Cressy, Fliss and Taylor were already here. Thanks to having to recover a swallowed hearing aid from a puppy she was running late. Luckily the puppy responded to the emetic, and his dinner came back up along with the hearing aid. Otherwise surgery would have been necessary.
She grabbed her brown leather tote bag and started the trek to the schoolhouse. According to old Will, who loved his history, the bluestone building lit up with a string of white festoon lights had replaced the original slab hut schoolhouse. It was also one of the few schoolhouses left that had been built as both a school and a teacher’s residence.
The once vacant building would now be the home of the windmill museum that would also house other historic rural items of interest. The hay bale challenge last weekend had raised some much-needed funds and tonight the dessert event would raise even more. In a few weeks the final fundraiser of a beer night and bush dance would be held.
Concentrating on walking over the rough ground that even in wedges proved problematic, she didn’t pay any attention to the cars around her. Then, the unmissable chrome front of an F-truck shone in the gloom. She stopped. She’d assumed Saul wouldn’t be here. They’d exchanged a few texts over the week and he’d never mentioned going to the dessert night. But then again neither had she.
She stared at the glossy white bonnet of his F-truck. As for any face-to-face conversations, there’d been none. She hadn’t seen him since he’d left the hay bale challenge. He hadn’t needed any help dismantling the castle and had returned her small hay bales while she’d been at work. When she’d felt him tense while the crowd had been in a photo-frenzy, she’d snuck a sideways look. Not everyone was comfortable being the centre of attention. To anyone else he would have appeared like a celebrity with an unsmiling signature pose. But to her it was clear something was wrong.
The remote cast of his profile went far beyond someone simply being out of their social comfort zone. His body had been as rigid as cattle grid steel and when she’d linked her fingers with his they’d been winter cold. For a long second she’d thought he’d shift his hand away, but then his fingers curled around hers. She could only hope that her smile in the photos of that moment wouldn’t reflect the relief that Saul thought enough of her to accept her support.
When he’d disappeared into the crowd she’d made to go after him but Edna had called her name. After the photographer had taken some extra shots and locals had congratulated her she’d headed for the garden gate. When she saw Denham and Tanner walking towards the farmhouse she hadn’t followed. Saul would be in safe hands with mates who knew him far better than she did.
She looked around, thankful she was the only one in the car park. Edna would have a field day if she heard that Ella was caught lost in thought studying Saul’s F-truck. She kept walking. She was supposed to be keeping her distance but now that everyone knew they’d worked together it would appear strange if she avoided him.
If she were honest a part of her also needed to make sure he was okay. It had to be because she needed closure. It just felt like last weekend was unfinished and she didn’t like having loose threads. She could weave a tapestry from the ones left hanging after the way her relationship with Charles had ended. She pushed aside the ache of entrenched regret and continued through the car park.
The glow of the festoon lights guided her past a freestanding old-fashioned school bell around to where music and laughter sounded at the back of the building. The stifling heat of the day had given way to a temperate breeze. Sue gave her a wave from where she sat beside Denham’s aunt Meredith. In front of both women sat plates filled with a large slice of fruit-topped pavlova.
Ella gazed around what had once been the school playground. Inside a small marquee, also draped with festoon lights, a local singer-songwriter strummed on her guitar. Her lilting country songs merged with the buzz of conversation that seemed louder at one end of the crowd. On the schoolhouse veranda refrigerated display cabinets housed a smorgasbord of sweet and fancy treats, while across the yard by the fence, food vans offered everything from waffle cones to paper-thin crepes. Her mouth watered. It was well past her dinner time.
After catching sight of Taylor’s platinum-blonde bob at the far end of the grassed area she made her way through the picnic rugs and camp chairs. To her right, beside a cabinet full of a rainbow array of gelato, Saul stood talking to Penny and Sally. Penny’s high-wattage grin said as much as the way Saul’s body was half turned away from her. Penny was thrilled to be chatting to him. Saul just wanted to leave.
She hesitated. He could look after himself. Then another two girls joined them. When one ran her hand through her loose blonde hair and the other leaned forward just enough to show a valley of creamy cleavage, Ella detoured to her right. Saul had made it clear he wasn’t interested in any relationship. She also knew how it felt to be subjected to unwanted attention, even if it was well-intentioned.
When she approached, Penny gave her an enthusiastic hug, indicating that there had been as much champagne consumed as sugar. ‘You made it.’
‘I did. But I’m not quite off-duty yet. I need to see Saul about his bison.’ She smiled at the other three girls. ‘Would you mind if we had a quick word?’ Then, not waiting for an answer, she accompanied Saul over to a quiet veranda corner.
A smile relaxed his mouth, and there appeared no trace of the tension that she’d glimpsed last weekend. ‘Did you really want to ask me about my young bison or were you just being my vet in floral armour?’
She tried and failed to keep her face from warming as his gaze swept over her fitted black dress decorated in pale pink peonies. But just like the other times when his attention focused on her, his eyes remained guarded. Again, his lack of awareness of her as a woman left her more empty than relieved. ‘Both.’
Wrong answer. His resulting grin only intensified the heat in her cheeks.
For a split second he seemed to focus on her lips before he replied, but it had to have been a trick of the poor light. ‘Your patient has made a full recovery and is enjoying being with her new herd.’
‘That’s great.’
As much as she wanted to talk to him about what happened at the hay bale challenge photoshoot, now wasn’t the time. She caught a glimpse of Edna dressed in a vivid royal-blue dress as she moved from one group to another. Neither of them could afford for Edna to see them together.
She also needed some physical space between her and Saul. Tonight he wore a white T-shirt with jeans and for the first time since Cressy and Denham’s wedding his lean jaw was clean-shaven. He also smelled as good as he looked. She took a firm hold on her tote bag in case her fingers heeded the urge to touch the smooth indent in his chin.
Penny’s loud giggle sounded. The cluster of girls were now talking to Joe and the redhead looked more than comfortable in their company.
Ella took a small step away from Saul. ‘I’d better keep moving. I think the coast is clear for you to make it back to Denham and Tanner in one piece.’
Saul’s slow smile shouldn’t have made her steps light as she continued over to where her friends sat on their picnic rug.
Cressy came to her feet to give her a hug. Instead of her usual boots and jeans she wore a loose denim dress. ‘I was starting to think I’d have to pack a doggy bag and take it to the clinic.’
Ella returned her hug, careful of Cressy’s neat baby bump that had grown since she’d seen her at the baby shower. ‘I’m here now and starving.’
She settled on a spare spot on the rug. Taylor and Fliss lifted their champagne glasses in a welcome toast.
‘It’s great to see you,’ Taylor said.
‘Ditto,’ Fliss said, clinking her glass with Taylor’s.
Ella glanced over to where men were standing in groups at the quieter end of the yard. Like Cressy, many appeared to be drinking water or cans of soft drink.
‘You know, it threw me,’ she said, looking back at Taylor and Fliss’s full champagne glasses. ‘It just didn’t seem to fit
that there were so many men here but now I know why … for once they’re on designated driver duty.’
Taylor grinned. ‘They are. It was also their idea. Not that I have anyone to be my designated driver, mind you, but Hewitt very kindly said I can share him with Fliss.’
Taylor was trying to make her long-distance relationship work with a man she’d met while travelling in Ireland.
Ella laughed. ‘I bet the boys were quick to offer to play chauffeur. They won’t be wanting to drive on the beer night.’ She smiled at Cressy. ‘I’ll stick to drinking water with you. I haven’t eaten since morning smoko.’
Fliss stood and offered a hand to pull Ella to her feet. ‘We’ll soon fix that.’
When Ella returned to the picnic rug she carried a plate laden with desserts from colourful macaroons and chocolate lava cake to mini cheesecakes. While she enjoyed her feast she sat back and relaxed as laughter and jokes surrounded her. It was so nice to be amongst her friends, even if every so often she snuck a glance over at the reason why she’d isolated herself in the first place.
Saul continued to stand with Tanner, Denham and now Hewitt. Deep in conversation, Saul showed no sign of being uncomfortable amongst the crowd. When she felt Fliss’s gaze on her she made a point of checking her watch. Now that she was out socialising again she’d hoped Fliss would stop keeping a close eye on her. She took hold of her bag and stood.
‘You’re not going already?’ Taylor said with a stern frown.
‘Of course not. I promised to take Violet some desserts. I shouldn’t be long.’
‘We’ll still be here,’ Cressy said, rubbing her rounded stomach. ‘I’ve got some more sugar cravings to satisfy.’
Fliss smiled. ‘If you’re not back, I’ll text when we’re going to the pub.’
‘Thanks.’
Intent on getting a varied selection of desserts for Violet, Ella didn’t realise Saul was standing beside her until she caught a familiar woody scent and a glimpse of white out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see him also holding takeaway boxes.
He looked at the ones she held. ‘Great minds?’
‘If those desserts are for Violet, then yes we’re thinking the same thing.’
A smile warmed his eyes. ‘I can take them if you want to stay?’
‘Thanks but I haven’t seen her for a few days.’ She reached for the boxes he held. ‘I can take yours though?’
As Penny giggled nearby, he shook his head and turned towards the exit. ‘I think this amount of dessert needs two delivery people.’
Making sure it didn’t look like she was leaving with Saul, she took a different pathway to the playground gate. Her heart did a funny little jump when she realised he stood beside the school bell waiting for her. She’d just assumed they’d make their own way to Violet’s.
‘Where are you parked?’ he asked as they walked side by side into the shadowed car park. The only source of light was the pale wash of the moon overhead.
‘At the very end.’
‘We can take my truck?’ It was just a subtle change in his tone but his Australian accent seemed more pronounced.
‘I’d better drive myself. I might need to play chauffeur later.’
‘No worries.’
Too busy trying to gauge whether his tone had again changed, she stumbled over the uneven gravel car park surface. Even though she quickly righted herself, Saul’s arm had encircled her waist. She froze.
It seemed a lifetime ago that a man had held her. And another lifetime since she’d felt the strength inherent in a masculine touch. She swallowed. But what she’d never felt, or couldn’t ever remember feeling, was the heat of her own response.
‘All good?’ he asked.
Barely breathing, she nodded as his arm lowered and he stepped away. As if on autopilot, she walked forwards. When they’d waltzed at the wedding, the warmth of his hand at her waist had made her senses yearn. Now the solid weight of his arm around her didn’t only awaken her body but also her emotions. Emotions she refused to let sabotage her composure ever again. She’d never been so glad to see a vehicle than when the squared front of Saul’s F-truck came into view.
‘Here you are.’ Even to her own ears her words sounded strained.
Except Saul made no move to stop when they reached his truck.
So she did. She wasn’t having him walk her to her four-wheel drive. She’d need the time between now and arriving at Violet’s to run some much-needed damage control.
She took her phone from out of her bag and activated the torch. ‘I’ll be right from here and won’t be too far behind you.’
The shadows hid his expression, but not the quietness of his words. ‘Okay then. See you at Violet’s.’
To think he’d believed he’d emerge unscathed from seeing Ella again.
Saul unclipped his seatbelt and flexed his shoulders, which felt as though they’d been shaped from his bison-yard steel. Things between them couldn’t have gone more wrong tonight than if he’d walked under a ladder on the way into the dessert event. He already needed to clear the air about what had happened at the hay bale challenge and now everything had become more complicated.
He again checked the rear-view mirror for Ella’s car lights. He was parked outside Woodlea Lodge and waiting for her to arrive. But the only flicker of white light was from a car passing the lodge turn-off. He could go in and see Violet on his own but he’d never been a coward. His mother also hadn’t raised him to be inconsiderate or impolite. As much as his tension ratcheted up a notch with every minute that passed, he’d stay where he was.
When Ella had tripped, it had been pure reflex that had him reach out to catch her. He would have done the same for anybody walking beside him. But the instant his arm looped around her waist and his hand settled into the curve of her hip, it had become all about the way only Ella could make him feel. Warm and soft, she’d briefly rested against him. The silkiness of her hair brushed his chin and her cherry blossom scent enveloped him. Then she’d stiffened and reality had kicked in with a vengeance.
He’d promised her she’d be safe with him. He’d promised himself that he would keep himself safe. Responding to her on any level beyond platonic friendship wasn’t adhering to either of those promises. The lift of her chin and her insistence on continuing alone to her car flagged she too had been thrown by the contact between them.
It was now important in the short walk to Violet’s door that he re-establish the boundaries of the companionship they’d formed on the hay bale weekend. Any awkwardness between them had to be erased. Neither needed to carry any more emotional weight than they already did.
Headlights gleamed in his rear-view mirror and he collected the boxes filled with Violet’s desserts. He left the driver’s seat and waited on the footpath for Ella to leave her vehicle. While the streetlight threw out a pool of white light, she kept to the shadows as she approached.
He kept his voice casual. ‘I hope Violet’s hungry.’
‘So do I.’ Ella’s eyes didn’t meet his for as long as they usually did. ‘I also hope I haven’t ruined any of the desserts from tripping over. I’m not game to look.’
‘My sister-in-law makes a berry meringue smash,’ he said, as he followed Ella through the garden gate. ‘Rosie’s the chief meringue smasher.’
Ella didn’t glance at him when she replied. ‘Odds are that’s what I have in one of these boxes.’
They stopped at the unit door and when he went to knock Ella spoke in a low tone. ‘I can’t believe that after all the publicity the hotline hasn’t received more leads.’
‘I’ve been thinking the same thing. The two people who phoned in gave inaccurate descriptions of Libby. One also said she’d been taken from her bed, but this was impossible as the house had been locked, including her bedroom window.’
‘Violet and Lloyd also had an aggressive blue heeler that wouldn’t have let anyone in through the gate—’
The door swung open.
‘I
thought I heard cars pull up. Come in.’ Violet’s gaze brightened as she took in the dessert boxes. ‘Shall I put the kettle on?’
Ella didn’t hesitate. ‘Yes please. I need a coffee otherwise I’ll soon be in a sugar coma.’
He nodded. ‘A coffee for me too would be great.’
While the kettle boiled Violet inspected the contents in each box. When Ella opened the pavlova box she glanced across at him with a smile. ‘This one’s … a smashed peach and passionfruit meringue.’
It shouldn’t move him the way it did that things appeared to have returned to normal between them.
While they drank their coffee and Violet sampled some of the desserts, the conversation flowed. Ella updated Violet on what mischief Cinnamon and Nutmeg were up to. Nutmeg had worked out how to jump onto the outdoor kitchen window frame so she could look inside to see what Ella was doing. Saul shared stories about bison jumping fences with the agility of a pole-vaulter and swimming across icy rivers.
When Violet gave a small yawn, Ella met his gaze and began to clear the plates. After Violet heard Ella washing up the teacups and shooed her out of the kitchen, they said their goodbyes. As they walked along the garden path, Ella’s phone chimed and then Saul’s.
Ella checked her message. ‘Fliss says everyone’s heading to the Royal Arms.’
‘Denham says the same.’
‘Are you going?’
‘Let’s just say that if I don’t I’ve been told that it will be my job to dissuade Edna from helping out when baby Rigby arrives.’
Ella’s quiet laughter lasted until they reached their cars. ‘I’ll see you there.’
Ella left first and led the way to the local pub. Instead of driving along the main street, she took a side lane that ended in a row of vehicles illuminated by the streetlights. She pulled in beside a battered ute and Saul parked alongside her. Even with the wrought-iron clad pub being a block away, the music thumped through his truck windows with a boisterous beat.
‘Just as well everyone’s on a sugar high,’ Ella said, when he joined her on the footpath.
The Boundary Fence (A Woodlea Novel, #7) Page 9
