by Shona Husk
A few people clapped.
Kurt held up his hand. ‘My paperwork went through so I’m officially posted to Stirling and Caroline reminded me tonight that since I’m off the boat I can do something I would never have done before.’ He smiled at Rainy and her eyes widened. ‘So, Milly, how about one date before you sail?’
***
She was going to kill him. Then was going to revive him so she could kill him again. Heads turned to look at her. The heat of their gaze burned into her skin as they waited for her to answer.
What was she supposed to say?
If she said no, they would take Kurt’s side and say she was harsh. If she said yes they’d wonder if something had been going on before. He still had that stupid smile on his face.
Her pulse was loud in her ears. Tasker nudged her with his elbow and she elbowed him back. He grunted and moved out of range.
‘Wow, talk about putting someone on the spot.’ She forced a grin and glanced around. That wasn’t going to be enough. When she got him alone … well that was exactly what he was hoping for. ‘A date with me? Really?’
Kurt nodded. ‘If it all goes badly, well, you’re out of here … if it goes well, I’ll write.’
That got some laughs. Everyone thought this was a bit of fun. They didn’t know how much he was putting himself on the line here. She’d told him she didn’t leave boyfriends at home. Apparently he didn’t take no for an answer.
Rainy shrugged. She took a slow look at the crew then looked back at Kurt. ‘I can’t win this. Whatever I say it doesn’t look good.’ Did he get that? Did he see what he’d done to her?
‘How about yes, and I’ll put in ten for the date.’ Chief Smith put a ten-dollar note on table. He nodded at her as if she’d been waiting for approval that it was okay to say yes.
Tasker stood up and rummaged through his wallet. He put five dollars’ worth of coins on the table. ‘I want my trainee to have a good time,’ he said to Kurt.
They all thought this was some kind of joke. But as more people threw a few coins and notes on the table, there was no way Rainy could say no.
‘Guys, you don’t have to pay for the date, she hasn’t actually agreed.’ Kurt had the decency to look a little concerned about what was happening.
‘You weren’t really going to say no, were you?’ Chief Oliver added another ten to the pile and looked pointedly at Tasker. ‘You aren’t seeing anyone, are you?’
Oliver had heard the rumour and given it weight. Did he think she was refusing Kurt because of Tasker? Suddenly agreeing to a date with Kurt was the lesser of two evils.
‘No. I wasn’t seeing anyone until about five minutes ago.’ Which was exactly how she liked it before she sailed. ‘One date, Garland.’ He wasn’t going to live that long but that didn’t matter.
A small cheer went up. But Rainy felt like she’d been tricked and bought. Chief Smith gathered up the money and dropped it in the silver gift bag. He put his hand on Kurt’s shoulder and said something to Kurt. The smile left Kurt’s face and his back straightened. Rainy suspected Chief Smith was having a few choice words or giving him a warning. Kurt shook his head. Smith nodded and patted his shoulder then moved away.
Rainy sipped her beer and watched as Kurt rearranged his face into a smile, but even from across the patio she could see it was forced this time. What had Smith said, and what was he now saying to Oliver?
‘I think that’s my cue to go and inhale some smoke.’ Blue pulled the cigarette out of his pocket and rubbed it between his fingers.
‘Did you put him up to that?’
‘Fuck no. I’d have smacked him if he’d told me he was going to do that.’
Yet Tasker had put in money and joined in. He should’ve stood up for her. Someone should’ve, but no one had. ‘You encouraged it.’
‘Fun where I can get it, remember?’ He took his cigarette and wandered off to the corner of the yard with the other smokers.
Emily leaned over. ‘What the hell is going on, Miller?’
‘Your guess is as good as mine.’ Emily hadn’t put in and neither had Caroline. That was interesting, considering the other women had. Not all the guys had though, so maybe it didn’t mean anything. She sipped her beer and watched Kurt. Then she looked at Emily. ‘Why don’t you ask him?’
Emily didn’t answer, but she got up and went over to Kurt.
Rainy leaned back. Chief Smith walked over and sat next to her. ‘You’re pissed with him.’
‘Yep.’
‘Maybe he thought it was the only way he could get your attention.’
Rainy raised an eyebrow. Smithy had no idea.
‘You have to give some credit. That took balls. He’s a good guy … if it had been one of the others.’ He shook his head. ‘Enjoy what time you have left alongside. Once we sail it won’t matter. None of this does. It fades away and you wonder how you can get it back. Stay in long enough and you wonder when you can get back out to sea.’ He looked at her. ‘But this isn’t your first trip.’
‘No, Chief. When I was over east I liked being away. My family is over here so it feels different this time.’ And then there was Kurt.
Smithy nodded. ‘Being on a boat is very different to being on a ship. I’m sure you’ll do fine.’
She hoped so. And while she was looking forward to the challenge, there was less contact with the outside world on a sub. Then Smithy was moving on. She finished her beer and stood. A few people were leaving now that the food had been eaten and the speeches had been made. She didn’t need to stay to see people get messy, plus she was hoping to slide away before Kurt noticed she was missing.
With a few waves and couple of words she was heading inside and toward to the front door.
‘Wait up.’
She stopped at the sound of Kurt’s voice and turned.
‘You were going to leave without saying anything?’ He looked hurt.
What could she say while people were listening? ‘What I want to say is best said in private.’ She hoped he got the message that she really didn’t want this conversation now, and not while she was still so annoyed. Tomorrow would be better.
Never would be even better.
His eyebrows lifted. ‘I didn’t know how else to do it.’
She pressed her lips together. ‘Tip, public humiliation is never going to work.’
‘It wasn’t like that. Do you have any idea what it took for me to get up there and say that?’
That made her pause. She frowned—he’d taken a huge risk asking in front of his mates, but then maybe he’d counted on her not saying no and embarrassing him. Whatever his reasons, she didn’t like it. ‘You put me on the spot.’ She lowered her voice as people moved past them.
He glanced away. ‘I know, and I saw in your face you were thinking about saying no. I would’ve given up if you had. But you didn’t.’ He lifted his head and looked at her. ‘It has to mean something.’
‘It means people put money down.’
‘That was kind of funny.’ He shook his head, a smile curving his lips.
Her palm itched to smack him. Her fingers curled. ‘No, it wasn’t. I have to work with them.’
‘I have worked with them. They aren’t being malicious.’
Maybe not. She remembered Tasker’s comment about fun where he could get it. They saw an opportunity to poke fun and took it the way siblings would. Sunny would no doubt laugh when she heard. Perhaps she was overreacting.
‘I agreed in public, but it doesn’t mean I’m actually going through with it.’
‘There’s a bag of money that says otherwise. Where do you want to go?’
One of the guys walked past and made kissing lips at them. She glared at Kurt. ‘That is what I’m going to have to put up with.’
‘You think we all haven’t been there? They’ll expect an update on Monday.’
‘I’ll lie.’
‘You could tell the truth. Come to dinner with me. Let’s have one real date and see what happens
.’
She closed her eyes for a moment. She wanted to go on a date with him. To sip wine while they laughed over great food and then go home with him. To feel like she could have a relationship and that it would all be okay.
‘I’m babysitting tomorrow.’ Sunny had another date. Her sister was going out more than she was.
Kurt took a step back. ‘Fine. If you won’t meet me halfway, what’s the point?’
‘I want to,’ she said quickly. However, she’d seen Caroline hit on him. Four months was a long time for a relationship that was still wearing in. Who was she kidding? It was still in pieces, waiting to be put together.
‘Then do it. It’s not that fucking hard. I’m not your ex.’
Her head snapped up and she looked at him. No, he wasn’t. She’d been living with her ex and planning a future. She’d never planned a future with Kurt even though she liked the idea of seeing more of him. ‘One date before we sail.’
‘Before you sail. Part of me still wishes I was going.’
She touched his arm. ‘Me too. It might have been easier seeing you every day than leaving you.’
He nodded. ‘That’s something we agree on. I’ll pick you up at seven on Sunday. You’re not babysitting on Sunday too?’ There was a glint in his eyes, like he thought she’d been lying.
She smiled. ‘No. Sunny has been on more dates in the last couple of weeks than I have in the last twelve months.’
‘We could try and catch up.’
Rainy laughed. ‘Good night, Sweetlips.’ She let her hand trail down his arm and brush his fingers. She wanted to lean in and kiss him but there were too many people about and even though she could kiss him now he was off the boat, part of her was still afraid of accidentally leaving her heart behind again and getting it broken.
Chapter 20
There’d been eighty dollars put in for this date, and after Rainy had left Kurt had earned every single dollar with the amount of shit they’d dished on him. However, they firmly believed that nothing had ever happened between them and the rumour about Rainy and Blue was dead. Mission accomplished.
He and Rainy sat in a nice little Italian restaurant in Fremantle. The bottle of wine was almost empty and they were waiting for dessert to arrive. It had been a nice evening. When the navy wasn’t between them everything was fine. But she was a little distracted today.
‘What’s up?’
‘I keep thinking of the damn comp log and how much work I have to do over the next four months.’
‘Blue will get you through.’
Rainy shook her head. ‘He’s falling apart.’
‘What? Nah, he and Kylie are always like that.’ But the arguments were more frequent and he had been staying at Kurt’s place more often. ‘Once he sails he’ll be fine.’ Because he wouldn’t be dealing with Kylie.
Rainy nodded. ‘It’s different to a ship. I already know more about the crew than I ever did on Kuttabul. And they know more about me.’
‘Does that matter?’ He didn’t see that as a bad thing. He put his hand over hers. ‘Another week and you’ll be so busy it won’t matter.’ And he’d be here. He was beginning to wonder if it was Rainy he was actually going to miss and not sailing. He’d never had a long-distance girlfriend and the idea was still new enough to give him pause. He wasn’t sure how to play it, and he didn’t want to do it wrong in case she pushed back. It would be easier to walk away, but his father’s death had made one thing clear: he had to fight for what he wanted. But what if he was the only one fighting?
If Rainy could walk away so easily, was it worth fighting for? Or was she running scared? He’d love to punch her ex for what he’d done, but Kurt had seen it all too often. He could count on one hand the number of marriages that were holding together on Ellis. He’d need to take his boots off to count the number of affairs that he knew about. He was sure there were others that hadn’t seen daylight.
He wasn’t a statistic and neither was Rainy.
She pulled a face and finished her glass of wine. ‘I’d better finish the bottle since you’re driving.’
He topped up her glass. ‘We going to trade emails?’
She nodded. ‘I don’t want to make promises.’
‘I get that, this is new for me and I know it hasn’t worked out for you in the past but …’ he paused. ‘Why don’t you keep me in the loop about Ellis gossip?’ Perhaps if they acted like friends while she was away it would be easier and there’d be less pressure and expectation.
‘Emily won’t tell you?’
Kurt drew in a breath. ‘We were friends on the boat mostly because of Giles and Tasker.’ He didn’t expect anyone to email him while they were away. The same way he’d never expected a familygram either. Rainy would get mail, and messages from home—probably every week.
‘You’re assuming I hear any gossip. You’ll have to let me know how your job hunt is going. What plans do you have?’
The waiter came over and placed their desserts on the table, which gave Kurt a moment to put his answer together.
‘I’m going to stay in WA. If I can’t get a job locally, I’ll apply for the mines.’ He shrugged. That was the best he had at the moment. ‘I won’t be moving house as I signed a new twelve-month lease only three months ago.’ He was leaving the navy but he wasn’t going anywhere. Not yet anyway. If he couldn’t get a job in WA he might have to head over east and there were always the mines in Queensland. He stopped his thoughts before they could run away like spooked horses. It wasn’t just Rainy with a tough few months ahead.
‘By the time I get back you’ll be almost out.’ She took a bite of her lemon tart.
‘Yeah, and you’ll have a few months alongside.’ By then it would almost be Christmas time. This year he had no reason to go back home, and no guilt about not going. Maybe he should go camping for Christmas to get away from everyone. He glanced at Rainy, she would be spending it with her family. Her sister had welcomed him for dinner even though she’d never met him. Would Sunny give him a familygram so he could send Rainy one?
Rainy turned the glass slowly as if thinking. ‘So we keep in contact and then see what happens when I get back.’ She glanced up at him. While her words were defining limits and placing them as friends for the moment, the heat in her eyes suggested something else.
He didn’t want to be her friend or casual lover. He wanted more. But that was impossible at the moment. It felt like he’d met the right woman at the wrong time.
The wrong time for both of them.
He was worried that if all they did have was sex and a borderline friendship, it would fizzle while she was away. If that happened, maybe it wasn’t meant to be. But how much was fate and how much was effort?
To the best of Kurt’s knowledge, his father had never had another woman in his life after his mother had left—or at least not after he’d been sent to live with him. Kurt saw it as another echo of his father’s fear of failure. If he didn’t try, then it couldn’t be taken away and that was exactly how he’d always dealt with girlfriends while in the navy.
He wasn’t going to make that mistake with Rainy. If they were still talking after four months apart, it was going to be his longest relationship in six years. That was pretty sad.
She tilted her head. ‘You look like you’re thinking and it hurts.’
‘I was. I have never been the one left behind. It’s kind of weird.’
A frown creased her forehead. ‘I guess it would be, and I’m stealing all your friends.’
‘You are.’ That was unsettling as well. ‘What are you going to tell them?’
‘That we had a lovely date in Fremantle. I’m going to leave out the bit where you take me home and mess up my bed and keep me up late.’
He looked at her for a moment and wished he had a uniform in his car so he could go straight from Rainy’s to work in the morning. But he didn’t want to face Rainy’s sister, or niece, first thing in the morning. In fact, he didn’t want to see them tonight either. This
night was for him and Rainy and he wanted it to be something she remembered. ‘How about I book a hotel room and we get out of here?’
She sighed and smiled. ‘Thought you’d never ask.’
‘I thought you wanted a proper date?’ Something to prove they had more than sex going on. He was sure they did … even if they did keep on ending up in bed.
‘I did. Now I want you.’
***
They checked into the hotel. Neither of them had an overnight bag, but they wouldn’t be staying all night. They couldn’t as they had work the next morning. Calling and claiming to be sick didn’t work in the navy.
If the clerk thought anything was odd he didn’t say a word; he simply handed over the swipe card for the room. Hand in hand, they went to the lift and waited. Part of Rainy wished they could’ve gone back to her place. It would’ve been quicker, but then over sooner. There would’ve been no lingering around. Kurt hadn’t planned this, otherwise he would’ve suggested that she put a uniform in the car ready for tomorrow, and he’d have had one too. Part of her wished he had, so they could’ve spent the whole night together.
‘How come you didn’t pre-book?’ She glanced at him, but Kurt was watching the numbers count down.
‘I didn’t want to put the expectation there.’ He turned to face her. ‘Don’t you like surprises?’
That depended on the surprise. Him asking her out at the BBQ, not so much. This, yes. ‘Sometimes.’
‘You’re a hard woman to please.’ He stole a kiss as the lift doors opened.
Was she? She certainly wasn’t making it easy on him. If he really wanted to be with her perhaps it would last—was that why she kept setting up obstacles? ‘I don’t mean to be.’
‘Let’s enjoy the time we have. There’s nothing else we can do.’
That was true. The clock was ticking on the time she had left.
A short walk down the corridor and they found their room and went in. She activated the lights, wanting to be able to see him, and Kurt closed the door.
He drew her close and kissed her. His mouth was hot and demanding. She lifted onto her toes and wrapped her arms round his neck, her tongue meeting his as he deepened the kiss.