This chapter is part 1 of 2. The next chapter (part 2) will be up tomorrow.
Brax knocked on the door of the Buckton house at 7 on the dot. "Hi Brax" Ruby said with a smile "come in but no disappearing act tonight ok?" Brax laughed lightly "yea sorry about that. May have had a bit too much alcohol" Ruby raised her eyebrows. "Ok I definitely had too much to drink, but it all worked out in the end. Is your Mum ready to go?"
"Here I am." Brax gasped as Charlie walked into the room. She had finally given up trying to hide her body and was wearing a wrap dress that showed off her 16 week bump perfectly. Her hair was loose around her shoulders and she had on a black pair of heels. "So I look ok then?"
"You look stunning" answered Brax walking up and kissing her cheek. She smiled feeling at ease with him "so what are we doing tonight?" He grinned back at her "we are going on our first date."
Charlie looked at him confused "first date? Um don't you think it's a bit late for that?" He shook his head "no never it's never too late to start again. Forget everything you think you know about me tonight it's all starting again." Charlie gave Ruby a confused look who shrugged her shoulders and smiled.
"Should we go then?" asked Brax. Charlie nodded before kissing Ruby on the cheek and following Brax out to his ute.
"Sorry it's not somewhere more romantic" said Brax as they walked into Angelo's. "It was short notice and I wasn't sure if you were up to anywhere else." They slid into a booth sitting next to each other. Charlie smiled "here is fine. The food is always good and I heard the staff are nice too."
Brax laughed "I would like to think they are. So the rules for tonight, we both have to forgot everything we think we know about each other and no talking over each other ok?" Charlie wasn't sure how this was going to work but she willing to give it a go "Ok sounds good. Who is going first?"
Just then Heath came over with a beer and a glass of what looked like champagne. He saw the look that Charlie was giving the glass "don't worry it's only sparkling grapefruit juice. Are you ready to order?" Both knew the menu well enough to order without having to look. Once they had placed there order Charlie looked at Brax. "Soooooo" she said
"Right let's get this started" Brax grinned at her "My name is Darryl but most people can call me Brax." Charlie giggled. "New rule no giggling" he grinned at her. "Because it is kind of off putting and this is hard enough without it. Right so about me ah I will do anything in the world for my family even my mother even though she doesn't always deserve it. It isn't her fault she is like she is, my father ran away with her best friend when I was 12 and I was left to pick up the pieces. Mum turned to drinking and the pokies so that's what her life is all about now" He stopped to take a sip of his beer.
"I have always been into surfing and well I'm a bit cocky so I took to surfing the big waves at Wilsons which impressed the boys. I honestly wasn't trying to do it but I guess that's how I became the leader of the River Boys." He rubbed the side of face uncomfortably, he had never really talked to Charlie about this before. "We needed the money and drugs were an easy way to get it. I'm not going to go into details about everything I did when I was with the boys, I know you get the idea. I don't have a criminal record but you how big my file is. I can't say I'm proud of it but it was what I had to do at the time for my family and to keep everything together. All my life I have wanted to get out of Mangrove River to move onto better things and this" he pointed to the restaurant around them "is the way I'm trying to do it."
"Did you even stop and think what you were doing was wrong? I mean you started breaking the law when you were so young did you ever want to stop?" Charlie asked. Brax bit his lip and nodded slowly "in private all the time. In front of the boys never, to be the leader I couldn't show any weakness." Charlie looked at him "why were you so keen to be the leader?"
Brax took another drink from his beer "someone needed to control them. At the time they gave me what I need, they did all the running round and if something went wrong they were willing to take the fall for me. And as stupid as it sounds they were like the family I felt I didn't have. Everything changed for me though when I meet a breathtaking woman one crazy night." Charlie felt herself blush, it didn't matter how many times Brax said things like that about her she still was used to it.
"I was stupid enough to try and take advantage of her and really missed things up." He grinned sheepishly at her. "I realize now that everything got out of control and I really should have been honest with her. Even if she is stubborn and tenacious I love her."
Charlie opened her mouth to say something. "No" he said "I haven't finished, next up is girlfriends. I'm not going to lie I have been with a lot of girls but other then you the only serious one was Tegan. We meet when we were teenagers and were on/off for years. I really liked her but I never loved her, there was something missing in our relationship. Of course you know about Darcy. I was heartbroken the first time I found out I wasn't her dad and the second time was worse" Brax looked down.
Sensing how he was feeling Charlie reached over and took his hand. Brax looked into her eyes "I'm working through everything with Amanda. You know I have spent my whole life trying to get the perfect family…."
Charlie lent in and kissed him "we may not be perfect but you have us now." Brax smiled and put his hand on her tummy "I think you guys are pretty dam perfect." He kissed her back.
"Oy break it up you two this is a family joint!" said Heath as he placed their meals on the table. "Anything else I can get you?" Brax laughed "no waiter boy we are fine thanks." Heath throw him a dirty look "Lucky you are the boss bro!" with that he walked off.
Charlie laughed "brotherly love!" Brax smiled "yea it's kind of a love hate thing. Now it's your turn!"