“You’ve gone to a lot of trouble. It’s good for Euan to have some support.”
“Well, Hugh Lansdale, as if he hasn’t had support over the years.” Anna appeared at his shoulder and wagged her finger at him. “You’ve enjoyed plenty of my cooking. And I’ll still be here when Keely leaves.”
Keely glanced down at the plate. In a flash, Anna had spoiled her evening, reminding her of her interloper status again.
“You’re not staying on then?” Hugh turned his steady gaze back to her.
Keely took a breath and forced a smile. “No, I’m on holiday. My original plan was to travel north. If I hadn’t had my appendix out I’d be somewhere well beyond Perth by now.”
“Lots to see in the west. I hope it works out for you.” Keely glanced at Hugh’s face. He was hard to read. Was he genuinely wishing her well or hurrying her away like Anna?
She carried the platters through to the kitchen to top them up. A group of girls had gone ahead of her to the main bathroom so she decided to nip in to the en suite attached to Euan’s bedroom. Leaving the door ajar, she left the bedroom light off. The light from the room behind her and the moonlight through the open curtains lit her way to the bathroom where she flicked the switch. Euan’s work clothes were in a pile on the floor and his shaving gear littered the handbasin. She hoped he wouldn’t mind but she’d be quick. Just in case she locked the door behind her.
It had been kind of him to take her in but he must be glad to be back in his own space now. She’d be sorry to leave Levallier Dell. The time was getting closer for her to move on and yet a part of her didn’t want to. Even though there’d been a few shaky moments during her stay, she’d enjoyed it.
Her mother had pressed her again about her plans earlier, when Keely had managed to put in a quick call before the first guests arrived. She hadn’t needed to be too evasive as her mother was full of news from home. Evidently, her father and brothers were away on a fishing-trip weekend and her mother had been gardening all day and was just on her way out for dinner and a movie with some friends. The doorbell had chimed in the background and the call had ended hastily.
It had been a strange conversation. So different from the earlier ones where her mother had been full of worry and she’d wanted Keely to return home. Keely felt a mixture of relief that she was no longer being pressured but it was tinged with regret that they were all busy and not missing her. How contrary is that, she thought to herself as she came back through the bedroom. She’d wanted her mother to stop fussing and pressuring her and she had. Keely should be pleased.
Anna’s voice carried from the kitchen. Speaking of people interfering, her mother paled in comparison to Anna. Keely slowed and stood silently behind the door. She’d had enough of Anna for one night and decided to avoid her if she could.
“Is this what you wanted me to carry?” Hugh’s voice rumbled from the other room.
There was a clatter of plates. “Thanks,” Anna said. “I thought Keely might be in here washing dishes. Can’t have her doing too much work.”
Keely gritted her teeth. No, not when you want to claim the prize for being the Levalliers’ star friend and helper, she thought. She should just step out into the room. Surely she could embarrass Anna a little by suddenly appearing.
“Perhaps she’s nipped down to the studio,” Hugh said.
“She’s certainly making herself at home.”
“What do you mean?”
Keely had been about to step around the door but she hesitated.
“Flynn said she’d moved in there and she’s got it all set up for making jewellery. Perhaps she’s planning on staying.”
“She just told me she was moving on.”
“Yes but is she just saying that?”
“Come on, Anna, she—”
“She’s not paying rent, you know.”
A flush warmed Keely’s cheeks. She couldn’t step out now.
“She does a lot around the place,” Hugh said.
“Piffle!” Anna’s sharp response made Keely jump. “She’s recovered from her op. Why doesn’t she just move on? I think she’s got an ulterior motive.”
“Like what?”
“Flynn would make a good catch. I’ve seen the way she looks at him.”
A door banged.
“Oh, Anna. Have you got the cake ready?” It was Pam’s friendly voice. “Euan is going to make a speech.”
“I’ll bring it right out.”
Keely stayed behind the door, waiting for them to leave. The music boomed in the background, masking the partying voices. Her emotions surged from embarrassment to anger. She stepped into the empty room, strode across to the kitchen and picked up the paper plates she’d bought for the birthday cake to be served on. No longer the beautiful chocolate cream cake she had made but Anna’s strawberry and hazelnut creation. Keely gripped the plates tightly. Right now, she’d like to push Anna’s face smack into the middle of it. The meddling old bat; she knew nothing about Keely. And what did she mean about the way Keely looked at Flynn? She kept her feelings to herself.
Outside, the music stopped and she could hear Euan’s voice calling the crowd to attention. She went through the office door to join the party. Damn Anna and her snooping. Keely’s earlier enjoyment had evaporated.
“We won’t hold you up for long.” Euan’s voice carried across the room. Keely edged around the group in front of her and found a spot close to where Euan stood near the food table, with Anna’s cake covered in candles and Flynn beside him.
“We’ll be brief. I’d just like to thank you all for coming to celebrate Flynn’s thirty-third birthday…” There were a few whoops from the crowd. “He was in South Australia when he turned twenty-one and we didn’t have a party.”
“Make the most of this one, Flynn,” called a voice. “You may not get another till you’re fifty!”
There were chuckles from the crowd.
“Thanks for that, Bennie.” Euan shuffled his feet then continued. “I was about Flynn’s age when Lucy and I came to Margaret River and started Levallier Dell. So Flynn has been part of this place since before he was born—”
“So unlike you he’s a local.” It was Bennie’s voice again and there was more laughter.
Euan waited for quiet and went on. “I want to say how proud I am of his achievements.”
Keely watched both Levallier men closely. Neither looked comfortable at being the centre of attention. Though Flynn was taller, the facial likeness was striking. Even their lopsided stance was the same.
“He has an affinity with the vines and is a talented winemaker.”
The crowd was very quiet. Euan looked straight ahead but Keely saw the quick look of surprise that flashed across Flynn’s face before he shifted his weight to his other leg and looked down.
Euan went on. “It’s good to see so many friends here to share the celebration with us.”
“And good that we’ve been fed some decent food,” a voice called from the back; not Bennie this time, but people laughed.
Euan’s face crinkled into a grin and deep smile lines formed on Flynn’s as his lips turned up. Keely held her breath. She was growing to love that smile.
“Yes, Noddy, I know we don’t always provide a gourmet meal but we have damn good wine,” Euan said.
There were some cheers and murmurs of agreement.
“Anyway,” Euan continued, “Anna has outdone herself with another superb birthday cake, which Flynn is going to cut.”
He handed Flynn a knife. There was a moment’s pause as both Levallier men studied each other then Flynn stepped forward.
“Before I do, I’d like to thank Euan and Pam for organising tonight. Thanks for coming everyone and for the food you’ve brought, especially Anna for the cake.” Flynn’s eyes searched the crowd.
Keely glanced around. She couldn’t see Anna but she noticed Kat standing near the food table.
“And thanks to our South Aussie visitor, Keely. She’s done a lot towards
preparation for tonight and I really appreciate her help.”
Keely could feel the warmth spread up her neck to her cheeks and she pressed back against a wall, not wanting to be seen.
“Cut the cake,” Noddy yelled from close beside her and there was soon a chorus singing ‘Happy Birthday’, as Flynn did the honours.
Someone shouted out a toast and three cheers. Kat offered Flynn a glass of wine and then there was the sound of clinking glasses as the group closest to him urged Flynn to give Kat a kiss. Keely watched him hesitate then Kat moved closer and kissed him.
It was a brief brush of their lips but Keely’s heart sank. She knew they were good friends, an item, her mother would say, but she found herself wishing she were the one kissing Flynn. Not here in front of everyone, but somewhere away from the crowd, just the two of them.
“They make a lovely couple, don’t they?” Anna murmured in her ear.
Keely shivered and spun around. Anna was standing on her other side.
“They’re good friends,” Keely mumbled and looked down as she recalled Anna’s words about the way Keely looked at Flynn.
“More than that, I’d say…”
Raised voices from the group beside them made them both look around.
Noddy was climbing onto the keg table again.
“You want finely tuned bodies, check out this one,” he called to one of the girls beside him.
He hauled his lanky frame up, downed the shot glass of liquid then undid his belt. His jeans slipped down to reveal a pair of gangly legs emerging from snug-fitting boxers.
He slapped his behind. “How’s that for a fine set of chiselled buttocks,” he called. Then he whooped and leaned forward in a surfing pose, but at that moment the table wobbled and he lost his balance.
There were screams and yells as he toppled forward. A couple of his mates tried to catch him but he slid across them like a crowd surfer in a mosh pit, losing his jeans as he went. Keely felt as if the world had been switched to slow motion. She saw him sliding towards her. She raised her hands to protect herself, but one of his arms went around her shoulders and she lost her balance. They crashed to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs, then everything went black.
* * *
The lights from the old Volvo reflected off the tunnel of trees as Euan drove Keely back to Levallier Dell. Luckily, Noddy had only broken a collarbone and nothing else. He was spending what was left of the night in hospital.
Keely ran her fingers self-consciously over the plaster on her forehead as she recalled Noddy landing on top of her. For a moment, the only sound had been the blare of the music, then voices had come from everywhere and Noddy had been carefully lifted, allowing her to see again. Keely had been so embarrassed she hadn’t known what to say. She’d been acutely aware of Noddy sprawled across her, his lower body clad only in his boxers.
Anna had tut-tutted next to her, muttering about people drinking too much, and insisted they both get checked over. Keely blushed again as she remembered Flynn’s wry smile, once they’d established no one was badly hurt.
“That’s Noddy for you,” he’d said. “Always sweeping the girls off their feet.”
Keely had a deep cut above her eye but it hadn’t needed stitches. The nurse had used some kind of glue and assured her there would hardly be a scar. Apart from a few sore spots that would probably make fine bruises in a day or so, she had been declared fit to go home.
There weren’t many cars left in the yard as they pulled in under the carport but the lights in the cellar door were all on. Keely noticed the little red sports car was also still there.
Euan turned to her. “Here you are, safely home. Once again, I apologise for what happened, Keely.”
“Euan, it’s okay…” she started to protest. He had apologised several times already.
“Noddy’s not a bad lad. He drinks a bit much but he’s a talented young winemaker and he loves to surf, so he has got something going for him.” Euan’s smile crinkled across his face.
They got out of the car and walked through the carport to the cellar door. Euan stopped in front of her. “I forgot, you’ve moved to the studio. I can drive you down there, unless you’d rather stay up here tonight.”
“No, I’m fine. I’ll walk down in a while. I’ll just see what else needs doing.”
“No, you won’t. We’ll do it tomorrow.”
Keely was wide awake and she hated dealing with messes the next day. “Euan, please, I’m fine.” Acceptance settled on his face. She really needed to assert herself more often.
They walked through to the cellar door, which was packed up and tidy except for a stack of plates and leftovers on the food table.
“I’ll take these through to the kitchen.” Euan took up a tray loaded with dishes.
Keely stopped to pick up some cans from the garden. The floor had been swept and the chairs stacked. She looked across to the keg table that had toppled Noddy. Up until then the party had been going well. She checked her watch. It was one am.
There was a noise behind her and Flynn came through the door, an empty tray in his hands. “Euan said you’re okay. I’m glad Noddy didn’t cause too much damage, to you or to himself.”
“I was going to clean up but it looks like most of it’s done.”
“Anna and Sean did a lot of dishes and Kat helped me clean up here after the last lot had left. Things kind of went quiet after Noddy’s accident.”
Keely couldn’t help but replay the accident over in her head. What had she looked like, trapped under a half-naked man? She recalled Flynn’s smile and snatched up an empty platter, turning away so he wouldn’t see her colour up yet again. “I’ll clean up in the kitchen before I go down to the studio.”
“There’s not much left to do. Just as well Noddy brought a halt to the proceedings, everyone went home early. Most of us have to work tomorrow, or I should say today.” He stepped closer and took the plate from her hands. His eyes studied her closely.
She was mesmerised, unable to move.
He reached up and brushed the plaster on her head. “I’m sorry about that. I hope it’s not too painful.”
His touch sent a shiver through her. “No,” she murmured. “I…I’d better head down to the studio.”
“I’ll walk with you.”
Keely wanted him to but she thought of Anna’s comments and—
“Oh, you’re back.” Kat came from the house. “How are you?”
Keely jerked back from Flynn. “I’m fine.”
“I just want you to show me which bed, Flynn. Your dad has disappeared somewhere.” She lowered her voice. “I don’t want to end up in the wrong room.”
Keely bolted for the door. Her head was spinning but not from the bump she’d received earlier. She didn’t trust herself to speak.
CHAPTER 22
A persistent thumping echoed in Keely’s head. She tried to ignore it then, beyond the noise, she heard her name.
“Keely.” Euan’s voice was raised.
She sat up, clutching the sheets to her and willing her eyes to focus. She was in her bed at the studio. What could he want? Surely it was still early. She felt as if she’d only just gone to bed.
There was a tap on the window. “Keely!” Euan called more urgently.
“Yes, I’m coming,” she croaked.
Her mouth was as dry as a potato chip. She picked up her watch and peered at the little numbers that swam before her eyes. It wasn’t even seven o’clock.
She stumbled to the door and tugged it open.
Euan stepped forward, a look of concern on his face. “Are you alright? You took so long to answer, I was worried.”
“I’m okay.” Surely he hadn’t come down to wake her up just to ask how she was. “What’s wrong?”
“I’ve had a call from Ken at the school. He’s been trying your mobile.”
Keely glanced around, wondering where she’d left it.
“He says he’s frantic for a relief teacher and hoped you
could come in.”
She slumped against the doorframe and wrapped her arms around herself. The outside air was chilly and she shivered, but not just from the cold.
Euan was apologetic. “I said yes but I explained you’d had a fall. I said I’d come and check with you and ring back if you couldn’t do it. I thought perhaps those bumps might be a bit sore today.”
She tipped her head forward, letting her hair fall around her face. Her stomach churned. This was it. The demon had caught up with her in peaceful, idyllic Margaret River.
“I don’t know…” She gulped in some air and held her breath.
Euan looked contrite. “I shouldn’t have said yes. You’re not feeling well enough. It’s just that Ken sounded desperate. I think you were his last chance but I’ll call him back and say you can’t do it.”
“Thanks, Euan. I really don’t feel up to it today. If I went in they might end up needing a relief teacher for the relief teacher.” She tried to keep her tone light.”
“Sorry. Can I get you anything?”
“No. I’ll be fine. I think I’ll just go back to bed for a while.”
“I’ve got to go in to the village this morning. Flynn will be around the place. You let him know if you need anything.”
“Thanks.”
Keely closed the door and went to the bedroom to find something warm to pull on over her pyjamas. Back in the kitchen, she put on the kettle and turned on the small heater. She took some long slow breaths. She had been so close to saying yes and returning to the classroom.
Thank goodness for the excuse of her cuts and bruises. She didn’t feel that sore, just tired, but it had been a plausible excuse. Noddy had done her a favour with his surfing antics.
She sat down, let out a sigh and put her head in her hands. She would have to move on soon. It would be hard to keep coming up with excuses for not accepting the relief teaching role. If they were short, she was sure to be asked again and next time she might not have a good reason for saying no.
She wasn’t in a hurry to go up to the house either, now there was the added complication of Kat sharing Flynn’s bed. Keely didn’t want to see them together. In some ways she wished Kat was an awful person so she could at least dislike her, but she wasn’t so she didn’t. Kat had been nothing but kind to Keely and in other circumstances Keely felt they could have been good friends.
Something in the Wine Page 20