All At Sea Read Online Free PDF Page A

when someone even remotely in my own age group asks me to go somewhere, by God, I’m going. And yeah, the fact that it was Valentine’s Day made it all the more appealing. What red-blooded female wants to spend Valentine’s alone? Not this one, that’s for damn sure. When a smoking hot guy asks me to go out on Valentine’s I move my freaking ass.  And so what if he bought me a drink? BIG DEAL. The drinking age here is twenty-one but it’s not like I’ve never had a sip of alcohol in my life. I’ve had wine at holidays. I was a dork in high school and didn’t have many friends or get invited to the good parties, but it’s not like I never had ANY friends or went to ANY parties. Dorks have parties, too, sometimes. (But that is neither here nor there. I don’t want to bore you with my infantile high school anecdotes any further...) Bottom line: It was one Mai Tai. ONE. And so I think you can cool it on that front. Against the law . Please.
    Regarding Lachie getting into my pants.... you might give me a little credit there, no? I may not have too much real life experience in the romance department but I’m not a complete idiot. (But thanks for letting me know how naive and desperate I must come across. I’ll work on putting a lid on that, too....) Anyhow, if there were any particulars to tell, I’m sure Lachie The Raging Man-Whore would have filled you in on them. He doesn’t talk much but when he does, he’s a wealth of information. I learned loads while in his company.
    Which brings me to my final point...so, you’re married, huh? That would have been nice to know out of the gate. I’m sure she’s lovely.
     
     
    Monday 17 th February 5.03am
    —North Shore Hostel—
    Engaged. Not married.
     
     
    Monday 17 th February 5.12am
    —North Shore Hostel—
    The only promises I made to you I have kept. You feel like you know me, because after you have told me your secrets, I spend an hour with my arms around you, telling you how great you are doing.
    It’s not about what you say to me. You don’t have to say anything at all. You’re breathing heavily, and you’re close to me, and sometimes your breath is my breath, as if we have kissed. But that’s not real. It’s a consequence of what we are doing – what you pay for. The intimacy is in your head.
    You think I owe it to you to tell you things that are private to me? Why is that? I don’t owe you a thing.
    I promised to get you on the board. You’re on the board. I promised to make you feel safe in the water. You’re safe. You’re swimming. Job done.
    What do you want from me?
     
     
    Monday 17 th February 6.22am
    —North Shore Hostel—
    The first thing I said to you was put some damn clothes on, girl! Christ! You look vulnerable to me. You look lonely and sad and scattered in your thoughts. I don’t want to be responsible for you doing something that you’re going to regret.
    I could have you, but I’m not going to. You think it’s arrogant? It’s the truth. If that makes me the bad guy here, then fine. Go and see Lachie instead. He’ll tell you anything you want to hear, but don’t imagine for a moment that he’s a better man.
     
     
    Tuesday 18 th February 1.16am
    —Blue Volcano Tavern—
    You want to know about me? Here it is.
    I was good at sport, school captain, did well academically, had the prettiest girl. Great parents. Active in the community. When I finished, everyone looked at me like, ‘what is he going to do next?’ as if I knew. I spent a year doing stuff well-meaning people set up for me but that I hated. I let them all down one by one.
    Lachie said he was coming over here to surf, and I tagged along.
    But then when we got here, it was like a smorgasbord. We just put up the sandwich board and the girls came. They had no clothes on, and I could put my hands all over them, and smile and flex a bit, and offer them a beer, and they would pretty much leap in to bed. Then they’d leave, and you’d never hear from them again.