Dudes Down Under (19 page)

Chapter 23

“
Skeet to reception area, please. Skeet to reception.”

The disembodied voice of Ginny carried on the speakers throughout the resort.

“
Well, Cyril mate, I think your surprise may have arrived.”

Oh goody! I can’t wait. Is it the book of 'The Godfather'? Oh, I do hope so. But, no matter, anything will cheer me up right now, Skeet. I just don’t understand why I feel such a grumpy-bum at the moment. Oh, I need a beer before you go. Better yet, why don’t I come with you?

“
May as well get you dressed and you can come with me, Cyril, but you can’t actually have ya surprise till tomorrow.”

What? Oh, that’s so unfair. I am being such a good boy. Well, except for the little accident with the book, and tearing the bottom bunk to bits. I don’t know what came over me. I already apologized. I won't do it again, I promise.

“
Nyah, second thoughts, after what ya did to the bunk, maybe it’s better if ya stay here and wait. Oh, c’mon mate, don’t roll over and do the tantrum thing again. Please, Cyril. You are turning blue, ya drongo. Are ya holdin’ your breath, or what? Stop it right now, Cyril, ya hear me? I will have to punish ya if ya naughty. Right. I’ll count to three. One … two … and th… That’s more like it. Alright, you can come, but ya gotta be a good boy, understood?”

Oh, I promise, I promise I’ll be on my very best behavior. Now, what does a croc wear to get a surprise? Um, yellow ... yes, yellow ... and the red sun hat.

“
Cyril, those colors you’ve selected are nice, mate, but a bit loud, y’know … LOUD.”

I'm not deaf, or color blind. I see colors perfectly, in fact. Well, better than Doc does anyway. I think red and yellow go perfectly together. It’s my body, my choice - so there.

“
Bloody hell, you are so difficult lately. I hope this surprise puts ya in a better frame of mind, mate.”

*  *  *

The catamaran sailed under power for the moment, Lucy and Charlie taking turns at the controls. They were crossing the shipping lanes and the swell had picked up, so had the wind. “This wasn’t in the damned forecast,” said Lucy. “It’s gonna churn the water over the coral, dammit. It’s so much better on a still day.”

“
We can dive another day, Lucy. The sea air is just great and we have company as well.” Lucy followed where he pointed and laughed at the pod of dolphins playing in the bow wave. “Aren’t they the most beautiful things? Have you ever swum with them, Charlie?”

“
In the wild? No, never. Not even in the parks that do that with the tame ones. Just haven’t had the chance.”

“
Well, you do now. This pod regularly comes and seeks me out when I’m in the small ‘cat’. You are in for an amazing experience. I’m so thrilled you have never done this before.” Lucy cut the engines and allowed the boat to drift, before rigging her under sail and heading closer to the shoreline of the tiny pine-topped island.

“
Just a couple of things to remember, okay. These are bottle-nosed dolphins. They don’t like their beaks handled too much or the area around their blow-hole. It’s very sensitive to touch. So basically you let them swim with you. They love to have their skin scratched, as they shed all the time. They can get a little pushy but it’s only when they all want to get scratched at once. Oh, and watch the mums if they have babies nearby. They are very protective but sometimes they will bring the baby over to be introduced.”

“
My God, how long have you been swimming with them?”

“
Since before I could talk. Pop had me swimming before I could walk - the benefits of living on an island, huh?”

“
No wonder you love this place.”

“
Yeah, I can’t imagine ever living anywhere else.”

Lucy missed the look of sadness that crossed Charlie’s handsome face. She was busy shedding her shirt and sandals ready for her swim.

The anchor was dropped and they held hands and jumped into the turquoise water.

*  *  *

“
That was delicious. I haven’t had crab-claw before,” Lana said happily as she dipped her fingers into the lemon and water mix.

“
Yeah, I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s so good to see a woman enjoy her food and not pick at it like a little bird or something.”

“
Oh, you won’t ever find me doing that. I enjoy the whole rigmarole of eating. It’s a whole experience, not just satisfying hunger.”

Jack sat back with another glass of wine and enjoyed watching the expressions chase themselves across her face. She was something else, this woman.

“
So, let’s go for a walk and we can talk. Just grab some more vino and some glasses. How about we head on down to the quiet spot near the lagoon?”

“
Sounds good.”

“
Great, let’s go.” Lana grabbed her sunglasses and took off her shoes, leaving them to be picked up on their way back.

Jack had the staff fetch a couple bottles of chilled Chablis and glasses, plus opener, and they headed off on foot.

They walked in silence along the footpath that wound its way around the edge of the lagoon until they found a lovely spot on the lawn under the palms. They sat comfortably, leaning their backs against the trees. Jack poured them each a glass of wine and raised his in a toast, “Here’s lookin’ at you, kid.”

Lana smiled at him. “Casablanca was always one of my favorites.”

“
I have been asked to play Rick in the remake, did you know?”

“
What? That’s marvelous, Jack, I hadn’t heard. Who is doing it, Warners’?”

“
No, Tristan, Izzy and myself, plus a few others, have decided to form our own company so we have tighter controls on the work we do.” Jack almost laughed at her expression. “What’s wrong? It has been kept very quiet, Lana. Nobody but the participants knows anything about it.”

“
Oh, no it’s not that. Where will you be filming it?”

“
Paris and the surrounding countryside. We haven’t chosen a location yet.”

“
It sounds wonderful, Jack. Just marvelous. Who is going to play Ilsa?”

“
Jury's still out on that one. It’s kinda like the search for Scarlett, you know. Nobody wants to compete with Bergman. She made that role hers. But there are a few who are up for the challenge. Do you have any ideas?”

“
Only one springs to mind. I can see her doing it, Charlie Theroux. She would be stunning.”

“
Yep, Tristan and I have both begged and pleaded. She won’t do it. She feels the part will be always associated with Bergman, so she just doesn’t want to risk it.”

“
Oh, she is so stubborn. I can talk to her if you like. She and I are very good friends.”

“
Hey, that would be terrific. Thanks, m’lady.”

“
I can see you doing Rick, plus you are so much better looking than Bogart.”

“
Yeah, sure I know that. No false modesty. But man, he had that screen presence, the x-factor in truckloads, didn’t he? So it’s a gamble. But it’s a part I have always wanted to play.”

Lana looked at him and grinned. “So your career is very important to you, yes?”

“
Hell, yes. You’ll get no argument from me on that one, m’lady.”

“
Good. I am glad. That makes this so very much easier.”

Jack realized too late that he had given her the perfect opening, dammit. He readied himself for what was coming.

“
I was worried that you may not understand about the career thing. I’m glad you do. I enjoy being with you, more than I have ever enjoyed being with anyone. I’d like us to continue for as long as it lasts, with the understanding beforehand that it will not be easy to be together often owing to other commitments.”

“
You want to continue?”

“
Oh yes. I’d be a damned fool not to. We are good together, so very, very good.”

Jack was temporarily at a loss for words. This was not what he was expecting, in fact, it was more than he’d dared hope for. “Well I’ll be damned.”

“
Probably.” Lana scooted across to where he was sitting and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“
M’lady, if I am damned, I will be glad of the journey. So what are your plans, career-wise?”

“
Well, as you asked so nicely, I have huge plans for the future. Relocating is one of them.”

“
Really? Where to?”

“
Oh, a lovely white building on Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C.”

“
HOLY SHIT! That is some plan.”

“
Kinda thought you might say that, but as I said, it’s my long term plan. The current incumbent is doing himself and our country proud. So I would wait until 2016 to make my move.”

“
You don’t mess around, do you?”

“
Nope.”

“
Phew! So whoever you are with would have to get used to being, what, the First Gentleman?”

“
Uh-huh.”

“
Holy shit!”

“
Kiss me and stop repeating yourself.”

“
Gladly.”

*  *  *

Skeet headed into reception, leaving Cyril outside under an umbrella with a large bowl of beer. ”What’s up, Ginny? Why was I called?”

“
Oh, Skeet, the delivery for Cyril. It’s here.”

“
Terrific. They made good time. Where are the handlers?”

“
Um, that’s what I paged you for. One of them is ... well one of them is not good,” said Ginny.

“
What, sick you mean?”

“
Um, not exactly.”

“
All right, Ginny love, take a deep breath and tell me nice and slow,” said Skeet

Ginny took a deep breath and almost split her low cut top even lower. “Um, one of the handlers is Bluey.”

“
You’re joking?”

Doc had just hurried in with a look of concern on his face. “Skeet, you’ll never guess who is sitting in the Swamp getting pissed?”

“
Bluey?”

“
Damn, you knew already. Yeah, Bluey. What are we gonna do? Where is Lucy?”

“
What we are not gonna do is bother Lucy while she’s havin’ a rest. I’ll see to Bluey. Ginny, where is the other handler?”

“
Right behind you. Name's Rebecca.”

Skeet turned around in surprise. A woman? The woman was dainty and very feminine to look at.

She extended her hand. “Rebecca. Pleased to meet ya, Skeet. I heard a lot about you. All good.”

“
G’day. Well, uh, thanks. You are a croc handler? I mean you are so tiny and all.”

“
Size don’t matter, mate. It’s all in the attitude. Besides, I was trained by the best in the business, God rest him.”

“
Steve trained you?” asked Skeet in an awed and reverent tone.

“
Sure did, but I have to admit that I’m more used to handling the girls than any of the wild mob.”

“
The hand-raised girls?”

“
Yep.”

“
Yeah, me too. Only, well, Cyril’s a boy and all.”

“
Yep, noticed that on me way in. He’s a big boy. What is he, twenty-six … twenty-seven feet?”

“
Twenty-eight. Well, an inch or so under, but I haven’t told him that.”

“
Of course not. Ya wouldn’t wanna hurt his feelings,” said Rebecca.

Skeet smiled. “Exactly. Can you excuse me a sec, um, Rebecca? I gotta go see Bluey.”

“
He’s cruisin’ for a fight, Skeet. Been drinking all bloody day too. Keeps on about Lucy somebody and how he’s gonna fix her. I don’t know what he’s got in mind, but if I was this Lucy sheila, I’d steer clear of him for a day or so. We will be taking whichever of the girls that Cyril doesn’t fancy back down to the Zoo when we leave, but that might be a coupla days, depending on Cyril, of course.”

“
Righto. Thanks for the heads up. Bluey hates Lucy 'cause she fired his arse.”

“
Righto. Gotcha. He’s gonna get his arse fired from this job too if he doesn’t smarten up his bloody attitude. Anyway, I leave that for you boys to take care of. I wanna cold beer and a shower.”

“
Ginny, make certain Rebecca here has a nice bungalow, love. Drinks are on the house. I’ll catch up with ya for a drink later, hey, Rebecca? We got a beach party and a dance on tonight if you’re interested.”