Nobody's Obligation (Swimming Upstream #2) (9 page)

As John handed back the paper, Ava accepted it with trembling hands, still in shock how easy this had been. “So where did you decide to go?” he asked, seemingly genuinely interested.

Finally having something to talk about other than the bland colour of her walls or her work, Ava basked in the feeling, and before she knew it, she was blabbering all about it. “I fly to Los Angeles on the sixteenth and then directly on to New York City. I’m there for ten days.”

“Sounds perfect,” John agreed happily, watching as Ava came alive. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do while you’re there?”

“Everything. Anything. I haven’t planned or booked anything in each place but I have a wish list for each, so I’m just going to try and tick everything off. Depending on what I feel like doing each day is what I’ll do. The weather is supposed to be nice there this time of year so I’m sure it will be amazing,” Ava gushed as her mind flittered back to the pictures she’d Googled last night of Central Park all dressed up in its array of autumn colours.

“I’m sure you’ll love it,” John agreed, unable to conceal his relief in the change in Ava literally overnight.

“I hope so,” Ava agreed with a wide unadulterated smile that for the first time in weeks reached her eyes.

Chapter 17

Tyler

“Fuck, I hate travelling,” Tyler grumbled as he tossed t-shirts and underwear into his duffel bag on the bed.

He had to get to the airport early the next morning and it had disrupted everything. For the past two weeks he’d placed numerous calls to Jonathan, trying to convince him to get him out of this, but in the end Jonathan had just ended up diverting his calls to voicemail. Now Tyler was standing in his bedroom, glancing around at the bombsite that had become his overly busy life, searching for his passport. He knew it was here somewhere but that wasn’t helping right now. After his last trip to Barcelona he vaguely recalled putting it in a safe place, but right now he had no idea where that safe place was.

“This is bullshit,” he swore as he kicked a damp towel across the floor towards the door.

“Tyler Samuel Andrews, watch your mouth,” a honey-filled voice echoed down the hall.

“Damn!” Tyler snarled, shaking his head and running his hand across his stubbled chin. He needed another shave but couldn’t be bothered. “Hi, Mum,” he called out, faking his enthusiasm.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“I can’t find my passport.” He pouted like a five-year-old, his hands unconsciously finding his hips.

Glancing around the room, Tyler’s mother, Marie, shook her head in defeat. “Well, maybe if you cleaned up once in a while that might help. Huh?”

“Suppose,” Tyler acquiesced innocently, while his mind blasted him for giving her the spare key.

Without a word, Marie marched over to his bed, upended the half-packed bag, and began folding and repacking neatly for him. “So what are your plans while you’re away?” she enquired.

“You know, the normal crap they make me do. Go to the pool. Talk to the swimmers and pretend we’re best friends. Hang out. Get photographed. Take Dannica out…”

“You’re what?”

“Taking Dannica out.”

“Tyler, you know that’s not a good idea. She’s a nice girl and she’s smart and beautiful, but you and I both know that you don’t think of her like that, so why would you do such a thing?” Marie asked, sitting on the end of the bed, waiting for a response.

Sighing heavily to himself, Tyler knew better than to lie to his mother. Somehow she always knew. “It’s part of the deal. I have to take her out and make sure we’re photographed. Apparently that’s important to the Americans.” Even as the words fell from Tyler’s lips, he felt repulsed.

“Tyler…” Marie shrugged sadly. “You don’t have to do this.”

“It’s okay, Mum. It’s just dinner. Right?” he asked, almost pleading for reassurance.

Not knowing what to do or say, Marie rose from the bed and put her hands on her son’s shoulders. “You know you don’t have to do this. Your father and I are so proud of you for who you are, not what you’ve done, and if you don’t want to do this, then don’t. Nothing is worth seeing you beat yourself up. Least of all some misguided sense of responsibility.”

Wrapping his long arms around his mother’s shoulders, Tyler pulled her into his embrace. “Thanks, Mum. I’ll be fine. Besides, I get to hang out with Mitchell and Ben anyway, and it’s just one dinner with Dannica. I’m sure she’s just as excited about it as I am. But I know where I stand. And once I’m done with the crap, I’m going to take a couple of days and relax,” Tyler reassured her with a wicked grin.

“You and your childish obsession with Mickey Mouse.” Marie laughed and Tyler quickly joined in. The moment quickly passed and Marie stepped out of Tyler’s reach. “So, need a hand packing?”

“And cleaning?” Tyler asked hopefully, quickly using his puppy dog eyes.

“Yes. And cleaning,” Marie agreed, swatting Tyler on the bum as he sauntered across the room and began tossing mismatched socks on the bed.

Tyler said nothing as he watched his mother unrolling socks and matching them correctly before stacking them neatly in the side pocket of his bag. “Hey, Mum,” he called out, waiting till Marie looked up and caught his eye. “Thanks. Love you,” he said quietly with embarrassment.

“I love you too,” Marie replied, not missing a beat.

Chapter 18

Ava

Ava stacked her suitcase and backpack by the front door, double-checking her passport was tucked safely in the front pocket. For the past week Ava’s nerves had started affecting everything she did. One minute she’d be sitting quietly reading or scribbling in a notebook then the next breath she was running down the hallway and pulling things from the cupboard until she found what she was after. She’d spent hours poring through guide books and Googling information until she’d constructed a long list of what to pack and what she needed to do before she left.

With a long, loud sigh, Ava flicked the lounge room light off and made her way towards the bathroom. Despite the fact it was still early, barely past seven, Ava decided it was time for bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day and she wanted to be fresh and excited when her feet hit the pavement in New York City.

Once she’d conceded and booked her holiday, Ava had thrown herself into research mode. She had an overwhelming compulsion to know everything. She had to know the best places to eat, what was absolute must see and do, and what traps to avoid. Although Ava already had a list of places she wanted to visit, her research had added a few unexpected places. Ten minutes later Ava slipped between the clean sheets, set her alarm, and fell into a dreamless slumber.

Two a.m. and the alarm rocketed Ava from the depths of her sleep and rudely shocked her back into the world of the living. Slamming her phone with her fist harder than she’d intended, Ava threw her legs over the side of the bed and staggered to the bathroom. After splashing cold water on her face and brushing her teeth, Ava was starting to feel almost human again. Almost. Fifteen minutes later she locked the door behind her, trudged down the stairs, and waited for her taxi to take her to the bus station.

Standing on the street under the dull street light sent goose bumps through Ava’s body. When the taxi turned towards her, anticipation flooded Ava’s body. All thoughts of fatigue vanished as she watched the driver load her bags into the boot before waving her towards the back seat. Moments later she was officially on her way to New York. Never mind that it was still a long way away and she had quite the journey before she was standing atop of the Empire State Building, but nevertheless, Ava was on her way.

After a ten-minute traffic delay, she managed to make it to the bus station as last calls were made. Slightly flustered, Ava tossed money at the driver before jumping out, grabbing her bags, and darting towards the bus. After checking her name off the list, Ava slumped into her seat and exhaled.

Ava was a planner. And for the three-hour trip down the highway in the middle of the night, she’d planned on going back to sleep. But that wasn’t to be. A couple of seats behind her a young woman nursed a small child while he whimpered and coughed through an obvious cold. Without thought, Ava pulled her jumper to her mouth and breathed through it. There was no way she was getting sick. Not on her first ever real holiday. About halfway through the journey the child fell to sleep and the bus was silent. That was until the teenage guy in the backseat started to come to life. He had his iPod in his ears and as the kilometres passed his singing grew louder and more off key.

“That one’s had too many of those energy drinks,” an old lady said to Ava before turning her attention back to her knitting.

“Yeah, I think you might be right,” Ava agreed, shaking her head knowingly. Singing along badly to her iPod was something Ava had been caught doing more than once, so she knew how easily it was to forget where you were and just go with it. Dismissing the distraction, Ava turned to the pile of trashy magazines she’d brought and tried to focus.

Ava flicked the pages, not really paying attention to anything in particular until her eyes caught the image. It was a body she couldn’t tear her eyes from and a face she would never forget. It haunted her dreams and filled her favourite fantasies. Tyler Andrews had a two-page spread in the national weekly gossip magazine. Without a thought in her head, Ava slammed it shut and scrunched it down in her backpack, determined not to read it. It was probably all bullshit anyway. They always were. How many times had she read that the biggest Hollywood star had been admitted to rehab and then the next night magically appeared on a red carpet? No, Ava wouldn’t read those lies. Crossing her arms across her chest, Ava stared out the window and watched the world go by. Along this particular stretch of road there wasn’t much to see except the occasional dead wildlife littering the shoulder.

Somewhere along the monotonous trip, Ava had fallen into a light sleep. A power nap was probably how she should describe it, but either way it didn’t matter, she awoke feeling refreshed, energised, and pulling into the drop-off bay at the International airport. It was close to six and Ava’s flight didn’t leave till twenty past eight, so she had plenty of time. But Ava was beyond nervous now. Spotting the customs officers walking around, their sniffer dogs sitting obediently at their partner’s feet, and the armed police sauntering past talking in hushed tones, suddenly everything was real. Ava slumped into the nearest seat and sucked in deep breaths, desperate to avoid the oncoming panic attack. The last thing she wanted to do was draw attention to herself, and collapsing on the floor would definitely not help her remain invisible.

Minutes passed and no one approached her. Ava’s heartbeat settled and she regained control of herself, scooping up her belongings and heading for the check-in counter. Waiting in line, Ava couldn’t help but check her itinerary and her passport repeatedly. By the time she reached the counter, her heartbeat was once again pounding faster than a freight train.

“Good Morning, Ms.…Jacobs,” a cute, button-nosed lady asked, accepting the pile of paperwork from Ava.

“H-Hi,” Ava stuttered, embarrassed by her own nerves.

“Travelling alone today?”

“Yes,” Ava admitted, swallowing the lump in her throat.

“Where is your final destination?”

“New York City.”

“Can you place your bag on the scales?”

Silently Ava lifted her suitcase onto the scales and watched as the number climbed quickly. Ava had lost count of how many times she’d weighed her bag at home on her bathroom scales and she was now praying that they weren’t as out of whack as her mind was allowing her to believe.

“Did you pack this bag yourself?” the attendant asked, snapping Ava out of her daydream.

“Yes.”

“Are you carrying any of these banned items today?” she enquired, pointing to the laminated card buried under Ava’s paperwork. Silently, Ava shook her head.

“Okay, today your flight is leaving from gate thirty-seven at eight-twenty. Boarding will commence at seven-thirty and you’re in row sixty-six, seat K,” she explained, pointing out the information on the boarding pass she was handing over, taking the time to circle the boarding time and seat allocation information.

“Thank you,” Ava conceded gratefully.

“Doors through to immigration are right down there and to your left. Have a safe flight, Ms. Jacobs,” she added as Ava scooped up all her things and made her way through to immigration as directed.

Knowing she had time, Ava strolled past the duty-free shops, longing to be able to afford their merchandise. Even duty free they were well out of her price range. These days everything was out of her price range. Ever since Ava had put the deposit on her trip, she’d scrimped and saved every cent, putting it towards her trip. She’d given up buying lunch each day, instead packing crackers and vegemite. She’d even got up in the middle of the night and taken a bus for three hours with a snot-filled child because it cost her significantly less than flying up or leaving the day before and paying for accommodation overnight. No, she wasn’t going to waste her money on shopping at the airport before she’d even left the country. Ava’s money was destined to help the American economy, and once she had her feet planted on American soil, she wasn’t denying herself another thing.

Nervously Ava approached immigration and completed the paperwork. Five minutes later she was on the other side with no questions or complications. And the other side of immigration was where all the good stuff was. It was more like a high-end shopping centre than an airport. People scattered about reading the morning’s paper and sipping coffee in one of the cafes. Wanting to make sure she didn’t miss her flight, Ava started towards her gate. She’d come back for coffee once she knew where she needed to be. Ten minutes later Ava was standing at her gate staring out at the enormous Airbus A380.

“Holy shit!” she exclaimed, immediately clamping her hand over her mouth as the words tumbled out.

Behind her she heard someone let out a deep chuckle, but by the time she spun around, whoever it was had vanished into the mass of people. With her nerves finally calming, Ava relaxed, her shoulders dropping. Hoisting her backpack onto her shoulder, Ava set out to find some breakfast. She’d only ever heard bad things about airline food, so she wasn’t going to risk going hungry.

Reluctant to let the plane out of her sight, Ava dashed into the nearest cafe and grabbed coffee and a muffin before returning to the gate and sliding against the wall, stretching her legs out in front of her. Ava watched as people began congregating. People-watching was something Ava loved and something she was good at. She’d make up stories in her head about who they were and why they were there. Sometimes these invented characters would make their way into her writing, other times they just amused her. She watched as a man who obviously thought he was impeccably important manoeuvred his wheeled carry-on case into a chair before pulling out his laptop and typing furiously. Ava instantly decided he was simply addicted to Twitter and not important at all.

Distracted by her surroundings, Ava didn’t see the man slide to the floor beside her. He was attractive in a nerdy kinda way. He had perfectly cut blond hair and uninspiring pale blue eyes. He was tall and lean, wearing the latest fashion jeans and a light blue woollen jumper. Ava could see the checked button down shirt sticking out the bottom. Ava allowed a soft giggle before turning her attention back to her breakfast.

“Morning,” he sang cheerily, turning his focus to Ava as he pulled earphones from his pocket and pretended to untangle them.

“Morning,” Ava spluttered between coughs. She hadn’t been expecting him to speak to her but as he did, the small piece of muffin she’d broken off went down the wrong way, causing her to cough and splutter in an unladylike fashion.

“You okay?” he asked genuinely, reaching out to pat her back before pulling his hand away at the last moment.

With her eyes bulging, Ava managed to nod as she pressed her hand against her chest, trying to force herself to breathe. A moment later the choking fit passed and Ava had taken a long swig of her now tepid coffee before trying once again to be civil. “Sorry about that. I’m Ava,” she declared, holding her hand out.

When his long fingers wrapped around hers, Ava was saddened that she felt nothing. No sparks, no butterflies, no nerves. Instead she held his perfectly soft, callous-less, cold hand. “James.” He smiled back. “What seat are you in?”

“Row sixty-six,” Ava admitted. There was no point lying. He was boarding the same flight. If he really wanted to find her he had fifteen hours to look.

“Bugger. I’m in forty-two.”

“That’s not too bad,” Ava suggested.

“You sure? I got a middle seat! And not a middle seat on the side. I got a middle seat in the middle of the plane!” James pouted.

“Well, how ‘bout I feel sorry for you all the way from my window seat?” Ava offered.

“You suck.” James grinned as the overhead speaker crackled to life and announced that it was time for them to board.

“You get that,” Ava taunted, springing to her feet and heading towards the line that was already forming to take their seats.

“You’re fun, Ava. I might come find you later,” James suggested, falling into line behind her.

Suddenly nervous, Ava tucked a stray hair behind her ear and stepped forward, accidentally walking into a wall of bags. Without hesitation James reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her backwards. Already slightly off balance, Ava fell into his chest. As an embarrassed blush consumed her, Ava felt what James was hiding under his shirt. Ribs and not much else. There were no muscles there. Without warning the image of Tyler flashed to her mind and she wanted to curse his name. He’d ruined her for other men and what was worse, he had no idea.

“You right there?”

“Yeah. I’m just a klutz.” Ava shrugged, slipping her hands into her pockets.

Moments later she handed over her boarding pass and watched as the green light blinked before she walked down the hallway towards the plane and her new adventure.

“Wait up!” James called behind her.

“Sorry,” Ava apologised. The moment she’d handed over the pass, she’d completely forgotten he even existed.

Joining the other passengers, they shuffled silently onto the plane. “This is me.”

Ava couldn’t stifle the giggle. “Have fun!”

“Bitch!” James laughed as he tossed his backpack in the overhead locker above her head and slipped between the seats. “See you soon, Ava.” He winked, leaving Ava stunned as she shuffled back to her seat. Moments later Ava was in heaven and couldn’t mask her happiness. The airhost showed her to her seat, stowed her bag, and explained that Ava was lucky that she had the exit row. Sure, this meant she had added responsibilities, but it also meant that she had extra leg room. And if a few added chores were the cost of the extra room, Ava was more than willing to help out. This trip was already proving to be a dream come true.