I loved to travel. Talking to strangers was never going to be an issue for me. But my bravado wasn’t without bluff. I did things alone. I was stoic and bold and had always been able to support those who mattered – Blake and Mum were always my top priority, none more so than the last two years – but having someone there for me, in what was sure to be a difficult time, might be nice. Someone voluntarily choosing to be on my side.
“What’s your time frame?” He asked pragmatically, causing my heart to beat a little faster.
“I don’t really have one. How much leave do you have?” My coaxing was less than subtle as the excitement within grew.
“Two years.”
“What?” I exclaimed. “I really want to defend your lack of social life, but you are a work loser.” My facetious tone was evident, our banter comfortable.
“I’m on leave now,” he defended, his lips tilting with a grin making his eyes sparkle a little greener.
“You’ve spent half the day checking work emails,” my reminder elicited a grimace, and I smirked. “But I was thinking about two months. Spend Christmas in Australia and then head home for New Years. We always spent New Years Day as a family, and it’ll be our first one without Mum, so I don’t want Blake to be on his own. Even if he says he doesn’t mind.”
Corbin tapped his finger against the bench, musing internally. “Tell me the places again and I’ll map it out. We could probably do a road trip and cover most of those in two months easily.”
“Wait. Really?” I squealed excitedly. “You’ll come?”
He nodded once, his eyes crinkling into a slight squint as dark lashes brushed closer together. The beginnings of a quiet, comforting grin framing his face. The sheer rush of joy propelled me to my feet before I barrelled into him with barely contained excitement. My arms were locked firmly around his neck as I rocked us side to side, my happiness radiating overtly. When his arms met around my lower back and he pulled me into him I squeezed a little tighter, daring to take a quick breath against his skin before pressing a chaste grateful kiss to his jaw.
Big mistake as hints of freshly washed skin and sandalwood nearly made me groan.
“Corbin Chambers, how are you unbelievably generous, deeply bloody attractive and smell like every woman’s fantasy? If you weren’t my friend, I’d be giving you my phone number.”
I leant back, grinning up at his bewildered face.
“You just say exactly what you’re thinking, don’t you?” He replied wide-eyed.
Dang it. So much for reining in my brain to mouth speed. I’d embarrassed him again.
“Indeed,” I answered with chagrin. “My mum said it was a gift. I’m not so sure.”
He shook his head, a serene smile curling the edges of his mouth. “Tell me the names again so we can make a plan for this road trip.”
“Yes! I’m so excited you’re coming,” I’d reluctantly stepped out of the embrace, but I squeezed his forearm still wanting the physicality. Even through the light material of his shirt, the warmth moved through me calmingly. Physical touch had been my love language for as long as I could remember. I adored a hug, a hand hold, a sneaky linking of arms. I’d unknowingly tap someone before speaking, tenderly rest a hand on an arm when sharing a memory or pat my brother’s cheek affectionately in greeting. When I went too long without touch, I was crabby and that always ended with meseeking it in the wrong people. Something at twenty-nine, I was still navigating.
“Should we put them in order of location then?” I asked, suddenly wanting to see this trip on a map.
“Let me grab a pen and paper – I’m going to go old school.” I could see his mind ticking with ways to organise this into something more solid. Grasp some structure, and so I settled in and observed.
I provided the list of places and watched as he pondered, the pen twirling around his fingers in what I quickly noticed was an act born from habit more than intention.
He created a table of locations, consulting his phone when he needed clarification and within a few hours we had a hand drawn guide and a loose plan - with some special additions thanks to the pack of crayons I was gifted and an accidental coffee stain thanks to my excited spill.
We would go see his parents tomorrow for brunch, he would have his car looked over at the mechanic given the amount of mileage it was about to track, and we would set off the day after.
Corbin and I would travel along the East Coast, scattering pieces of my parents in the same places our mothers had explored decades before. There were no set time frames for each destination and the money from Mum’s insurances and house meant I could be flexible. Corbin telling me it was the holiday he needed was the icing on the cake and made my body feel nimble, stretched and completely relaxed. Ready for what was to come and as much as I could be on my own, knowing I wasn’t going to be doing this alone felt right. Having Corbin by my side felt perfect.
With that bittersweet thought lingering in my mind, I sank into my pillow and slept for the next twelve hours, leaving the jet lag behind before we ventured onto what was set to be an interesting two months.
Shelby
Chapter Two
Evermore Circuit, Australia
My bracelets clattered down my arm piercing the otherwise silent mid-morning air as I traced my finger over the old eucalypt. The strong, slightly medicinal scent thrust me back to an afternoon long ago when Corbin and I tore the leaves apart and attempted to use them as whistles. Dad had carefully selected each of my leaves because mine were never broad or waxy enough and like everything else we did, Corbs was far more successful. His method less ‘do it as quickly as possible’ and more ‘patience equates to efficiency’ or something else entirely put together.
Another gaping difference between – Mr. I Grew up Gorgeous, Successful and Put Together – And me, the lackadaisical, free-spirit with a slight kink for living in the unknown.
