by S R Silcox
“Yeah,” Zoe replied.
“Can you come give us a hand with the stage?” Nick called.
Zoe rolled her eyes. “Sure can. I just have to drop Georgia back first.”
“Oh, hey, Georgia.”
“Hey, Nick.”
“We’re in the main pavilion,” Nick called.
“I’ll be there in a bit,” Zoe replied to Nick. She stood up and closed the shutter. “The minute they see the ute, everything needs fixing.”
“Well, you do seem to be Ms Fixit,” Georgia replied with a smile, and climbed back down the ladder.
As Zoe locked up, Georgia said, “I can give you a hand if you like.”
“Are you sure?”
Georgia shrugged. “I don’t have any other plans, and I am supposed to be your apprentice this week so…”
Zoe grinned. “Okay then.”
As they walked to the pavilion, Georgia asked, “Do you think I might get to do more than just pass you the tools?”
Zoe laughed. “Don’t get too far ahead of yourself.”
FORTY-ONE
Zoe grunted as she loosened a bolt on a leg of the main workbench. Nick had brought some mates over to help move them after they’d finished at the show grounds, but they were way too heavy to move whole, so on Saturday morning before she headed to the show, Zoe had set about pulling them apart. It was a shame to have to pull them down, but there was no other way to move them.
“Righto,” she called to Nick, and they lifted the top off the bench and carried it outside and slide it on to the back of the ute. While Zoe tied it down, Nick retrieved the legs and slid them on top.
“Can’t believe that’s it,” Nick said as he caught the end of rope Zoe tossed him.
Zoe didn’t reply. She still had a few days yet to clean the old workshop before the new owners took it over and she was trying not to think about closing those old barn doors for the last time.
She was tightening a knot on a rope when Jack rolled up beside her.
“We need to talk,” Jack said and then rolled away into the workshop.
“You’re right to finish this?” Zoe said to Nick.
Nick saluted and Zoe followed Jack inside. “What’s up?”
“You just can’t stay away from trouble, can you?” Jack said, his voice low.
“What are you talking about?”
Jack raked his hands over his face. “You were seen, Zo, in bloody public.”
Zoe shook her head. “Do you want to catch me up or am I just going to have to guess?”
“You and Georgia,” Jack said. “Getting cosy at the show grounds. Do you have any idea—?”
Zoe held her hands up. “Wait a minute. Georgia and I weren’t getting cosy at the show grounds, and even if we were, what business is it of yours?”
“I need this job to work, Zoe, you know that. I can’t have you jeopardising it for a bloody fling with the same woman who could be the difference between our business going bust or not.”
“I doubt Georgia holds that much power, Jack, and even if she did, whether Georgia and I are seeing each other is none of your damned business.”
“It is my business,” Jack said, getting animated. “Because I pay your damned wages.”
“My love life is nothing to do with your business,” Zoe hit back. “Whatever happens with the business is on you. You’re the manager.” She turned on her heels and walked out.
“She’ll break your heart, you know that,” Jack called but Zoe ignored him.
When she got to the ute, Nick was trying to look busy, so Zoe knew he’d heard every word. She reefed open the driver’s door and climbed into the seat.
Nick got into the passenger side and put on his seat belt. As they drove off, Nick said, “So, you and Georgia, hey?”
Zoe glared at him. “If you say anything about me and Georgia,” she said through gritted teeth. “You’ll be walking to the show grounds from the edge of town.”
Nick put his hands up. “Don’t want to talk about it. Got it.”
Zoe was still smarting from her argument with Jack when she arrived at the show grounds later that afternoon. It wasn’t just that Jack would believe gossip about his own sister, but also that he still just saw her as someone to boss around. The lines often blurred between them since she’d started working for him, and she’d never felt like she should walk away from the family business more than she had than this morning
She bent down closer to the display, eyeing off the craftsmanship of the whittling category in the carpentry section. This was her grandfather’s forte, apparently. She had no memory of him, except for the smell of pipe tobacco and aftershave because he’d died when she was five, but she had a carving the size of her hand of a kangaroo he’d made her when she was born.
Whittling was a talent she hadn’t been able to master. Not that she’d tried much or often. Slicing her thumb open with a pocket knife when she was ten was enough to put her off it for life, though she sometimes wondered whether she’d have learned if she’d had her grandfather to teach her.
She made her way around the display until she found the boxes her carpentry class had made and smiled to herself at the distinction ribbons her students had received. She wondered where on earth she was going to move her classes to once she’d moved from the old workshop. The cottage renovations hadn’t left her much time to find somewhere else but she’d have to start looking sooner rather than later.
“Are any of these yours?” came a voice from behind her. Zoe turned to see Georgia standing there, smiling, and she immediately relaxed, the argument with Jack forgotten. She looked more like Georgia in her jeans and linen shirt that showed a little of her collarbone. She’d had her hair up the last few weeks while she worked at the cottage, so it was nice to see her with it down again.
Georgia gave her a quick peck on the cheek, and Zoe looked away quickly.
“My kids,” Zoe said, indicating the cabinet, and then seeing the confusion on Georgia’s face, she clarified. “The carpentry class you met the other day.”
“Oh, right. So you don’t enter anything?” Georgia asked.
Zoe shook her head. “Not anymore. Jack keeps telling me I should get back to joinery but I don’t really have the time. What about you? Any hobbies you’ve entered into a show?”
Georgia shook her head. “No, but my grandmother was a Grand Champion chocolate cake baker in Brisbane.”
“Is that right?” Zoe said, impressed. “I love a good chocolate cake.”
“Me too,” Georgia replied. “Pity Gran took her winning recipe to the grave.”
“Mum did that with hers too,” Zoe said. “Wish I’d paid more attention while she was alive, but I was more interested in being out in the workshop on jobs with Dad.”
“You’re lucky you got to spend time with your dad,” Georgia said. She sidled up to Zoe and peered into the display case. “Mine wouldn’t let me near his work.”
“Really?” Zoe asked.
Georgia nodded. “No daughter of his was going to go near a building site. He’d probably have a fit if he saw me now.”
A voice over the PA system announced the Mister Elizabeth Creek competition was due to begin in half an hour.
“We should go find Nick,” Zoe said. “Knowing him, he’ll be nervous. He’ll feel better once he sees we’re there to watch him.”
They found Nick over by the judges table. He was wearing his best tan jeans, his black boots were buffed to a dull shine and he had a dark blue jacket slung over his shoulder. He raked his hands through his hair and even from a distance Zoe could tell something was wrong.
“Nick,” Zoe called.
Nick turned and when he saw Zoe and Georgia he rushed over in a panic. “Zoe! I don’t know if I can compete,” he said, the words rushing out.
“Why not?” Zoe asked.
“Tara’s in the toilet throwing up. I told her not to go on the Gravitron until after the comp, but she said she’d be fine,” Nick said. “If I can�
��t find someone to walk out with me I’ll be disqualified.”
“What about that friend of yours from school?” Zoe asked. “Phoebe whatsername?”
Nick rolled his eyes. “She’s partnered with Mitchell Drummond.”
Zoe knew all about Mitchell Drummond. The way Nick told it, Mitchell thought he was all that and a bag of chips. Which was exactly why Nick didn’t like him. “You want me to kneecap Mitchell so Phoebe has to go with you?”
Nick looked hopeful. “Would you?”
“No, I would not,” Zoe laughed. “I was joking, Nick, bloody hell.”
Nick’s face dropped.
“I could do it,” Georgia offered.
Nick and Zoe both turned to look at Georgia, surprised.
“It’s just walking down the catwalk with you, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, and the dance a bit later but Tara might be right for that,” Nick said.
“Are you sure?” Zoe asked.
Georgia shrugged. “There doesn’t seem to be much to it. Besides, Nick’s obviously gone to a lot of trouble to get dressed up and look so handsome.”
Nick blushed and dropped his eyes to the floor. “You don’t have to,” he mumbled.
“We don’t want you disqualified,” Georgia said. “Go and tell them you’ve found yourself a partner.”
Nick grinned and rushed back to the judges table.
Zoe leaned in to Georgia and whispered, “I think he’s got a crush on you.”
Georgia swatted her away.
“And I don’t blame him,” Zoe said, giving Georgia’s hand a squeeze.
Nick gave them a thumbs up from the judges table and when he made his way back to them, he was grinning from ear to ear. “They said you can be my partner.” he said. “Except you have to wear a dress.”
Georgia’s face dropped. “Where am I going to find a dress at short notice?”
Zoe pulled out her phone and dialled Molly’s number. As she put it to her ear she said to Georgia and Nick, “Wait here. I’ll be back in a minute.”
FORTY-TWO
Georgia smoothed the dress over her stomach and regarded herself in the mirror as Molly zipped her up at the back. “Thanks for this,” she said, as Molly moved around in front and looked her up and down.
“Knowing the organiser of the fashion parade has its advantages,” Molly replied as she adjusted the strap on Georgia’s shoulder. She nodded and grinned. “I think that’ll do nicely.”
Georgia sucked in a breath and let it out. The dress wasn’t anything too spectacular. It was just an ordinary sun dress, really, but it fit well enough. She hoped Nick would be okay with it.
The voice over the PA requested all couples to make their way to the back of the stage. “Better get going,” Molly said.
“Yep,” Georgia replied. She tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and followed Molly out of the dressing room and into the hall to the back of the stage.
Nick’s eyes grew wide when he saw her. “Wow,” he said.
Georgia glanced around at the dressier gowns on the girls standing around back stage. “I hope this is okay,” she said. Those girls had to be half her age, which made Georgia nervous. She reminded herself that this was for Nick and that she was a grown woman who didn’t care what anyone else thought.
The MC announced the first couple, who disappeared around the backdrop and onto the stage, and soon, Nick and Georgia were standing at the bottom of the steps, waiting their turn. Nick offered Georgia his arm and she slipped her arm into his and let him lead her onto the steps ready to go on stage. Nick’s name was called and Georgia took the next step up but Nick stood stock still.
“What’s wrong?” Georgia asked.
Nick just shook his head.
Stage fright, Georgia thought. The announcer called his name again and Georgia knew she had to do something. She grabbed Nick by the shoulders and made him look at her. “Follow my lead.”
Nick just nodded. Georgia took him by the hand and pulled him onto the stage. She virtually had to drag him along the stage to get his feet moving. They stopped half-way and Georgia lifted Nick’s arm up. “Spin me,” she whispered out of the side of her mouth.
“What?”
“Spin,” Georgia hissed again.
Nick got the hint but instead of letting Georgia spin, he did a pirouette and the crowd clapped and whistled. Although it wasn’t what Georgia meant, for some reason it loosened him up a little and as they walked to the end of the catwalk, Georgia felt him relax beside her. She decided to go with it.
“I’m going to bend you over,” Georgia said as they reached the end.
Nick’s head snapped around and he looked horrified.
“Like the end of a dance,” Georgia clarified. “Like you should do for a girl, but opposite.”
“Oh,” Nick nodded.
Georgia hoped he understood. Dropping him on stage would probably be disastrous for his chances. As they reached the end of the stage, Georgia fell a step back and then, hoping Nick would catch on, pulled him back to her so their hips were touching. His face went as red as a beetroot, and she took one hand in hers and put the other in the small of his back, she thought he might explode from the embarrassment. A knot formed in the pit of her stomach but there was no turning back now.
She bent Nick over backwards and to her surprise, he totally went with it, throwing his head back and flicking his hair out, before she pulled him back up to thunderous applause from the crowd.
Nick took control of their walk back up the catwalk, strutting the whole way, giving a salute across to Zoe and her family when he caught sight of them where they were standing off to the side.
They exited the stage on the opposite side they went up on and Georgia started. “Nick, I’m so—”
“That was fantastic!” Nick gushed, lifting Georgia into a hug and then putting her back down, apologising.
“I thought I embarrassed you,” Georgia replied, relieved.
“No way! I just, wow, did you hear them when we did the—” he mimed Georgia’s move at the end of the catwalk. “They went nuts!”
“What’s next?” Georgia asked.
“Oh, um,” Nick scrunched up his nose. “All us guys have to go back out together while they judge our outfits.”
“So, you don’t need me for that?”
“Don’t think so. But I might need you later for the dance, if Tara’s still, you know, throwing up her hot dog.”
Georgia pulled a face and tried not to picture that scenario. “Just let me know. I’m going to find Zoe. Come and get me if you need me.”
“Thanks,” Nick said.
Georgia pushed her way through the crowd hanging around near the stage and found Zoe and her family right where they’d been before. She touched Zoe lightly on the arm.
Zoe turned and then smiled in recognition. “Nick’s going to be talking about that for weeks, you know. You’ve probably got yourself a fan for life now.”
Georgia grinned. “I was happy to help. Has Tara turned back up yet?”
Zoe shook her head. “She’s in the St John’s first aid rooms. She should be okay for the dance later but we’ll have to wait and see.”
The crowd clapped and cheered as the last of the couples left the stage and the MC came back out. Georgia felt Zoe stiffen beside her and she realised that he was the same man she’d seen her arguing with at the pub. She glanced sideways at Zoe, whose mouth had changed from a smile to a thin line, her jaw muscles working overtime. What was it with that man?
Georgia leaned in to talk into Zoe’s ear. “Hey, I want to check out more of the show. Want to show me around?”
Zoe relaxed a little and turned her head slightly to Georgia. “Can we go after the outfit judging?”
Georgia nodded. “I should probably go change out of this dress anyway.”
“You could stay in it,” Zoe said. “It, ah, looks good on you. Molly’s got good taste. And you might be needed for the dance later.”
Georg
ia smiled. “I don’t want to mess it up. I’ll be back in a sec.”
When she got back stage, Georgia stood and watched as Zoe cheered and woof-whistled when Nick sauntered down the catwalk. The obvious affection she had for Nick was sweet. Molly was right about her not being as tough as she let on. Despite their rocky beginning, Georgia was beginning to see a nicer, softer side of Zoe, and she had to admit, she liked it.
FORTY-THREE
Zoe met Nick backstage after the outfit judging to find him chattering away to Tara, who was still looking a little worse for wear. The nerves obviously gone, during his second stint on stage Nick strutted around playing up to the crowd, showing off his fitted pants by patting his butt and taking off his jacket and slinging it casually over his shoulder. He even tossed his hair around like he was in a shampoo commercial, making the crowd completely lose it. It was a side of him Zoe had only seen when he’d had a few drinks and she was happy to think it was Georgia who’d drawn it out of him.
Georgia, in that dress, that shifted lightly as she walked down the catwalk. Her hair down, tossed casually over her shoulders. She looked like she’d stepped out from the pages of one of Molly’s magazines. Just the thought of it made Zoe’s insides dance.
She punched Nick on the arm. “You bloody show off,” she joked. “You did good.”
Nick beamed. “Thanks, Boss.”
“How long before the dance part?”
Nick glanced at his watch. “About an hour. Can you let Georgia know that Tara’s going to do it?”
Zoe glanced at Tara, who was looking a little pale but smiling through whatever she was feeling at that moment. She wasn’t sure Tara was up to being pulled around a dance floor with Nick, but she didn’t question him. It meant she’d get to spend some time with Georgia.
“You can tell her yourself,” Zoe said, nodding over Nick’s shoulder.
“Tell me what?” Georgia asked as she walked over and stood by Zoe’s side. She’d changed back into her jeans and shirt, and was pulling her hair up into a ponytail.
Nick looked uncomfortable and, Zoe noticed, Tara seemed to stand up a little taller. “Tara’s going to be okay for the dance,” Nick said.
