Men. Seriously. Sometimes they were so dense.
‘Yes, he obviously wants you to run the place, but perhaps he’s feeling left out. He might want to be needed.’
‘Mum needs him.’
‘How about you, though? Do you need him?’
Stirling looked blank for a minute, then said, ‘Well, of course I do.’ He shook his head slightly. ‘Princess, where are you going with this?’
Amy was right. Stirling had no idea. There was nothing for it but the truth.
‘Your dad needs to find a purpose in life or he’s going to get depressed. He might be already. Did you know he’s taking sleeping pills?’
Stirling looked shocked. ‘Really? How did you find that out?’
‘He told me.’
Stirling stared. ‘Dad never talks about that kind of stuff.’
‘He did to me.’
‘But he’s taking up fishing!’
‘That man likes fishing as much as you like Skinner Kelly.’
Stirling contemplated some crumbs on the kitchen table for a bit, then took off his hat and spun it in his hands a few times. He walked to the fridge, grabbed a bottle of milk, poured himself a glass and slowly drank it. All the while, Jaime watched and waited.
After he’d downed the last drop, he put the glass on the sink and turned to her. ‘We knew there was something wrong, but I was leaving it up to Mum to sort it. It is her profession.’
Jaime didn’t reply. What could she say? This was up to the McEvoys to work out. She was just an employee after all.
‘So you think my father’s depressed because he’s retired from the farm and feels useless?’ Stirling was looking at her like he expected a response. Like he needed a response.
‘Something like that.’
‘And Mum can’t fix the problem, but I can?’
She nodded. ‘Possibly. Or so Amy said.’
‘Shit.’ He grabbed his hat. ‘I’ve got the ute loaded, plus the trailer. I can’t think of anything else. You covered it all on your list.’ He yanked a rumpled piece of paper from his back pocket. ‘Barbecue, extra eskies, chairs and tables from the Christmas shindig. How many are you expecting?’
The conversation about Robin was obviously over. O-kay. Moving right along then.
‘I have no idea of numbers,’ she said. ‘There’s no real way to gauge it. The day’s either going to fly or be a complete disaster.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ said Stirling. ‘You can’t do any more than you’ve done. I tell you, Princess, I never thought it’d be possible to pull this together so fast. But you’ve proved me wrong.’
Jaime tried to smile. This was what she’d wanted, wasn’t it? For Stirling McEvoy to see her in her element? So why did she feel nervous and sick to the stomach? Like something was just begging to go wrong?
And what about Robin? Had Stirling really understood what she was trying to say about his father?
Four hours later, the Country Fair was in full swing. Jean, plus Stirling’s two nieces Eliza and Katie, had an egg-and-spoon race going. Amy and Bert were set up in the hall, their bevy of knitters clicking and clacking away full pelt. Irene’s barbecue had run out of bread half an hour ago and now she was sitting sulking, watching the hungry revellers go over to the store, where Ryan’s two new Swedish backpackers were running the show. Of Tiffany there was no sign, but her talk on pet care wasn’t scheduled until just before the dog high jump at one o’clock. Jaime only hoped the woman was back from her jaunt to northern Victoria.
Earlier, Jaime had gone to check that everything was running smoothly for Robin’s event. It seemed like every second family had brought a mutt along. Jaime couldn’t understand it – dogs weren’t allowed in National Parks, which was where most of the tourists would be camping.
When she asked Robin about it, he told her, ‘Your interviews on the radio and the advertising around town really worked. Most of the entrants for the dog event are locals.’
Jaime could see he was in his element, handing out entry cards and registering those being returned. Tuff was sitting at his feet, as loyal and well behaved as ever. She’d taken a few minutes to pet the Australian shepherd. Just burying her face in that full mane of hair was enough to calm her jitters a little.
But that was an hour ago and her tummy was back to full-on queasy apprehension now.
‘What do you mean you can’t find the goat?’ she railed at Ryan. ‘You have to find it. Or at least the sheep that thinks it’s a goat, because then you’ll find the goat!’
‘We’ve looked everywhere,’ said Ryan, wringing his hands. ‘We can’t even find Skinner.’
‘Well, look again,’ she said, beginning to feel panicked.
They had a stack of entries for the Goat Lotto. Four-wheel-drives had been piling into town, and there were kids running amok everywhere. The grid was marked out in Skinner’s paddock next to the hall, but the star of the show, Nanny Burgess’s prize pet, had decided to go bush. She needed to find that damned goat, and she had all the helpers she could spare looking for it, even Bluey, who’d been flat out at the bar but had handed over to a mate so he could assist Ryan in tracking down the missing animal.
‘You looking for a goat?’ Stirling called from across the paddock.
Three heads turned and nodded as one, hope in their eyes.
‘Well, I know where there might be one – or three.’
‘Where?’ Jaime asked.
‘Follow the food, Princess.’ He pointed his big hand towards the food storage area at the rear of Ryan’s store. ‘I’ll bet you all my Christmas decorations you’ll find the deserters in there.’
Jaime was running before he’d finished the sentence. ‘I’ll go check,’ she called to Ryan and Bluey. ‘Can you bring some fresh vegies?’
As she hit the road between the hall and the store, she found Stirling right beside her.
‘I figured you might need some muscles,’ he said.
She smiled to herself. ‘What are you saying, McEvoy? That I can’t handle one silly goat?’
‘Nope. But you can’t handle three silly goats. Or two goats and one sheep.’
‘You might be surprised.’
‘True. With you around, anything could happen.’ He shook his head.
Great. She’d just managed to improve her image with her organisation of the Fair Day and a damned goat had to go and ruin it.
‘It’s not my fault the goats like normal food rather than that dried stuff Skinner tries to feed them.’
‘They’re called pellets, Princess.’
‘Whatever.’ She flicked her hand at him, entered the store running and bolted through to the back room, past a long line of startled customers.
She opened the door to the storeroom and was greeted by a loud and disgruntled ‘Maaaaahhhh!’
Afterwards, if she’d been in a better frame of mind, Jaime would have laughed at the memory of Stirling, Bluey and Ryan hauling the two goats and the sheep out of the storeroom. After much maa-ing, baa-ing and cursing, Bluey and Ryan got the nanny goat onto the lotto grid, and the kid and the sheep followed. None of them wanted to be without the others, and in her heart Jaime understood that. It didn’t matter if you were an animal or a human being, no one liked to be on their own. Everyone wanted to be needed.
The animals did their bit for Nanny Burgess, with a poop here and a poop there – and the crowd cheered. So much so, all three decided enough was enough and departed the grid with a kick of their heels and a toss of their heads, over to the nice, cosy, straw-laden haven Bluey had set up for them in the far corner of the paddock. And there they sat, bellies full, all pooped out.
It was what happened next that caused Jaime to head home to bed just as soon as she could and throw the covers over her head.
Ryan took to the stage, which consisted of a pyramid of hay bales quickly reconfigured after Robin’s dog high jump, and thanked everyone for coming, then invited Stirling up to explain about Nanny Burgess.
At first the big stockman was reluctant, but at Bluey’s encouragement, he moved to the front of crowd and cleared his throat. Jaime could see how uncomfortable he was to be the centre of attention, but when he finally started speaking his respect for the old lady was evident.
‘Thanks to the hard work of locals Jaime, Ryan, Bluey and Jean, this day has been a wonderful success. We now have over five thousand dollars to erect a monument to honour Nanny’s work in this community.’ Jaime felt a kernel of unexpected joy at being labelled a local. ‘I’d particularly like to single out Jaime Hanrahan, as without her this day wouldn’t have gone ahead. Thank you, Jaime.’
Stirling raised his hands in her direction and led a resounding round of applause. The crowd was in fine form, cheering and yelling as well, many having downed copious amounts of Bluey’s beer.
‘I think that’s all I have to say,’ Stirling added, ‘other than enjoy the rest of the day.’
‘Just a minute, Stirling,’ called a high, breathy voice.
The whole audience turned towards a sultry-looking female making her way to the hay-bale stage. Tiffany. Finally. She hadn’t turned up for her pet talk, much to Robin’s annoyance, and Jaime’d had to ask a highly excited Sharyn to do her aborted dance routine from the New Year’s Eve concert to fill the gap in the program.
‘Tiff, what’s up?’ said Stirling as she glided up onto the stage. But she just gave him a sweet smile and held out her hand for the microphone.
Jaime frowned. What on earth could the woman want? She’d picked a fine time to arrive, just when the fair was nearly over!
Jaime glanced around. Every male within a hundred-metre radius had his eyes glued to Tiffany. And who could blame them really? What hot-blooded man could resist a sexy Italian-looking siren clad in a low-necked top, jeans that fitted like a second skin, and with all that dark curly hair that made them want to tangle their hands in it? No ordinary woman – namely herself – stood a chance with Ms Fancy-pants around.
‘I’d like to invite Amy and Bert Carter to the stage as well,’ Tiffany said in a well-modulated voice.
Amy and Bert made their way to the front of the crowd, closely followed by Eliza and Katie. They all stood beside Stirling with smiles on their faces.
Tiffany, after ensuring she still had everyone’s attention, half-turned towards Stirling and gathered his big paw in hers. ‘While all these other people have been busy organising this little fair, I’ve been very active on the late Nanny Burgess’s behalf,’ she began.
Jaime seethed. Who the hell did Tiffany think she was? Raising five thousand dollars at a moment’s notice was hardly little!
‘I’ve been negotiating with some big businesses in the area,’ she continued, and directed a smile towards the Carters, ‘and I’m absolutely delighted to announce two new initiatives to be implemented in Nanny Burgess’s memory.’
This couldn’t be happening, Jaime thought. No way. That woman was not going to outdo her today!
‘The McEvoy & Carter Corporation will match the funds raised at this event, all of which will go towards the monument to be erected in Nanny’s memory.’
Applause erupted, but Tiffany raised her hand for silence. ‘I’d also like to announce that one of the largest veterinary goods suppliers, RoverCo, has agreed to offer a grant in Nanny Burgess’s memory for the education of elderly people to care for their companion animals.’
The crowd whistled and clapped, but Jaime didn’t move. Her eyes were fixed on Stirling McEvoy, his right hand clasped in Tiffany’s left. Tiffany’s face was full of pride at what she’d just revealed. She turned towards the big stockman, clasping that handsome dimpled jaw, yanked his stunned face down to her own and planted a kiss on his lips.
Everyone crowded around them – Amy, Bert and their kids, Bluey and Jean, Ryan, even Susan and Sharyn, still clad in her tutu, all slapping each other on the back and laughing.
There were just three people who didn’t join in the celebrations.
Irene, who’d long since disappeared after realising she’d been very stupid not to take Ryan’s advice about ordering more supplies for her barbecue.
Skinner, who was apparently hiding out in his house at Lake Grace.
And Jaime.
She stood gazing at the ground while the tight community of Burdekin’s Gap congratulated each other on a hugely successful fundraiser. For the first time in a very long while Jaime wished her mother was there. She wished she’d asked Blanche and Dave to stay on, because then she wouldn’t feel so completely and utterly alone.
Tears ran down her cheeks, and she slunk away, determined not to let anyone see just how upset she was. She hadn’t thought anything or anyone could make her lose all of her sparkle and sass. But watching Stirling and Tiffany together … that sure had.
Chapter 34
‘Oh, you poor darrrling,’ trilled Blanche. Jaime pulled the phone away from her ear. There was a great deal of background noise.
‘You need to come stay with us for a while, doesn’t she, Dave?’ More buzzing and grinding in the background, drowning out her mother’s voice. ‘… Dave can come … you. He’s … a boat.’ Buzz, buzz, grind, grind. ‘… leave now … just … finish … wall.’
‘What? What are you saying?’
‘Dave … now … bring … island.’
‘Mum, what on earth are you doing down there?’
‘What’s that, sweetheart?’
‘What are you doing?’ Jaime yelled, into sudden silence at the other end of the line.
‘No need to yell at me,’ said her mother, sounding tetchy. ‘I’m only trying to help.’
Jaime rolled her swollen eyes at Dodge, who, sensing her distress, had curled himself into her bed and was refusing to leave. Not that she wanted him to go; his furry warmth was comforting. She sucked in a breath, steadied her voice and said, ‘What’s all the noise?’ Then chucked a used tissue to the floor to join the multitude of other tissues scattered there.
The fact that she’d nearly gotten through a whole box of tissues made her want to cry again. She felt so wretched, and all the more so for leaving everyone else to clean up after the fair. Well, all except Tiffany, naturally. That cow hadn’t done anything all day except arrive late and grandstand herself. And kiss the man Jaime Josephina Hanrahan was head over heels in love with.
The tears started to well again.
‘We’re renovating,’ said Blanche. Another power tool started up in the background but thankfully this one was quieter. ‘The verandah isn’t big enough to hold everyone coming for coffee each morning so Dave’s decided to extend it into the shed. You know, where it joins onto the shack?’
Jaime didn’t know, because, to her shame, she’d never actually been to Balveno Island somewhere in the middle of Lake Victoria. She’d been too busy being angry with her mother for remarrying so soon after her father died. What a cow she’d been. There was nothing wrong with wanting love, was there? All she wanted right now was Stirling’s strong arms around her …
‘How about you come down here for a few days?’ her mother said. ‘I just can’t understand that Stirling. I could’ve sworn … What’s that, Dave?’
Her mother could never concentrate long enough to finish a sentence. And Jaime really wanted Blanche to finish that particular one. She really wanted to hear her mother say that Stirling McEvoy liked her, not that arrogant, scene-stealing hussy.
‘Dave agrees you need a few days’ break. He’ll leave right now and come get you. It’ll probably take him about three hours, although knowing him he’ll have a quick scout around for deer on the way.’
There was no way Jaime was going to be involved in shooting Bambi, devastated or not. But she did need to get away.
‘I’ll come, Mum, but I don’t want to go hunting, okay?’
After she’d hung up the phone, Jaime wandered aimlessly around the homestead before realising she needed to pack a bag and write Stirling a note. Nothing fancy, just something simple so he knew where she�
��d gone in case he worried. Regardless, he was that kind of guy. She’d put it on the kitchen table where he’d left his note the night she arrived.
‘I just want you to hold my binoculars,’ said Marty. ‘You can look away if I’m going to shoot.’
‘Marty, I do not want to go deer hunting with you. In fact, I never want to hunt an animal in my entire life.’
Jaime crossed her arms and glared at Dave’s nephew. Her mother had purposely neglected to tell her that Marty was also staying at the island, helping Dave with the renovations. Jaime had thought he’d gone back to work in Melbourne, or Geelong, or Woodend, or wherever the buffoon came from.
‘Don’t you have a job to go back to?’ she added.
‘Nope. I got laid off,’ he said, looking momentarily crushed.
Jaime felt a pang of sympathy. She knew all too well the pain and shock of being retrenched. And now he was looking at her like a puppy wanting a treat. She’d never been able to deny a puppy, or even a cat these days. After making a big fuss during the car trip, Dodge was now making himself at home on the shack’s couch.
‘C’mon, Jaime. It’ll be fun. You’ll see. I’ll make you forget that cowboy loser.’
Yeah. Like that was going to happen. Stirling was on her mind ninety-nine per cent of the time, even though she’d put all this distance between them. His face was tattooed on the inside of her eyelids. She couldn’t even sleep without seeing him in her dreams. Why did the man prefer Tiffany over her?
Jaime shook herself. She needed to pull herself together and stop this senseless ruminating. Spend her time doing something to take her mind off Stirling McEvoy. But first she needed to make something very clear.
‘Marty, you and I …’ She stopped, wondering how to go on. She realised she didn’t want to hurt Dave’s nephew. There was enough sadness in her heart without passing it on to someone else.
‘Look,’ she said gently, ‘there’s never going to be a you and me, okay?’
He wasn’t listening. She could tell by the way he was smiling and nodding. She tried again.
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