Thirty-Eight Days (37 page)

“No, she doesn’t know. I love Annie, but I think it’s best if she didn’t know about this for now. Stevie hasn’t told you everything, though. Since you know most of it, I’ll tell you the rest." Jarred closed his eyes, clenched his fists, and breathed in a few times before continuing.

"When I picked up Stevie from the airport, I had never seen her so wrecked in my life. She fell in love and hard, but it was all a one-night stand. I found her crying in her room about five weeks after she came home. She was hysterical, and that’s when she showed me her pregnancy test… it was
positive.
” Jarred looked down at his clenched fists as Clara gave him his coffee, shock overtaking her body.

That’s why she asked if we used protection last night.

“Positive?” Clara breathed out and looked over to the couch.

“Yeah, she took about three different ones and they all came back positive. Stevie cried for ages at the thought of being pregnant. She didn’t even know the father’s last name, where he lived, or anything. She cried herself to sleep every night until I ended up taking her to the doctors to get a blood test. The test came back a few days later and it was negative. I’ve never been more relieved in my life for her. I told Stevie I’d keep her secret and that she should take a gap year. She ended up living in England for a year and went to uni a year later than I did; that’s how she started the same time as you. But she’s getting better. I guess she told you because she doesn’t want the same thing to happen to you, too,” Jarred said, nursing his mug.

“She thinks I’m a strong person. My problems are nothing compared to what she’s gone through. Darren cheated on me, but Stevie went through all that and the thought of being pregnant. She’s the strong one,” Clara replied softly as she closed her eyes and tried to hold back the tears. Learning about Stevie’s past was hard for her.

“You both are. I think that’s why Stevie likes you; she saw herself in you and wanted to protect you.” Jarred looked up and smiled at her. The way his lips always curved upwards warmed her. Genuine and honest.

“I better get her back home and let her sleep off the hangover she’ll probably have. This is good for her, Clara. Don’t beat yourself up about it. She needs to talk about it to someone other than me. I’ve held her secret for so long that I’m glad I can talk to someone about it, and I’m glad it’s
you. I’ll keep you posted,” Jarred said as he got off the bar stool and walked over to Stevie. Jarred helped Stevie up and kept her standing upright. Stevie’s blonde hair was for once off perfection.

“Do you want me to help you take her to your car?” Clara walked over to the both of them. Stevie’s eyes still closed as Jarred held her.

“I took a taxi. I knew Stevie would have driven here, so I didn’t bring my car. Stop your worrying, Clara. I’ve seriously had worse situations when it comes to Stevie. This is a walk in the park compared to where I’ve had to help her. She had some really dark days, and this was just her relapsing. She’ll be fine,” Jarred said as he pulled out Stevie’s car keys from her pocket. He walked them both to the front door as Clara held it open. They didn’t speak as they took the elevator to the lobby and then walked to Stevie’s BMW. Clara crossed her arms and watched as Jarred helped Stevie into the passenger’s seat of the car.

“For the past two years, I worried about Stevie. She trusts you with her biggest secret. I know she did this because she cares about you, Clara. She doesn’t want what she went through to be what happens to you. Promise me you’ll take on what she has probably asked of you. I care about you, too, and I don’t want to see you hurt. Just know I’m always here for you as well. I’m only a phone call away.” He smiled as he squeezed Clara’s shoulder and went round to the driver’s seat of the car.

Stevie’s BMW pulled away from her and drove out of the car park and onto the road. Sorrow entered Clara’s chest. The strongest person she knew had one of the saddest stories she had ever heard. It broke her heart to see Stevie so sad. As Clara wiped her tears away, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out to see a new message.

Noel: Bring the essentials. I’m taking you to Chelsea after the race.

Clara: You mean my bikini? I haven’t been to Chelsea Beach in forever.

Noel: Is it a lot to ask if you wear the red one?

Clara: Yes.

Noel: Thought I’d give it a try. I’ll see you at the finish line.

Clara stood at the banks of the Yarra River, only a few hundred metres from the row club that also acted as the finishing line for the race. Clara looked out to see the red boat that Noel and Rob were in, only a metre in front of a blue rowing boat. Both boats took on each other for the last five hundred metres. Noel and Rob’s boat inch further and further away from the blue boat. Noel rowed in time with Rob, their faces pained as they eventually crossed the orange buoy finish line.

She cheered as they stopped their rowboat over the finish and close to the orange official boat. Noel and Rob shook hands with the official dressed in orange and white before Rob threw his arms in the air and shouted in victory.

As the red boat rowed closer to the riverbank, the crowd behind her started to move forward. Clara felt herself being pushed farther and farther away from the bank. The cheers from people in front of her grew louder and she felt completely invisible, she knew she didn’t belong in the “rowing” world, but it didn’t matter, she was supporting Noel.

Letting Noel and Rob celebrate their win with the crowd, Clara held her beach bag tighter to her body and walked over to the picnic tables a distance away from the row club. Dropping her bag on a table, she sat down. Clara pulled out her phone to find a new message from Jarred.

Jarred: Stevie’s okay. She woke up not too long ago. She apologises for what happened.

Clara: Tell her an apology is not necessary. I just want her to be okay. You take good care of her!

Jarred: Have been. Always will be!

“There you are! What are you doing here?”

Clara looked up from her phone to see Noel standing in front of her, a frown on his face. His hair wet with sweat, his rowing tank tight around his body, and a towel wrapped around his neck. She uncontrollably smiled at the sight of him.

“I thought I’d see you at the finish line?”

“I was pushed out of the congratulatory committee,” Clara said as she locked her phone and placed it in her bag.

“They’re just happy that Rob finally won instead of Petenski. Is something the matter?” Noel asked, his frown deepening as he crouched in front of her. Clara took the towel from around his neck and gently ran it through his hair. She could feel his concerned eyes on her, but she continued to dry his hair and forehead of sweat.

“Clara, if something’s wrong, please tell me.” She looked down, their eyes meeting and Clara smiled at his concern.

“Nothing’s wrong, Noel. Congratulations on your win.” Clara beamed before she placed her lips on his. Sweet and gentle, but enough passion to drive her insides to melt. The warm air hit Clara’s skin and the Noel’s hands tangled in her hair. She would only ever need him to make her feel better. The moment his tongue met hers, all air instantly left her as their tongues danced. She pulled him closer, needing more as her heart pounded hard against her chest.

“Clara,” he mumbled before he pulled her face away from his. Looking into his emerald-green eyes, she knew that he’d be the one she’d fight for. “Baby, we’re never going to make it to the beach if we keep this up.”

Clara bit her bottom lip to stifle her laugh. She didn’t mind missing the beach if she got to kiss him endlessly. “Okay, fine.” She faked the defeated tone in her voice.

"Clara,” he said, softly calling for her attention.

Noel breathed out as he slowly dragged his thumb across her skin, sending shivers down her spine. “Every minute of every day that I’ve spent with you, you completely changed me. I see, feel, and even breathe differently now that I'm with you. I don’t deserve you, but I promise, I’ll do what it takes to make you happy. I don’t ever want to hurt you again. The first time I hurt you was to protect you that night, and the second time was completely selfish. I will put your happiness and needs first,
always.
Clara I…” She watched Noel’s green eye colour deepen, and he moved his palms towards the back of Clara’s neck. She held her breath; her heart stopped its erratic beating as Noel breathed in and continued. “I don’t want you to regret us.”

“Never.” Clara smiled and relief flashed through Noel’s eyes. It was he who changed her. He made her forget Darren, made her heart leap from its guarded shell, and made her love. Even if he didn’t love her like she loved him, the feeling that he cared for her as more than just Alex’s little sister was there.

“And I’ll
never
regret you. Now, let’s go down to Chelsea.” Noel winked as he stood, taking Clara’s hand and helping her up from the picnic table seat.

“Ready to go relive some of our childhood memories?” The grin on his face made Clara smile. 

I promised I wouldn’t fear love. But with Noel all my fears never came to light; when I was with him, I simply had no fears.

"You bet I do!”

“
I
haven’t been here in forever,” Clara breathed out. Noel watched as the warm wind took with it her hair. Using her right hand, Clara attempted to hold her hair in place, trying to stop her loose curls from taking flight. Noel squeezed her hand and walked her down the sand dunes and onto the beach. After having a quick shower and changing into his board shorts and a T-shirt, he’d driven Clara to Chelsea beach. He had parked her Lexus in the parking lot a short distance from the lifeguard house.

“Me neither.”

Clara stopped, halting them both, and raised her eyebrow at him.

“You live in Boston, remember? You’ve been out of the country for like five years. I don’t really have an excuse. We used to come here a lot when we were kids, didn’t we?” A bittersweet smile crossed Clara’s lips.

“Come. Let’s place our stuff near the lifeguard house. That way if you start to drown, the lifeguards can come and rescue you,” Noel teased. Clara pulled her hand away. He chuckled at the look on her face.

“So you’re just going to let me drown? You know that this beach isn’t patrolled until the school holidays, right? There isn’t a lifeguard here to save me!” Clara’s nostrils flared in annoyance as her body tensed. Noel smirked and nodded his head.

“You’re such a jerk.” Clara jabbed his chest and stormed off towards the direction of the lifeguard house. Noel couldn’t stifle his laugh as he watched her stomp her feet into the sand, not looking back at him.

Taking his towel off his shoulder, he held it in his hands and ran after her. When he reached her, Clara had already laid out her towel and sat in the middle with her arms crossed. He’d apologise to save her pride. But he loved the way she got annoyed easily. It was one of many things he loved about her. Noel sat on the sand next to Clara, not caring about laying a towel down or not. He watched her as she looked out towards the clear water.