Neve swapped looks with Cressy. Edna was the queen of understatements. She’d love to be in the room when Dr Fliss next received Edna’s cholesterol results.
Edna left her seat to collect Neve a pair of thick red needles and a ball of green wool. ‘I’m sure you’ll be a fast learner. Your grandmother was quite the knitting legend. She holds the wartime record for the most number of socks knitted for the overseas troops. She also knitted me Rodger’s cardigan for his christening day. If Netta was still with us she’d love what we do here.’
Neve took hold of the wool and needles. She couldn’t ever remember seeing either her mother or grandmother knitting. But there were photos of her as a child in some pretty hand-knitted jumpers. ‘I’d love to hear more about my grandmother.’
As Edna explained the basics of casting on and casting off, she also recounted childhood memories of Neve’s family. In the stories there was nothing to change Neve’s perceptions or any new information that would help fill in the blanks of her grandmother’s life.
Cressy placed two cups of tea and a plate of vanilla slice on the small table in between Neve and Edna. From a set of drawers she removed a bag, made herself comfortable in an armchair, took off her boots and started knitting. She too was working on something white. No wonder she’d had a twinkle in her eye when Neve had commented the day they’d had coffee in town that the recent yarn bombing could be themed white for a wedding.
When Neve had completed two uneven rows, Edna steered the conversation towards Tanner. Neve hoped Edna didn’t notice how the wool slipped off the end of her knitting needle at the topic change.
‘It’s most concerning Tanner becoming such a social media star.’ Edna’s frown would have even stopped Bassie from doing the wrong thing. ‘His popularity has race-day ticket sales soaring, but we all know that Tanner hates female attention and being pursued.’
Neve stopped knitting. She didn’t dare look at Cressy. Surely Edna could see how ironical her words were? She thought she heard Cressy stifle a laugh.
‘Yes, he does,’ Neve managed.
‘A local girl would have his best interests at heart. An out-of-towner won’t see past his country-boy good looks … they’ll be falling for an image not for him as a person.’
Neve nodded. Edna’s words actually made sense.
‘Which is why I need your help, Neve. On race day, when you see him surrounded by girls, go over and run interference. Unfortunately, Bethany won’t be there until the last race and she can take over then.’
‘Okay.’ Neve wound green wool around her knitting needle. ‘It will be Operation Save Tanner.’ She glanced at Cressy. ‘Between all of us, he’ll be fine.’
This time Edna’s frown was fully directed at Neve. ‘No, it can’t be a group effort, it has to be just one of you. The only way to signal he’s unavailable is if he’s regularly seen with the same person. By the time Bethany arrives his fan club would have moved on, hopefully to those Barton boys.’
Neve held Edna’s stare. ‘Edna … I’m not pretending to be a couple with Tanner just so he will stay available for a local girl, even if perhaps her motives are more genuine.’
Edna stopped knitting. ‘Why not? Have I missed something? There’s a rumour that Mac Barton is seeing someone. Even though it was Finn you were getting on so well with at the small-hall festival.’
Neve ground her teeth. ‘With respect, my love-life’s no one’s business but mine. I’m not being a fake couple with Tanner for Tanner’s sake. He just might find somebody different and interesting. He deserves to have some fun. If he looks uncomfortable of course I’ll help him out, just like any of us will.’
To her surprise Edna merely nodded. ‘Fair enough. Be careful or you’ll drop another stitch.’
For the rest of the afternoon the topic of Tanner was never again mentioned. When the natural light in the lounge room dulled, Neve helped Cressy and Edna tidy what turned out to be Meredith’s house. As she now lived at Claremont, she’d made the building available for the underground knitting club. Which meant Meredith would be involved.
After Neve had waved farewell to Cressy she drove towards Main Street.
She slowed as she passed the historic church where her mother had been christened and her grandmother married for what she now knew was the second time. Usually, the sight of the picturesque stone building with its bell tower brought her a sense of belonging.
Today it just magnified the reality that she was going home to a silent and empty house. As if echoing her thoughts, she drove by the old fire station that had its windows boarded up. The double-storey brick building had been superseded by a new Rural Fire Service site on the outskirts of town.
Not far along, other buildings that once would have housed bustling shops also stood vacant. While the yarn bombers and events such as the markets, annual rodeo and campdraft and the races brought tourists to town, Woodlea still was a shadow of what it had been in her mother’s day. Between the younger generations heading to the mines or the city, and shrinking services, what Woodlea needed were some new businesses to regenerate the streetscape.
In the rear-view mirror she glanced back at the large wooden doors of the disused fire station. It wasn’t only the Woodlea locals that would benefit from new skills and expertise, outlying rural and remote families would too. The concerns she’d seen city children for in her occupational therapy practice would also affect many country children.
She passed the Windmill Café. Through the front window, tables appeared unoccupied and no cars were parked outside. On impulse she pulled over. Woodlea also needed residents to shop local and to support locally owned businesses. She’d grab a quick coffee and one of the caramel slices Edna loved so much. Fallen leaves crunched beneath her boots as she left her car. Beside her a plane tree dressed in pale yellow rustled and she pulled her denim jacket closed against the stiff breeze.
When she pushed open the café door Sally greeted her with a huge smile. ‘Long time no see. The usual?’
‘Yes please, and a piece of caramel slice. I’ll take them with me though.’
A prickle at her nape had her half turn. The blue shirt warned her who else was in the café even before she identified the male customer as Tanner. He sat at a corner table reading the paper, an empty mug in front of him.
Their eyes connected and then the corner of his mouth curved. ‘Hi.’
‘Hi.’
She’d walked over to him even before her mind had made a decision about what she should do.
He stood and pulled out the seat opposite him. She glanced to where Sally was frothing milk behind the counter before sitting. ‘I won’t stay long. Dell, Bassie and Jazz will want their dinner.’
His gaze skimmed her face and she resisted the urge to smooth her hair and to wet her dry lips. She couldn’t remember when she’d last slicked on lip balm.
She broke eye contact to look out the front window. He couldn’t know how good it was to see him. ‘Your ute isn’t in town?’
‘Phil’s away so I’ve been using his. I’m parked in front of the post office.’
‘Let me guess, you haven’t seen much of Edna lately.’
Tanner’s smile gleamed white. ‘It’s been at least a week.’
Neve couldn’t think of a single thing to say. She’d missed him and his easy grin so much. With perfect timing, Sally brought over her latte and caramel slice. ‘Here you go.’
‘Thanks, Sal. Now the weather’s turning cold, I’ll be seeing more of you.’
‘I’ll look forward to it. I might need some help with my science assessments.’
‘Anytime.’
As the university student headed back to the counter, Tanner’s phone rang.
‘Sorry, I’d better take this. Meredith was calling if she needed anything.’
Neve took a sip of her latte while Tanner answered. ‘Yes, I’m still here. I had to wait for the part. Do you need anything? Okay, I’ll swing by the grocery store. I’m at the café.’ He g
lanced at Neve. ‘I was, but Neve’s here now … I’ll ask … Meredith wants to know if you’ll come for dinner? Apparently I’m on barbeque duty.’
Neve didn’t miss the way he sat very still while he waited for her reply.
‘Thanks.’ She didn’t have the heart to refuse generous Meredith’s hospitality. ‘That sounds lovely.’
Tanner relayed her acceptance. ‘Yes. Right. Will do.’ He ended the call.
Neve picked up the paper bag containing her slice and got to her feet. ‘I’ll duck home first to feed everyone and to get Meredith’s scrapbooks.’
Tanner stood too. ‘Was there anything useful?’
‘Interesting, yes. There was a crash where no one was injured when a pilot landed and ran into a queue of planes on his first night-time solo flight.’
‘I bet he wasn’t popular.’
‘I think the term used in the newspaper was he was “scrubbed” from the programme. But unfortunately no, there wasn’t anything to help with finding out who Edward Jones was.’
They both gave Sally a smile as they walked towards the door. Once outside Tanner turned to her. ‘Fliss or Hewitt wouldn’t mind feeding Dell, Bassie and Jazz.’
Indecision held her quiet. She hated asking people to do things for her, but it would be an hour round trip home and then out to Claremont. Knowing Meredith, she’d already be prepared for Neve to arrive when Tanner did.
‘There’s also no rush to return the scrapbooks,’ Tanner added quietly.
‘Okay. I’ll call Fliss and drink my latte, while you get whatever Meredith needs.’
After Neve had spoken to Fliss, she returned to the warmth of her car. Tanner had disappeared inside the grocery store and hadn’t again emerged. As she finished her coffee and ate the caramel slice, she did an internet search for the local service she needed. When she found the number, she hesitated before making the call.
The image of the derelict fire station refused to leave her. Just like the half-thought that had formed and she’d expected to dim and fade.
When Neve walked beside Tanner through Claremont’s garden and Meredith greeted them at the front steps, Neve was glad she hadn’t delayed her arrival. Meredith’s smile was as welcoming as her embrace.
After Meredith had bustled Tanner off to cook the marinated chicken, she poured Neve a glass of red wine. They went to sit on a sheltered side veranda that overlooked the pool and barbeque area, where a cheese-and-dip platter sat on the wrought-iron table.
Neve settled into a chair and used the toe of her boot to scratch Patch’s stomach as he lay near her feet. This was the first time she’d spent any length of time with Meredith and Tanner together. Their banter and quick smiles while Tanner cooked the barbeque conveyed their closeness. Despite the years apart, they appeared to have forged a connection out of the complexity and heartache of their separation.
But as Neve stayed impartial about their discussion as to whether or not brown dress boots were an acceptable footwear to wear with formal wedding attire, she noticed Tanner kept a part of himself back. It wasn’t anything he said, or did—his laughter was unrestrained, his tone engaged—it was just a micro-expression that dulled his eyes when he thought no one was looking.
Once the chicken was ready, and a Greek salad and fresh rolls were placed on the table, Tanner sat in the seat opposite her. His gaze didn’t hold hers for long as usual. She could understand why. She was having difficulty not staring when his smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. Every time he reached for something it was a struggle to then not glance at his strong, tanned hands. Her skin still remembered the heat of his touch.
She focused on buttering a roll and on answering Meredith’s question about what she was doing without the girls around. ‘I’ve been working through a long to-do list and riding as much as I can.’
‘Anytime you want a cuppa you know where I am.’
‘I do. Thank you.’
The conversation then revolved around theories about who Edward Jones could have been and why he’d been stationed here during the war.
After they finished with apple pie and cream for dessert, Meredith took a phone call from Phil. When she went into the kitchen to talk, Neve shifted in her seat. She shouldn’t feel so vulnerable when alone with Tanner. She should have faith that her self-control would hold.
Tanner’s eyes met hers. She hadn’t realised she’d locked her fingers around the stem of her wineglass until he glanced at her clamped grip.
‘Neve … it’s okay. We both agreed nothing should happen.’
She swallowed. She hated that he could read her so well and that her feelings were so transparent. ‘It’s … harder than I thought.’
A smile tugged at his lips before his gaze lowered to her mouth. ‘Tell me about it.’
Her breathing quickened as her hormones stirred. ‘It will be easier on your horsemanship weekend won’t it? We’ll both be busy.’
‘I’m sure it will be.’
His hand moved on the table. All she had to do was inch hers forward and their fingers would connect.
‘You don’t sound confident.’
His gaze flicked to hers. No longer clear and pure, his irises were an intense, brilliant blue. ‘I’d be lying if I said I was. Neve … you make me feel things …’
Needing to touch him, because words wouldn’t be enough to convey she too felt overwhelmed, she straightened her fingers so their fingertips could meet.
Meredith’s footsteps sounded.
Neve pulled her hand away after only the briefest of touches.
‘Who’s for coffee,’ Meredith asked, voice cheerful as she appeared in the doorway.
Tanner shook his head as he came to his feet. ‘Not me. Patch and I have a river pump to turn off.’
Neve also stood. She collected the dessert bowls. ‘I’m fine too, but will help with these dishes before I head off.’
Tanner filled his hands with the empty wineglasses. ‘If I don’t see you before, I’ll see you Saturday week, bright and early.’
From his casual expression and smooth words, she’d never have guessed they’d just had a conversation like they’d had. ‘Jazz and I’ll be there, even if we’re not fully awake.’
‘Do you need a swag?’
‘Cressy said she has a spare.’
‘How about I come and get Jazz Friday night? She can stay here and I’ll take her with Arrow on Saturday?’
‘Thanks, but I’m sure you’ll have heaps of things to do. Hewitt’s offered to float her.’
‘Okay. No worries.’
Tanner’s gaze briefly met hers as he waited for her to precede him through the doorway.
It was only when she walked along the hallway into the kitchen that she realised Meredith hadn’t joined in the conversation. Instead she’d stood by the table, silently studying them.
Rain splattered on the tractor cabin roof and turned the dust on the windscreen into a filmy red sludge. Tanner activated the windscreen wiper. He needed the rain to hold off. Today was supposed to be the last day of sowing Claremont’s winter wheat. Other farms had sown earlier and their wheat was already visible green shoots. But thanks to the threat of the locust swarms, Phil had held off on sowing for as long as possible. If the locusts did arrive their crop would hopefully still be in the ground.
The rain flurry stopped, but the lack of blue sky didn’t fill him with confidence. It was mid-afternoon yet felt like early evening. It wasn’t a coincidence that since Neve had come for dinner on Friday night, he’d spent the weekend obsessively sowing. It was the only way to escape the way she made him feel. He could only hope Phil put the long hours he’d spent in the tractor down to the forecasted rain.
As for Meredith, he’d abandoned all hope she’d missed the intensity between Neve and him. She hadn’t said a word. She didn’t have to. Instead, there was a new watchfulness in her eyes. He didn’t know how, but he needed to have a conversation to dispel any expectation she had that he and Neve were a couple. As hard a
s it was, they were adhering to their agreement to cool the chemistry between them.
The UHF crackled to life and when he heard his name he took hold of the handset. Denham too was sowing.
He pushed the talk button to answer Denham’s query as to whether or not he was on channel. ‘Yes, here. Had any rain?’
‘A few spots. How about you?’
‘The same.’
‘How’s Cressy?’
‘Resting.’
‘Really?’
‘No, but she’s sitting in the office doing book work.’
‘That’s resting for Cressy. She still in Fliss’s bad books?’
‘Yes, and mine. I knew something wasn’t right, but she kept saying she was fine.’
Another crackle sounded and then a voice came on as old Will spoke. The UHF channel wasn’t private. ‘She’s still in my bad books too. If anything happened to her …’
With Cressy and Fliss’s mother and father no longer with them, Will would be walking Cressy down the aisle.
‘Will,’ Denham answered, ‘I’m watching her closely. Fliss has also set some very strict rest guidelines which she regularly makes sure are being followed.’
Will’s chuckle sounded. ‘I wouldn’t want Fliss checking up on me.’
‘Or me,’ Tanner added. ‘Will, you still making those kids’ whips?’
‘Yup. Want two for those little redheads Neve looks after?’
Tanner clenched his jaw. Not that he’d admit this to his father, but as much as he loved the cohesiveness of small-town life there were times when he did appreciate the anonymity of city living.
‘Maybe. They liked the whip cracking at the field day.’
Denham’s voice sounded. ‘Cressy’s turned up in the ute. She must have had enough of desk duties. Wish me luck telling her she shouldn’t be driving the tractor.’
Will chuckled again. ‘Rather you than me. Over and out.’
Tanner hung up the handpiece with a smile. He already knew how Denham and Cressy’s conversation would go. His cousin would still drive the tractor, but Cressy would end up in the second seat despite the fact it would be uncomfortable for her broken ribs. They’d then spend the rest of Denham’s shift not wanting to be anywhere else but with each other.
The Round Yard Page 20