"Hey, guys, over here!"
Lily was there where asphalt turned to gravel, pointing to a parking bay further up the road. Todd steered into it and stopped the car. Brett would have to get out first, because Eddy was still all bunched in, even more so now after their last stop when they had stocked up on water, sodas and bags of crisps.
"Come on, let's excavate Eddy." Todd said with a smirk as he opened the rear door and started taking out some of the bags. Eddy grinned.
"Yeah, thanks. Let's see if my legs still work after having been pinned down here for hours."
"What, you're eighteen, going on eighty, right?"
"Oh, piss off, Todd." He swung his legs out of the car and tested his weight on them, groaning slightly when his right foot exploded in a burst of pins and needles.
"Eddy! Here."
Eddy just about caught the heavy bag that Ian threw to him. He shook his head and started lugging the bag over the gravel path to what he guessed was their camping spot.
Jeez, Todd had really outdone himself here. He may not be much of a camping person, but even he could see that this spot was drop dead gorgeous. The campsite was on a thin strip of grass, not fifty metres away from the beach. Behind him was the foresty, swampy national park with its broad, curved trees, and on the right in front of him a rocky outcrop rose high above the foamy waves that were rolling in gently on the sand beneath. It was all hues of green and silver so late in the day, with the sun still shining bravely through a few thin clouds. There were a few other tents and some caravans on the far end of the field, mostly with families, and right in the middle of it all there was a campfire pit, just like Todd had promised. It even had some tree trunks around it that they would be able to sit on.
He eyed the spot where Lily and Matt where busy trying to erect a tent. Their space was right at the beginning of the field and it was nice and shielded with a few trees around it, with plenty of space for the three small tents they had brought.
Awesome. The less people saw them, the better it was as far as he was concerned. He carried the bag onto the placement and plopped it down, before walking over to hug Lily.
"Hi Matt, hey Lils, how was the trip?"
"Hey! Sorry, I'm sweaty. It was long. God. But at least we're here now. You gonna put up your tent there?"
Eddy eyed the little yellow bag that was lying by her feet suspiciously. Putting up a tent. Had he ever done that? He didn't think so.
"Yeah, sure, I guess. I can't say I have a lot of experience doing that."
She grinned wickedly.
"Maybe not, but after you do you and Brett will have somewere to be invisible, hey?"
Really, Lily, are the smirk and the wink not a bit of overkill, here?
He couldn't help but smile back though, because a shiver pulled through him at the thought. Yeah, Lily was right, they would be invisible every time they would be in there. For a whole week. The possibilities were already starting to flood his head again and he bent down quickly to pick up the tent before he would get visibly lost in them.
In the end it would all come down to: how gutsy would he be? Would he have the balls to do what he had been picturing all this week?
They put up the three tents as a group, placing them into a triangle with a little bit of sheltered space between them where they could sit. It was cool, like a little green Greek agora, where they would be able to hang, eat and chat. And once it was all done and everyone was admiring their handiwork he tossed all of his belongings into the little tent he and Brett had been assigned and he walked over to the edge of the water. He kicked off his shoes as soon as he walked onto the sand and trudged to the edge of the water. There he stood in silence, staring out into the infinity. Wow. It really was gorgous here.
"Happy?"
Brett's voice was soft and clear and warm as he took his place beside him. The waves rolled gently over the silvery sand, almost to his feet and back again to the infinity of the ocean. The sun was setting behind them in spectacular hues of orange and red. He turned slightly and smiled at the love of his life. Brett was looking tired, but his eyes were bright.
"Very. You?"
Brett's hand was against his, maybe standing ever so slightly closer to him than they would dare in Brisbane, but still subtle enough that anyone who might be looking from a distance would just see two guys, two friends. Not two lovers. Brett nodded and stared back out over the foamy water. His thumb stroked Eddy's gently. It sent a little shiver down his spine.
"Yeah. Me too."