by Lyn Denison
Jess and Miranda joined them before Kat could reply. “Sorry to take so long, but we seem to have been at sixes and sevens this weekend.” She turned to Meggie. “And thanks once again for coming to our rescue, Meggie.”
“That’s okay.” Meggie blushed with pleasure and leaned closer to Kat.
“We’ll have to thank your mother again.” Jess looked at Kat. “And thanks to you too, Kat, for bringing Meggie over.”
“Oh, that was Meggie’s idea.”
“Well, if you’re not doing anything this evening we’re having a fundraising barbecue right here at the clubhouse. You’re both welcome. Oh, and Meggie’s mother as well, of course.”
“Mum’s in Sydney. She needed a break. She’s been working too hard.”
“I see.” Jess slid a glance at Kat.
“Dad and Uncle Lucas are cooking so it will be yummy,” Miranda said. “Uncle Lucas is the most fabulous cook. Oh, and Dad is too.”
Jess shrugged. “He is that. If we depended on me we’d be in dire straits.”
“Kat’s a great cook too. Better than Mum or Tori,” said Meggie and Kat laughed.
“More like adequate, love,” she said, hoping Meggie’s mention of Shael’s new partner had slipped by Jess.
“We have to have special food for my brother Caleb,” Miranda continued. “He’s a celiac so he can’t eat wheat and stuff.”
“Does it make him sick? Maybe Mum could fix him up. She’s a doctor. She mainly fixes eyes, but she knows about other doctor stuff,” Meggie said helpfully.
“Thank you,” Jess said with amusement. “But Caleb’s fine as long as we watch what he eats.”
“Does your brother play cricket too?” Meggie asked.
Miranda shook her head. “Caleb doesn’t like cricket. Dad’s taken him to his music lessons. My brother’s very musical.”
“I wish I had a brother,” Meggie said wistfully. “I’ve been asking Mum and Kat for years and years for us to have a baby.”
Kat tensed and glanced quickly at Jess to see if she’d noticed that Meggie had put Shael and Kat together. But Jess simply gave Kat a quick smile.
“Maybe you should ask your Dad,” Miranda suggested, but before she could continue her mother stepped in.
“This morning Miranda didn’t think having a little brother was such a good thing,” Jess raised her eyebrows at her daughter, “if you recall, hmmm?”
“Oh, Mum! He was driving me bananas!” Miranda appealed and Jess gave her daughter a hug.
“I know.” She turned to Kat. “Eventually we sorted it all out. With Dad’s help.”
“My dad builds houses. What does your dad do, Meggie?” Miranda asked and Kat stiffened.
“I don’t have a father,” Meggie said easily, and Miranda gave her a sympathetic look.
“Did he die?” she asked worriedly.
“Oh, no. At least I don’t think so,” replied Meggie. “I never knew him. Mum wasn’t married to him. He was just a friend who—”
Kat gave her arm a warning squeeze and Meggie paused.
“I guess I shouldn’t talk about it,” she finished conspiratorily. “But I have two mothers really, Mum and Kat.” She smiled up at Kat and Kat could only smile back.
“There’s this boy in our class, well, he has two mothers too. And then there’s Jeremy and he’s got two dads.” Miranda shrugged. “We just about have two dads as well. There’s Dad, our real dad, and then there’s Uncle Lucas and there’s Mum.”
“Hi, girls!”
They all turned around to see Mark Andrews approaching. With Mark was a slight fair-haired boy who bore a striking resemblance to Jess and her cousin, Lucas.
And a very propitious arrival too, Kat reflected, considering the direction of the conversation. Who knew where it would have ended with the two young girls exchanging information.
“That’s my dad. And Caleb,” Miranda told Meggie.
“Wow!” Meggie breathed out noisily. “Your dad is really cool looking.”
“He’s okay, I guess,” said Miranda casually. “Hi Dad! Come and meet Kat and Meggie. Meggie played cricket with us.”
“Hello again, Kat. And this devastatingly attractive young lady must be your daughter.” Mark had turned his winsome smile on Meggie and she wasn’t unmoved. She blushed.
“Well, Kat’s almost my mother. Sort of like my other mother.”
“I’m a friend of Meggie’s mother,” Kat put in.
“Ah. I see by your T-shirt you must be joining Miranda’s team? They could use a few extra players.”
“I want to but I have to ask Mum.” Meggie sighed theatrically.
“And this is Caleb.” Miranda introduced her brother, giving him a big sister look that went from pride to dire warning not to embarrass her.
The young boy smiled up at Kat with Jess’s smile and won her immediately.
“Did Jess tell you about the barbecue tonight?” Mark asked. “We’ll have the best sausages in town, and I have it on good authority that the dessert tonight will be absolutely irresistible.” He sang the last bit and the children all laughed.
“Not bad,” Kat complimented him and Jess shook her head.
“Don’t encourage him, Kat. He’s the biggest ham.”
“That was only to whet your appetite, Kat.” Mark good-naturedly pulled a face at his ex-wife. “I’m saving my impersonation of Elvis for the barbecue.”
Miranda groaned. “Oh, Dad, don’t! You can be so embarrassing.”
“I think he’s really good at it,” Caleb supported his father.
“See. Caleb knows a star when he sees one, don’t you, mate?” Mark ruffled his son’s fair hair. He turned to Jess. “Didn’t your mother say she’d have lunch ready at one? We’d better get organized if we don’t want to be late.”
Jess looked at her watch. “You take the kids home for a shower, and I’ll just check the girls have put all the gear away.”
Mark said goodbye to Kat and went off with the two children, Miranda still turning to wave at Meggie until she’d climbed into her father’s car.
“Can we help with the gear?” Kat asked Jess.
“No. But thanks. There’s hardly anything left to do. I just thought I’d get rid of Mark before he did any more entertaining.” She laughed. “He has a penchant for Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias.”
Kat raised her eyebrows.
“I know. How’s that for versatility?” Jess laughed. “Actually, he’s really quite good when he gets going, but here in the middle of the park, with cricket matches going on all around, well, impersonating Elvis can be a trifle showy, even for Mark.” She picked up a discarded cricket bat. “Miranda gets embarrassed and he teases her with it. Honestly those two are so alike, sometimes I could trade them both in on different models.”
Kat chuckled. “Never a dull moment, hmm?”
“Exactly. So, do you think you’d like to come to the barbecue tonight?” Jess’s clear blue eyes met and held Kat’s. “I’d really like you to come,” she said, her voice huskily sincere.
Time seemed to stand still for Kat. The trees, the sounds of birds, the thump of a cricket ball on a bat, the cheers of the onlookers all faded into the distant background and there was only Jess. Bright and bubbly, so very sexy Jess. And a Jess who had been married, reminded the voice of reason inside her. The world righted itself. She was foolishly allowing herself to be drawn into the web of Jess Andrews’ attraction.
“Can we, Kat?” Meggie’s voice brought her tortured thoughts back to reality as she took hold of Kat’s arm.
“Well—”
“Please, Kat. It’ll be fun. I like Miranda and the other girls in the team.”
Kat shrugged. “Okay. What time does it start?” she asked Jess.
“Six o’clock. And we’ll set up a couple of extra folding chairs at our table for you. See you then.”
Just before six Kat and Meggie headed back across the park to the cricket clubhouse. Foldout tables and chairs had been set out beside the
clubhouse under the trees, and the trees glowed with brightly colored strung lights. A small band was playing, and a few people were already dancing on a flat grass-covered area in front of the clubhouse.
The enticing smell of sausages and onions on the barbecue wafted on the air and Kat realized she was hungry. Since she’d made the break to move into Ruth’s house her appetite was slowly returning. Tonight, with the aroma of the sausage sizzle, her tummy rumbled, she suspected her appetite had turned up and brought along a group of friends.
The Andrews family was sitting at a large table, and Jess stood up with a smile as they approached. In no time Kat was sitting across from Jess while Meggie and Miranda were talking and laughing together.
Lucas joined them bringing a tray full of crusty bread rolls filled with sausage and grilled onions and topped with sauce and mustard to pass around. Kat took a bite of her roll and murmured appreciatively. When she’d finished her roll she looked up to see Jess watching her as she licked her fingers. Embarrassed, she searched for a napkin.
Jess laughed as she handed Kat a paper towel. “Does that mean you enjoyed it?”
“Mmm. Delicious.”
“Would you like another one?”
“Oh, no. Thanks.” Kat patted her stomach. “I’m full. But it was fantastic.”
“I hope you’ve saved a small space because we have special homemade ice cream for dessert. The mother of one of the players makes it herself. I think we have two choices, blueberry or mango.”
Kat groaned.
“Kat always says she’ll do anything for ice cream,” put in Meggie and Jess wiggled her eyebrows.
“Anything?” she asked.
Kat shook her head and heat rose in her body. “Well, almost anything,” she said huskily, and she saw Jess look quickly away. Was she imagining the underlying awareness she’d seen in Jess’s eyes or was she simply seeing something she wanted to see. No, she hadn’t imagined it, she told herself, and her mouth went dry. She took a sip of her soft drink and tried to concentrate on the conversation around her.
Fortunately at that moment Meggie asked Kat to dance with her, and Kat gratefully left the table and went onto the dance floor. A short time later Jess and Miranda joined them. Somehow they changed partners and Meggie and Miranda danced together and Kat was left facing Jess as they moved to the music. At least there was no touching with these dances, Kat reflected. But she still got to watch Jess, the way she moved, the way the artificial light flickered in her fair hair, accentuated the planes and angles of her lovely face and her slow, sexy smile.
Tonight Jess was wearing white jeans and a dark blue top, the scalloped neckline resting on the swell of her breasts. Kat thought she looked absolutely fantastic. So why would her husband want to divorce her?
Kat slid a glance at the handsome Mark Andrews. He was cleaning the barbecue, laughing at something Lucas was saying. With his compelling looks, Kat could understand if he was a womanizer, but he didn’t seem to be at all like that. He seemed pleasant to both men and women. In Kat’s experience some men couldn’t seem to help themselves running their eyes over women in a particularly irritating, almost predatory way. When Kat had met Mark Andrews in the office he hadn’t given her any of the usual bad vibes.
Perhaps Jess had strayed? Kat looked back at Jess. She was attractive, vivacious, all that her husband was. And just like Mark, she was simply nice to everyone, not singling anyone out.
Suddenly Kat realized she’d been staring at Jess and Jess was watching her. They gazed at each other for long tension-filled moments, then Kat gave a nervous laugh. “You’re a great dancer.”
Jess’s smile was a little forced. “Do you reckon? Something tells me you don’t get out much, Kat.”
Kat laughed spontaneously. “You should be a detective. It’s been so long since I danced sure as eggs I’ll be stiff as a board tomorrow. But I still say you’re a great dancer.”
“Then, thanks.” Jess inclined her head. “Want to sit down before I blot my copybook?”
“Sure.” Kat followed Jess back to the table, knowing she could keep an eye on Meggie from there.
“Phew!” Jess wiped her forehead with a tissue. “I think I’m with you, Kat. I need to go to the gym.”
“No, you don’t, Mum,” said Caleb sleepily. “You’re beautiful.”
Jess gave him a hug as Kat reflected she thoroughly agreed with the eight-year-old. She looked back to see Meggie and Miranda walking towards them, accompanied by another child about their own age.
“Look, Mum,” said Miranda. “Katie’s arm’s all better. She gets her plaster off on Monday so she’ll be able to play again soon.”
“Look at my arm, Jess. Everyone’s signed it for me.”
Jess dutifully admired the young girl’s colorfully autographed plaster cast before introducing her to Kat. “This is Katie Farrelly. Katie’s one of the wounded members of the team.”
“Hi, Katie. Is this cricket a dangerous game then?” Kat asked with mock seriousness.
Katie laughed. “Not really, Mrs. Oldfield. I actually fell off my bike. I came flying down the road to my mum’s gardening centre, and I hit a bit of gravel that had dropped off a truck. I flew way up in the air and landed on my arm,” she finished with relish.
“And your mother tells me you were a very lucky young lady,” Jess said.
“More than lucky,” stated a tall dark-haired woman who walked up and rested her hands on Katie’s shoulders.
“Oh, Mum. I told you. I actually jumped off the bike, then I tripped over the gutter.” Katie rolled her eyes.
Jess laughed. “How are you, Quinn?” she asked Katie’s mother. “Is Rachel here?”
Quinn looked around. “Over talking to Mark. She’s probably telling him how Adam kicked the winning goal in his soccer game this afternoon.”
Jess made the introductions. “Kat, meet Quinn Farrelly, one of the owners of the best landscaping business around here. If you’re looking to get your garden redesigned then Rachel and Quinn are the ones to call. R&R Gardening and Landscaping is the most fantastic place for gardening needs.”
“I’ll have to come and talk to you when I’ve finished renovating,” Kat said as another woman joined them.
The woman brushed Quinn’s arm, standing close to her, and they exchanged a glance that had Kat’s gaydar clanging.
“Great timing, Rachel,” Jess said. “Come and meet Kat Oldfield. Kat, this is Rachel Weston. Rachel’s the other half of R&R Gardening and Landscaping,” Jess explained and Kat shook hands with the woman.
The two women joined them, sitting close together, and Kat decided they were definitely a couple. Their whole demeanor said togetherness. But it was the way they looked at each other that sealed it. Love shone through every look, every touch.
Kat swallowed a sudden lump in her throat. She really envied them. How she wished she wasn’t the harbinger of death for relationships. She forced the depressing thought away and tried to concentrate on the conversation around her.
They all sat chatting easily and, apart from her moment of wistfulness, Kat realized she was really enjoying the evening. She relaxed, acknowledging she had missed the company of friends. Even though her isolation was mostly self-imposed she had discovered her friends seemed to have been Shael’s friends. With a sense of betrayal this had sent Kat further into herself. Had she not had her job and Em’s friendship she suspected she would have slipped into a deeper depression.
And there was Meggie. Kat knew the young girl had been devastated when Shael and Kat broke up. Even though they had both been quick to assure Meggie that the breakup had not been Meggie’s fault, Meggie’s main concern was the fact that she was unable to see Kat daily. It was Kat’s worry, too, and she and Shael had still not sorted that out. They were due to go to mediation next month.
“Kat?” Jess’s voice brought Kat back to the present.
“Oh, sorry! Guess I was miles away.”
“It’s just last call for drinks. We won
dered if you wanted something. A beer? Another Bundy Dark and Stormy? Or coffee?”
Kat shook her head. “No. But thanks. If I have caffeine this late at night it’s not pretty, and another beverage of an alcoholic nature would have me needing assistance going back across the park.”
“Our daughter Fliss is the same with caffeine,” said Quinn. “She gets mega-hyper.”
They discussed caffeine horror stories for a while, then Rachel turned to Kat with a slight frown.
“Before, did you mean you were going to walk across the park tonight?”
“Well, yes. Meggie and I walked over. I’ve just moved into a house on the other side of the park,” Kat explained. “And I’ve just started renovating it.”
“Ah.” Rachel nodded. “You mean the Dunleavy house? Where Betty and Tess lived? I noticed when I drove by a few days ago it was having some work done on it. Next door to Grace and Tom Worrall.”
“Yes. That’s it.”
Kat caught Rachel exchanging a quick glance with Quinn.
“So you own the house?” Rachel asked casually. “What do you plan on doing with it?”
“I wasn’t planning much in the beginning but, well, it’s turned into a fairly major job. In fact, I’ve just signed up with Handy Andrews for the construction work.”
“That’s a good move,” Rachel said sincerely. “They’re the best in the business.”
“Thanks for that,” Jess said, pleased.
“No worries. It’s the truth. That place of yours has so much potential, Kat, doesn’t it?”
“We all agree on that,” Jess said. “And Lucas thinks there’s the original pressed metal ceilings under the lowered ceilings in the living room.”
“That’s great,” said Quinn. “Rachel and I would love to come and see it some time, wouldn’t we, Rach? If it’s okay with you, Kat.”
“Of course.”
“I hope you’re taking before and after photos,” said Rachel. “If not, I’m sure Jess will. She loves doing that. They have a marvelous collection of photos of the properties they’ve worked on.”
“I have taken some photos,” Kat told them. “And I planned on recording every stage once Jess starts the actual renovations.”
