by Karly Lane
It hadn’t always been like this between them. Over the years they’d caught up at family functions and it hadn’t been awkward—they’d fallen back into the easy friendship they’d enjoyed growing up. She’d been so focused on her career over the last few years that she hadn’t taken the time to think about their past, and maybe that’s why it had never been so uncomfortable before. Certainly Griff had never indicated he still harboured any lingering feelings towards her. Olivia frowned. Would she have been so self-absorbed that she didn’t notice? No, she shook her head emphatically, she’d have noticed if things had been this weird before. It had never been like this between them, not until the wedding.
The wedding. It had been so humiliating. She’d made a complete idiot of herself, giving a drunken bridesmaid speech that was absolutely mortifying. She’d never got around to apologising to the Callahans, on account of the major blow-up between Griffin and his brother after the reception—something she’d missed on account of having passed out in a drunken, remorseful heap.
She had, however, begged Hadley’s forgiveness and been assured that no one was upset about it. It was, after all, a Callahan family gathering—drama was inevitable.
She just prayed it had been edited out of the official wedding DVD …
To distract herself from humiliating memories, she picked up the radio and called her brother. ‘Hey. Griff just stopped by to invite us to dinner tomorrow.’
‘Yeah, just got off the phone with him,’ Ollie said.
Of course he had. She should have known.
‘Have you checked the troughs yet?’ Ollie asked.
‘I’m about to head out now.’ They discussed the rest of the day’s plan and hung up.
Olivia drove along the dirt track, stopping to open and close gates as she made her way around the property to check and clean water troughs. It was therapeutic in a way. As she scrubbed the troughs and refilled the livestock’s drinking water she found herself smiling. It felt good to be doing something useful. There was so much to do around this place—too much for one person. There was no way Ollie could have handled all this on his own.
Once she’d put a new algae block into the last trough, she packed up her gear and got back into the ute. Her happy mood dampened slightly as she remembered tomorrow evening’s invitation. If she could just get through dinner with a certain Callahan without any more weirdness, maybe she could avoid him for the rest of her stay.
Griff ended the call with Ollie as he headed across to the machinery shed. Ollie had been his best mate since they were kids and he was more like a brother than a neighbour. They’d been inseparable up until they’d hit fifteen or so, when Griff had begun to notice Ollie’s sister. At first he’d tried to ignore the weird stirrings that happened inside him whenever Olivia was around—which was often, considering the two boys practically lived at each other’s houses. It felt wrong to be thinking the things he was thinking about his best mate’s sister.
It should have been a relief when Olivia made it clear she was definitely feeling the same way, but instead it created a whole heap of anxiety. He didn’t want to lose his friend. It was hard to find a best mate. On the other hand, he’d fallen pretty hard for Olivia Dawson and he didn’t want to have to give her up either. In the end it turned out he had been worrying for nothing as Ollie was cool with it; Olivia’s father, on the other hand, not so much. It was Ollie who’d stepped in and smoothed over the ruffled feathers and made peace between father and would-be suitor. Had it not been for Ollie, Griff wasn’t sure he and Olivia would have got together at all. He owed Ollie a lot.
After the fight with Linc at Hadley’s wedding, Ollie had helped Griff get back into social life. Gossip and speculation had run riot after the Callahan brothers’ big fight and Ollie had protected Griff from awkward questions and intrusive conversations. Without him it would have taken Griff a lot longer to get back into his sport and return to the pub with his mates again. Ollie had dragged him out of the house when he’d have been happy to wallow at home in self-pity. ‘It’s for your own good, mate,’ he’d said, tossing Griff a pair of jeans and grabbing a shirt from his cupboard. ‘The sooner you get out there and face them, the sooner it’ll get back to normal.’
It had been a crazy few months for everyone and, just when everything seemed to be finally calming down, Olivia Dawson had decided to walk back into the picture.
Griffin’s jaw clenched as he fought back the irritation this thought caused. Why the sudden reawakening of all these weird feelings? And why the hell was he suddenly thinking about things like weird feelings? Maybe he needed a night down at the pub with a few mates. All these confusing thoughts were beginning to worry him.
Nine
The Callahan house was lit up like a Christmas tree. Olivia had always loved this house. It was so grand and elegant. It had always represented strength and success and family to her, even as a child. It was nothing extravagant—essentially a low-set Queensland plantation style, built by the Callahan pioneers—but it was breathtaking. It sprawled before you, an elegant, staircase leading to the wide inviting verandah that wrapped itself around the entire house. She’d attended many a barbecue and dinner party with her family on that verandah over the years. The Dawsons and Callahans had grown up side by side and felt more like extended family than neighbours.
Olivia had driven herself over, as Ollie had had to wait around for a delivery. As she reached the top of the stairs she was immediately welcomed and had to fight back a lump in her throat as Lavinia wrapped her in a tight hug.
‘Let me look at you,’ Lavinia said, putting Olivia at arm’s length to eye her up and down. ‘Still as gorgeous as ever,’ she decided, slipping her arm around Olivia’s shoulders and leading her inside.
‘There she is,’ said Griffin’s grandmother, Ida Callahan, as Olivia entered the kitchen.
‘Hi, Gran.’ Olivia hugged the small-framed woman who had always been her and Ollie’s unofficial grandmother.
‘I spoke to your mum today,’ Lavinia said. ‘She sounds tired, love.’
‘Yes, she does,’ Olivia agreed, sliding into the kitchen chair next to Ida as Lavinia went back to putting the finishing touches to dinner. ‘We’ve tried to get her to spend more time at the apartment, but she doesn’t want to leave Dad alone too long. She’s convinced she’s the only one who can take care of him properly.’ With her father needing help with the basics like cutting up meals and holding his cup, her mother had taken on the role of his carer. The nurses are so overworked, they don’t have time to spend with him, so he needs me here, she’d pointed out calmly on more than one occasion. It was true, the staff were overworked and spread too thin between patients. There was no way they could take the time with each patient to make sure they had everything they needed. Olivia understood why her mother wanted to be on hand, but it came at a cost. She was exhausted from running back and forth to the hospital and worrying about what the future held for them.
‘Well, I know you coming out here has put her mind at rest a little. She was worried about Ollie coming home and being alone.’
‘We all know he can’t be left to his own devices,’ Olivia said drolly.
‘Oh rubbish, that boy could cope with anything. But you know us mums, we worry about our kids as though they’re still children. It’s good that she can focus on Bill without that concern on top of everything else.’
The smell of garlic and rosemary floating around in the kitchen made Olivia’s mouth water. She was starving.
The back door opened and Olivia’s stomach did a rapid flip-flop as Griffin walked in. He’d clearly just showered, judging by his damp hair. He was so tall. He always had been, but the lankiness of his teen years had been replaced by the solid broadness of adulthood. He’d swapped his work shirt for a soft cotton T-shirt that lovingly outlined his chest and torso and revealed a set of biceps that had her swallowing over a suddenly dry throat.
Olivia held his gaze briefly before he turned to his mother and k
issed the cheek Lavinia offered as she stirred the gravy.
‘Hi, Gran,’ he said, crossing to his grandmother to kiss her, before turning to face Olivia.
‘Liv,’ he said with a nod.
‘Griff,’ she said, forcing a smile and cringed inwardly at how awkward they sounded. She wasn’t the only one who thought so either, judging by the glance Lavinia gave them over her shoulder. ‘How’s your day been?’ she added, hoping to deflect some of his mother’s curiosity. The last thing she needed was Lavinia digging into whatever was going on between them.
‘Good. What have you been up to?’
Conversation. This was good. ‘You know,’ she shrugged, ‘holding down the fort so Ollie can focus on windrowing. Have you started yours?’
‘Nah, I checked yesterday and I reckon we’re still a few days off yet.’
Silence followed and Olivia found her gaze darting around the room as she searched for something else to talk about.
‘Why don’t you get Olivia something to drink?’ Lavinia said. ‘How about a glass of wine?’
‘Oh. No. Thanks,’ Olivia cut in quickly. It was still too soon after the humiliation of Hadley’s wedding reception to risk drinking again. Griff looked disappointed at having his escape route blocked. ‘But maybe … a soft drink? If you have one?’
‘I’ll see what I can find,’ he said. ‘Gran? The usual?’
‘That would be lovely, darling,’ she smiled up at him serenely before he headed outside to the elaborate bar set up on the verandah. When the Dawson kids had been small they’d called Ida ‘Granny Callahan’ and she’d treated them just like her own grandchildren. Olivia’s own grandparents had all passed away, her mother’s parents having been killed in a car accident when her mother was a teenager, and her father’s parents both passing within a few years of each other not long after Olivia started uni. Ida had been such a huge part of Olivia’s life, growing up—all the Callahans had. The friendship between the two households was a special one, and Olivia knew she’d been incredibly lucky to have such a large extended family around her.
‘So, tell me, do you have a man at the moment?’ Lavinia asked when it was just the three of them once more.
‘Not at the moment,’ she said. ‘Why? Has Mum been complaining again?’ It was well known that the two women often shared their concerns about the relationship status of their unattached children.
‘Complaining is such a harsh word,’ Lavinia said, lifting one perfectly sculptured eyebrow. ‘I prefer to call it taking an active interest in our children’s lives.’
‘Uh-huh,’ Olivia murmured wryly.
‘Maybe you need to look a little closer to home,’ the older woman said, trying for a casual tone that didn’t quite come off.
Olivia was startled by her directness but didn’t have time to respond as the door opened and Griffin walked inside, handing her a cold can of drink.
‘What are you looking for?’ he asked, clearly having caught the last part of his mother’s comment.
‘A man, darling,’ his gran said with a bright smile. ‘Olivia isn’t seeing anyone at the moment and we think she should look for one while she’s back here.’ She smiled innocently at her grandson.
Olivia felt her mouth open. She promptly closed it and tried to laugh, but it came out sounding more like a squeak of protest.
Griffin seemed equally surprised, and sent Olivia a quick glance before clearing his throat and handing his gran her Scotch. ‘There you go, Gran, just the way you like it.’
‘A lot of it. In a big glass,’ she said, finishing their familiar banter.
Lavinia gave a frustrated sigh and rolled her eyes. ‘Really, Mum. You know what the doctor said.’
‘He said I was allowed one a day,’ she answered briskly.
‘I don’t think the size of that glass counts as just one.’
‘Oh, fiddle fot,’ Gran huffed, ignoring her daughter-in-law’s concern. ‘My father and grandfather both drank and they lived to be in their late nineties. That young doctor doesn’t know what he’s talking about.’
‘No, those degrees hanging on his wall are just there for show,’ Lavinia said with a tsk, turning back to her gravy.
Gran was well known for her love of a daily Scotch and mostly the family obliged. God only knew, the woman had survived enough during her long life—losing a son in infancy, waving her husband farewell during the Second World War. Losing a brother and a cousin in that same war. Not to mention the terrible droughts, floods and heartbreaking damage from storms over the years she’d lived on the land. The toughest loss by far, though, had been losing the love of her life, her husband. If she wanted to drink a glass of Scotch a day, then no one in the family was ever really going to deny her.
‘Griff, why don’t you help Gran out to the table. I’m almost ready to serve up.’
Olivia helped carried out some dishes, passing by various other family members as they strolled into the house to help carry the food. With the extra hands, there was nothing left for her to do but take a seat at the table.
Griffin pulled out a chair across from Olivia and sat down. He saw her glance up at him before looking away quickly. Yeah, as if things weren’t uncomfortable enough, Gran had to go and make a thing of it all. It had never been a secret that the two families had wanted them to end up together. It’d all been on track to go that way when they’d been in high school, and then Liv had ended it.
He sighed. It was a long time ago. It would have never worked anyway. Liv had always wanted to leave town and move to the big smoke. She wouldn’t have the big fancy job she had now if she’d stayed. So he supposed it had all worked out for the best.
His thoughts strayed to the New Year’s Eve incident.
He’d been so messed up over Cash and then Liv of all people had got wasted at Hadley’s wedding. She was probably the last person he’d ever expected to get drunk and make a fool of herself in front of everyone. She was always so … perfect. He risked a glance over at her now and saw her listening to something his father was saying. She hadn’t changed much at all over the years. Her hair was lighter now than it used to be; he suspected that was due to the involvement of some fancy hairdresser. Her hazel eyes still sparkled when she laughed—he used to love that. Not that she’d laughed around him recently, but once he’d made her laugh all the time.
Suddenly he realised just how much he’d missed that. Around everyone else in his family, she was the same Liv he knew growing up—she laughed and joked and smiled—but when it was just the two of them, her face never lit up the way it did with others. Why hadn’t he noticed that before now?
Because you’ve been too wrapped up in feeling sorry for yourself, dumb arse.
She glanced over at him, her smile still in place as they locked eyes, and for a second his heart pretty much stopped. But then she lowered her eyes and looked back at his father as they continued their conversation. The disappointment that followed floored him. He wanted her to look at him like that all the time—to smile that carefree smile the way she used to.
He wanted her, full stop.
He hoped to God his mouth hadn’t just dropped open, although he was fairly sure it had. Ever since the night of the wedding, he hadn’t really stopped thinking about her. Sure, he’d had a lot of other stuff on his mind, but he always finished off the night, just as he was about to fall asleep, with the picture of Olivia sleepy-eyed in bed, telling him she was still in love with him.
At the time he’d tried to brush it off as the drink talking—she had been completely sloshed—but a part of him had really wanted to believe her. He’d known he was setting himself up for disappointment as he’d figured she probably wouldn’t even remember it the next morning, but he’d decided that he was going to talk to her about it once she sobered up. He’d never got around to it, of course. After he’d left her tucked safely in bed, he’d stumbled on his brother and Cash and all hell had broken loose.
It wasn’t till later, one day when he was out
in the tractor, that the memory of her confession had come back to him and he’d realised he’d never got around to confronting her about it. He’d figured it was too late then. And yet here she was, back again.
Maybe it wasn’t too late after all.
Ten
Olivia tried to concentrate on what Bob Callahan was saying but it was incredibly difficult when she could feel Griff watching her from across the table. What was he doing? Why was he staring at her that way?
Maybe his gran’s none-too-subtle attempt at getting them back together again had something to do with it. Who was she kidding—it had everything to do with it. He’d been horrified by the idea—she’d seen it in his face.
She felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her as she recalled declaring her undying love for the man the night of Hadley’s wedding. Maybe she’d imagined it, or had been dreaming, because he’d never mentioned it. Maybe she’d been mumbling and he hadn’t actually heard her—she surely hoped so, because she thought she would die of mortification if he had. Well, if not die, then wish she had.
Thank goodness harvest would start soon and then no one would have time for dinners or friendly gatherings. She wouldn’t have to worry about awkward meetings like this then.
As Ollie finally arrived, she breathed a sigh of relief, hoping her brother’s presence would distract Griff and put a stop to whatever was going on with him.
Olivia had managed a brief hello to Griff’s eldest sister, Harmony, who was now seated nearby and speaking to her daughter in a harsh whisper. The two children, Payton and Holder, were growing up fast. The last time she’d seen them had been at Christmas, but they’d grown even taller since then. Payton seemed to take after her father in looks, with a touch of his Mediterranean heritage. She was growing into a stunning young woman. Holder seemed to take after the Callahan side, and promised to be as tall as both of his uncles if the current rate was any indication. It never ceased to amaze Olivia how different Harmony and Hadley were. Hadley was tiny, bouncy and vivacious, but her older sister was elegant and graceful—class personified. Olivia remembered wanting to be just like her when she was a kid, but of course she hadn’t had a hope of growing taller or developing the cool, lofty air that Harmony had managed to perfect. Harmony didn’t look any worse for the separation from her husband. Olivia had never really taken to Don; he was the kind of man who enjoyed talking about his accomplishments—loudly and often. Still, it was sad for the two kids, although it was hard to say how they were taking it as they both had their heads buried in a device.