The Beat of Safiri Bay by Emmse Burger Read Free Book Online

butterflies doing barrel rolls in my stomach. Why does he want to meet? What does he want to say? What will I say? Somehow texting makes me brave, it always has, but face to face, that’s something else. Oh stop with the thinking Lane. Just let it happen naturally.
    Matt is back on his chair and looks as confused as I feel. “Why the frown?” I ask with concern.
    “What is up with you? You almost came late which you never do, you didn’t have your things ready and you are smiling at your phone, which I have never seen you do before either and you have a look I can’t place.” I smile at him. How can I put this subtly?
    “What can you tell me about your cousin?” 
    “What does Karin have to do with it?” Off course he thinks I’m talking about her. No one can actually read my mind and I am glad for it. It is shouting ALEX at me all day. “Oh, I just wondered how old she is,” I quickly cover.
    “She is thirty two, Alex is twenty seven” he gives me more than I could hope for. “Oh, okay,” he looks at me and continues.
    “I don’t really know Alex that well; we didn’t see much of each other growing up.” As I am about to ask why, Vincent arrives at his side big eyed and panting. “Matt... snake... in the bathroom,” Matt rolls his eyes, “second one this week,” and he pats Vincent on the back. A shiver runs down my spine. Actually, I am much better with snakes than with spiders. “I’ll see you later,” I shout after Matt, I have no desire to face a snake so early in my day. Jill is taking a smoke break and I wave good-bye as I walk past her. I feel guilty for not making small talk with her today but I need time by myself.
     
    Back home I leave my quad by the back door. I am going to use it again within an hour or two so there is no use parking it in the garage. I pull my guitar off my back and stand it upright in the kitchen. I should have tea now but my heart is beating irregularly and I decide against it. I take my equipment to my room and start unpacking it and cleaning it. I am so nervous. What does he want to tell me and will I be able to stand him if he gets so close to me. I change into shorts. I don’t go to the beach in long pants as a rule. It’s almost eleven and I have never wished time by as I am doing now. I decide to make my way to the beach earlier. I will go to Mary at the beach cafe and wait it out there until twelve.
     
    Mary is a mother of two toddlers and together with her husband runs the beach cafe. I walk over to the counter and she sees me. “Lany, honey how are you?” I laugh at her friendly greeting.
    “Good thanks,” I say. “How is Dusty and Keagan?” I like the two boys, they are very active and make you forget about yourself while you are with them. “They are exhausting,” she laughs and I understand exactly what she means. I don’t know how anyone would want to have a child let alone two. Seriously, they are like little worms that eat away at your personality and make you forget about who you are.
    The smell of deep fried chicken hangs around the cafe. Mary wipes her hands on her apron and calls me over to an open table. We chat away for about half an hour about Jay’s upcoming party and the boys. I check my phone; it’s half an hour later and I decide to walk to the flat dune beach entrance. I’ll wait there and soak up some sun.
     
    As I approach the dune, I spot him sitting on the sand, legs bent, hands hanging over his knees, just staring out over the water. He is so good looking to me. I wonder what other people’s opinion is of his looks. He sees me and gets up lazily. “Hi there,” he says and gives me an even lazier smile. He reaches for me but I hold back, he drops his arms and turn around. We walk to the edge of the water just past the launching site of the diver’s rubber-ducks. I am dizzy from the tension between us and stop to stand next to him. “Let’s sit,” he says but I don’t move. “Lane I don’t know why you are so