This—the thing that destroyed her mother’s life and, in many ways, her own—is just, for Jake Kelly, a bit of fun.
And it always will be.
No lesson learned from her mum’s prison sentence. No remorse. The Kelly men just trundled on their way.
He never even asked about her.
Eliza realizes that now. The last time she’d seen Jake, her mum had just been sentenced to prison, but not once in the last two days has he asked about her. Where she is, how she is.
Like she never even existed.
Rising on shaking legs, Eliza turns to him, and schools her face very carefully into a bland expression. “Good to know,” she says, and her voice doesn’t crack even the tiniest bit.
He comes closer, kisses her cheek, and she smiles up at him. But inside, her mind is whirling and whirling, and something too hazy to be called a plan begins to form.
* * *
ELIZA DOESN’T SPEND THE NEXT night on the Azure Sky, or the night after that. She rejoins the friends she’s been hanging out with, spending her time with them in various museums and shops and pubs and restaurants, and all the while, she’s thinking—about Jake and that boat and his plans and those hidden bags under the sink. By the time her phone rings on the third day, the plan is not so hazy anymore.
She looks down at her mobile, smiling at the number that pops up.
She doesn’t answer.
She doesn’t answer Jake’s second call or his third, either. She lets him wait five days before finally, she decides to pick up.
“Are you trying to torture me?” he asks as soon as she answers, and Eliza smiles, excusing herself from her friends and wandering into the back hallway of the pub where they’ve been drinking.
“A little,” she admits, and she hears Jake laugh on the other end, imagines him sitting there on the deck of that gorgeous catamaran, tan and golden and gorgeous.
“Well, it’s working,” he replies. “I can’t stop thinking about you. Haven’t even washed my sheets, that’s how pathetic I’ve become.”
“Aww, Jake. Not used to being the one left in the morning, are you?”
“You’re bloody well right I’m not,” he answers, and then pauses. “Can I see you tonight?”
Eliza glances over her shoulder, back into the pub. “I’m busy tonight.”
He groans. “Of course you are. Tomorrow?”
“Can’t think that far ahead,” she tells him, leaning against the wall, remembering all those afternoons she’d waited for his call, all the canceled plans just in case he’d want to see her that day. “Honestly, I’m not even sure I’m going to stay in Australia that much longer. Might be time to move on, have some new adventures.”
Immediately, she begins to worry. Has she pushed it too far? Was that too obvious?
She holds her breath.
But then Jake says, “Lucky for you, this guy loves a good adventure. Remember that island I was telling you about? Meroe? Feels like the perfect time to head out that way. You, me, sand, surf. Whaddya say?”
“Jake,” Eliza purrs, even as her heart pounds harder, her blood fizzing like champagne. “Are you asking me to sail away with you?”
“No,” he says. “I’m begging you.”
And Eliza laughs.
They sail out two days later.
And, of course, the big news this year was our trip to Hawaii! The weather was lovely the whole time—we really lucked out there! Hope you’re all prepared to look at about a thousand pictures of dolphins next time we see you, because Dave and I sure did take a bunch, lol.
We did have one little “spooky” thing happen on our trip, though. We had sailed out to this place called Meroe Island. Dave wanted to check out an old WWII airstrip that’s there, and I thought it might be neat to see a real live deserted island.
But when we got there, there was a boat already anchored. I know Dave was ready to be Robinson Crusoe, and he sure was disappointed! We hailed them, both on the radio, then just the old-fashioned way, shouting over the side, but there was no response. Thought that was a little funny, but then we figured maybe they were off exploring on the island.
Sure enough, I spotted somebody on the beach a few minutes later, but they disappeared back into the trees before I really had a chance to get a good look at them.
Now, y’all know I am not superstitious, but something about that quiet boat and that person darting into the jungle … it just gave me a bad feeling. It was the prettiest little island, but I told Dave there are lots of pretty little islands that don’t make me feel like I’m about to crawl out of my skin. And the funny thing is, Dave actually agreed with me! Said the place gave him the creeps, so we just sailed on. Not sorry we did!