Oceans Apart (Ocean Dreams Book 1) (18 page)

Paddling his arms just a little, Cam jumped to his feet and caught the next wave. He zoned the rest of the world out as his board dropped down the face of the wave. He glided up quickly and snapped the board down from the top to generate some speed. Cam pressed his heel down and the pressure made a big arcing cut with the tail of his board, spraying water everywhere. He eyed the next section of the wave, hoping it would continue to stand up for him. He made some small, rapid maneuvers to keep the momentum flowing before he tucked into the wave’s barrel closing in on him from behind. He crouched low to his board as he rode through the tube while running his backhand through the wall of the wave. The water was starting to close in on him as he came out the end of the barrel. Standing up slightly but keeping his knees bent, he bounced the board up and down to maintain any momentum he could. He moved the board through the water, making a few more small turns but the wave was quickly fading out. The wave fizzled into whitewash and bubbled around him. Cam let the board slide out from under his feet as he fell off the board.

His head broke through the soupy water and he shook it, water flying off in all directions. Cam pulled on his leg rope to recover his board, jumped back on, and paddled leisurely back to shore. Cam thought about all the breaks around the world where he was lucky enough to surf and knew the waves at Kings Cove may not be the best, but it was home. That word seemed to mean a little more this visit than it had in a long time. It could have been seeing his family and gathering for Bodhi’s birthday. It felt like forever since they had all come together for a happy occasion. It also could have been because Annie was with him. She wasn’t just with him to make up numbers but she was there as a part of his life. A broad grin flashed across Cam’s face. He couldn’t help himself. He felt like he had been given a second chance to be happy in life and not just stumble his way through it pretending everything was fine.

Reaching the shore, Cam slowed his pace, stood, and picked up his board. He walked over to the spot where Chris and Matt were waiting for him. Undoing his leg rope, he put his surfboard on the sand and grabbed his towel.

“Oi…Cam! Think quick,” Matt said as he threw a bottle of water over at Cam. Dropping the towel, he grabbed the incoming missile just before it hit his head. His already dry mates were having a laugh at the close call Cam just had. Shaking his head at them, he opened the bottle and guzzled half of the cool liquid down. Replacing the cap, the bottle was dropped to the ground as he started to unzip and peel his wetsuit from his body.

“You looked good out there, Little Bro,” Chris said as he started to pack up his gear.

“Felt good, too.”

“Too bad you don’t come home more often to surf it.”

“I get back here when I can. You know that.” Cam defended himself against his brother’s thinly veiled accusation.

“How long you been in Sydney then? It’s been a few weeks since you arrived back from the last event.” Chris had his hands placed firmly on his hips as he stared at Cam.

“Geez, Chris. I took a week or so to relax; plus, I had a meeting back in Honolulu. There was no point in coming back here, then going to Sydney again.” Cam tried to explain.

Matt knew to intervene before things got heated between the two siblings. “Time out guys. Just chill out the both of you. Don’t ruin a great morning with your bickering.” He turned to look at Chris. “Give him a break. You know how much he likes to come home; it’s just not always possible. And you,” he said as he looked over at his best mate, “you could’ve got home before this weekend but you were preoccupied with a certain lady. If anyone’s going to understand what you’re feeling, it’s him. So be nice to each other.” Picking up his surfboard and slinging his towel over his shoulder, Matt made his way up the beach and left the brothers looking at him, jaws dropped open.

Cam scoffed. “I guess we just got told.”

“I guess we did.” Chris started following in Matt’s direction. Quickly, Cam picked up his things and jogged after him. He caught up and they walked in silence for a few moments.

“I’m sorry, mate. I miss her too, you know,” Cam said.

Chris took a deep breath and exhaled, puffing his lips out and nodding his head. “It’s all right. I know. It just feels like you haven’t wanted to spend any time with us since Meg died. Bodhi misses you. I know Mum, Dad, and Chelsea miss you. Shit, I even miss your ugly face.”

A thoughtful smile graced Cam’s face. “I miss you all, too. It’s just this place has some unhappy memories. I don’t like being reminded of the past.”

“Mate, I struggle with the past every day. The instant I see Bodhi every morning, I’m reminded Meg isn’t with us. It fucking hurts and if it weren’t for the little guy, I probably would’ve lost my mind. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and get on with life. I’ll miss Meg until my dying day, but there isn’t a bloody thing I can do about it except to make sure our son is taken care of and loved unconditionally.”

The brothers continued walking up the beach together, just as they had done many times over the course of their lives. They reached the spot where Chris’s car was parked. Matt had already loaded his gear and was sitting on the hood of the car, whispering on his phone to someone.

Cam lifted his board onto the roof racks and started tying it down. “Maybe things are slowly changing for me.”

“Maybe they are. Annie’s a great girl. You’d be stupid to let her get away.” Chris handed his surfboard to his brother so he could tie it with the others. “Bold move bringing her up here, too. You’ve never done anything like that before. You never even brought Lana up to meet Mum and Dad.”

“Lana and I were never serious. It was more a relationship of convenience. We were both so busy on the tour; you just sometimes wanted a familiar face and a warm body at the end of the day.”

“Does Lana know the score?” Matt questioned as he tossed his phone onto the back seat.

Cam shrugged dismissively.

Chris raised his eyebrows. “So Annie’s different?”

“What can I say, man. From the moment I saved her, a part of me was lost to her forever.”

A low whistle came from behind the brothers. “I don’t believe it. You’ve really got it bad don’t you, mate?” Matt said incredulously. “I’ve never seen you head over heels for a woman before. Not even Zoe.”

“Zoe and I were different. We were high school sweethearts. Our love was innocent and it grew from being best friends. I loved her with all my heart and I always will.” He paused as he pulled his legs out of his wetsuit. The light sea breeze made goose bumps appear on his still damp legs. He threw his wetty in the boot of the car, grabbed his board shorts, and put them on, not caring he was stark naked in front of his mates. He looked up at the guys, who were waiting to hear what he had to say. “But what I feel for Annie is all consuming. Lust and attraction fuelled our initial desire to be together. Now all I want to do is make her happy and keep her safe. No one will ever be good enough for her but me, and I’m planning on spending every day I have here on this earth proving it. She’s mine and I’m hers. And any other fucker who tries to get between us is gonna have a fight on their hands.”

Matt and Chris just looked at Cam with gobsmacked expressions. He just shook his head at them before closing the boot of the car. “Close your mouths guys before you start choking on flies.”

“You’re bloody smitten. You’ve fallen head over heels for her.” Chris smiled and nodded his head in a proud brotherly way.

The shit-eating grin on Cam’s face was enough of an answer for Chris. He opened the door, got in the car, and started the ignition. Matt was still looking at Cam with a confused look on this face.

“What?” Cam asked Matt.

Matt shook his head as he made a move to get in the back seat of the car. “Nothing, mate.”

“Come on, Matt. Tell me what you were you thinking?”

Matt stopped just before he sat in the car. Straightening his back up, he looked directly into his best mate’s eyes. “You’ve known her all of a few weeks. I just…just don’t get it.”

“When you find the right person, you just know. Time makes no difference.” Cam told him with a knowing smile. Matt continued to stare at him as if he didn’t believe him. He couldn’t believe the words pouring from his mouth either; but if he was honest with himself, he had never been this happy or this in love with anyone and he finally felt like he was whole again.

Cam’s mother certainly knew how to entertain and it didn’t seem to matter if it was just the family or a whole party of people. Breakfast was lavish but Annie could see the pleasure it brought her to feed and take care of the people she loved most. The family laughed and joked around while they had animated discussions about sports, world events, and even the weather. Annie felt an unusual sense of calm and belonging, being among the Hart family. This was what she had always wished to be a part of; and if life was kind, her wish was going to be true one day.

Feeling like her stomach was going to explode after a splendid feast of pancakes, fresh summer fruits, scrambled eggs, and freshly squeezed juice, Annie lolled in a hammock securely strung between two palm trees. Closing her eyes, she listened to her surrounds and soaked it all in. The squeals of delight from Bodhi as he ran between his dad and grandpa, trying to get the soccer ball from them. The sound of Chelsea’s digital camera snapping photos of her nephew as he played. The chatter of an in-depth conversation between Cam and Matt about surfing. It was all music to her ears.

“Do you mind if I join you, sweetie?”

Startled by the voice from nowhere, Annie bolted upright a little too quickly, making the hammock swing violently from side to side.

“Ahh!”

“It’s okay…it’s okay. I got you,” Carol said as she grabbed the hammock to steady it.

“Oh, my gosh,” Annie giggled. “I thought for sure I was going to fall out of this thing.”

“Well, you wouldn’t be the first, dear.” Carol pulled over a white wicker chair and sat opposite Annie. “So since everyone else is occupied, I thought it would be the perfect chance to talk.”

“Umm…sure.” Annie could feel her heart starting to speed up. She shouldn’t be nervous talking to Carol…alone.

“I had the chance to chat with Cameron earlier. He is quite taken with you. It’s so heartwarming to see my son so happy.”

“I’m not sure I did that all myself, Mrs. Hart.” Raised eyebrows met Annie’s eyes. “I mean Carol.”

“I know my son, Annie. He can hide his feelings very well when he wants to, but he certainly hasn’t chosen to do that with you.”

“I…I…I really don’t know what to say. He makes me feel the same way. We just haven’t really said it to each other.” Blush pink surfaced on Annie’s cheeks as she looked across the garden. Cam was still talking with Matt; but as if he knew he was being spoken of, he looked over to her at that moment and smiled. Her stomach always seemed to flip-flop in delight whenever he did that.

Carol’s voice stirred Annie back to the conversation. “Don’t be scared of telling him. Men sometimes need a kick in the pants before they admit anything. John was just the same when we were younger.”

“Like father like son then?”

“On many levels, my dear.” Carol sat back in the chair and crossed her legs. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes. Annie noticed Carol’s foot tapping up and down. She sat up in the hammock and swung her feet out over the side.

“Was there something else you wanted to talk about?” Annie was curious and felt Carol wasn’t done with their conversation just yet.

“Cameron also mentioned a little about your family. I’m sorry you’ve had a rough trot in life. Families aren’t normally like that. Not from my experience anyway.”

“I’m sure they’re not,” whispered Annie as her face dropped in thought of what might have been.

Carol uncrossed her leg. She leaned in closer toward Annie and patted her on the knee. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I just wanted you to know, even though that ratbag you’re in love with is my son, you can always come and talk to me about anything. My door will always be open to you, Annie.”

Annie could feel the tears welling up in her eyes and slowly trickle down her cheeks. She had never felt a connection with a mother figure before. She was so overwhelmed by the kindheartedness of Carol that all the emotions were flooding out of her thick and fast.

“Oh, come here, dear,” Carol said as she pulled Annie into a tight hug, which only served to bring on the waterworks at full force.

“Bloody hell, Mum! What did you say to Annie?” a concerned Cam said as he put an arm around Annie.

“Never you mind, young man. We girls are just getting to know each other a little better.” Carol stood up and smiled down at the two lovebirds. “Make sure you take good care of her, Cameron. She deserves nothing less than your whole heart.” She started back to the house when Annie called to her.

“Carol, thank you,” she said with a sniff. Carol didn’t say anything and only winked back, which was all Annie needed to know she had a friend for life.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Nashville?” Cam was still concerned. His voice had lost its usual playfulness and been replaced with a serious tone.