Christmas at Remarkable Bay Read online

  Abbie nodded. ‘Starving.’

  ‘Have a seat. It’s almost ready.’ Abbie pulled out a chair at the kitchen bench and Mara poured her a glass of orange juice. She flipped the French toast onto a plate and placed it before Abbie, who stared at it hungrily.

  ‘Wow.’

  ‘It was my favourite when I was your age. Here, sprinkle some sugar on the top. That makes it.’

  Mara waited while Abbie wolfed down breakfast. She then made a couple of pieces for herself.

  ‘Ms Blumberg. I don’t know what to say. About coming to get me, I mean. And your friend who came? George? I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t.’

  Don’t push. Take this slow, Mara thought. Whatever you do, don’t scare her away. ‘When you want to talk about what’s been going on, where you’ve been and who the hell Jared is, I’m all ears.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Abbie sniffed but gave away nothing more. ‘Is my stuff dry yet?’

  ‘Your clothes, you mean?’

  ‘Yeah. I need to pack my things and get out of your hair.’

  Mara felt panic skitter up her spine and lodge in her throat, tightening it. ‘Abbie, you don’t have to go anywhere. I’m here until the end of the week and I’ve got this place all to myself, so why don’t you hang out, go for a swim, soak up the sun and just see what happens?’

  ‘You mean I can stay? You’re not kicking me out?’

  ‘Of course I’m not kicking you out.’

  Abbie started to sob, and Mara slipped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in close. ‘C’mon, Abbie. It’s all going to be okay.’

  She had to believe that.

  * * *

  Mara was reluctant to leave Abbie on her own, but the fridge needed replenishing, so after they’d tidied up after breakfast—Mara on washing duties and Abbie on drying—Mara drove to the general store in Remarkable Bay and bought some essentials. She made sure to add some items to her basket for Abbie: shampoo and conditioner, a comb and a hairbrush, a tube of lip balm and mascara. She popped in some new underwear and a couple of T-shirts as well, and found a floral toiletries bag and bought that too. Abbie didn’t particularly strike her as a floral kind of young woman, but needs must.

  When she pulled up to the driveway of her holiday rental, she stilled.

  George’s car was parked on the front lawn.

  Anger rose up in her throat and that old familiar urge to punch something tingled her fingers. How could he? Just when she’d thought she could trust him? How could he do this to Abbie when he’d promised Mara he would wait? Mara chided herself. How could she have been so stupid to think that George would be different to every other police officer she’d dealt with? He’d barely given Abbie twelve hours to get over her ordeal and he was already here, no doubt probing her with questions that would drive her away. Mara yanked her keys from the ignition, opened the back door, whisked out the shopping bags and stomped to the front door.

  So what if he’d set her on fire with that kiss last night? Everything was overwrought and the fireworks were beautiful and they’d got carried away.

  She couldn’t think about that kiss—or want it again.

  She pushed open the front door, words of anger and reproach on her tongue, and stopped when she heard laughter.

  It was Abbie. A joyous, girlish laughter that melted Mara’s heart. To think she was still capable of being happy was a miracle.

  She put her shopping bags on the floor of the living room and was gobsmacked by what she saw. George was sitting on one sofa looking across at Abbie, who was cuddling the scruffiest little dog Mara had ever seen.

  ‘Oh, hey, Ms Blumberg. Isn’t Fluffy just the cutest?’

  Mara couldn’t find any words. She had half expected George to have Abbie in a chair, with a light above her head, interrogating her. She looked at Abbie and the dog and then at George.

  ‘Wait a minute.’ She gathered her thoughts. ‘This is the savage dog who almost bit your finger off?’

  George chuckled. ‘She seems to love everyone else except me.’

  ‘Maybe she just likes women,’ Abbie said, burying her nose into Fluffy’s neck.

  George stood up and came over to Mara. He bent down to pick up the shopping and gave her a knowing look. ‘Need a hand unpacking this lot?’

  ‘Yeah, thanks,’ Mara said and followed George to the kitchen.

  When they were out of earshot, Mara leaned in. ‘You haven’t asked her any questions, have you?’

  ‘Hell no,’ he answered. ‘I promised you yesterday I’d come by so here I am. I didn’t know if she was too old to be interested in the dog, so I took a punt. I’ve only got experience with boys under ten.’

  Had things just got even more complicated? ‘Do you have kids?’

  ‘Nephews,’ he replied.

  ‘Right,’ Mara said. ‘You made a good call with the dog. Fluffy?’

  ‘Stupidest damn name I’ve ever heard,’ George said gruffly but his smile gave him away. They settled into a companionable silence as they unpacked the shopping.

  ‘Tim Tams?’ George looked at Mara with a raised eyebrow, holding a pack in his hand. There was something about that look that made her feel the way she had when he’d kissed her. Tingling all over. Changed.

  ‘They’re for Abbie,’ Mara said.

  ‘Bullshit they are,’ George said and when Mara moved closer to grab them from him, she stepped on his toe and tripped into his chest. He’d raised his arms to keep the biscuits from out of her reach and she looked into his eyes.

  ‘Sorry,’ she said.

  ‘I’ll survive.’

  Mara moved to the doorway and snuck a look over at Abbie and Fluffy. Abbie had turned on the TV and Fluffy was asleep in her lap. ‘She really loves that dog.’

  George looked over. ‘Fluffy must be missing Karen. She’s never let me get that close to her.’

  Mara searched his eyes. ‘Have you ever tried to get close to her?’

  He held up a thumb. ‘I did, remember?’

  They laughed and before she realised what she was doing, Mara wrapped her fingers around George’s thumb and pulled it to her lips. When she kissed the soft pad there, his chest rose and fell, tightening his light grey T-shirt against his chest.

  ‘Listen, Mara,’ he said, his voice a low growl. ‘About last night.’

  ‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘I—’

  ‘Ms Blumberg?’

  Mara and George took a step back from each other.

  ‘What is it, Abbie?’ Mara called out to the next room.

  ‘Do you have anything I can give to Fluffy? She looks really hungry.’

  ‘What about some ham? I just bought some.’

  * * *

  It was George’s idea to take Abbie and Fluffy for a walk on the beach. George was a smart man, Mara thought, because as soon as they’d crossed the road and walked down the wooden steps, Fluffy set off, running as fast as her little legs would carry her, and Abbie gave chase.

  ‘Can we talk about Abbie?’ George asked, turning his head away from the wind.

  ‘Yes, of course.’

  George had slowed his steps to match Mara’s saunter. Remarkably, she’d learned to slow down since she’d been at Remarkable Bay.

  ‘When she’s settled in, I’d like to tell her who I am. Talk to her.’

  ‘I know that’s your job, but I’m scared, George. The last time I mentioned the police she ran. And she doesn’t know you’re a cop. As soon as you come at her with your questions and your notebook, she’ll run again.’

  George thought on what she’d said. ‘It wouldn’t be me questioning her, Mara. We have skilled officers who do that, who investigate crimes like this all the time.’

  ‘What a job,’ Mara said. ‘Dealing with that kind of stuff every day.’ Mara had never thought about it before, the police officers’ side of things. George’s partner had just come out of rehab. What did the job do to people?

  ‘They’re trained. They know how to approach ki
ds like Abbie.’

  ‘That would be great.’

  ‘How was she this morning?’ George looked up the beach where Abbie was throwing something for Fluffy to chase.

  ‘Starving.’ Mara took a deep breath. ‘Can you believe she was planning to pack up and leave? She thought I was about to kick her out. Can you imagine that, not trusting anyone to look out for you?’

  A seagull flew close overhead, perhaps hoping for something to eat. It hovered and then flew off.

  ‘You’re really taking this to heart, aren’t you?’

  ‘Of course I am. She’s—she was—my student.’

  ‘I’ve been thinking about you and why you care so much. I know you’re a teacher and you have legal obligations and a duty of care and all that. But there’s something else, isn’t there?’

  She didn’t answer.

  George nudged her arm with his elbow. ‘This feels personal to you, Mara.’

  ‘Are you interrogating me?’

  He stopped. ‘I’m trying to get to know you.’

  Mara looked out to the ocean. She wanted to get to know him, too, and she wasn’t going to start anything with lies about who she was and what had made her the person she was today. ‘I was in trouble when I was a kid. I know some of what she’s going through.’

  She felt George’s hand grip hard on her arm and he spun her towards him. ‘Fuck, Mara. You too?’

  ‘God, no. Sorry. Not the abuse. No, no, not that. When I was about her age, I got into some trouble. It was … shoplifting. Property damage. I was stupid. Young. I thought it would make me look cool in the eyes of the kids I was hanging around with. The police got involved.’

  It should have felt like a lifetime ago but the shame still burned her. How could she have been so stupid, thinking those people were her friends?

  ‘What happened?’ George asked.

  ‘I was lucky, I suppose. I got off with a warning, but not before this one police officer made me feel like a piece of dirt. He didn’t care what was going on at home, why I was acting out. I was just another case to him. Another stupid kid.’

  He slowly let go of her. ‘Is that why you don’t trust people like me?’

  ‘I shouldn’t have said that. You … you’re different. You’re not like any cop I’ve ever met.’

  Something in his jaw clenched and he looked away from her. Mara heard Abbie’s laughter carry on the wind and when she looked up the beach, she saw Abbie and Fluffy running towards them. Abbie’s face was red with exertion and she was beaming. Fluffy was bouncing up and down on the spot like a puppy.

  Mara was instantly reminded who her priority should be.

  ‘Oh, wow, George. Fluffy is the absolute best.’ Abbie bent down and scooped the dog up for a hug.

  ‘Glad she’s made a friend.’

  Abbie stepped closer to him and he straightened. She thrust Fluffy towards him. ‘All you’ve got to do is show her you like her. It’s easy. Go on, pat her.’

  Mara watched this exchange. The cop and the runaway with the grumpy dog between them. He frowned and reached a hand to scratch Fluffy’s back. She lifted her head up to the sky and closed her eyes, pleasure all over her scruffy little face.

  ‘See?’ Abbie exclaimed. ‘She really does like you after all.’

  ‘I don’t know about you two,’ Mara announced. ‘But I really need a cup of coffee. And maybe one of those Tim Tams.’

  Abbie shook her head. ‘I don’t like Tim Tams.’

  ‘What?’ Mara called out in mock outrage. She slipped an arm through Abbie’s. ‘How can you not like Tim Tams? I thought I’d educated you right, young lady. C’mon. I’m going to teach you the ins and outs of a Tim Tam slam.’

  Chapter Eleven

  George followed Mara and Abbie up the beach, watching the sway of Mara’s hips and the way she swung her free arm playfully, unselfconsciously. The two of them—the woman and the girl—were in lockstep, almost the same height, Mara’s blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and swinging side to side as she walked.

  A girl who’d been abused by the very people she should have been able to trust and a woman who’d been in trouble herself as a kid. A woman who had beaten herself up because she thought she’d failed that young girl.

  In his eyes, she’d done exactly the opposite. Mara had been there for Abbie just when she needed her. He understood now why Mara was so invested in what happened to Abbie. He understood what it was to be driven to right a terrible wrong. To find redemption. That’s what had kept him going after Karen had been hurt, the idea that he had to make it up to her for letting her get shot.

  He hadn’t been able to stop Karen’s descent into hell. He could never make it up to her. No matter how many times he looked after her dog. No matter how many late night trips he’d made to her place to clean her up and get her into bed. No matter how much he did for her.

  And now two other people needed him.

  And that’s what was churning George up inside. The knowledge that they both needed him to be something he couldn’t be. A hero. He wasn’t that guy. He couldn’t be that guy to anyone anymore, and the sooner they knew that, the better off they would all be.

  He reached the road, checked for holiday traffic and crossed.

  ‘George?’ Mara was standing on the front lawn of her rental, waiting for him. She had one hand on her cocked hip and the other was held to her face, shielding it from the sun. As he came closer, he could see the confused expression on her face. She’d probably seen the same look on his.

  ‘Yep?’

  ‘Abbie and I have decided to take a walk down to Ocean Street and grab something from the bakery. I simply can’t convince her on the Tim Tam thing. Feel like tagging along?’

  He needed to be alone. When he felt like this, it was best that he didn’t inflict himself on other people. He glanced along the road. ‘I’ll pass. I’ve got some stuff I need to do.’

  ‘Oh. Okay.’

  ‘I’ll grab the dog and head off.’

  Mara stepped forward. She looked up into his eyes and her full lips fell open slightly with a breath. ‘You okay?’

  He didn’t want to feel it, that buzz of attraction and lust that reared up in his chest again. And he didn’t want to see it in her eyes either, but it was there. He met her gaze, and when he didn’t see confusion anymore but understanding, he was even more unsettled. No one knew how hard Karen’s injury had been on him. No one. Not his sister or anyone in his family. No one in the police force. He hadn’t confessed anything to the counsellor he’d been forced to see. He’d hidden it from everybody. Karen was still blissfully ignorant of the nightmares and the guilt. She had enough to go on with without knowing about all his shit.

  What had he inadvertently revealed about himself? What had Mara seen?

  ‘I’m fine.’ He tried to smile but if it looked as fake as it felt, he was in trouble.

  She didn’t say a word but held his gaze. His heart started to pound. Something was wrong with this situation. He usually had no trouble convincing the people around him that he was fine. Good. Great, even. Even when his gut was churning and sweat was greasing his brow and his jaw ached from clenching his teeth and he’d lost all confidence about whether he would ever be useful as a cop again, he could somehow get people to believe the charade. He should have been up for a fucking Oscar the way he managed to be something he wasn’t.

  ‘I’m going to need your help with her,’ Mara said with quiet determination.

  George looked past Mara. Abbie was standing in the middle of the front lawn holding the hose out in front. Water was trickling out the end of it and Fluffy was lapping it up as if she was drinking from a fountain. Abbie was laughing and Fluffy was yapping joyously and turning in circles on the grass.

  ‘I know.’

  Mara spoke quietly. ‘So … what do you think I should do? How should I approach things with Abbie? Should I tell her you’re a police officer?’

  ‘Not yet. Give it some time.’

 
‘I don’t have much time left. It’s New Year’s Day. I’ll be leaving at the end of the week.’

  So was he. He was going back to his real life once Karen was home.

  ‘I need to make it up to them, Georgie Boy, for all the shit I’ve put them through,’ Karen had told him when he’d called her a week before she was released. ‘I want to be in a place with a Christmas tree and lights and roast turkey and trifle and presents.’ He’d promised to stay until she came home, until she was sorted. He needed to see for himself that she was okay.

  Karen had needed him. Mara needed him now, too.

  ‘George? I need to have a plan in place before I go back to Adelaide.’

  ‘Sure. I understand. Let me make a few calls.’

  She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. They both turned to watch the happy antics on the lawn for a moment before George stepped forward and called out to Abbie, ‘Thanks for playing with her, Abbie.’

  Abbie ran to the tap and turned it off.

  ‘Would it be okay if I kept her for the afternoon?’

  ‘I don’t think—’

  Abbie scooped up the sopping wet dog in her arms and cuddled her. ‘Please? I promise I’ll look after her.’

  He turned to Mara, searching for an answer in her face. He could read her, perhaps just as well as she’d read him a few moments ago. Mara was thinking that letting Fluffy stay here for the afternoon would keep Abbie happy, distract her from thinking about what she would have to do or from running again. The more comfortable she was, the more settled, Abbie might just open up and talk to them.

  Mara gave him the slightest of nods. ‘It’s okay with me if it’s alright with George.’

  ‘Is it? She loves me already, can’t you tell?’ Abbie leaned her head into the dog’s face and Fluffy licked her nose, as if to prove the point.

  He sighed. ‘Sure. I’ll swing by later this afternoon to pick up the mutt.’

  ‘George!’ Abbie exclaimed. ‘Her name’s Fluffy, not “the mutt”. No wonder she bit you.’

  That made Mara laugh and the sound of it teased him. He didn’t want there to be a distance between him and Mara but he could hardly blame her for that. He’d put it there, hadn’t he?