me. You put me off!’

  ‘Seriously? You smack me with an oar and it’s my fault?’

  ‘I was doing all right before.’

  ‘Maybe you should call Marty over here and get him to show you how to do it again.’ There was an undertone of sarcasm which I wasn’t big enough to ignore.

  ‘Maybe I will!’ I said, just to annoy him. Trying to regain my concentration, I swapped sides with my paddle and clobbered him across the back of the neck.

  ‘Jesus, Mia!’ He wriggled as cold water trickled down his shirt.

  ‘I’m sorry. I was doing fine until you distracted me!’

  ‘You OK there, guys?’ Marty paddled a little closer.

  ‘Absolutely!’ I called back, throwing in a winning smile for added effect.

  ‘Great! Just give me a shout if you need anything.’

  ‘Will do.’

  ‘I bet you will,’ Hunter added.

  ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake. Stop being so bloody macho and ridiculous. Can we not just enjoy the experience?’

  ‘I’m trying to, but avoiding concussion is taking all of my concentration at the moment.’

  ‘You’re such a drama queen!’

  ‘Me?’

  ‘Yes! I only tapped you a couple of times. It’s not like I… oh! Oh, OK. Admittedly, that was kind of a big one.’ I put my paddle down for a moment. ‘Are you all right?’ Hunter hadn’t said anything yet. Well, apart from the chain of expletives that had drawn a look of admiration from Marty. Everyone was now drifting closer to us to check on the state of my crew mate, who was rubbing the side of his head vigorously.

  ‘You OK, buddy?’ Marty asked.

  Hunter gave him a brief thumbs-up. ‘I’m good.’ The fact he said this through gritted teeth was hard to miss.

  ‘Are you all right?’ Sandeep asked as their boat drifted close to ours.

  ‘Mia was doing really well earlier. I’m sure she’ll get it again,’ Liv sweetly added.

  ‘He put me off,’
I defended myself.

  ‘Unbelievable,’ Hunter muttered before turning a little more in the craft. ‘Do you need to sit further back or something? What the fuck was the oar doing right up by my head anyway?’

  ‘If you keep yelling at me, it’s going to be right back up there again.’

  ‘Concentrate!’

  ‘I’m trying! Now turn around, stop whining and paddle.’

  He gave me a look and I held it before he turned back and we both started paddling in sync once again. I did actually feel kind of bad for whacking him but I was still smarting from the fact he’d automatically assumed I wouldn’t step up to the challenges that were suddenly in my way. It made me mad that he was still waiting for me to fail.

  I slipped on my seat a little and lost my timing, catching Hunter on the arm with my paddle as I lifted it. We were alongside Liv and Sandeep and they each pulled a face and then grinned.

  ‘Sorry.’

  ‘I swear to God, Mia. If you hit me one more time, I’m going to turn around, pick you up and throw you in.’

  ‘I’m not doing it on purpose!’

  ‘I will absolutely be doing it on purpose.’

  Sandy and Liv were laughing at our interchange, but I got the distinct feeling Hunter wasn’t joking.

  Pushing my paddle back into the water, I managed to get my swing back and after a while relaxed into it. We were out in deeper water now and the manatees were swimming close to us, slowly coming up next to the kayaks and then diving down again. I reached out a hand and stroked them as we sat bobbing on the water, Hunter taking photos of the creatures, the landscape and, of course, Liv and Sandeep as they paddled around and interacted with the sea cows.

  A swoosh of water puffed out of a blow hole and I laughed as my hand drifted over the smooth skin close to it. A shutter clicked and I looked up to see Hunter turned in the boat, appearing from behind his lens.

  ‘I wish you’d stop doing that,’ I said, not looking at him and concentrating instead on the sparkles of the water as it caught the sun.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because. It makes me feel uncomfortable.’

  ‘It never used to.’

  I stroked a manatee, my fingers tracing scar lines on its back from a boat’s vicious propeller.

  ‘That was different.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘You know why.’

  I heard the shutter click again and looked up.

  ‘Do you ever listen to a word I say?’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘You’re part of this trip. It was a nice shot. I have a job to do.’

  His matter-of-factness threw my argument a little. We were both right in a way. It was different now. Before, he’d taken photos of me as part of our lives together and because he wanted to. Now he was taking them as part of someone else’s moment in life, and because he was being paid to take them.

  ‘Ready to do a bit more?’ Marty asked, as his kayak moved smoothly towards ours.

  ‘Yes!’

  ‘All right if we just wait a minute?’ Hunter had disappeared behind his camera again and was focusing on the other boat. ‘Mia, can you move us up a bit so that we’re more in front of Liv and Sandy, and facing them?’

  I grabbed my paddle and gently manoeuvred us into a better position.

  ‘Better?

  ‘Perfect, thanks,’ Hunter replied from behind his equipment, concentration on his face and in his voice.

  ‘Really getting the hang of the paddle now, Mia.’ Marty smiled at me, a perfect advertisement for American orthodontics.

  ‘Thanks. I think I’m improving.’

  ‘Definitely. It nearly always takes a little while to get into a good rhythm with them.’

  I tipped my head at Hunter’s back. ‘I was kind of on a tight schedule to learn.’

  Marty grinned. ‘People say all sorts in the heat of the moment.’

  ‘I meant every word.’ Hunter hadn’t seemed to be listening to our conversation, focused instead on his job. But apparently he could multitask.

  I stuck my tongue out at his back.

  Marty laughed. ‘I have witnessed a few heated arguments between couples out here, that’s for sure.’

  ‘Oh! We’re not a couple.’

  In front of me, Hunter’s head tilted ever so slightly.

  ‘Is that so?’ Marty asked.

  ‘Yes. Just work colleagues.’ I stuck a paddle down and reversed the slight drift we were caught in to keep us in a better position for the photographs.

  ‘I see. And you’re working locally?’

  ‘We’re travelling around. But we’re here for a few more days.’

  ‘And do you get any time off in those few days?’ Marty asked.

  ‘I… oh… I’m not entirely sure of the schedule at the moment.’

  ‘Maybe you could check? It’s just that I… I’d really like to take you to dinner, if you were free one night?’

  ‘That sounds very nice, thank you.’ I trotted out a polite reply, and tried to push away how awkward I felt getting asked out in front of – or rather directly behind – my ex. But why should I? Like I’d said, we were nothing more than work colleagues and, bonus points to Marty, he hadn’t threatened to toss me fully clothed into a river.

  ‘Great,’ Marty beamed again. ‘I’ll give you my number when we get back on shore.’

  ‘OK.’

  ‘I’m ready when you are.’ Hunter’s voice came from in front, his hand now on a paddle.

  ‘OK. Let’s go.’ Marty cut smoothly in front of us, leading the way further up the river for more exploration.

  I paddled behind, waiting for the inevitable comment from Hunter about Marty, but it never came. I let out a sigh. Perhaps I was reading too much into everything. It wouldn’t be the first time. Why should I feel awkward about Marty? I wouldn’t have if I’d been with someone else from the office. All right, Hunter was my ex, but it was almost five years ago and he certainly hadn’t been sitting around nursing a broken heart if the coverage I’d seen of his love life was anything to go by. Why should I feel awkward about a nice, good-looking guy hitting on me, just because Hunter was there? The simple answer was, I shouldn’t.

  Liv and Sandy came a little closer in their kayak.

  ‘Isn’t this brilliant?’ Liv asked, excitement radiating from every pore.

  ‘It really is,’ I agreed. ‘I’ve never done anything like this before. Thanks so much for the opportunity. It’s wonderful.’

  ‘You’re very welcome,’ Sandeep replied, his face shaded by a peaked cap displaying the name of a Formula One team, the owner of which he was close friends with, according to the last issue of Hello I’d seen.

  ‘Marty seems… attentive,’ Liv teased.

  I gave a little shake of my head, and smiled.

  Hunter glanced over at Sandy. ‘How many dates you reckon he gets out of this job?’

  Sandeep pulled a face like he was thinking.

  ‘Oh, don’t be so cold. He doesn’t look the one-night-stand type. He’s… wholesome,’ Liv declared.

  Hunter and Sandy looked at her like she was barmy.

  ‘Wholesome?’ Sandeep repeated.

  ‘Yes. I bet he’s just looking for the right woman to take home to his mama.’

  ‘I bet he’s making a thorough job of the selection process,’ Hunter quipped and Liv flicked water at him.

  ‘You’re so unromantic.’

  ‘Not at all. I just recognise a guy after a no-strings deal when I see one – no matter how wholesome he looks.’

  ‘I think you’re wrong,’ Liv protested.

  ‘I guess we’ll find out. He already asked Mia out.’

  Liv’s eyes widened. ‘He did? Are you going to go?’

  To be honest, I’d decided I wasn’t, and had been busily forming a kind refusal to give Marty once we were back on shore, but something about Hunter’s comment was niggling at me. I knew he didn’t expect me to take Marty up on his offer. Just as he
hadn’t expected me to go ahead with the kayaking this morning.

  ‘Yes,’ I found myself saying, ‘I think I might.’

  I felt Hunter’s eyes on me, but kept mine on the manatee that had gently bumped our boat and was now swimming around us.

  ‘Come on, guys!’ Marty’s voice travelled back down the river. ‘Keep up! Plenty more to see.’

  ‘I bet,’ Hunter mumbled to Sandy. Liv rolled her eyes at him and purposely splashed him in the face as she paddled off.

  He pulled his T-shirt hem up, drying off the drips.

  ‘Ready?’ I asked.

  He met my gaze and nodded before turning back and falling into the same rhythmic stroke.

  Two hours later we were back at the shore, giving one last big push to get us up on dry land. A guy from the crew bent over the end of our kayak to give it a heft but, with Hunter’s weight still in it, it didn’t really go all that far. He stepped out and helped the man yank the boat further up the beach, ready for me to get out. Relieving ourselves of our lifejackets, we began heading back towards the hire car Hunter had driven us from the hotel in.

  ‘Mia?’ Marty caught us up. His eyes flicked to the others momentarily. ‘I just wondered if you meant what you said, about dinner?’

  ‘Of course she did!’ Liv answered before I even opened my mouth. I blinked at her and she tipped her head at me in a “what?” gesture.

  ‘Great!’ Marty replied, clearly thrown for a moment as to which woman to address. ‘Shall I pick you up at your hotel?’

  ‘She’ll meet you at the restaurant,’ Hunter stated.

  I threw up my hands. ‘Bloody hell! It’s like dating by committee!’

  Liv laughed and squeezed my arm but Hunter remained serious. ‘You don’t know him from Adam. You’re not getting in a car alone with him.’

  ‘Hunter. Please don’t tell me what I am and am not going to do! I’m quite capable of making my own decisions.’

  He glared at me and I glared right back.

  ‘No, he’s right.’ Marty broke the silence. ‘I didn’t think. I… don’t tend to date a lot outside my home town and everyone kind of knows each other there. How about I meet you at the restaurant at seven-thirty tonight? Would that be OK?’

  ‘That sounds perfect, thank you.’