The Beat of Safiri Bay (20 page)

“That one is up to no good,” she says.

“Hmm,” I answer quietly.

“Lane I will stay in my room here at your house if you want me to,”

“Thank you Thands but I’ll be okay,” She nods and carries on with the dishes. I don’t know what she knows but she is obviously unhappy about something Christina has done. “Thandi, it’s just me here tonight so you don’t have to make anything. I’ll get something from the fridge.” She lifts an eyebrow and shakes her head. “Lane, your father asked me to look after you and I will do that. Your food will be ready for tonight.” I just smile at her and leave to go brush my teeth.

Once my bike is parked under the usual little tree, I slowly make my way up to the library. I am counting on the kids to keep me busy and away from Matt today. I sincerely hope he won’t be all weird today. I just need to get this hour behind me and then I can relax at home, alone. I set up my guitar and fall into my old routine easily. Jill didn’t wait for me today; she obviously didn’t know that I would be here. I walk past the classrooms quickly to the smokers tree and find her there. She has so much to tell me one would swear I was gone for a month. Luckily I only have a few minutes before my class starts and it goes by quickly. I am deliberately avoiding Matt or maybe is he is avoiding me. The bell rings and I quickly get to the library. The children line up in front of the room and I let them in. I take a quick look around but Matt is nowhere to be seen. That is exactly the weirdness I didn’t want. At least the children are excited about the new song I said I would teach them this week and since we will have music two days in a row I thought it a good time, hoping they won’t forget everything in a day’s time. I like the childlike innocence of the song and I think they will do well. It is not an easy task teaching them a new song because it means I have to sing it exactly right so they can hear what they need to do. I take a deep breath and since singing out loud alone is not my most favourite thing in the world I just start so I can get it over with. As soon as I have done it once there will always be one or two of them that catch on quickly and I wouldn’t have to do it alone again. They all smile and a few even clap hands when I finish the song. I am glad they are so enthusiastic about this song. It will make it a lot easier to teach. My eye catches movement and I see him there at the window. Did he stand there and listen to me sing the entire song? That lazy smile and more than satisfied with himself look says it all. I make myself focus on the kids and go over the words of the song with them again. When I look up again he is not there anymore, good, now I can relax and concentrate, or at least try to.

The hour has passed more quickly than I thought it would. I pack up and go to the office to say goodbye to Jill. “You done for today Lane?” she asks but she’s not in a bad mood about it today.

“Yes, I have just come to say I’ll see you again tomorrow.” I haven’t seen Matt since he peeped through the window. “Jill, do you know where Matt is?” I know she knows where everyone is all the time at this school. “Oh, yes he just went to see Mrs Larkan over at the grocer. She is sponsoring us all the hotdogs for the upcoming market day.” This is good news for me and my situation. I don’t have to see him again until tomorrow at school. I breathe out a sigh of relief and happily drive my way back home.

Lin has been bugging me since we came back yesterday to come and see her so I said I will return to my three o’clock gym sessions. After unpacking, eating and thinking, a lot, I get ready to go to gym. Dad took his Merc so I can use the Jeep as much as I like. Lin is in an extremely good mood and chats away about her wedding plans and how wonderful Jay is to her and Neil. I am really happy for her. Someone around here deserves a bit of happiness. It’s ten past three but we haven’t started yet, I wonder what is keeping her from it? “I’m so sorry I am late,” his British accent is a complete surprise to me. I turn around to face him and then I look at Lin. “What is this?” I thought I had a private session? “What do you mean Lane? Didn’t you know Alex was coming?”

“Lane, I just wanted to make sure that you are okay. I don’t want you to do anything that could hurt your head again.”

“So what now? You just talk to my trainer behind my back and make all these decisions about me without discussing it with me first?”

“I am just looking after your well being Lane; please don’t be upset about that.” He says with a frown obviously a bit shocked at my reaction to this. “I’m sorry,” I whisper. “Alex, I didn’t mean to be so nasty. It’s just...” I look around and Lin is standing there watching us with big eyes. “Hey, can we finish this a bit later at my place?” I ask. “You can stay for dinner,” I smile at him and when he smiles back at me I can feel the tension leave my body. This man is like magic to my soul. “Okay love birds, we have forty eight minutes, let’s use it wisely,” Lin winks at me and we start our session.

It doesn’t seem fair that Alex can do everything so easily. After the kettlebell warm up he takes off his shirt. My entire body gets an electrical shock just from looking at him, he is absolutely beautiful and I can’t take my eyes off his arms and the way the muscles move under his skin. “Lane, hey, over here,” Oh my word, I was just caught staring. Lin laughs a little and shakes her head so I get back to squatting and snatching. It is more than unnerving watching him go through all the exercises with such ease. I don’t know how he manages to make it look as if he is not putting in any effort at all. Dreadful sweat is dripping off my face and I wipe it with my towel. I will never be able to come to gym again without thinking of him here. Maybe I should ask him to come to all my private classes. That would be a very good motivational tool. I will ask him tonight. We finish our session and I promise to see Lin for a run early tomorrow morning. Jodene arrives for her session and Alex and I make our way towards our cars. I look for my keys when I am suddenly lifted off my feet and I give a little yell. “Alex what are you doing?” I try to wriggle free but he holds me so tightly. “Do you know that I don’t even like my own sweat what to say about yours on my skin?”

“I was hoping you would say something like that,”

“What? Why would you want me to be uncomfortable?”

“Because you are home alone and there is a lovely blue swimming pool in your back yard,” Oh no, this boy has so much to learn about me yet. “Um, yes. About that, I don’t swim.” He looks more than just a little sad when I break the news. “Not even with me?” he pouts.

“We can negotiate,” I say just a little too flirty for my style. Oh boy, this is not going to go down well. “I’ll see you there,” he says and we drive to my dad’s house. I leave him at the pool and go to fetch us some towels. He said he would just swim in his gym shorts. I can’t do that. I am so nervous to get into a bikini. I know he has seen me naked before but that was different, I was sick. Now I’m fine and the fire burning in my gut doesn’t make being alone with him very easy but he hasn’t kissed me yet and that fact doesn’t sit so well with me. Surely if he feels something for me he should have wanted to at least kiss me, or maybe I messed it all up when I told him that Matt was my first kiss because I asked him to. Whatever the reason, I will not make a fool of myself and ask him. I will wait patiently for that day when he decides to it. But right now I need to decide which bikini to wear. I don’t waste time and put on my black one quickly. Thank goodness I don’t like hair. That makes a spur of the moment decision like swimming with your new boyfriend so much easier. I wrap myself in my towel and walk with a lot more confidence than what I really have right now.

Chapter 11

Alex is already in the pool and his wet hair shines with the sun on it. He gives me a heart stopping smile and I turn to put our towels on a deck chair also to catch my breath. I turn around again and he is looking at me still wearing his super sexy smile. “Join me,” he asks and my body obeys.

“I... don’t know,” I say and he puts his hands together begging,

“Pretty please,” I laugh at his playful way.

“I don’t usually get into the pool,” I say softly.

“Lane, I won’t get close to you if you don’t want me to, and I won’t wee in the pool,” he jokes. I shake my head and laugh at the way he makes me relax.

“Okay.” I get into the cool water carefully. He ignores me completely, I don’t know if I like that. He goes under the water then and swims from the one end to the other like a fish. His head pops next to me then. “Hi,” he says and I feel the heat starting in my tummy just from his voice. “Hi,” I repeat his word.

“This is nice isn’t it?” he says and makes a little splash with the water. “Sure,” I say but it doesn’t sound very convincing.

“Lane, I am here with you, I won’t let anything happen to you in the water,” I am glad he remembers my fears, water is on the list.

“I don’t mind the water so much as long as I can stand in it. It’s just, I don’t want you to think that I can do stuff when I can’t,”

“I would not assume anything with you, I will always ask first.” He gives me a little splash with the water and I splash him right back. It’s unbelievable how easy it is to talk to him about heavy stuff. He doesn’t linger on it; he accepts and moves right on. I love that.

We launch into a full on water fight and I laugh more than I have in a long time. He is very sly and likes to catch me when my guard is down. I duck down into the water and grab his legs from under him. He sinks into the water and his bare chest rubs against my side. The sensation of his skin against mine makes me shiver. We both gulp for air as we reach the top. His face is right in front of me and I look into his sky blue eyes. His arm reaches out and he strokes my wet hair. I let him. “Your hair is so long. It’s beautiful.” I smile at his observation. His hand trails down my arm and he takes my hand under the water. I love the feel of it. The water makes it feel clean, and I wriggle my fingers like little worms in between his. He steps closer to me and I swallow hard. His free arm reaches over my arm, around my waist and my body stiffens but I don’t stop him and I don’t move. He stops when he is so close to me I am sure I feel the heat of his body through the water. He is careful not to make our bodies touch, the only contact is my hand in his and his arm around my waist. We stand like that and I realise I want to be closer. I take the next step slowly, our eyes on each other, our bodies touching softly. His arm around my waist pulls me tighter to him and I tremble at what might come next. His head comes closer to mine and I feel dizzied by the feeling of the thousand butterflies in my stomach. His head passes mine and he leans his cheek on the side of my head. His heart is beating wildly like mine. This must be the most intense hug I have ever received. Somehow, the water makes the touching easier and I love it. "I think I could get used to this," I say and he kisses my hair on the side of my head, "Me too Lay." He drops his arms then and swims to the other side of the pool. I realise then that he was the only one hugging, my arms stayed glued to my sides. I sink into the water and wonder how I will ever get over my problems. This little incident with Matt has really put me back a few steps. Thandi appears with a basket and puts it on the table, "Your snack Rosie," if it wasn't for her I would be as skinny as a cigarette. "Thank you Thandi," I love her so much, she looks after me as if I am one of her own, "There is enough also for Alix," she pronounces his name funny and he smiles at her. We are about to get out of the pool when a red Dodge drives up the road. Matt gets out with a bag slung over his shoulder. I look at Alex and he pulls up his shoulders. I get out of the pool and walk over to where Matt is standing looking at us. “Hi, I didn’t know you were coming,” I say a bit confused that he didn’t call first. “Didn’t your dad tell you?”

“Tell me what? What are you doing here?” He smiles at me and throws his bag down on the ground. “I’m moving in,” he says with a big smile. “At least until your dad is back. He asked me to keep an eye on you,” he says all too happy about this arrangement. I turn around and walk back to Alex who has now also gotten out of the pool. “What exactly did her dad ask you to do?” Alex asks his cousin. He said that he knew you would be here as soon as he left and he didn’t want Lane to be alone with you so he asked me to stay here with her until he returns. I thought I said that already.” he says and walks over to where Thandi is. She obviously heard us and came to check what was going on. “Matthew, I got the purple guest room ready for you,” she says and shows him inside. What the... Since when is she in on all this? I run after her and before she enters the house after Matthew I call her. “Thands, what is going on? Did you know about all this?” She shakes her head.

“Your dad said someone is going to come to look after you but he didn’t tell me it was Matty,” Oh good, now even she is on
Matty’s
side. “What now?” Alex asks when she goes inside to show Matthew to his room. “Honestly Alex, I don’t know what is going on anymore.”

"Picnic?" He asks and his smile gives my heart a reason to sing.

"That would be perfect," I say.

“Should we invite Matthew?” he jokes but I just give him a look and he drops it. He picks up the basket and we walk over to the tree. He opens his towel and we both sit down on it. I yawn, open the basket and take a bite out of the shiny green apple I’ve picked."Are you always this lazy?" He asks and I almost choke on the apple. He slaps me on the back and laughs. "I am never this lazy." I say with choking tears running down my cheeks. "If it wasn't for some English blue eyed angel, I would be very busy right now." He takes a few grapes and pops them into his mouth, "I am not an angel Lay, everything but..."