The Summer of Secrets

by Barbara Hannay

  Finn ended up having two slices of marmalade toast and a second cup of coffee and they chatted about safe things, about the colourful locals they’d met on their rounds, and about life in general in Burralea: the convenience of having a supermarket just around the corner, the variety of products at the farmers’ markets, the peacefulness of life away from the city and its traffic.

  ‘There’s something about being close to the earth,’ Finn said. ‘Having your feet on the ground, rather than under a desk. Nothing really beats sitting on a log or a big mossy rock.’

  ‘I’m sure the snake would agree with you,’ Chloe teased.

  He grinned.

  ‘But seriously,’ she said, to make up for the dig, ‘the thing that really blows me away is the birdsong in the morning.’

  ‘I totally agree.

  ‘And then there’s the stars, so bright at night. They’re so awesome, so clear.’

  Finn nodded. ‘The night skies are something else.’ He said this quietly and, as he did so, his gaze connected with Chloe’s and held.

  Foolishly, she found herself wondering if he was thinking about a starry night – or something else. His eyes seemed to shimmer with unexpected emotion, while the air around them condensed, robbing her of breath.

  The moment might have become awkward, but Finn saved it by taking out his phone and transferring his attention to the small screen in his hand. ‘It’s getting late,’ he said. ‘I’d better make tracks if I’m to drop off our friend on the way home.’

  ‘Of course.’

  They both stood.

  ‘Thanks for breakfast, Chloe.’

  ‘Thanks for your help.’ She lifted a hand to wave. ‘See you soon.’

  So … they’d negotiated breakfast successfully. Chloe let out a breath of relief as Finn descended the stairs. Apart from the brief, confusing night-sky moment, they’d behaved like friendly associates, which was how things ought to be.

  Finn was almost at the bottom of the stairs when she heard the sound of the front door opening.

  Moira Briggs’s voice called, gleefully, ‘Finn!’

  Damn. Chloe winced. Finn would hate being caught coming down from her flat at this early hour by the ever curious and talkative Moira.

  ‘Morning, Moira,’ she heard him say. ‘How are you?’

  ‘Very well, thank you, Finn, and I’m sure you must be, too.’ Moira’s voice positively trilled with barely suppressed innuendo.

  Chloe swore softly. Moira was sure to leap to all sorts of incorrect conclusions.

  Tiptoeing closer to the top of the stairs, she strained to hear Finn’s explanation about the snake, which was regrettably out of sight in his car.

  Chloe had a problem with a python, she imagined him telling Moira. Climbed through the kitchen window.

  Perhaps Moira would instantly offer to put in a flyscreen.

  ‘I’ll see you around,’ she heard Finn say. And silence followed, apart from a small sound that might have been a chuckle from Moira.

  Chloe listened carefully, anxious to hear the rest of Finn’s explanation, but a moment later, from outside in the street, came the sound of the Forester’s motor starting up and taking off.

  Huh? Chloe couldn’t believe it.

  Surely Finn must know that Moira Briggs would jump to all sorts of terrible conclusions? She would assume Finn had spent the night here in the flat. And he was well aware of Moira’s tendency to gossip. What was wrong with the man? Surely it was in his own interests to set Moira straight.

  Chloe almost tore downstairs to deal with Moira herself, but then she remembered she was still in her skimpy shorts and singlet top, and she curbed the impulse. If she wanted to take the moral high ground, she would find it easier to do so after she’d showered and dressed demurely for work.

  By then she might also have calmed down, and she needed to be totally cool and reasonable when she explained this situation to her landlady.

  Frustratingly, the explanation about the snake didn’t go nearly as well as Chloe had hoped.

  Moira’s eyes were almost popping with excitement and no matter how clearly Chloe made her point, she couldn’t wipe the woman’s delighted, cat-that-got-the-cream grin.

  ‘Of course, my dear,’ Moira soothed. ‘You don’t need to justify anything to me.’

  ‘But you do understand about the snake?’

  ‘Well, I have to admit it’s a brilliant excuse.’ Moira almost giggled as she said this.

  ‘Excuse?’ Chloe stared at her in dismay. ‘Moira, it’s no excuse. There really was a snake. I got up this morning and walked into my lounge room and there it was, curled in the armchair.’

  ‘Yes, dear.’ Moira might have been trying to sound sympathetic, but her efforts were spoiled by her gleeful grin.

  Somehow, Chloe resisted the urge to stamp her foot or to groan aloud, but she was furious with Moira for being so stubborn, and even more furious with Finn for leaving her in this damned awkward predicament. Surely if he was any kind of gentleman he would have made sure Moira understood the innocence of his early morning presence in her flat.

  Now, it probably wouldn’t matter what she told Moira, the woman would continue to smirk and smile.

  Chloe was curt as she bade her good morning. She didn’t even bother to make enquiries about a flyscreen, and she was fuming as she hurried outside. She was still fuming as she stomped into the office, all set to launch into her attack. Until she saw a copy of the latest edition of the Bugle spread open on Finn’s desk.

  Her attention was immediately caught by Ben’s story and photo.

  The headline on page three was bold and eye-catching, the photograph large and clear.

  ‘You did a good job with that.’ Finn appeared in the doorway to the little storeroom.

  ‘Thanks.’ Chloe was ever so slightly disarmed. ‘Let’s hope it helps.’

  ‘Yeah.’ He leaned a bulky shoulder against the doorjamb and frowned at a spot on the floor. ‘I would never have thought to write a story like that. And yet I know what it’s like when people avoid you because you’re grieving.’

  Chloe took a sharp breath. Finn had never hinted at his own grief before.

  ‘It’s a bit different for Tammy,’ she said gently. ‘She’s not really grieving. She won’t give up believing that Ben will come back.’

  Finn still looked pensive. No doubt he was thinking about his family and, at any other time, Chloe would have been dripping with sympathy. But damn it, she’d been geared up to seize the moment, to let fly with her fury.

  ‘I have a job for you,’ he said, beating her to the mark. ‘I’d like you to cover a story about new equipment for the children’s ward at the hospital.’

  By lunchtime, Chloe’s anger had almost dissipated. She was even beginning to see it as an overreaction – until she ducked into the Lilly Pilly café to grab a salad sandwich and Jess rushed up to her with a grin as wide as a slice of watermelon.

  ‘I hear you found a visitor in your flat this morning?’ Jess’s amused expression was an annoying replica of Moira’s.

  ‘An unwanted visitor,’ Chloe corrected her tartly. ‘An enormous snake.’

  Jess laughed. ‘Lucky you.’

  ‘A python,’ Chloe added in exasperation. ‘It was huge.’

  ‘Must have been scary,’ her friend said, still with a huge smile. ‘I’m so pleased Finn was there too.’

  ‘Yes, so was I, but he only came after I called him for help.’

  ‘Mmm.’

  ‘Honestly.’ Chloe leaned closer and hissed in Jess’s ear in a desperate whisper. ‘He didn’t spend the night.’

  Jess’s expression was reproachful. ‘Me thinks she doth protest too much.’

  Chloe glared back at her. The last thing she needed was a café waitress quoting Shakespeare. ‘You’ve been talking to Moira, haven’t you?’ she said.

  ‘Moira Briggs? No.’

  ‘Then who told you about the snake?’

  ‘Emily Hargreaves,’ Jess said wit
h a cheeky shrug.

  Chloe’s jaw dropped so hard she was sure it must have dislocated. ‘I didn’t know you were so pally with my employer.’

  ‘I’m not really, but she pops in here quite regularly. We get to know most of the locals.’

  And to hear all the gossip, Chloe thought with a weary sigh.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  It was late in the day when Emily called into the Bugle office. Finn had been out for half the afternoon and the rest of the time he’d been busy on the phone, so Chloe hadn’t had a chance to share the news from the café.

  All afternoon her tension had gathered steam, and by the time Emily strolled in, she was about ready to burst a valve.

  Fortunately, Emily didn’t seem to notice the way Chloe jumped when she saw her and, although she was smiling, there was no sign of a smirk. ‘How are you both?’ she asked.

  Finn and Chloe both assured her they were fine, although Chloe’s assurance may have been a little too emphatic. Emily complimented them on this week’s edition and the ensuing conversation was exceedingly convivial.

  Emily even offered an invitation. ‘I’ve been meaning to have you both over to dinner some time,’ she said. ‘I was wondering if Friday night might suit?’

  Chloe couldn’t help thinking this was some kind of litmus test, but Finn seemed totally at ease. ‘Friday night works for me,’ he said without so much as glancing Chloe’s way.

  ‘And I’m free,’ said Chloe. ‘Thanks, Emily.’

  Emily looked delighted. Chloe was beginning to relax. Perhaps their super-discreet employer wasn’t going to mention the snake episode after all.

  They talked a little more about Ben Shaw and the latest reports from the police, as well as about plans for more feature articles. Emily told them she was really pleased with the increase in advertising and Finn acknowledged this was mainly thanks to Chloe’s input.

  Emily’s smile was warm and smacked of sincerity. ‘I’ll see you on Friday night, then.’

  They thanked her and said they were looking forward to it, and Emily crossed the office to leave.

  Phew. No embarrassing moments after all.

  In the doorway, Emily turned back and said, with yet another smile, ‘It’s just as well you were on hand to help Chloe with that python, Finn.’

  Chloe was too surprised to respond before Emily made her quick exit. Which left Finn to receive the full vent of her fury.

  She rounded on him. ‘Why didn’t you say something?’

  ‘What about?’ His expression was all innocence, like a choir boy on a Christmas card.

  Chloe groaned with frustration. ‘Don’t pretend you don’t know. The bloody snake, of course. Now just about everyone in this town seems to believe you spent last night at my flat. All night.’

  He gave a careless shrug. ‘So what? Let them think what they like. We don’t owe them an explanation.’

  ‘But —’ Chloe spluttered. ‘Don’t you care? Everyone’s talking about us. Moira. The women at the café. God knows who else. And now our employer.’

  ‘Emily was just teasing,’ Finn told her smoothly.

  ‘So? Maybe I don’t appreciate being teased about something so personal.’ Chloe glared at him, and when he made no response, she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. She was fed up. With everyone and everything.

  How on earth had she ever thought she might enjoy living in a small country town? At least she now knew the reality – that snakes invaded high-set windows and gossipers were thick on the ground. As for bosses who were too sexy for their T-shirts —

  ‘Chloe.’ She was almost at the doorway when Finn lunged after her and grabbed at her wrist, halting her in mid-stomp.

  She held her breath, way too conscious of his touch, of the warm pressure of his fingers encircling her skin.

  ‘Don’t let a little thing like this get to you,’ he said.

  Chloe wasn’t quite sure why she was angrier than ever. Maybe because the ‘little thing’ he referred to was their reputations and the question of whether or not they were lovers. The fact that he didn’t care one way or the other maddened her beyond reason.

  Yanking her arm free, she fixed him with a venomous scowl. ‘If you don’t understand why I’m angry, you’re even dumber than I thought.’

  With that, she marched off, hurrying along the footpath as quickly as she dared without drawing unwanted attention. To her relief, Moira had already closed the Progress Association office and gone home. She was fumbling with her keys when Finn caught up with her.

  ‘Chloe.’

  She found the key quickly and shoved it into the lock. ‘You’re too late, Finn. There’s no point in making this worse.’

  The door opened easily and she slipped inside, spinning around to slam it in his face. Finn’s foot was too fast for her.

  ‘Let me in,’ he said. ‘We need to talk.’

  ‘No, thanks.’ Not with his unhelpful attitude.

  ‘I’d like to understand why you’re so worked up.’

  ‘Can you really pretend you don’t know?’

  ‘I’m not pretending anything.’ Finn shouldered the door open and stepped inside, letting it swing closed behind him with a solid click.

  Chloe swallowed to ease the sudden tightness in her throat and in her chest, while Finn towered in front of her, his gaze assessing her, his hands resting lightly on his hips. A non-verbal challenge?

  ‘So what’s this all about?’ he asked quietly.

  ‘I told you.’

  ‘I don’t think so. I know you’re obviously pissed off with me, but I don’t really get why.’

  Wasn’t it obvious? She let out a huff of pure frustration. ‘You could have avoided all of this if you’d simply told Moira the truth this morning. If you’d set her straight about the damn snake as soon as you saw her, you could have stopped the gossip before it started.’

  A crooked little smile tilted Finn’s mouth. ‘You think so?’

  ‘I’m sure of it.’

  ‘So let me get this straight.’ He nodded towards the staircase. ‘Moira Briggs sees me walking down those stairs at half past eight in the morning and I’m supposed to immediately jump in with apologies and explanations, like I’m ashamed of having breakfast with you? Or I’m shit-scared of her?’

  When he put it like that, it did sound rather lame.

  Finn’s dark eyes gleamed. ‘And even if we had spent the night together, so what?’

  ‘I —’ Chloe couldn’t finish the sentence. Her brain had turned to mush at the thought of spending an entire night with Finn.

  ‘Is that what you’re angry about?’ Finn asked, and somehow he seemed to be closer to her now. ‘You’re mad because we didn’t sleep together, but everyone thinks we did?’

  ‘Perhaps.’ She gave a dazed shake of her head and realised her mistake. ‘No, no, that’s not what I meant.’

  ‘Are you sure, Chloe?’ He was even closer to her now and he was speaking so quietly, she had to lean towards him. In fact, if she leaned the tiniest bit closer —

  She could no longer focus on her argument. In an attempt to do so, she closed her eyes and found herself back at the edge of the cliff. In danger of falling.

  ‘Chloe.’

  She heard the tense roughness in his voice, felt the heat of his body moving closer, and she knew if she opened her eyes, his gaze would be burning. The attraction vibe was back in full force. Or maybe it had never left.

  When Finn touched her cheek, just the gentlest, whispering caress, she didn’t flinch or pull back. With his thumb, he traced the shape of her chin – and she let him.

  ‘We can sort this out,’ he said. ‘But it may mean that I have to kiss you.’

  Chloe knew she was supposed to protest, but his lips brushed against hers in the lightest of teases and she forgot that she was angry. And when he deepened the kiss and slipped his arms around her, gathering her in, she didn’t resist. She foolishly snuggled closer and kissed him back.

  With gent
le fingers, he traced the nape of her neck, under her hair. ‘And I’m going to have to kiss that damn butterfly,’ he murmured.

  Even as she melted, Chloe couldn’t hold back a triumphant little smile. The butterfly tattoo had been her first act of independence after she’d left Jason. Her gift to herself, and a part of her that Jason knew nothing about. Now, already, Finn had found it … claimed it …

  He pressed a trail of warm, sensuous kisses over the vulnerable skin on her neck, and she was lost.

  They made it up the stairs without tripping or stumbling – a miracle, Chloe suspected, given how little attention they paid to where they put their feet.

  Very few words were exchanged. Certainly not a civilised, precoital discussion or negotiation, befitting a cautious couple well past the first flush of youth. This evening, need and longing ruled. Chloe was a knot desperate to unravel.

  Later, she could only vaguely recall the way they’d helped each other out of their clothes. All she could really remember was the feverish urgency of their kisses and the breathtaking thrill of first contact. Of his skin meeting hers. Of seductive hands and teasing lips embarking on an intimate trail of discovery.

  Somewhere in the hazy mists of desire, it occurred to her that they should perhaps slow down, linger a little, but there was a danger they might also come to their senses. It seemed Finn was as unwilling as she was to take that risk.

  Afterwards, they lay side by side, spent, panting like swimmers who’d finally made it to shore.

  By then, darkness had fallen completely. Delicate starlight showed the outline of the wardrobe, the silver glimmer of its oval mirror, the white wrinkled sheets and their naked bodies.

  Wow … Chloe’s body was still thrumming from her sensational climax, and she wasn’t sure what to do or say now. This had all been so unexpected, and although she’d written articles for Girl Talk with guidelines for casual sex, she had spent seven and a half years with one guy, so she’d never put the theory into practice.