Seven Days: The Complete Story by Lindy Dale Read Free Book Online

Positive.”
    Well, I’m
trying to be.
    He shrugs and
turns back toward the dunes.
    I feel my
mouth open to call him back as he walks away. My hand lifts to get
his attention and then hangs aimlessly in the air like a hat
without a head to perch on. Why can’t I say yes? Why does this
happen to me every time there’s an opportunity to do something new?
Of course, I know the reason why. Mum’s voice is quite clear in my
head. She’s reiterating the dangers of getting in cars with
strangers. She’s telling me over and over that you should never go
with anyone you don’t know, that strange people hang out on beaches
waiting for girls like me.
    “Thanks,
anyway,” I call.
    “Sure. It was
nice meeting you, Sadie. See you round.”
    “Yeah.
Maybe.”
    As I watch him
jog off over the sand, his board under his arm, an odd feeling
comes over me. And I don’t think it’s from the blood.
    I stomp back
along the beach kicking myself. Well, not literally, as that would
make me look even more insane, but in my head I’m definitely giving
myself what for. I should have said yes to Joel’s offer of a lift.
I mean, if he’d been going to attack me he had plenty of chance
while we were alone on the beach. There was something in the way
his eyes held mine, that look, something that makes me think I may
have made a very big mistake by turning him down. Not only that,
but my shorts are rubbing the insides of my thighs something
shocking, my leg is hurting and I know I’m going to be sunburnt by
the time I get back to the cottage.
    I’m such an
idiot.
    I don’t know
what’s come over me. In the space of hours, I’ve transformed into
the sort of girl who imagines every guy she meets is in love with
her. Or worse, that she is in love with them. How can it be that I
am suddenly so flighty and fickle, so strongly attracted to the
type of guys I normally avoid like the plague? It’s not me. The sun
must be affecting my judgement or my sadness over Mum is making me
more sensitive to a few kind words. I feel so conflicted. All it
took was one look and I was putty.
    Silly
putty.
    At last, I
reach the house and I stop for a second, my hands resting on the
beach gate. It could be that I’m more susceptible than I’ve been in
the past but I felt that chemistry. It was there with both of them and it was like nothing I’ve ever felt in any relationship
I’ve had. I know they felt it, too.
    The question
is… assuming I ever meet them again, what on earth am I meant to
do?

CHAPTER FOUR
     
    After dressing
the cut on my leg, the rest of my day is spent lazing in the
hammock drinking home made margaritas and skimming my highlighter
pen across pages until it’s almost run out. Feeling accomplished at
the huge amount I’ve done — despite the fact I spend a great deal
of time in a daydream that involves both Joel and Nicholas — I
decide to shower and head to The Beach Hut for a meal. This is a
first for me. I would never eat alone back in the city. I’d never
go anywhere that’s meant for couples and groups without actually
being a part of one. I’m not that confident.
    It’s a warm
summer night and as I head along the beach, my sandals hooked over
my fingers, I’m feeling relaxed. Mum is gone but I know she’d want
me to be happy so that’s what I intend to do. I’ll never forget
her, of course. I’ll think of her every day. But I know now I can
do that with fond memories, not regret. These days at the beach
have shown me that. Life is for living, not swimming in sadness.
It’s meant for adventures not for being stuck in the same house and
the same job decade after decade, eating the same toast for
breakfast.
    A string of
colourful lights are glowing around the perimetre of the restaurant
and I make my way up the sandy path and stop at the reception desk.
The server from the other night when I was here with Nicholas looks
up from the reservation book. She has a different uniform on
tonight. It’s a pale lemon colour with a