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Closing her eyes and drinking in the magical scent of freshly brewed coffee in Casey’s Cafe, Abbey could almost taste the exotic slight bitterness of a craved long black, made from her favourite Arabica beans. But after four months of a life-changing health kick, coffee was now well and truly yesterday’s drug of choice.
“Morning, Sunshine.”
A cheery voice interrupted Abbey’s reverie. Smiling, she opened her eyes.
“Sorry Casey. I was on another planet, dreaming of coffee beans. Just the usual, thanks,” she said.
“One large green tea coming up,” Casey said, giving Abbey one of her famous, friendly winks. “No food today?”
Abbey glanced around the café. It was choc-a-bloc full with mostly teenagers and young adults. She’d never seen it so packed.
“No thanks, just the tea. Looks like you’d better make that ‘to go’. How come there are so many people here this morning? I know it’s a Friday but it’s only seven twenty-five a.m.”
“Oh, the younger ones are the CanTeen kids and the older ones are their helpers,” Casey said. “They’re here for this weekend’s ‘Catch-a-Curl’ camp. They always have their welcome breakfast here.”
“Catch-a Curl camp?” Abbey asked, raising one eyebrow. After only four months in Stonecrest Bay, she was still learning the ropes about what went on and when.
“It’s a surfing lesson camp,” Casey answered, passing Abbey her large takeaway cup.
“I do know what Catch-a-Curl means,” Abbey said, grinning. “I grew up in Yallingup with three brothers. I was just wondering what they do on the camp. I’ve never heard of it. Is it something new? I mean, I know what CanTeen does. I didn’t know they ran surfing camps though.”
“No, it’s not new,” Casey answered. “This is the third year in a row they’ve held the camp here in Stonecrest Bay. That’s why the camping area in the caravan park is full of tents, in case you were wondering. They run various types of camps for kids around Australia—kayaking river trips, hiking camps and that sort of thing. The surfing camps are really popular though. They’ve got over fifty kids here this time. Last year they only had around thirty. They organise a few pro surfers to come along and give the kids some guidance and training. The amazing thing is that the surfers give up their time for free. Some of the more capable kids are even taken out for a surf with them too. Nothing too dangerous, though. Let’s face it—the surf here is fairly moderate.”
“Sounds amazing,” said Abbey. “I can’t imagine what these kids are all going through.”
“Well, young Abbey,” said Casey, “If you do actually know one end of a surfboard from the other, why don’t you volunteer to help out over the weekend. They’re always looking for locals to assist. You don’t have to take the kids out surfing yourself. The pros will do that. There are always plenty of other things to help with though, even boring, mundane paperwork. If you don’t have any special plans for the weekend, why don’t you head down to the beach at seven tomorrow morning. Look for Nicky—she’s the volunteer coordinator. She’s a fiery redhead so you can’t miss her. I’m sure she’ll welcome you with open arms. She was here ten minutes ago to welcome everyone but she’s so busy, she couldn’t stay for breakfast. You just missed her.”
“Thanks Case, I think I might do just that. I’d better fly. Dee has my first appointment booked in soon. Wish me luck though—it’s Mrs Mellor’s poodle, Coco. Sometimes I don’t know who is the snappiest, Mrs Mellor or her dog!” Abbey laughed as she waved goodbye and headed down the road towards her place of work, The Funny Bone dog grooming salon.
***
ABBEY’S PHONE ALARM jarred her out of a deep sleep at six a.m. the following morning. Tempted to hit the snooze button, roll over and drift back to sleep, she forced herself to spring out of bed and head to the bathroom. Leaving Perth to mend her broken heart she quickly found refuge at her Nan’s house in Stonecrest Bay. She enjoyed living with her nan, but having only recently moved into her own place, Abbey loved the fact that the bathroom was always free. Showering quickly and climbing into her one-piece bathers, covering them with a long sleeved rashie and denim shorts, Abbey slipped her feet into her flip-flops and threw a few things into her backpack. She grabbed an apple to munch on as she walked and headed down towards the beach.
Reaching the beach in record time, Abbey kicked off her flip-flops, allowing the softness of the golden sand to massage her toes. Breathing in the magical salty sea fragrance, mixed with the slightly pungent smell of seaweed she loved, Abbey smiled. Being near the ocean was pure bliss for her. Small waves with white, foamy tips rolling in and spreading layers of lace across the sand, reminded her of home. She often missed Yallingup, but jobs were few and far between there. At least here in Stonecrest Bay, she had her Nan and a full-time job plus the beach as a bonus and no cheating fiancée.
Heading towards a row of canvas gazebos at the far end of the sandy beach, she started searching for the red-haired Nicky. Abbey found her scribbling notes down onto a sheet of paper attached to a clipboard at the last gazebo.
“Hi, I’m Abbey,” she said, approaching the woman. “Are you Nicky?”
“I sure am,” the woman looked up and gave a huge smile. “How can I help you?”
“Well,” said Abbey, “I was hoping I could help you! Casey from the café said you welcome locals who wish to help out and well, I have a free weekend, so here I am. I’m all yours for two days if you need me.”
“That’s fantastic,” Nicky exclaimed. “We can always use another pair of hands. The more the merrier, as they say. Had any experience with moody, hormonal teenagers?”
Abbey laughed. “Does putting up with three annoying brothers count?”
“That’ll do,” Nicky said. “You’ve passed the interview. The job’s yours. I don’t suppose you come fully equipped with a ‘Working with Children’ card? Because that will determine what tasks we can assign you.”
“Actually, I do!” Abbey said, rummaging through her backpack to find her wallet. She opened it and flashed the card towards Nicky. “My boss, Dee, at the dog grooming salon I work at, made me get one as soon as I started there. She said it was in case children came in with their pets. Said she had to make sure she was covered, legally, you know, just in case. I guess you can’t be too careful these days.”
“Ain’t that the truth? That’s fantastic though. We won’t have to confine you to paperwork.” Nicky’s smile was warm and Abbey knew they’d get on just fine.
“Well,” continued Nicky, “the kids will all be down soon. They’re still in the camp kitchen finishing breakfast. They’ve all been assigned to one of four groups, depending on age, ability and what level of surfing they are interested in. Some of the kids just come for the camp experience and don’t really want to surf at all. But that’s okay. We have other fun activities as well. So, your first job will be to educate them all on the old ‘Slip, Slop, Slap’ campaign. Go back to the first gazebo and under the table you’ll find several large pump bottles of sunscreen. Offer it to each kid as they come past and encourage them to apply some. No, I’ll rephrase that—insist they apply some. Oh, and one final question. Do you surf?”
“A little,” Abbey replied. “Let’s just say I’m a professional amateur.”
“Perfect. I’ll draw up a list of jobs you can help with and I’ll assign you to help one of the guest pro surfers,” Nicky said. “I’d better get to the camp kitchen and hurry everyone up. See you soon.”
Abbey walked back to the first gazebo. She grabbed two large pump bottles of sunscreen from under the table.
“Are you Nicky?” Totally engrossed in trying to open the stubborn pump nozzles, she was startled by a deep male voice from behind her.
Spinning around in surprise, Abbey found she was staring into a very familiar face.
“No, I’m not,” she answered. “Nicky just went to the camp kitchen to gather the troops. I’m Abbey, one of the volunteers.”
“Hi Abbey,” he said, extending his hand in greeting. “I’m...”
“Travis Scott!” Abbey completed his introduction.
“Oh, have we met?” Travis asked, looking surprised but flashing a gorgeous smile that set her heart racing.
“No, we haven’t,” she replied. “But I’d know your face and that mass of blonde curly hair anywhere. You’re my youngest brother’s favourite pro surfer. Your posters have been all over his bedroom walls for the last five years. Just wait until he hears I met you. Talk about jealous. What are you doing here now though? I thought you’d be down in Prevelly, training for the Margaret River Pro.”
“Your youngest brother obviously hasn’t kept you in the loop lately,” Travis said. “Margaret River Pro has been deferred until late May this year. Probably a good move too, after all those aggressive shark attacks down there. The organisers were worried if it was held in April, when it normally is, more sharks would be attracted to the area because of the annual salmon run. So, I decided as soon as the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach was over, I’d take a break for a week or two, come and do this camp and then get in a little gentle practice down the road at Back Beach.”
“Didn’t you just win at Bells? For the third year in a row?” asked Abbey, her mind in a spin. She couldn’t believe she was talking in person to the Travis Scott.
Travis smiled. “Yep, I did but you know, this weekend’s not about me. It’s about these kids. They’re all going through such a tough time. Nice to meet you but I’d better go and find Nicky and get a head’s up for the lessons I have to give. Catch you later.”
A trickle of youngsters started drifting down to the beach just then. Abbey quickly learnt to be firm but kind with the kids. Coaxing them to slap on some sunscreen wasn’t difficult but trying to get them to keep their hats on was a nightmare. She copped a few rude remarks and gestures from a few of the older boys but she shrugged them off.
Typical teenage boys. Just like my brothers.
She couldn’t help but smile at their antics.
Finishing her job issuing sunscreen, Abbey looked around for Nicky, to ask what her next task was to be.
“Um, you can go and help Trav if you like,” Nicky said. “He has the biggest group this morning. They all wanted Travis actually, especially after his recent win at Bells. In the end, we had to draw names out of a hat.”
Walking over to the gazebo where Travis and a large group of youngsters were gathered, Abbey’s stomach suddenly filled with tiny butterflies.
Settle down.
A hot flash of awareness travelled from the top of her head to her toes as she ran her eyes over Travis’s elite body.
You’re not a teenage girl anymore.
Travis was doing an Introduction to Surfing lesson, which didn’t involve getting wet. Surprisingly, the kids in his group were listening intently. Travis Scott was very easy on the eye and she also had no problem watching and listening either.
“Okay guys, listen up,” he was saying. “Today you’re going to learn about how to choose the right surfing gear and by that, I mean a suitable board and wetsuit. You’re going to learn about ocean awareness, surf safety, wave etiquette and proper technique. They are all equally important when it comes down to your own safety. So please pay close attention to everything I tell you. I’m happy to answer questions so raise a hand if you have one.”
Finally, after his talk was over and Travis had answered a barrage of questions, he and Abbey helped the kids to each choose a surfboard suitable for their age and size. They all learnt board balancing techniques, with Travis giving invaluable demonstrations on his board on the sand. When she could take her eyes off Travis’s well-toned body, Abbey even picked up a few balancing hints for herself.
Much to the dismay of the group, the morning session ended without even dipping their toes in the water.
“Tomorrow morning, guys! I promise you, as long as there’s not too much whitewater out there, we’ll hit the water with our boards. You can either go for a paddle or a little surf. Your choice—it’s up to you.” Travis waved his group off with a smile, as they headed to the camp kitchen for lunch.
The afternoon was for playing beach volleyball, cricket or tug-of-war. Nicky deputised Abbey to help supervise the beach volleyball. Grabbing a quick sandwich from the camp kitchen, Abbey headed back to the sand to help set up the net. As she struggled to reach the top of the pole to secure the net, a pair of strong arms reached from behind and grabbed the net from her hands.
“Here, allow me,” Travis said.
“Thanks,” Abbey smiled. “Height has always been an issue for me. My brothers got all the height in my family.”
“No problem at all,” Travis said with a grin. “I’m always happy to help a damsel in distress. Hey, seeing as we’re both on volleyball duties, how about I captain a boys’ team and you captain a girls’ team and the losing captain shouts the other a drink tonight?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Abbey laughed. “But I hope you brought your wallet because I am a pro when it comes to volleyball.”
Before the start of the tournament, Abbey handed the sunscreen to Travis. “Lead by example,” she whispered to him as he took the bottle.
“Yes ma’am,” he said, giving her another one of his sexy smiles.
The afternoon weather was perfect for a game of volleyball. The temperature was around twenty-nine degrees and the gentle sea breeze blew enough cool air to keep them comfortable. The boys’ team took an early lead, only to be overtaken by the girls shortly before the half time break. Abbey gathered her team around her during the break for a pep talk. Remembering what teenage girls were like, she coaxed them to keep up the lead in the second half as she stood to win a night out with the very handsome Travis Scott. They all let out a collective “Woo hoo!” and promised not to let her down. It was all the inspiration they needed and the second half of the tournament was a walk in the park for Abbey and her girls. The tournament lasted for nearly two hours.
Busy congratulating the girls with high fives, Abbey noticed Travis hovering behind her.
As soon as the girls headed off for free-time at the beach, Travis stepped forward.
“Congratulations Abbey. I guess I owe you a drink or two. Where and when shall I meet you later?” he asked.
“You obviously haven’t had a good look around Stonecrest Bay yet,” she replied. “The Seaside Bar and Grill, which is sort of like a bistro type thing, is a far better choice than the local pub. I’ll meet you there at seven thirty if you like. I’ll book a table though. It’s Saturday, so it’ll be pumping. In Stonecrest Bay pumping means rather noisier than a week night.”
“It sounds perfect. See you there,” Travis said. Once again, a gorgeous smile was aimed at her, and those butterflies fluttered inside her again.
After performing life-guard duties on the beach for the next hour and a half, Abbey walked home to rest for a while.
What the hell am I going to wear?
As predicted, the Seaside Bar and Grill was fully booked. Abbey had phoned and reserved the last table available. Dressed in a casual and comfortable little black dress and strappy sandals, she arrived first and took a seat at their table. She waved the waitress away, saying she was waiting for a friend.
Within a few minutes, Travis entered the room. Dressed in slim fitting black jeans with a fitted shirt that emphasised his well-toned body, he looked like a male model strutting across a catwalk. His blonde curls were coiffed to perfection. Heads were turning in his direction, but he didn’t notice. He simply made a beeline for Abbey.
“Ah, so you beat me here as well! You’ve got a real competitive streak in you, haven’t you?” he laughed. “Sorry if I’m late. I’m staying at that B&B down the road. I couldn’t get away. My God, that woman can talk.”
“Mrs Mellor? Yes, she’s a handful alright. Not always pleasant either. She’s a client at the Funny Bone Salon where I work. In fact, I groomed her dog just yesterday morning, snappy little thing it is.” Abbey said.
“That poodle yaps non-stop. Bloody thing kept me awake all night. I’m almost tempted to accidently leave the door open and let it out in the hope it might run away. As you can tell, I’m not a real dog lover but you obviously are. A dog groomer, eh? Surprise, surprise. Who woulda thought that? So, Miss Abbey, what’s your poison?” he asked.
“Actually, I don’t mean to sound like a wet blanket, but I’m on a bit of a health kick so I’m off alcohol. I’ll just have a soda, lime and bitters thanks,” she answered.
“Aha, but there is a tiny bit of alcohol in bitters, do you know that?” Travis asked. “But I won’t tell anyone if you don’t. I think I’ll have the same. I’m about to start serious training again soon for the Margaret River Pro and it always means no alcohol at all. Not that I’m much of a drinker anyway.”
Travis placed the drinks order with the hovering waitress and picked up a menu.
“What do you recommend here?” he asked.
Abbey replied, “Oh, I thought we were just having drinks? Are you hungry?”
“I’m famished.” Travis patted his stomach. “Two rounds of CanTeen ham and salad sandwiches don’t quite cut it for me. Although I did have two slices of Mrs Mellor’s carrot cake when I went back there this afternoon. Delicious! She’s a good cook, I have to admit. Tonight though, I think I need a rib-eye steak. What about you? My shout, of course.”
Abbey scanned the menu. “I’ll have the barramundi, thanks,” she said, “with salad, no fries.”
As they waited for their meals, Travis fired question after question at her as they sipped their drinks. Where had she grown up? What were her brothers like? Where did she actually work? How long had she been a dog groomer?
Not used to being the centre of attention, Abbey smiled. It had been a long time since anyone had shown this much interest in her.
“Sorry,” said Travis, “I don’t mean it to sound like the Spanish Inquisition. I just find you really interesting and easy to talk to.”
Abbey was about to ask Travis a few questions about himself too but never got the chance, as their meals arrived.
They ate in silence and enjoyed the good quality food. As the waitress cleared their plates away, Abbey leaned forward to quiz him.
“What about you?” she asked, “You know all about me so now it’s your turn to tell me the Travis Scott story.”
“Enough time for all that later,” he said. “Would you like dessert or coffee?”
“Neither, thanks.” Abbey was as full as anything. She had never been a huge eater and she was on a sugar-free and caffeine-free diet at the moment anyway.
“Fancy a stroll along the beach, then?” Travis asked. “It’s always magical in the moonlight. My favourite place to be. Two secs, I’ll just go and settle the bill first.”
The evening was fairly cool. A more than gentle breeze was blowing in from the sea, strong enough to blow errant strands of Abbey’s long hair around. They could hear a lot of shouting, laughter and music coming from the campsite. Abbey glanced over to see the CanTeen kids gathered around a huge campfire, toasting marshmallows.
“Looks like fun,” Abbey said. “Shall we join them?”
“No way,” answered Travis, as he slipped his arm around her shoulders. “Tonight, I think I’ll be a little selfish and keep you all to myself.”
Tiny butterfly wings tickled the insides of Abbey’s stomach again.
Strolling towards the far end of the beach, away from the glaring spotlights of the camping ground, they headed towards some large rocks. The rocks had been washed smooth by the sea over many years and were perfect for sitting on. Staring out at the sea’s black horizon in silence and listening to the rhythmic pounding of the waves, Abbey smiled and relaxed into Travis’ arm around her shoulders.
After a few minutes, Travis opened up to her and told her about his life.
“So,” he began. “You want to know the Travis Scott story? It’s not much of a story really. Basically, I live for surfing and I surf for a living.”
“That’s it in a nutshell?” Abbey asked. “That’s all I’m going to get?”
“Well, I haven’t been blessed with siblings like you have. I’m an only child,” Travis continued. “I grew up on the Gold Coast with my parents, but lived just with my mum from the age of thirteen. That’s when my dad died.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Abbey whispered.
“That’s okay. It was cancer, pancreatic, the worst kind.” Travis said. “Cancer is such a bitch. It turned my world on its head, that’s for sure. One month we’re a happy family of three and then just four months later we’re a family of two. Mum introduced me to a CanTeen mentor during the last months of my father’s life. I was struggling. I had no idea how to cope with what was happening. Joining CanTeen and meeting other kids of the same age group who were all going through similar experiences, helped keep me sane. That’s how I got into surfing, you know. I attended one of the first ever CanTeen surfing camps back in 2002. I absolutely loved it. It was just two months before my dad passed away and my surfing coach was Mitch Robinson. Ever heard of him?”
“Can’t say that I have,” Abbey answered.
“No, you’re probably way too young. Mitch was a real champion surfer back then. He won at Bells four years in a row. He was my hero, not to mention a huge inspiration and a great mentor. He changed my life. He’s retired now, of course, but believe it or not, we’re still in contact. So, I’ve been training and competing in professional surfing events since I was eighteen really, all thanks to Mitch. He found me a good manager and trainer and I’ll be eternally grateful to him. Oh, and if you’ve been wondering, I’m happily single at the moment. That’s why I have time to do things like Catch-a-Curl. No girlfriend or wife to tie me down. I figure it’s my turn to give something back and I really love doing these camps. This is my first one here in the West though.”
“You’re amazing,” said Abbey. “I know how hectic your schedule is all year long. It’s so wonderful you give up your time like this to volunteer.”
“Hey! No more wonderful than volunteers like yourself, Abbey. Don’t sell yourself short. Every volunteer is wonderful, and they’re all appreciated and definitely needed,” Travis said, as he grabbed Abbey’s hand and brushed it with his lips.
Abbey’s heart fluttered a little. She was enjoying Travis’s easy-going company so much. She was single herself and couldn’t remember how long it was since she had enjoyed herself this much. Would anything come of it, though? Travis was only in Stonecrest Bay for a week or two so no use going there yet.
“Well, young lady, I’d best get you home. You have a very busy day tomorrow,” Travis said, jumping up from the rocks and extending his arm for Abbey to take his hand. As their fingers touched, a tingle travelled up Abbey’s arm.
No, it was more than a tingle. It was a definite spark.
Travis insisted on walking Abbey all the way home to her front door.
“You really don’t need to. I’m only one block past your B&B,” she protested. “I’ll be fine on my own. Stonecrest Bay is a pretty safe place.”
“I insist.” Travis was adamant. “My mother taught me how to treat women properly. She’d have my guts for garters if she ever heard I’d let a young lady walk home on her own in the dark.”
And with that, he slipped his arm around her shoulders as he escorted her back to her bedsit apartment.
Abbey wasn’t sure if she should invite him in for tea or coffee or something. But it was the ‘something’ she was concerned about. They’d only met today after all. She needn’t have worried though. Travis was a complete gentleman. As they approached her front door, he simply kissed her on the cheek and said he’d see her at seven in the morning. She had no choice then but to wave him goodbye. As she stepped inside her tiny cramped bedsit, her eyes scanned the messy room.
Just as well he didn’t come in.
She made a mental note to be a bit tidier in future, just in case.
Abbey overslept the next morning by ten minutes, having spent nearly two hours online the previous night, searching everything she could find on Travis Scott and watching video clips of him at surfing competitions. She cursed herself during the mad rush to get ready.
As soon as she stepped onto the beach, she was almost knocked over by the group of girls from yesterday’s volleyball team, who had come sprinting across the sand to greet her.
“Hi Abbey!” they called in unison.
They crowded around her, bombarding her with questions.
“How was your date with Travis?”
“Where did you go?”
“Is he a good kisser?”
“Did he stay the night?”
“That’s enough girls, thanks.” Abbey smiled at them, remembering what it was like to be a young teen. “Settle down. We had a lovely dinner and that’s it. End of story. Now, shouldn’t you all be applying sunscreen and getting ready for your first surf or something?”
The girls groaned collectively, knowing they weren’t going to get any more information. They ran back to the pile of surfboards, looking for the ones allocated to them yesterday.
Travis had already rounded up his team of kids and was running through a summary of his ‘surf safety’ rules again. He looked up as Abbey approached and grinned.
“Good morning, Miss Abbey. Late night?”
Abbey blushed as the group of youngsters all smirked. Obviously, her date with Travis had been a hot topic around the campfire last night.
“I’m only a little late!” she said with a smile.
“Okay then,” Travis said, turning back to his group, “Those who wish to come out for a surf this morning, grab your board and follow me. We’re heading down the beach a little bit where the waves are ideal for beginners today. I’ll be taking you out one by one, so I’ll be at your side the whole time. Let’s see if we can lay down a carve. It will be a small one if we do. Those of you who don’t feel ready, and that’s perfectly okay by the way, you can stay with Abbey and go for a paddle on your boards here where it’s a bit calmer.”
About half of the kids followed Travis. The others stayed with Abbey and spent most of the morning paddling on their boards or just splashing around, having water fights. Abbey enjoyed their company but wished she was working with Travis.
At lunch time, Abbey followed her group to the BBQ area, where the delicious aroma of sausages and onions filled her nostrils. Her stomach rumbled. She suddenly remembered she had skipped breakfast. Not able to resist a sausage sizzle, even though it wasn’t on her ‘healthy food list’, Abbey was half way through her lunch when Travis and his young group of surfers joined them. She could see how elated his group of kids looked after their surf, so she went over to congratulate him.
“Well done,” she said. “Looks like you’re the King Pin today.”
“Thanks,” he said. “Hey, the kids are having free beach time this afternoon. We have to supervise, of course, but I was wondering if you’re free later?”
“Later? You mean as in dinner time—later?” Abbey asked.
Travis smiled. “Yeah. I thought we could grab a takeaway gourmet pizza and have a picnic dinner in the park near the B&B—if it suits you, of course.”
“It sounds perfect.” Abbey couldn’t wait to spend alone time with Travis once more.
The day passed quickly, and to wind up the weekend, Nicky gathered everyone in a huge group so the kids could thank all the volunteers. Tomorrow morning was pack up time and at nine the kids would leave on chartered buses to take them back to Perth. Abbey received lots of ‘high fives’ and thanks from many of the kids, especially the girls. She was sorry she couldn’t help the other volunteers pack up the tents the next morning, but she had to be at work by eight. She said her goodbyes to everyone and headed home. She and Travis had made plans to meet outside Casey’s at six thirty.
The weather was absolutely perfect for an evening picnic in the park. Not only did they enjoy a gourmet mushroom and goat’s cheese pizza, Travis had a wicker basket full of goodies, including a non-alcoholic bottle of sparkling wine, delicious cheeses, crackers and olives, huge strawberries with a container of yoghurt dipping sauce, and a large bag of top-quality Margaret River table grapes.
“How the hell did you have time to organise this?” Abbey asked.
“Let’s just say Mrs Mellor and I are the very best of buddies now!” he said with a grin.
“Oh God, I hope you didn’t mention my name,” Abbey said, “She’s always giving me grief at the salon.”
“Oh, I did actually. But you’d be surprised, Abbey, she thinks you’re the ants’ pants. She said she wouldn’t want anyone else to groom her beloved Coco.” Travis laughed.
At the end of a wonderful evening, Travis once again walked Abbey home to her front door. Knowing she had to go to work the next day and couldn’t spend the day with him, Abbey was anxious she wouldn’t see him again. She decided to throw caution to the wind and invite him in for a cup of tea or ‘something’.
“I thought you’d never ask,” said Travis, following her inside without a moment’s hesitation.
***
ABBEY SAUNTERED INTO The Funny Bone at precisely seven fifty-nine the following morning. Dee and her other employee, Harley, were hunched over Dee’s iPad at the front counter.
Harley looked up and grinned.
“Well, aren’t you a dark horse,” he exclaimed.
Dee simply looked up and winked at Abbey. “You go, girlfriend.”
“What are you both on about?” Abbey asked.
Dee turned the iPad around to show Abbey the digital version of the Southern Gazette social page.
The words: ‘Champion surfer Travis Scott finds love interest in little old Stonecrest Bay’ was the headline splashed above a large photo of Travis and Abbey clinking their glasses together at the Seaside Bar and Grill.
“Oh no,” Abbey exclaimed. “Who would have taken that? Oh God! My parents read this newspaper.”
“Not only this,” Harley said. “There are a few other photos like this floating around on social media. But that’s par for the course these days. Date a celebrity and the paparazzi will be stuck to you like glue. In this case, more likely nosy locals than paparazzi.”
“I supposed you’d know about this now, wouldn’t you, since you are engaged to Stonecrest Bay’s up and coming author,” Abbey said, behind a cheeky grin.
“Enough of that,” Dee almost whispered. “Anything you’d care to share with us, Abbey?”
They had fifteen minutes before the first customers were due in, so Abbey told them all about her exciting weekend, what a wonderful person Travis was, and completed her story by admitting that yes, he’d stayed the night yesterday and it was pure heaven.
“Hussy!” Harley joked, poking Abbey in the ribs. “On only the second date too.”
“I don’t know if I’ll see much of him now anyway,” said Abbey. “He’s going surfing with a couple of mates later today after the camp has been packed up. We didn’t make any specific plans to catch up tonight or anything. He just said he’d see me later. Somehow I think I’ll be having a quiet night in tonight.”
“Oooh, you’ve got that lovestruck look about you,” Dee said. “I’m sure you’ll be seeing a bit more of him, especially if he’s sticking around here for a few more days.”
The door to the salon opened and a cocker spaniel on a red lead, held by an elderly woman, entered.
Abbey saw Dee looking at her. “You take this one, Abbey. It’ll keep your mind occupied if we keep you busy today.”
Abbey smiled and got stuck straight into the job at hand. The day passed quickly. The bookings were constant and all three of them were rushed off their feet. Around five when Abbey was grabbing her bag to leave for the day, the front door of the salon swung open suddenly. She looked up and standing there, was Travis, with the hugest bouquet of red roses Abbey had ever seen.
He gave her the most glorious smile. “Miss me?” he asked.
“Not for a moment.” she laughed. A nice, warm glow crept up from her neck towards her face, as she accepted the flowers. “Wow, these are gorgeous.”
“Shall we?” he asked, pointing to the door. “I’ve come to drive you home plus I’m cooking for you this evening. Wait until you sample my culinary skills.”
“Ahem!” a little voice sounded from behind Abbey. She turned around to see Dee with raised eyebrows, obviously in anticipation of a formal introduction. Harley had also miraculously appeared from one of the treatment rooms and was hovering in the background. Abbey quickly made the introductions and then she ushered Travis out the door before the barrage of questions began. She wanted Travis all to herself.
***
BY THURSDAY EVENING of that week, Travis had quit staying at the B&B and had moved into Abbey’s bedsit. It was a little crowded with his bags of stuff and two surfboards, but Abbey didn’t mind. She knew the surfboards were expensive. Travis picked Abbey up from work each afternoon and cooked dinner for her each evening. He was a superb cook. Abbey however, was hopeless in the kitchen, so she never offered to reciprocate.
Each night Abbey looked forward to their evening beach stroll in the moonlight, admiring the myriad of stars in the evening sky, whilst enjoying the gentle sea breeze. Coming home after their walk to spend a romantic, passionate night together was the highlight of her day. Her heart was brimming with happiness. In the back of her mind, she knew her relationship was a short-term thing, although they hadn’t specifically spoken about what the future held for them. She decided to ‘live in the moment’ and just enjoy each day as it came. She enjoyed each night even more.
On the following weekend, they travelled to Busselton to do a spot of shopping and to stay the Saturday night at one of the swanky resorts there. Abbey knew Travis was being recognised and people were taking photos of them on their phones, so on the Sunday afternoon when they arrived back in Stonecrest Bay, she wasn’t surprised when her youngest brother, James, phoned her.
“Oh my God, Abbey! You’re dating Travis Scott? You’re all over social media. You’re famous. It’s going viral. I just showed it to mum and dad and they told me to mind my own business, that you’d tell us all when you were ready. But Jesus, Abbey! TRAVIS SCOTT? Are you friggin’ serious? How awesome is that? Can I meet him? When are you bringing him down?” James shouted down the phone line, not pausing for a breath.
“Whoa James, calm down,” Abbey said, “Travis and I are just friends. We’re hanging out for a couple of weeks while he’s in Stonecrest Bay. He’s off to Surfer’s Point soon to start training for the Margaret River Pro. Seriously, we are just friends!”
They chatted for a short while after that, with Abbey promising to keep James updated if the ‘just friends’ status changed. Travis had stepped outside when she had answered the phone. Because her bedsit was so cramped and tiny, he was probably being polite—to give her some privacy. Peering through the front window she noticed Travis too was talking on his mobile phone. She couldn’t hear what he was saying but he sounded a little agitated.
Minutes later, he came back inside and gave Abbey a miserable look.
“Bad news, I’m afraid. That was my manager. Apparently, my presence is requested in Margaret River first thing on Wednesday morning. There’s a major hassle with the council about the deal for the Pro. The organisers, World Surf League wanted four days surfing allowed at North Point, in case the conditions weren’t good at Surfer’s Point and The Box in Prevelly, but the council has flatly refused. They will only allow two days. Something to do with the influx of spectators and the damage they could do to coastal vegetation. Anyway, long story short, they want me to speak on behalf of the surfers at a hearing in the council chambers at nine on Wednesday morning.”
He stepped forward and put his arms around Abbey, pulling her into his warm embrace.
“That’s okay,” she looked up at his face. “It’s only a couple of hour’s drive away. You can leave mega early and be back after lunch!”
“That’s the other thing,” Travis said. “My manager wants me to meet up with my team that afternoon and start my training sessions again. He said my break’s over. I’ll be staying down in Prevelly with him, my trainer and my physio. Tuesday’s going to be my last night here in Stonecrest. I’m sorry, Abbey.”
Abbey’s heart sank. She didn’t want to think about saying goodbye on Wednesday morning so she just snuggled in closer to Travis. She decided she would just make the most of the next two days.
***
SADDENED BY THE PROSPECT of Travis’s imminent departure, Abbey was comforted by a concerned Dee as soon as she entered the salon the next morning.
“What’s wrong, Abbey?” Dee asked her gently.
“I found out last night that Travis has to leave Stonecrest Bay on Wednesday morning. His training schedule is about to start again. Dee, that’s only two days away. I’m not ready to say goodbye. I know we’ve only been together a short time, but what we have together is perfect. I don’t want it to end,” Abbey said.
Dee’s eyes lit up.
“I have a wonderful idea!” she said. “Tomorrow I have to go up to Perth with mum and dad for my aunt’s funeral. We’re staying away tomorrow night and we’ll be back by early Wednesday afternoon. I was going to take Milo and Xena over to Mrs Mellor’s as she offered to mind them for me, but I’d much rather they stayed at home. How would you and Travis like to stay at my place for the night? I know you don’t have much room at yours and you’d be doing me a huge favour. All you’d have to do is feed the dogs and take them for a little walk. You can have the use of the pool, the spa, the BBQ...not to mention the fridge is fully stocked. What do you say?”
“Wow, that sounds lovely,” Abbey replied. “I’ll phone Travis in a while and let you know later this morning. Thanks, Dee.”
Abbey had only been to Dee’s lovely home a few times. It was built on a small hill with uninterrupted views overlooking the bay. Dee’s business had done well over the past few years, resulting in her now owning one of the most desirable houses in Stonecrest Bay.
Abbey was delighted when Travis agreed, on one condition—he personally wouldn’t feed or walk the dogs. Abbey just laughed. She didn’t mind. She adored Milo and Xena, Dee’s Bichon dogs. They were expensive dogs who had won many competitions in the show days. Dee treated them like royalty and Abbey knew that to Dee, they were more precious than anything.
***
ABBEY’S ALARM AWOKE her very early on Tuesday morning. Travis had already left for his early morning surf. Arriving at Dee’s at seven thirty with their overnight bags, Abbey was warmly welcomed by Milo and Xena, who jumped all over her and licked her legs incessantly.
“Settle down guys.” Dee laughed. “Good to see they love you, Abbey. At least I know they’re in good hands. I wasn’t sure how they’d go at Mrs Mellor’s place with Coco. You’re doing me a huge favour, you know.”
“No, you’re doing me a favour,” said Abbey. “This is just like staying in a resort. Your place is awesome, Dee.”
“Thanks. I’d better get going,” Dee said. “I have to pick mum and dad up first then we’ll hit the road. I don’t like the look of those clouds though. It looks like the weather is turning.”
The day passed slowly at the salon. Abbey tried not to think about tonight being her last night with Travis. However, when he picked her up from work in his car, she winced when she saw his surfboards tied securely to his roof racks and his other bags in the back of the car. It was a sharp reminder that tonight was it—their last night together.
They drove to Dee’s place quickly, wanting to make the most of their night together in her lovely home. Travis prepared some fish for their BBQ later while Abbey fed and played with Milo and Xena.
“Aren’t these little guys cute?” she called to Travis, who was eying the spa on the balcony.
“Not as cute as you’re going to be when you join me in the spa,” he laughed, switching on the spa jets and adjusting the temperature to warm. During the day the weather had continued to worsen and huge rain clouds hovered above. The spa took a good ten minutes to warm up, after which Travis proceeded to strip off all his clothes and step in.
Abbey put Milo and Xena into their baskets in the laundry and handed them both a few liver treats.
“Good dogs!” she whispered. “Stay!”
She quickly joined Travis in the spa, stripping off unashamedly just as he had done. They’d only known each other for just over a week and a half but she felt like they’d known each other forever.
“I think the BBQ can wait,” Travis murmured, nuzzling Abbey’s ear.
At that very moment the skies erupted, flashes of lightning appeared and the rain clouds burst open, spilling heavy sheets of water over Stonecrest Bay. Abbey and Travis were oblivious to it all though as they canoodled in the lovely warm spa that was sheltered on the covered balcony.
***
TRAVIS’ ALARM WENT off at five thirty the following morning. Abbey stirred when he arose. He gently kissed her and told her to go back to sleep.
Outside the wind was still howling and the rain was falling heavily, so she thankfully grabbed the doona, pulled it up to her chin, rolled over and was fast asleep again before Travis even left the house. They’d had a late night, enjoying the spa but enjoying each other even more. They’d said their goodbyes and did not speak of any future plans, other than Travis saying he’d love Abbey to come down to Prevelly for a couple of weeks in late May to watch him in the competition.
Abbey didn’t want to commit herself though.
“As much as I’d love to,” she’d said, “I’m not sure if I can have time off work. I’ve only been working for Dee for four months and I don’t think I’m entitled to any holidays just yet.”
Abbey’s own alarm shrilled loudly at seven o’clock. She felt lonely in the king size bed on her own, so she decided to get up, strip the sheets from the bed and put them into the washing machine. Padding barefoot to the laundry, she paused when she entered. Milo and Xena were not in their baskets. In fact, they were nowhere to be seen. She dropped the sheets onto the floor and ran from room to room, calling their names, hoping for them to come bounding up to her to lick her legs again. However, the house was silent. Where were they?
Abbey grabbed one of Dee’s rain jackets, threw it on over her pyjamas and slipped on a pair of sneakers without stopping to lace them up or find any socks. She raced back to the laundry, where for the first time, she noticed the laundry door had a small pet door at the bottom, where Milo and Xena could slip in and out of the house at their leisure. She opened the back door, expecting to see them sitting outside under the patio. The back garden was awash with water from the heavy rainfall. There was no sign of the dogs.
“Milo! Xena!” Abbey called at the top of her voice. She left the shelter of the patio and searched the garden, peering under bushes, behind trees and behind the garden shed. But the dogs were nowhere to be found. Rain bucketed down, drenching her. Her pyjama pants were so wet they were stuck to her like glue. Water filled up her sneakers and her toes were squelching as she ran around the garden. As she turned around to head back inside, she noticed the side gate was open.
“No, no, no!” she screamed, rushing out the gate, down the long driveway to the street, yelling “Milo! Xena!”
She looked up and down the street but there was no sign of the dogs. Abbey ran to the house next door and rang the front door bell. After what seemed like ages, an elderly man cautiously opened the door and peered out at Abbey.
“What do you want?” he asked, in a tone that didn’t sound too friendly. He was dressed in pyjamas and a woollen checked dressing gown, and Abbey realised she must have disturbed his sleep.
“Oh, I’m so sorry to disturb you,” she said. “My name is Abbey and I’ve been minding Dee’s dogs next door overnight because she’s in Perth. But they appear to have run away. Have you seen or heard them? I think my friend must have left the side gate open this morning when he left, so I guess they could be anywhere by now.”
Abbey’s eyes welled up as the man simply said, “No, sorry I haven’t. I’ve been asleep.”
“Oh, thanks anyway,” Abbey said, as tears rolled down her cheeks to join the rain covering her from head to toe. Overcome with despair, she turned to go. The old man must have felt sorry for her.
“Tell you what, love,” he said. “You head back to Dee’s in case they come back. Dogs have a habit of doing that, especially when they’re hungry. I know how important they are to Dee, so I’ll phone the other six houses in the street and ask if anyone has seen them. I’ll call Dee’s landline if I hear any news, so stay by the phone.”
“Thanks,” said Abbey. She ran back to Dee’s, leaving the side gate open so the dogs could get in if they came back.
Once back inside the laundry, Abbey stripped off her soaking wet clothes and shoes, grabbed a fresh towel from a linen cupboard, wrapped it around her freezing body and raced to the bathroom to grab a warm shower. She was chilled to the bone. She stayed in the shower for a good ten minutes, sobbing the whole time, wondering how the hell she would tell Dee she’d lost the dogs. A distant ringing brought her to her senses, so she grabbed the towel and made a dash to a phone sitting on Dee’s bedside table.
“Hello?” she said in a feeble little voice.
“Abbey, it’s Sam from next door. No good news, I’m afraid. No-one has seen Milo or Xena but we’ll all keep an eye out for them this morning. If this rain doesn’t let up soon, they’ll be like drowned rats when they get home. I’ll ring back if I hear or see anything.”
Abbey thanked him and as she hung up the phone, the tears started again. She glanced at the bedside clock and realised she was due in at work in ten minutes. She quickly found her own mobile phone and saw several text messages from Travis. She couldn’t bring herself to read them yet.
She phoned Harley, who was always an early starter at work. She explained her dilemma, in between her outbursts of tears, informing him she couldn’t possibly come in to work until she’d found the dogs.
“Oh my God!” Harley said. “This is going to kill Dee. Or more likely, she’s going to kill you. Those dogs are her babies—her pride and joy.”
“Stop, Harley,” Abbey wailed, “I don’t need you to tell me off. I’ve already yelled at myself enough this morning. I know she’ll kill me. Well, she’ll certainly sack me. Can you cover for me this morning? I only have two bookings.”
“Of course I can,” said Harley. “Keep me in the loop. I hope they turn up before Dee gets back after lunch. Bloody hell, Abbey.”
Abbey dressed quickly and then searched the house high and low several times just in case the dogs were hiding. She called their names over and over again, but to no avail. She sank down onto the sofa in the living room and stared at her mobile phone. She contemplated phoning Dee to tell her—to get it over and done with, but she couldn’t summon the courage. She noticed there were more text messages from Travis. She still couldn’t bring herself to read them. He’d only been gone a few hours and already she was missing him like crazy. She wished he was here. He may have some ideas of what they could do to search for the dogs. Or at least, he’d have two strong arms to comfort her.
Abbey dozed off to sleep on the sofa. She must have slept for a few hours and was rudely awakened by the slamming of a car door outside in the driveway. She glanced at the time on her mobile. It was now one thirty.
“Milo. Xena,” Dee called, opening the front door. “Mummy’s home.”
Abbey rubbed her gritty eyes and dragged both hands through her bedraggled hair as Dee strode into the room.
Dee exclaimed, “Abbey! What are you still doing here? I thought you’d be at the salon. Are you sick?”
“Dee, well I...” Abbey was at a loss for words. Her eyes welled up again. How the hell was she going to impart this devastating piece of tragic news?
Dee rushed over to Abbey with a concerned look on her face. “What’s wrong, Abbey?”
At that point, Abbey decided she’d just have to blurt out the truth—to get it over and done with, like ripping off a sticking plaster. Just as she was about to own up, her mobile phone rang. She glanced down, intending to ignore it, but noticed Travis’s name displayed across the screen.
“You’d better take that,” Dee whispered, “I’ll just go and put my overnight bag away.” She discreetly left the room to give Abbey some privacy.
Swiping the green call button across her phone, Abbey spoke in a hushed voice. “Hi Trav. Hey, can I call you back? I’m in the middle of something major here.”
“Sure, okay.” Travis sounded miffed after getting brushed off.
“It’s not urgent,” he continued. “I really just wanted to say ‘miss you already’. Oh, and please let Dee know when she gets back that her side gate latch is broken. It must have been damaged in the storm last night. I put the dogs in the garage so they couldn’t go out the doggy door in the laundry and run away. There’s an old couch in the garage. They just snuggled up on it and seemed quite comfy and happy so I left them there with a bowl of water. But I’m sure you’ve found them by now. Anyway, I’ll talk to you later.”
The garage? Abbey hadn’t even thought about looking in the garage. In fact, she forgot it even existed.
Abbey knew it was way too early to use the ‘L’ word, but at that very moment, she loved Travis to bits. Still holding her phone close to her ear, shouting “Hang on a sec, Trav,” she raced outside and opened the side garage door. An excited Milo and Xena jumped all over her. Abbey quickly ushered them back inside the house.
“Trav? What is it with you and ‘Damsels in Distress’?” she asked. “You couldn’t have phoned at a better time if you tried.”
“Why? What’s wrong?” Travis asked.
“Never mind, I’ll fill you in later,” Abbey said. “But for the record, I miss you already too. More than you could possibly know. Oh, and by the way, I’ve just decided I’ll definitely be down at Prevelly in May. Dee just arrived back home so I’ll speak to her now about time off without pay. Call you tonight with all of the details.”
Abbey went off in search of Dee. Sometimes you just have to ride the wave you’re given, take control of it and just go and make things happen and she would do just that.