“You wish.” Maryanne dropped her own apron into the laundry basket.
“Bonus?”
“You wish even more,” Mark said. “I’m Mum’s flesh and blood, and I practically have to beg to get my wage.”
“Hey, I feed and clothe you, boy.” Walking past him, Maryanne gave his ear an affectionate pull. “Nothing says I have to pay you.”
“If you want presents on your birthdays and Mothers Day, I need money.”
“You get paid.”
“I don’t get a bonus.”
“Your bonus is the leftover cake and pies that you eat.”
“That’s a perk, not a bonus.”
“Just get in the car.” Maryanne peeked into the kitchen. “Finished in here, Bill?”
“All done.” The cook came out, cracking his neck side to side as he did so.
Harly shuddered. “One day, Bill, you’ll crack your head right off.”
“Nah. Just easing out the kinks.” He squinted at her. “Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it.”
“Sure. Like never.”
He laughed, his deep boom at total odds to his skinny frame.
In the little room put aside for the staff, they all retrieved their keys and bags and assorted other stuff before following Maryanne out the back door. She locked it before waving goodbye to Bill and Harly while following Mark to their car.
“Come on,” Bill said, long legs striding over the packed earth. “I’ll drop you off home.”
“Thanks for that.” She waited as he unlocked the door, opening it herself when he simply walked around and got in the drivers side.
No one had ever accused Bill of being a gentleman, but then again, Harly thought fondly as she settled into the cracked seat, neither had anyone ever accused him of being mean. Bill was just Bill. He’d unlock the door but he figured that if you had two good working hands - even one good working hand - you could open your own door. He wasn’t a man to waste energy on anything unnecessary.
Driving through town was done silently. Bill wasn’t much for wasting words, either, and he didn’t see much sense in talking about the day when he’d just spent it with the same person, and that suited Harly just fine. She had enough on her mind right now, especially since the days work was over and unwelcome thoughts now had time to intrude.
Tonight was the barbecue. Everyone she knew would be there, some nodding acquaintances to herself only, some cousins, others friends, but all people she’d grown up with in this small town.
Tonight, however, the star of the barbecue was neither friend, family, nor nodding acquaintance. In fact, she wasn’t sure what to call Alex Lawson. He was her cousin Paul’s best friend since primary school, having met him in the city when Paul had been sent there to boarding school. Paul and Alex had taken to each other straight away and Paul spent many weekends at Alex’s home, while Alex, in turn, spent at least two sets of school holidays a year with Paul’s family in this little town.
The last time he’d been here on school holidays was sixteen years ago. The few times he’d come since then for the odd weekend, she’d managed to be out of town or out of sight, but since they’d all grown up and he’d joined the Army there hadn’t been much time for him to visit.
Until now.
Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply. Time changed a lot of people and she wondered if he’d be the same, if he’d changed much, if she’d barely recognize him. War changed people. He’d been through things she could only imagine.
She guessed she’d find out tonight.
Bill turned off the main road onto a smaller bitumen road that needed repairs, the old ute bouncing and jarring in the potholes.
“’Bout time the Council got their arses in gear and fixed this,” he growled.
“I’ve written them a letter.”
“Like that’s goin’ to do any good.”
“I also had a word to Bob’s wife.”
Bill grinned. “The Mayor’s wife. She’ll light a fire under his arse.”
“Hey, the woman wants to be served with a smile, I want to drive with a smile. We worked it out.” Harly laughed.
Turning into a short drive, Bill waited while Harly got out, opened the gate and got back into the ute before driving up and parking in front of the old house with the wrap-around veranda. Resting one arm on the car door, he gazed out at the house, a faint nostalgic expression crossing his face. “You did well with this house, Harly.”
“I like Grandma’s house just the way it was.” Harly looked at the hanging pots on the veranda, the black-eyed susans dipping down to curl around the posts.
“You’ve kept it in good condition.” He nodded.
The familiar feeling of pride slid through her. “I try.”
Bill grunted and shifted the gear stick into reverse, an open hint to Harly that he wanted to go. Used to his changes of mood, she thanked him and got out of the ute, waiting until he’d turned around and driven off before going up the steps and unlocking the door.
In the hallway she was met by Buffy, the collie, and she stroked the old dog’s head. “Hey, girl. Did you miss me?”
Buffy licked her hand, her tail wagging.
“Me, too. Where’s the rest of the crew?”
Turning, Buffy trotted back down the hallway and into the lounge, stopping to look back at Harly.
Peeking in, she smiled at the three cats sprawled out on the big, old sofa. “Hey, boys and girl.”
They blinked at her, Chuckie stretching and yawning loudly, blinking at her out of his one yellow eye.
“Don’t all rush me at once. I couldn’t stand the overload of love.” Approaching the sofa, she stroked the cats, laughing as they purred but didn’t move.
It was a routine they all did every time she’d been out, regardless if it was for an hour or all day.
“No time to muck around tonight,” she informed the dog and cats. “I’ve got to go out soon, so it’s meal time in the kitchen and you’ll have to amuse yourselves for a couple of hours tonight. And you know what that means.” She pointed at Pepper. “The combined dog/cat flap is closed at night, so no getting up to mischief while I’m not here to watch you.”
Pepper, being so ancient it took her all her time to get from the lounge to the kitchen, didn’t even bother to open her eyes.
“Wild thing.” Harly affectionately rubbed the old black and white cat’s ears before straightening and heading into the kitchen. “Right, dinner time, you mob.”
The first thing she did was lock the combined dog/cat flap as she did every night before dishing out the bowls of cat and dog food and refilling the two water bowls inside the laundry. Once the animals were set for the night, she walked up the hallway and into the bedroom, hanging her small bag on the hook behind the door and undressing. A shower, hair wash, and then she stood in front of the open wardrobe door and contemplated her choices.
The days might be warmish, but the nights were getting cooler. Autumn was arriving.
Reaching in, she withdrew the navy slacks she’d made a week ago, followed by a yellow t-shirt she’d bought on-line from the Big Dreams plus-sized store in the city. It fell over her hips, hiding the overly-generous curves in a neat drape, thanks to the false brown cardigan sewn onto it. Sucking thoughtfully on her bottom lip, she eyed her shoe choices. Never a woman who liked clothes or shoe shopping, she only had the basics.
“It’s only a BBQ at Paul’s house,” she muttered, yanking out a pair of flat-heeled ballet flats. “Nothing special.”
A quick brush of her hair and she tied it back into a high ponytail, a slick of rose lipstick, a spritz of perfume and she was ready to go. Thank God for thick, black eyelashes inherited from her Grandma, it meant she didn’t have to worry about mascara.
The clock on the mantle showed nearly seven o’clock. Paul would arrive soon, but she was ready.
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than the bell at the front door clanged loudly once. Looked like he was early and being polite.
“Since when do you ring once only?” She swung the door open. “Normally you ring the damned thing like there’s a fire…” Words trailing away, she stared up at the man gazing down at her.
She’d know him anywhere, regardless of the fact that he was sixteen years older, had filled out impressively in the shoulders and chest, grown taller, and had an air of quiet purpose about him.
Alex Lawson was on her doorstep.
She swallowed. “Hi.”
“Hi.” He studied her, his gaze sweeping slowly across her face, lingering on her eyes and mouth before slipping lower, and she could swear she felt every hot lick of his calm gaze as it swept down her body, lingering on her breasts and hips, sweeping down to her neatly-shod feet before slowly climbing back up until he finally met her eyes again. “Harly.”
Her inhaled breath stuttered slightly, heat climbing through her body even though his vivid blue eyes were so calm and hid his thoughts. “Alex.” What were you thinking when you looked at me so - so thoroughly? Were you…remembering?
It didn’t matter. Mentally she shook her head, her gaze flickering behind him to the gloom. “Where’s Paul?”
“I’m collecting you.”
“You are?”
He nodded.
“Alone?”
“Is that a problem?”
“What? No. No, of course not.” Trying to rein in her jumbled thoughts before she made herself look any more of a dill, she stepped back, pushing the door further open behind her. “Come in. I’ll only be a minute.”
He walked past her, pausing for a fraction of a minute to turn his head and look down at her, making her so conscious of the fact that he’d grown larger, taller, stronger, since she’d last seen him. The top of her head barely reached his shoulder.
He smelled delicious, male, a faint hint of aftershave that was light and fresh, and he was standing so close to her that she could feel the heat from his body.
Moving past her, his gaze swept the hallway, and she closed the door while studying him in turn and willing her heart to steady its rather erratic pace. After all this time, he could still affect her.
Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, he also wore an open chequered flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up to just below his elbows. Black sneakers enabled him to walk silently over the runner covering the hall floor. Blonde hair cut short, military style, and the light from the hall shone full on his face when he turned to face her.
There was no denying that Alex was handsome, his features undeniably male with a hint of hardness to his face, while a few lines bracketed the corners of his eyes. His mouth was firm, his jaw square.
Hooking his thumbs into his pockets, she watched the long fingers spread out over strong thighs. Big hands for a big man, sure hands for a sure man.
Her gaze jerked back up to find him studying her just as thoroughly. Again. Only this time, his eyes were narrowed a little, his head canted slightly to one side as though trying to read her mind. His gaze was unnervingly direct.
Danger.
Taking a deeper, more steadying breath, she managed a smile. “Long time, Alex.”
“True.” That gaze just kept boring into her. “A lot can happen.”
“Yes.” Oh hell, he couldn’t know, could he? When he didn’t say anything further to fill the growing silence between them, she decided to forge ahead. Now was not the time to make a mistake.
Especially now she’d met him again and it hadn’t taken her more than several seconds to figure out that Alex Lawson wasn’t a man to fool. But he didn’t know, couldn’t know, or he’d have said something. The only thing she could do was continue as normal.
Picking up the house keys, Harly strode past him. “I’ll just do a last check and we can go.”
A last check to ensure the animals were catered for, the house was securely locked, and she could get her nerves under control.
Returning to the hallway, she found Alex waiting silently, his regard of her steady as she walked towards him.
He didn’t look at the roll of her overly-generous hips, nor did he stare at her equally overly-generous breasts. Nope, his gaze was fastened on her face, in fact, his gaze was boring into her eyes.
But he couldn’t know. No way could he know. Not after all these years. Not ever.
Squaring her shoulders, she passed him and immediately felt him turn and walk right behind her, so close she could feel the heat from his body as he almost crowded her.
It made her move faster, swinging the security screen open and stepping through quickly, standing to the side so he could pass her.
Silently he held his hand out.
“What?” Confused, she looked up at him.
“The key.”
“The key?”
“To lock the door.”
It came back so fast, the memory of him always being such a gentleman, making the teenage girls who met him giddy and giggly, the older women regarding him with fondness.
Alex had been brought up with charming and sometimes old fashioned manners.
Silently she held the key out and he took it between his long fingers. When he arched one brow at her, she realised that she stood in front of the door and with an uncustomary blush, she moved aside, watching as he locked the wooden door, swung the screen shut, and locked it with quick, efficient moves.
Turning back to her, he reached out, took her hand in a big, warm grasp that was at once achingly familiar for a brief second, and she could only gape as he lifted her hand, turned it over palm-up ,and placed the key directly in the centre of her palm.
Be still my beating heart.
He is so dangerous…in more ways than one.
Several silent seconds passed as they gazed at each other, the silence of the surroundings seeming to hem them into their own little world where she was so aware of him, so aware of every breath he took.
He broke the moment decisively, closing her fingers around the key before releasing her hand to place one big palm against the small of her back, turning her with ease to steer her down the steps and over to his Jeep. Opening the door, he waited politely for her to get into the seat.
It was all done in silence with his eyes watching every move she made. He shut the door with firmness before walking around the Jeep.
Oh yeah, she thought, watching him walk around to his door and get in, breathing deep of his scent as he did so, aware even more of him.
He was a danger. A big danger. But all she had to do was remain silent, say nothing about it, not even hint at it, and he’d never know.
He was a danger because if he ever found out what she’d both done and hadn’t done, that famous temper he had would be sure to let fly, and being on the receiving end of that temper was something she didn’t plan on happening to her.
And she certainly didn’t want to be on the receiving end of his scorn.
It had been her decision and one she didn’t regret to this day.
Facing Alex with it was a whole other story.
Two
She wasn’t going to say anything about it. Alex glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Harly Bentley was giving nothing of her thoughts away in her expression, but her fingers that were linked and flexing backwards a little, which should have made a cracking sound but didn’t, was a dead giveaway.
It seemed that some things hadn’t changed. That hand gesture was so Harly, he remembered it well from the times he’d been in her company when around Paul and his various cousins and friends.
Even back then she’d been quiet, so solemn, her big grey eyes taking everything in, missing nothing. Big grey eyes that had been so sad at times, the longing in them plain to see.
But that was sixteen years ago and this was now. Now Harly was a grown woman and he wanted answers. Perversely, he wanted her to volunteer them, so he waited.
He also waited because seeing her up close again, after all this time, had awakened something deep inside him, something he’d thought had been a passing fancy of
youth.
He stole another glance at her as the Jeep passed under the street lights.
That dark hair was so glossy, pulled back in a jaunty, no-nonsense ponytail that just begged to be yanked free and dishevelled.
By his hands.
Shit, no. With a scowl, he jerked those thoughts away and stuffed them where they belonged. In the mental garbage.
Oh, there was no denying that Harly had grown into a pretty woman. A big, beautiful woman, all over-lush curves that she wore with ease, as though she were a plus-sized model rather than a plus-sized woman in a small town.
Big difference there, one was looked at with admiration - of a sorts - the other was the kind of woman who looked at those models in magazines and sighed. And wished they were smaller, because face it, not many real plus-sized women graced the covers of fashion magazines. Most of them were a size sixteen or eighteen, nothing larger.
Nothing in the size twenty and up.
He glanced sideways again. The shirt she wore in no way hid her bountiful chest, in fact, it clung to her breasts like a second skin. He briefly wondered if she wore fancy underwear like his sister Cindy, did, or whether Harly wore plain undies.
Not that he cared.
Taking a deep breath, he tightened his hands on the steering wheel. Pretty or not, BBW or not, he was angry with Harly but he’d bide his time. No jumping straight into this, no, he’d give her time to confess, to tell him. And if she didn’t, then…well, it wasn’t going to be pleasant.
“So,” he began quietly, “What have you been doing with yourself all these years?”
“Oh, a bit of this and a bit of that,” she replied, looking at him briefly.
“Waitress.”
“Paul told you?”
“I happened to glimpse you as I came into town.”
“Ah. Well, yes, I do part-time waitressing.”
When she didn’t volunteer any further information, he drummed his little finger against the steering wheel. “Anything else?”
She shrugged. “I make clothes for special orders. Also part-time.”
They continued on in silence for several minutes before he broke the silence again. “Are you doing well with the clothes making?”
The Lawson Boys: Alex Page 2
