by Duggan, C. J
“So what’s our plan of attack today, then?” Chris asked, toeing a circle in the dirt.
“As in?”
“Operation Summer Fling?” He looked at me, a glint of amusement twinkling in his eyes.
My heart skipped a beat. Was he serious? After the way last night had ended I had thought maybe it was just a joke, but did he still want to go through with it?
“You mean, plant more seeds?” I asked, afraid to hope.
He shrugged, squinting up at the sky. “Keep ’em guessing, I reckon.”
My stomach twisted in excitement. “Okay, I’m really not an expert at this or anything.”
“Would you like me to lead the way?” Chris asked, sporting a cheeky grin.
I blushed. “You might have to; you seem to be naturally more devious than I am.”
His brows rose in surprise. “Oh, really?”
“Well, hiding in cupboards, under beds, making secretive calls to local chemists …”
Chris nodded as I spoke. “I am pretty sneaky.”
“So sneaky,” I agreed. “So the problem is, how will I know how to react to you when I have to?”
All humour faded from Chris’s eyes as he looked into mine. There was nothing but smooth calmness in his expression, no aggressive lines etched above his brow. He looked so much younger than usual. I wanted to look away but I couldn’t; his gaze pinned me into place. A slow, crooked smile pinched the corner of his mouth.
“Oh, trust me, you’ll know,” he said, and just as I thought he had robbed me of all breath, he slid past me on the walking track and continued on his way toward the campsite.
***
The stillness of the tranquil surrounds were disturbed by the Tarzan-like hollers injected into the air every time one of the boys launched themselves at a run at the long rope from the embankment. They flew through the air and plunged into the water of the Evoka Springs.
It was Chris’s turn to take the rope. His biceps pulled into taut, moulded curves that stretched just as impressively as his back muscles when he reached and pulled for the rope. Wearing Chris’s sunnies, my eyes secretly gazed at the line along his ribcage as he inhaled a deep breath before launching himself into the air. My breath hitched when he flung into a backward somersault, plunging feet first into the murky water. I straightened from my recline, lifting the sunnies from my eyes and holding my breath until his head poked up out of the water with that famous hair flick boys do. As soon as he broke the surface everyone cheered. They had good reason to; it had been impressive. I just melted back on my towel in relief, placing Chris’s oversized man sunnies back on.
As tradition had it, Bell, Tess, Ellie, Amy and I were all lying, sun-baking on our towels, watching the alpha males trying to outdo each other with testosterone-fuelled antics. After we had gone for a dip, washing our bodies and hair with flowery-scented soap, we lounged on our towels, refreshed and sunkissed.
While the others chatted about the things they missed, like hairdryers and running hot water, I lay silently, propped up on my elbows, watching Chris’s body slowly appear out of the water. It was as if a movie was playing out in slow motion before my eyes – he ran his hands back through his hair as the excess water dribbled down his tanned skin. We hadn’t said two words to each other since we had all congregated by the river over an hour ago, so although I knew he planned on planting a seed of intrigue, I guess he hadn’t meant he would necessarily do it anytime soon. Heck, if at all. But as he made his way up onto the bank his eyes locked onto me, he winked, and strode toward me.
Oh-crap-oh-crap-oh-crap …
I shifted myself into a seated position, not knowing what that wink meant until he came over. Chris stood above me, shaking the excess water off his hair, causing me to flinch and scream.
“Chris, doooon’t!”
He collapsed onto my towel beside me, laughing.
“You’re an idiot,” Amy glowered, wiping off wayward droplets from her shoulders.
He ignored her; even turning his back on me so he could watch as Adam took the rope.
So what, that was it? Was that his idea of planting the seed? Seriously? Share my towel? Prop himself here after some tomfoolery and get dry?
That was something any of the Onslow Boys would do on a regular basis. I didn’t know if the wink had meant he was going to try something to arouse suspicion or not, but my lips twitched in silent amusement. Two could play at this game.
I shifted onto my knees. “You look tense, Chris,” I said, placing my hands on his shoulders to balance myself. I could feel the flex of his muscle twitch under my unexpected touch.
To his credit (apart from that), he didn’t bat an eyelid. “Yeah, I must have slept funny,” he replied, kinking his head from side to side.
I scooted closer, kneading at the base of his neck. Chris stretched his head forward, involuntarily groaning as I pressed my thumbs into the muscle.
“There?” I asked.
“Mmm-hmm,” was his only response as he brought his head forward, shutting his eyes.
I didn’t dare look to my left where Amy was no doubt watching with distaste, and I didn’t want to bring my eyes forward to possibly lock eyes with a smug Onslow Boy.
I knew that if I made any kind of connection I would be brought undone; I wasn’t a very good liar.
I worked my thumbs into Chris’s taut back muscles that were so incredibly tight and knotted. And then I thought about how tense he was all the time, in his job, in his life. Why wouldn’t he be all knotted up like a pretzel?
Being a bit of a fitness freak, I was not unaccustomed to sports massages – if anything, it was one of my addictions in life, so I was pretty well versed in using an array of techniques to get the blood flow into tissue. I bit my lip, concentrating on the vast landscape of Chris’s back. His skin was so soft, so flawless under my touch. I was mesmerised by every hypnotic circle I pushed into his flesh. Chris’s eyes were still shut and only the odd sound of pleasure escaped him.
“I’m not hurting you, am I?” I whispered in his ear.
“No, it’s good, don’t stop,” he mumbled sleepily.
A twist of pleasure knotted in my stomach as I gently raked my fingertips down his spine, causing him to shiver.
I smiled. “Chris Henderson, are you ticklish?”
“Don’t even try it.”
“How very interesting …” I raked my fingers tauntingly upward.
“Tammy,” he warned.
My little public display would certainly have everyone speculating by now. I slowly ran my fingers toward his ribcage.
But I was stopped by a blood-chilling scream from the water.
Chapter Thirty-Five
My stomach plummeted to the ground.
Chris moved like lightning – he was up and off my towel before I’d even blinked. He powered his legs along the ground as he entered the water, the river turning into a mesh of churned foam as Chris, Sean, Stan, Toby and Adam converged toward Ringer. I hadn’t even noticed him swing into the lake.
I stood, my hands bracing my cheeks as everything played out like a horror movie. Chris and Sean dragged Ringer out of the murky water. It was turning pink around them.
That’s when I saw the blood.
“Get a towel!” Sean yelled as we all moved out of their way.
“What happened?” cried a tearful Ellie.
Ringer’s jaw was clenched as he manoeuvred himself onto a nearby log before Adam skidded along the sand with a clean towel ready for his foot, which was flowing with blood.
“Jesus, mate.” Adam cringed as the blood stained the towel immediately.
“I stepped on a bloody bottle neck or something,” Ringer hissed through gritted teeth.
Chris crouched beside Ringer, popping a bottle of water with his teeth. “Sorry, mate, this might sting but I’ve got to clean the wound, make sure there’s nothing in it.”
Ringer nodded. He was white as a ghost and looked a bit woozy, propped up only by Sean’s ste
ely grip on his shoulders.
I didn’t like the look in Chris’s eyes; they read that what he was about to do was going to hurt him more than it would hurt Ringer. I doubted entirely if that was true, but he poured water over the wound anyway. Ringer tensed and Ellie grabbed his hand.
“It’s going to be all right, Ringo,” she comforted him, looking wide-eyed at the emerging wound as Chris’s water cleared the sand away and revealed just how bad the cut was.
It was deep.
Adam looked away. “Tess, can’t you do something? You’re a doctor.”
Tess’s eyes widened in alarm. “I’m a pharmacist,” she emphasised. “It’s a bit different.”
“Well, what about you, Ellie? You’re a nurse,” Adam said in a panic.
“A dental nurse.” She shook her head. “Ask Tammy, she’s the biomedical genius.” She pointed at me.
I was about as qualified in such things as anyone else, but before Adam accosted Toby’s mechanical skills, I pointed out the obvious.
“It’s going to need stitches. We need to wrap it in something clean and apply pressure, a T-shirt will do. We have to stop the bleeding until we get back to camp to the first aid kit.”
“We’ll have to go to emergency in Calhoon and get it seen to,” Stan said.
“Well, we’ll pack up the site and wait for you to get back. Whether we have to stay another night or go back, we will,” added Sean.
“Hello, I’m right here, you know.”
We all looked at Ringer.
“Sorry, mate.” Sean grinned.
“Come on, get me to the bloody hospital.”
The four hundred metres back to the campsite seemed to take an eternity, probably more so for Sean who carried Ringer on his back. We wasted little time in applying a bandage and propping him up across the back seat of Stan’s car.
“We’ll wait for you here,” Toby said through the open window.
“Don’t you bloody dare,” Ringer called from the back seat.
“Mate, we’re not leaving without you,” Toby glowered.
“If you don’t go, you won’t make it to Point Shank in time for New Year’s and I’m already ruining these guys’ lives.” Ringer nodded toward Stan and Bell and winced.
“Hey, we volunteered,” Bell said sternly to him.
Sean rested his arms on the windowsill fixing his earnest gaze on Ringer. “Stop being a tool, Ringo. We’re not leaving without you.”
Ringer’s eyes were full of pain, but utter sincerity. “Go,” he said.
“Get fucked! We’re staying,” said Sean.
“We’ll call you from the hospital,” said Stan as Bell climbed into the passenger seat beside him.
“We’ll be here.”
Stan shook his head. “At least hit the coast today, settle in Portland, if anywhere. We’ll see what then.” Stan fired up the engine.
We all stepped away from the car as Stan backed out and reversed around. An immense sadness filled the atmosphere as Ringer pressed his hand against the window then waved goodbye. We all smiled and waved him along, calling out well wishes and that we’d see him soon. And just as the car disappeared through the bush scrub, the frantic rush of panic from moments before and the shock of what had happened fell upon us in stony silence.
I stared off into the distance, feeling numb and worried for Ringer. Even though I knew he would be okay, taking Ringer, Stan and Bell from the group changed everything. Just as I was about to let the reality wash over me, I felt a hand pull at my elbow. It tugged me around and before my glassy eyes could register what was happening, Chris had pulled me into a fierce embrace. His arms enveloped me in such warmth, such strength that I melted against his bare skin. My cheek burned against his chest as I wrapped my arms tightly around him. His hand smoothed over my hair just like it had that time when my consciousness had danced between wake and sleep in the van that night.
It could have been his way of stirring speculation amongst the others, but something in his embrace told me it wasn’t about that; it wasn’t about making a show for anyone else, it was that part of Chris, the kind, seldom-exposed Chris that had come out to comfort me, to support me yet again. I never wanted any other Chris to steal him away again. But just as easily as the emotion had come, it slid away into a stony grave as he peeled his arms from me.
“I better help pack up,” he said, clearing his throat.
“Sure,” I said, hoping I wasn’t blushing. “I’ll start packing the van.”
Chris paused, his dark brown eyes studying me for a long moment. “Do you still want to travel in the van?” he asked.
Would it be weird that I did? Or was the deal for Chris to drop me off with the others so I could catch a ride with Amy and Sean the rest of the way? Was he finally able to offload me and get rid of the annoying girl he’d had to pick up because his cousin had blackmailed him? I suddenly felt really stupid, shifting awkwardly under his gaze.
“Um, is that okay?”
Chris’s expression never faltered as he shrugged. “If you want.”
I did want.
But wow. He didn’t have to act so enthusiastic about it. He was so hard to read. Although I don’t know what I had expected – for him to crumble to his knees and beg me to go with him? No, I didn’t expect that, but, hey, I hadn’t expected the hug either.
I nodded. “All right, I’ll start packing the van, then.”
Yep! No biggie, travelling alone with Chris. That’s what I told myself over and over again as I headed toward the van. Then why was it my heart wanted to leap out of my chest?
***
It didn’t take me long to get everything secured and packed in the back of the van. I shut the door with a sigh, thinking to make myself more useful with the bigger pack-up of the campsite.
I peeled the tent flap back to help Amy pack up the last of the food.
I smiled, handing over the half-used carton of long life milk when something triggered in me. A long-forgotten conversation stemming back to my flat mobile phone.
Blackmail.
“Oh my God,” I laughed.
“What?” Amy stilled.
“It’s been such a crazy couple of days, I can’t believe we still haven’t finished our conversation from days ago.”
Amy’s brows narrowed and she looked at me like she had no idea what I was talking about.
I looked around to ensure we were alone in the tent; I kind of felt a bit stupid bringing it up again. Still, we were going to be separated for probably another whole day of travel and I really did want to find out what was so juicy that she could blackmail Chris about. Maybe I could use it to my advantage.
“What you used to blackmail Chris with, you never got a chance to tell me.”
Amazement spread across her face. “I can’t believe we haven’t finished that conversation – what has become of us?”
“I know,” I laughed.
“I’m sorry, my head’s been all over the place lately. Just when I thought this trip would be about relaxing I’ve been nothing but stressed.”
“Everything’s all right, though? With you and Sean?”
“Oh God, yes, amazing, good. No, I just meant the whole Toby–Tess saga, Bell not liking Ellie, no hot showers and now Ringer. Don’t say anything to Sean, though, I’m acting like I love every minute of this hellish trip.”
I couldn’t help but feel that somehow I had gotten the better end of the deal; following on later with Chris, it had kind of kept us away from all the group’s drama.
Amy gathered up a box. “Help me with these boxes to the car and we’ll finish this conversation once and for all.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Why did I feel so nervous?
As if carrying boxes of breakfast goods to the car was the equivalent to walking Death Row? Maybe I didn’t actually want to know the answer anymore. What if what Amy had to say would make me think differently about Chris, about the Chris I had come to know these last couple of days? I felt sick.
Amy slid the box along the back tray. I handed her my box and she did the same. She turned to me with a speculative look in her eyes.
“What is going on between you and Chris, anyway?”
Oh no! I didn’t want to have this conversation. Amy had that juicy ‘tell me more’ look in her eye, but the truthful answer was incredibly dull. Besides, that would defeat the purpose of our devious faux flirtations. Chris’s faux flirtations, anyway.
“No way, I’m not stalling this conversation again,” I said, pointing the finger at her.
She shrugged. “Fair enough, but I’m guessing you already know it.”
“Know what?” I screamed to the sky. This conversation was so hyped up in my head it was destined to be anticlimactic.
“Well, I was lingering in the bar one late night lock-in… I pretty much just left the boys to their own devices and was cleaning up in the main bar when a certain conversation emerged that piqued my interest.”
I curved my brow. “About?”
“You!” Amy smiled broadly.
My heart thundered so fast in my chest I thought it might explode.
“So naturally I pretend I’m not listening and start stocking the fridge,” Amy says with pride.
I am frozen on her every word: frozen solid, afraid to move in case she stops talking or we are interrupted.
“So I heard your name and who should be singing your praises but none other than Ringer.” Amy accentuated his name with excitement.
My shoulders slumped. I had kind of expected it all along. Ringer speaking highly of me wasn’t exactly a secret, he openly flirted with me any chance he got, but he flirted with everyone. It was his calling card, more so now that Sean was shacked up with Amy.
Amy continued. “So he’s talking about how fit you are and how banging your body is and he can’t believe you’re single and all that, and then the conversation changed and they were talking about some random that he hooked up with the weekend before, and I swear those boys are the worst gossips I’ve ever met.”