The Girl in the Yellow Vest (29 page)

‘Okay.’

She removed the stinger suit and towelled herself dry but didn’t take off her bikini. They might want to go snorkelling again after lunch. So she wrapped a sarong around her waist as a temporary measure before leaving to go to the buffet deck.

He met her there about five minutes later. She took in the dry cargo pants and T-shirt in surprise. ‘Aren’t you going back in the water after lunch?’ she demanded.

He didn’t look at her. ‘No, I think I might read on the sun deck.’

‘Read?’ Emily squeaked. ‘But we’re sitting on the Great Barrier Reef!’

‘It’ll still be here next week.’

‘Will,’ she took a deep breath, ‘there’s something I need to ask you.’

He looked pained. ‘Em, don’t.’

‘Don’t what?’

He seemed to struggle within himself as he first looked at the buffet then at his hands, then out the window before back at her. ‘Fine, ask me.’

‘Are you . . .’ She decided to go with the easier question first. ‘Are you part of some bet with Dipper over who can score with me first?’

Will seemed to freeze for a second before his eyes closed in something akin to relief. ‘Yes.’

‘Why would you do that?’

‘Do what?’ he inquired, his eyes meeting hers and not wavering. ‘Being part of the bet? Or trying to score with you?’

‘Both,’ she said quickly, knowing which answer she wanted to hear more.

‘For starters, I’m not trying to score with you.’ His mouth twisted. ‘I
never
have.’

Rationally, she had already known this. But actually hearing the words was like a kick in the shin. How could she have been so silly as to suppose differently? He was right. He had never shown any signs of being that way inclined.

At her deafening silence, he threw back his head and gave a self-mocking laugh. ‘I mean, Trent’s my best friend, for freak’s sake. I couldn’t do that to him.’

‘He doesn’t own me and we’re not together any more,’ Em protested numbly, crossing her arms protectively over her chest.

He ignored her and continued. ‘As for the bet, I didn’t enter into it on purpose. I was innocently standing by and got roped in. I thought I’d be in it to protect you.’

‘Protect me? Protect me how?’

‘From some other fruit loop who might want to compete with Dipper over you.’

‘Because only a fruit loop could possibly be into me, is that what you’re saying?’

‘
No
.’ He immediately baulked.

‘Don’t you find me attractive?’

He blinked. ‘Am I supposed to find you attractive? Is that what you want?’

‘Not if I have to talk you into it,’ Emily retorted. ‘Why didn’t you tell me about the bet? Don’t you think I’d like to know about it?’

‘I thought you
did
know about it. You said you knew what Dipper’s game was.’

‘I knew he had the hots for me, I didn’t know about the bet. He only just told me the full story at dinner last night. You should have been more specific with me.’

‘I didn’t want to upset you.’

‘That’s a cop out, Will, and you know it. I’m a big girl. I can handle being a little upset. What I can’t handle is being lied to and you seem to be doing a lot of that lately.’

‘I’m sorry.’

She studied him irritably. Secretly, she’d been hoping that he’d been personally invested in the bet and had been too embarrassed to tell her. It had seemed at the time like the only reasonable explanation. But Will didn’t have feelings for her. He’d just told her so.

It was dumb of her to have even considered it when Trent was his best friend. Of course, in his mind, he couldn’t go there.

There was also the fact that they had been friends for nearly seven years. A person didn’t just suddenly change their mind about you. It didn’t make sense.

Then how do I explain my own feelings?

She wasn’t sure how they’d got out of Pandora’s box. All she knew was that at this particular moment, she wished she had a way of putting them back in.

‘Em, listen to me.’ Will’s rational, reasoning tone was more infuriating than all the rest. ‘There are heaps of guys on this site. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you’re very popular. I was just trying to keep you safe. I mean, you’ve just broken up with Trent. What if the two of you want to get back together later on or something . . .?’

Her mouth dropped open. ‘What the hell?!’ Realisation dawned on her. ‘He put you up to this, didn’t he? That’s why you didn’t tell me about the bet.’

‘What?’ His brow furrowed. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘This isn’t about us.’

‘Us?’ He was startled.

‘This is about Trent. This is about keeping me away from other guys. That’s why he was angry about Dipper. He asked you to keep an eye on me, didn’t he? I should have guessed.’

‘You gotta understand, Em, he’s my best friend too.’

‘Don’t worry.’ She held up her hand. ‘I get it. I completely get it.’

I’ve just been utterly delusional – living in fantasy land.

He was about to say something more when Charlotte walked up. ‘Hey, guys, why aren’t you eating?’

Emily didn’t know whether to be relieved or annoyed at this timely interruption. If they argued about this any more she might say something that she would regret. Or worse, reveal something she didn’t want him to know! She looked across at the fully laid out buffet. A veritable feast of shellfish and salad had been brought in while they were fighting.

Will closed his open mouth and turned with a smile to Charlotte.

‘Hey, Lottie. How was your dive?’

‘Rather eventful.’

For the first time they took in Charlotte’s rather pale and wan-looking face.

‘Hey, are you okay?’ Emily asked, momentarily forgetting her own pathetic woes.

Charlotte jerked a thumb over her shoulder and Emily and Will looked towards the entrance.

A tall, insolent-looking figure strode into the room, his casual clothing belying the destructive forces simmering beneath his skin.

‘Caesar’s here!’

She had been looking forward to this day ever since she and Emily had planned it. It was her chance to get out and do her own thing. Spend time with her friends. Be inspired. Get a new hobby. Why not? She deserved it. Didn’t she work hard enough?

Finally, there she was sitting on the sun deck at the muster area for diving lessons among some other first-time hopefuls when Hell’s angel swooped in from the sky.

Literally from the sky.

Mark Crawford arrived via helicopter. He and a few other passengers, too rich or too late to catch the ferry from Shute Harbour, had taken advantage of a helicopter tour of the reef before landing on it. A roof sheltering half the sun deck was actually the platform for a helicopter pad. When Charlotte first saw Mark’s rigid figure descending the steel stairs she was sure she was hallucinating. But no, it was definitely him. Dark hair, dark features, that ever-prominent scowl on his ever-dissatisfied face. Dressed casually for a change, he looked so out of his depth that she almost laughed.

What does he intend to do here? Have fun? Relax? Does Mark Crawford even know what those words mean?

No sooner had she thought it than he looked up and noticed her before she could wipe the smirk off her face. It was obvious from his expression that he wasn’t exactly pleased to see her either. His step slowed and a scowl formed.

Who cares?
she thought.
I’m sure he can stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of his. It’s a big pontoon.

Apparently, not big enough.

‘Ms Templeton.’

His shadow crossed her body as she sat on the bench and she shaded her eyes to look up at him. ‘Mr Crawford.’ She nodded, hoping this was a good enough acknowledgement for him to walk on.

But he stayed put. ‘What are you doing here?’ He asked the question as though she had better have a bloody good explanation for intruding upon his space. As much as the suggestion exasperated her, he
was
still a valuable client, so she decided to return his obnoxious tone with pleasantness. ‘I’m here for a diving lesson, Mr Crawford. Why are you here?’

He growled. ‘For the same reason.’

She couldn’t help it: this time she did laugh. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’

‘You may have noticed, Ms Templeton, that I don’t, in general, make jokes.’

She grinned wickedly. ‘Yes, of course. I forgot you don’t laugh.’ She tapped her chin. ‘So it begs the question, why on earth do you want to go diving? You do realise it’s not work-related and you might accidently have a good time.’

His face didn’t even slightly crack at her teasing tone. ‘True as that is, Ms Templeton, I’ve decided . . . that I, er . . . I need to broaden my horizons.’

He made this announcement as though he’d been coerced and prodded into the decision by an authority higher than himself.

‘Really?’ She tilted her head. ‘Just like you decided you needed a new turkey?’

His lip curled. ‘Something like that.’

‘Curious. Has your wife been making suggestions again?’ As far as she was concerned, the elusive Mrs Crawford was the only possible candidate who could fall into the higher power category.

‘You could say that.’ He shoved his fists into the loose pockets of his board shorts rather roughly. ‘Ms Templeton –’

‘Call me Charlotte,’ she purred, more because she knew it would annoy him than really wanting him to call her that.

‘
Ms Templeton
, what’s more curious is what you are doing here. Don’t you have a resort to run?’

Charlotte lifted her chin. ‘My brother is looking after the show today. He thought I could do with a break. In fact, he suggested that I learn something new . . . like diving.’

‘I see.’

Just then one of the diving instructors, wearing an orange Adventure Pontoon hat, joined the group in the muster area. She began taking reservations, equipment hire and payment for the next class, which was in ten minutes.

‘Hello, you two.’ She smiled all bright and happy, clearly not picking up the mood between them. ‘Let me guess, honeymooners?’

Charlotte turned on her with round eyes.
If this happens one more time . . .
‘We,’ she said slowly and succinctly, indicating herself and Mark with a flick of her wrist, ‘are. Not. Married. Never were. Never will be.’

The diving instructor took a step back. ‘Sorry. I just thought I’d ask because we’re doing a two-for-one special for newlyweds.’

‘Oh.’ She blushed.

‘I didn’t mean to cause any offence,’ the instructor huffed. ‘Guess you’ll both be paying full price then. Here are your forms.’ She tossed them in their laps. ‘Fill them out and then head downstairs to the teaching room.’

‘Sure,’ Charlotte responded, nearly crumpling in embarrassment.

‘Well handled.’ There was no disguising the smirk on Mark’s face.

‘Just fill in your form,’ she snapped. They completed their paperwork, indemnifying Adventure Pontoon from all liability should they drown, get the bends, lose a leg to a shark or be stung by something poisonous and become permanently or partially disabled.

Nice.

They also agreed to pay quite a bit of money for the privilege. By the time she had finished reading the disclaimer she had to wonder whether this was really the right hobby for her.

‘Cold feet, Ms Templeton?’

She quickly signed her name on the dotted line. ‘Not a chance. What about you?’

‘I’ve already signed my name, see.’ He held up his form to show her and then a rather strange thing happened. He smiled.

She nearly fell off the bench, her balance momentarily disappearing as she took in the devastating warmth that suddenly appeared on his face. It transformed it so completely that all she could do was stare. He had crow’s feet around his eyes and a dimple,
a dimple
, in his right cheek. Where the hell had that come from? And what business did it have on his face?

He ignored her fixation and stood up. ‘Are you coming?’

Collecting her wits, she scrambled to stride along beside him. ‘Yes.’

They moved along the wet timber that formed a walkway around the perimeter of the pontoon. Beyond the steel hand railing there was nothing but big blue ocean and the sound of waves. She breathed in the clean salty air and sighed. Her mood, however, was unable to transition completely into relaxation mode because Mark spoke again.