Page 18 of Doc Rock
“Burra Creek.It wasthe last stop on the tour.”Donnie held his cup under the machine as it belched and whistled.“You want a cappuccino?”
Ford shook his head.“Nah, mate. I’ve drunk four already. I’ll start jittering soon.”He drank coffee from boredom of being stuck in his apartment, not because he actually needed it.
“His manager says Taylor loves livingthere. No one cares about his fame, and they leave him alone.”Donnie took a sip of his drink and strolled back over to sit next to Ford.“Maybe you should go somewhere rural .”
“To Woop Woop?”Ford laughed.
He couldn’t imagine himself living in a quiet bush town. He loved the hustle and bustle of the city, even ifit wasa bit too‘bustly’for him at the moment.
“Yeah. Rent a place for a while.”Donnie nodded.
Ford studied his manager’s face, but he didn’t smile. Was he serious?“Why Burra Creek?”
“They’ve already got someone world-famous livingthere. They’re not going to be excited about you.”Donnie took another sip of his coffee, closing his eyes in appreciation.
“Icouldjust go back to my hometown,”Ford suggested. He hadn’t been back for years, not since his parents moved to Sydney.
“Why would you do that? You’ll get hassled more there than you do here.”
“True,”Ford sighed.“So you think I should go to Burra Creek?”he asked sceptically.
“It’s up to you, but Taylor’s manager has told me a million times how happy he is. I thought maybeit wouldbe good for you as well.”Donnie gazed out the window at the harbour.
Ford laughed.“Taylor’s happy because he’s in love.”
Donnie’s eyes swung back to him, and he muttered so quietly that Ford almost didn’t catch it,“Maybe you’ll find someonethere, too.”
Ford stared at his friend as his mind flashed to the blonde doctor who fit in his arms so well. He still dreamed abouthaving his arms around Sie, and had been shocked in his dreams recently when he looked down, and instead of seeing long dark hair, hesawblonde curly hair.
“I’m not marrying anyone,”Ford said flatly, pushing thoughts of the blonde doctor and Sie away.
Donnie chuckled.“I’m not suggesting you marry anyone. Go and relax for a while.Seewho you meet. Sometimes interesting people live in small towns.”
Ford squinted at him.Therewas something Donnie wasn’t telling him. After all these years, heknewwhen his manager was keeping something from him. But Donnie ignored the scrutiny and kept drinking his coffee in silence.
Finally, Ford sighed. Why not. He didn’t have anything else planned; he might as well go to Burra Creek.
“Yeah. I’ll do it.”
Donnie grinned broadly.“I’ll give you Taylor’s number. He’s expecting your call. I’ve rented you a house near Taylor’s estate. The car to take you to Burra Creek arrives in four hours, andthere’s a rental car parked in the driveway for you.”
Shaking his head, Ford shoved his friend’s shoulder.“You’re determined togetrid of me.”
“No. I don’t want togetrid of you. I want you to move on.”Donnie got to his feet, took his cup back to the kitchen and put it in the dishwasher.“I’ll leave so you can pack.”
“You’re not going to pack for me, too?”Ford called after his retreating back.
“Not a chance. You couldn’t pay me enough to pack your jocks.”With one last wave, Donnie strode out the door.
Ford stared at the closed door.
That was weird, even for Donnie.
Ford sat out on the porch of his new rental house.It wasso peaceful, out here in the bush on fifty acres of land, with a gate over the nondescript driveway, making him hard to find.
Sipping on his beer, hewatchedthe kangaroos as the sun set. Donnie was right; he’d needed to leave the city. He hadn’t realised how the constant eyes weighed on him until he’d spent time in a place wheretherewas no one toseehim at all.
He stood when hehearda car coming up the drive and grinned when hesawTaylor behind the wheel, with a brunette woman in the passenger seat, who must be his wife, Clara.
