Water saturated his hair and dripped into his eyes. The wind stripped warmth from wherever it touched. He held Neve close to shelter her from the gusts that hit them from an oblique angle. Through the grey wall of water he saw the blue of his ute. For once the distinctive colour wasn’t a liability.
Lights flashed as he unlocked the doors using the key in his chinos pocket. He battled against the wind to hold the passenger door open so Neve could disappear inside. Finally, he too was in the dry ute cabin. Rivulets trailed frozen fingers down the back of his neck and over his chest. His boots were heavy and sodden.
The noise of the rain hammering on the windscreen made speaking impossible. Lightning flickered before thunder rolled. Neve gave him a smile as she removed her headband and dragged wet hair off her face. He reached behind the seat for the towel he kept there. When he passed it to her, her hands shook.
He leaned over to kiss her lips. No longer soft and warm, they were as cold as a winter snowfall. He pointed in the direction of home. She nodded and took her phone out of her bag to send a text. He guessed it was Ella that she was letting know where she was. He started the ute engine. The windscreen wipers worked hard to keep the downpour at bay.
He reached out to link his fingers with hers. Her teeth chattered as she dried her hair and then mopped up the water around her. He didn’t try to make conversation, just concentrated on driving through the storm. Whenever his thumb moved over the back of her hand she’d look at him, eyes bright, and squeeze his fingers.
When they reached Claremont, rain still fell in thick wet lines. He parked as close to the front steps as he could before dashing inside to grab an umbrella from the hallway hat stand. But when he returned Neve was already on the veranda.
Arms wrapped around her torso, she attempted a smile. ‘I c-couldn’t get any w-wetter.’
He tucked her against his side and guided her up the wooden staircase at the end of the hallway. She shook so much he could almost hear her bones rattling. Once on the landing, he opened the door to the light and airy guest room Meredith kept prepared. Plush towels were folded in a pile on the end of the white bedspread that covered the dark wood four-poster bed. He collected the robe that hung behind the door and draped it over her shoulder.
‘En suite is on your right. There’s plenty of hot water so take your time.’ He smoothed the wet hair from her cheek, not surprised his own fingers shook. His unsteadiness had nothing to do with how cold he too was and everything to do with the depth of his feelings. ‘I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re done.’
Her smile was as sweet as it was shaky.
He went downstairs to his flat. After he too had showered, he returned to the kitchen in jeans and a grey T-shirt. His feet were bare as he hadn’t wanted to waste time finding a dry pair of boots.
He went through the fridge. Yesterday Meredith had made a pot of minestrone soup. When the hallway floorboards creaked he set out two bowls. Neve appeared, fresh colour in her face, hair wrapped in a white towel and the thick robe swamping her. Her pink toes peered from beneath the robe’s hem.
He smiled and before he could ask if she wanted tea or coffee she’d crossed the kitchen to wind her arms around his neck. He pulled her against him, feeling the slide of the robe over the bare skin at her waist. She smelled of vanilla soap and summer flowers.
‘Yes,’ she said, her eyes and tone serious. ‘Yes, it is possible we don’t need to keep our emotional distance.’ Her fingers toyed with the shower-damp hair at his nape. ‘But you asked the question in such a way that you knew that was the only answer I could give.’
‘True … I had my lawyer hat on. I wasn’t accepting any other response.’ He paused as a rush of need consumed him when she brushed her lips across his throat. ‘Do we need to continue our … discussion?’
Her answer was to stand on tiptoes and kiss him. The towel around her hair unravelled, and without breaking contact with her mouth he tossed it onto a chair. He buried his hands in her wet hair and angled her head to find the soft skin below her ear. Her hands delved beneath his T-shirt, and as her palms pressed heat into his skin he shuddered. The oversized robe slipped off her right shoulder, confirming she wore nothing below.
He stopped to drag in a ragged breath. Lips swollen, cheeks flushed and eyes heavy-lidded, Neve appeared as lost as he was. His self-control held by a thin strip of leather. But he had to make sure things weren’t moving too fast. He went to speak when Neve pressed a steady finger against his lips.
She stared at him. Her irises were a shade of green he hadn’t ever seen before. Pure and vibrant, they shone with a shy promise. There was no more need to keep either their emotional or physical distance. They were on the same page. A smile curved her lips as she took his hand to lead him upstairs. His feet didn’t move. Instead, he snagged her waist and swung her into his arms. Walking would take too long.
CHAPTER
17
Cressy and Denham’s special day had arrived. Overnight Woodlea had been yarn-bombed in a final display of white. Neve was proud to say her first attempts at crocheting now decorated the town post box. She could add Sue, old Will and Judith to her known list of members of the underground knitting club. She had a feeling that not even the members knew who all the guerrilla knitters were.
She leaned closer to the bathroom mirror to apply light colour to her complexion with a soft oversized brush. Last Saturday she’d been getting ready for the races and this Saturday she was again putting on makeup. Her hand lowered and her reflection smiled back at her. The difference was last weekend her stomach was in knots, and while this weekend her midriff wasn’t exactly a place of peace, she knew exactly what would happen when she saw Tanner.
Still smiling, she applied a few last touches of makeup. The same thing that had happened the past seven days. When he kissed her she’d take a second to remind herself that she was the woman Tanner wanted. While he hadn’t said the words, the tenderness of his touch reassured her he had no regrets about what had happened after the races. Heat filled her cheeks and she was glad she hadn’t added too much colour. She certainly didn’t regret a thing.
All the embarrassment and awkwardness that had sent her running after what had happened in the grandstand no longer haunted her. She still chose what she said carefully, so as to not rush or overwhelm him, but when they were together there often wasn’t any need for words. She’d never have thought she’d ever feel so comfortable around him.
During the days, she looked after the girls and helped Tanner where she could with wedding jobs. Fliss’s to-do list was down to a single page. Every night he stayed with her and by morning he was gone when the girls arrived. She wasn’t sure what Meredith thought. But when Tanner came bearing a lasagne one night and a lemon meringue pie another night, she hoped it was a sign of approval.
She added her makeup bag to the clothes filling the duffle on her bed. Today would be their first social event together and the plan was to stay under the public radar, especially when it came to Edna. They’d, of course, let their close friends know. Ella had been first to call, followed by Cressy and Fliss, who were in the car together and had put her on speaker.
Neve zipped up her bag and reached for her dress covered in thin plastic. There were still several hours until the ceremony, but she was heading out to help with the last-minute jobs. Sibylla was looking after Maya and Kait while Graham attended the wedding. She’d also kindly offered to come around with the girls to feed Dell, Bassie and Jazz and to put on their rugs. As planned, Neve was still sharing a glamping tent with Ella. But before Tanner had left this morning he’d made sure she knew what his tent number was.
The closer Neve drove to Glenmore the more cars she encountered. She hadn’t seen this much traffic since she’d left the city. Many guests would be arriving early to settle into the glamping village. Thankfully, the autumn sun shone and unlike last weekend, the skies were a blissful and clear blue.
She slowed to join the convoy crossing the cattl
e grid. The car behind had what looked like a fine black mesh stretched over the front. Tanner had explained when she’d seen a ute in town with a similar thing that locals were protecting their radiators from overheating should the locust swarms fly in.
When the road forked Neve followed the other vehicles to the left past the machinery sheds. A cockatoo screeched as it flew to the top of a gum tree. This wasn’t any ordinary wild cockatoo. Cressy had nursed a young Kevin back to health and the opinionated cockatoo refused to leave. Loyal and affectionate, he proved more of a watchdog than Tippy and Juno. No one could arrive without Kevin announcing their arrival. Neve was now used to him landing on her shoulder whenever she visited.
To the right stood the historic Glenmore homestead with its four chimneys and shady wraparound veranda. The bridal party would be getting ready inside. Fliss had already sent a photo of herself with a hand over her mouth as Taylor brandished a can of hairspray. Ella too was in the bridal party, along with Tanner as best man and Saul, a friend of Denham’s from his bull-riding days on the American pro-rodeo circuit.
The glamping village appeared ahead. A sea of cream bell-tents stretched far across the paddock. The wedding was to take place on a small plateau that overlooked the river. The picturesque spot was where Denham had proposed and was a section of the land that had once been an issue of contention between the two neighbouring families.
A large marquee had been constructed and as Neve drove by she could make out a square wooden dancefloor beside the bar. Lights had been strung between trees and a short walk away, ordered rows of white chairs overlooked the river. Beyond the chairs curved Cressy’s bespoke wedding arch that Hewitt had designed. It was Neve and Freya’s job to adorn the scrolled ironwork with greenery and swags of flowers.
She examined the numbers on the pegs outside the tents. Tanner’s tent number fifteen wasn’t far away from where she and Ella would be sleeping. She unloaded the car and hung her dress on the hook on the centre pole, before going in search of Freya.
After they’d completed the first of their jobs, Neve left the marquee to check that flowers had been put in the ladies’ portable amenity block. She hadn’t made it two steps when a hand caught hers and pulled her around the side of the tent. She was kissing Tanner even before they’d disappeared from sight.
Her arms curled around his neck and she stretched to slide her fingers into his shortened hair. After a midweek negotiation that involved Meredith’s baked cheesecake, Tanner and Denham had sat still long enough for Taylor and her scissors to make them wedding ready.
They broke apart to breathe. She took in his dusty work clothes and stubbled jaw. ‘Please don’t tell me Denham looks like you do? He’s supposed to be married in an hour.’
Tanner grinned, his dimple flicking. ‘He’s worse, but he’s gone to take a shower. I needed to see you.’
Another thorough kiss left her in no doubt he’d been missing her as much as she had him, even though they’d seen each other that morning.
‘Fifteen,’ he murmured against her lips.
‘How could I forget … but I’ll make sure Ella’s okay before I desert her.’
Tanner’s eyes twinkled. ‘Have you met Saul?’
‘Is he the American bull rider?’
‘Yes. It might be nothing, but Fliss was so busy watching the two of them together, Taylor was able to get close enough to use her hairspray.’
‘For Ella’s sake I hope it’s something.’ She rubbed dust off the edge of his whiskered jaw. ‘You really do need to get back to the house for a shower.’
He sighed. ‘I know.’
He snuck a final kiss before leaving. She waited a moment for her breathing to settle before walking around the side of the marquee. In the middle of each table dusky-pink-and-white flowers sat in handmade rustic wooden boxes.
Freya grinned at her from where she was checking seating names on the round tables against a list on a clipboard. ‘I take it Tanner found you?’
Neve smoothed her hair, hoping it wasn’t too tousled. ‘That obvious?’
‘Sorry, yes … and to be honest it was even at the horsemanship clinic.’
‘I thought I did so well hiding how I felt.’
Freya laughed quietly. ‘I once thought the same thing whenever I was around Drew. Speaking of which, he’s bringing the last of the flowers from the house.’
Neve reached for the clipboard. ‘I’ll finish up here if you like.’
‘Thanks. I’ll help Drew carry the boxes to the arch and meet you there.’
Neve continued over to check on the flowers in the amenity block. When she returned Edna, dressed in a peacock-blue outfit, was perusing the corner tables of the marquee. Neve frowned as Edna subtly swapped two name tags.
When the older woman glanced up and saw her approaching, Neve was surprised to see the indomitable gossip blush.
‘Edna, what are you doing? Fliss won’t be happy at any seating changes.’
‘I’m sure she wouldn’t be.’ Edna looked down at the name tags she’d swapped. ‘In my defence, these two would have changed seats anyway.’
Neve followed her gaze. The tags she’d swapped were Bethany’s and Mac’s and she’d seated them together. ‘You know?’
Edna looked around and lowered her voice. ‘Of course I know. Clive and I have been planning this for years.’
Neve just stared. Although no one seemed to know how Clive and Edna’s family feud had started, even Neve knew they couldn’t be in the same room together.
Edna bent to straighten Bethany’s name tag. ‘The only person to know Clive and I don’t really hate each other was your grandmother. She caught us …’ Edna looked out at the sky with a faraway expression. ‘On a moonlit night like it will be tonight.’
‘That’s just a little too much information.’
Edna laughed. ‘It was just a kiss, but with our families having fallen out over the supreme cattle trophy at the Royal Easter Show, it was all that it could be. And I’m glad. Clive’s father was a difficult man and he’s turned out the same way.’
‘But you approve of Mac and Finn?’
‘Yes, they’re fine young men. They have much of their mother in them. I always thought that quieter Mac would be best suited to Bethany and I was right.’
‘So you went to a great effort to keep them apart because …?’
‘Bethany needed to go out with a few frogs to appreciate Mac. I couldn’t also be seen to approve as she’d never go near him. For some reason she goes out of her way to date men I don’t approve of.’
Neve smiled. ‘So a little reverse psychology was in order?’
‘Absolutely.’ Edna’s eyes softened. ‘It also worked for you and Tanner.’
‘You didn’t …’
‘I did. You’re the only woman Tanner’s ever really looked at and not through. As for dear little Skittles … I knew Bethany was serious about Mac when she went to such lengths to hide they were going out.’ Edna touched her nose. ‘It’s our secret that I go to the stables every night to give Skittles an apple. He’ll be a perfect pony for my grandchildren one day.’
Neve grinned. ‘It can be our little secret.’ She glanced at the name tags. ‘And this can be too.’
‘Thank you. Bethany’s getting close to telling me … Mac spoke to Clive this morning.’
‘They are a lovely couple. It was obvious they were together at Tanner’s horse-training weekend.’
Edna nodded and went to take the clipboard out of Neve’s grasp. ‘Now, you’d better get those flowers on the arch. Drew and Freya will be too busy distracting each other. He used to be so focused when he was single.’
When Neve didn’t relinquish the clipboard, Edna pursed her lips. ‘You are just like your grandmother when you look at me like that. Okay, I won’t change any more places.’
Satisfied Edna wouldn’t meddle any further, Neve went to help Freya and Drew. When the delicate floral swags were in place on the arch, and the white rose petals strewn al
ong the aisle, they headed to their tents to get dressed.
Neve slid into her long coral-coloured dress and freshened up her hair and makeup. Cressy had added a personal note to the wedding invitation for women to wear sensible shoes as heels would sink into the paddock. As Neve slipped on the bone-coloured wedges she’d found in Woodlea’s one dress shop, her phone chimed. Freya and Drew were ready. Before she left the tent to walk over with them, she put on the crystal hoop earrings that had belonged to her mother.
A crowd had already congregated around the rows of white seats. As Neve drew near she realised it wasn’t just the marriage celebrant standing beside the arch. Denham, Tanner and Saul were too. All three men stood silent and tall, their feet apart and hands clasped in front of them. Their charcoal-grey wedding suits fitted to perfection. Tanner half turned. Clean-shaven and polished, no one would have known that less than an hour ago he’d looked like he’d ridden in from the long paddock.
Neve moved to stand on the right side of the crowd with Freya, Drew and Taylor. Taylor was only halfway through her story about Denham and hair gel when a convoy of utes pulled up behind the guests. Everyone turned. An expectant hush settled over the scene before the slow and soft strains of a country love song lilted on the air.
Ella was the first to glide down the aisle. Tall and elegant, her sleeveless, dusky-pink dress featured a flowing chiffon skirt. Taylor had styled her honey-blonde hair in a sleek bun. The tails of the ivory ribbons wrapped around the pink roses she carried fluttered as she passed.
Fliss followed at a sedate distance. The dusky palette of her dress and flowers also showcased her brunette beauty. Practical Cressy had chosen classical bridesmaids’ dresses that Ella and Fliss could wear again.
Then Cressy appeared holding old Will’s arm and carrying a large silvery-green-and-pink bouquet. The proud angle of Will’s chin conveyed what an honour it was to walk Cressy down the aisle.
The Round Yard Page 26