‘They’re great, don’t get me wrong,’ Ruby said quickly, ‘but let’s say life has thrown me a few curveballs lately and I didn’t expect to be single and living back at home at twenty-six.’
‘Tell me about it.’ Faith giggled wryly. ‘Do you plan to stay in town?’
‘To be honest, I don’t know. Right now, I’m taking things one day at a time.’
‘Fair enough.’ The chocolate cake arrived, and both their eyes widened at the size of it. ‘I’m thinking if we eat that, we might have to go back to the shop and buy me a bigger-sized gown.’
Ruby laughed and they both picked up a spoon.
Half an hour later, as they headed back to the four-wheel drive, Faith decided that what had started out as a terrible day had turned out to be not too shabby at all.
Chapter Twenty
‘I’ve had an idea.’
Monty turned to look at Adam as they emerged from the machinery shed. ‘Let me guess. Since seeding is done and dusted for another year, we should hit the pub to celebrate?’ He’d been thinking the same thing. This was his last season working with Adam and he was up for a big night. ‘I’ll call Faith and see if she wants to come.’ Having not seen her since that day in the library, he reached into his pocket for his mobile, welcoming the chance to start getting things back to normal.
Adam held up a hand. ‘Hold your horses, mate. My idea is along those lines but better.’
Monty cocked his head. ‘I’m listening.’
‘Ruby and Mum have finished decorating the cottage and we’re about to start taking bookings.’
‘That’s awesome. Your mum must be pleased.’
Adam shrugged. ‘She’s not saying much, but I’m hoping she’ll venture out of the house a bit more when we have guests staying. Anyway, this might be our last chance to christen the joint. What say we have a post-seeding-housewarming-going-away party? Tomorrow night, at the cottage.’
A slow smile spread across Monty’s face. ‘Great idea.’ The pub was good, but nothing was better than a party on the land. They could turn the music up as loud as they wanted and camp out later if they so felt the need. ‘What about a bonfire?’
‘As long as it’s not too close to the house,’ Adam said. ‘I’d hate to see it go up in smoke after all our hard work.’
‘We’ll have it in the paddock.’
‘Right, so how ’bout you tell Ruby, Faith, Ryan and anyone else you’d like to invite, and I’ll round up some folks too. The beer’s on me, but if anyone wants Bundy, they bring their own.’
‘Okay.’
‘Maybe you can con Faith into helping with the grub. What do you think?’
For a second, Monty wondered if he was the best person to ask her. Last time he’d tried calling, the morning after his breakup with Ruby, she’d all but hung up on him. But he wasn’t about to chicken out. ‘Let’s have a barbie. Since you’re providing the grog, I’ll do the meat and I’ll ask Faith to help with salads and make a few desserts.’
‘Excellent.’ Adam rubbed his hands together. ‘We haven’t had a good party in ages.’
Promising to return the next morning to help collect wood and build the bonfire, Monty climbed into his ute. As he prepared to call Faith, he found his palms getting sweaty and his pulse ticking faster, and he shook his head at the ridiculousness of the situation. It was a bit over a week before the Barking Ball. His parents would be in town next weekend, and Lord knew Jenni would take one look at the pair of them and notice something was up. He’d never been able to lie to her, and as soon as she’d made him spill his guts, she’d make him feel even worse than he already did.
Spurred on by that thought, he dug his mobile out of his pocket and made the call he’d been wanting to make for days.
‘Hey, Monty.’ She sounded happier than she had in a long time, as if he’d caught her in the middle of something fun.
‘Is this a bad time?’
‘No, not at all.’ Female laughter echoed in the background.
‘Okay, then. Well, I was wondering if you’d like to come to Adam’s tomorrow night? He’s having a party to celebrate end of seeding and the completion of Old Man Silvey’s place. And also as a leaving do for me.’
‘Sounds like a lot to celebrate.’
Did she mean she’d be happy to see the back of him?
He laughed uneasily, pushing that thought aside. ‘Does that mean you’ll come?’
‘Since when would I miss free booze? You guys are providing, right?’
His heart relaxed at her teasing tone and for the first time in weeks he thought that maybe things really would be okay between them again. ‘Adam’s buying the beer, but there’s a catch.’
‘Oh?’
‘Could you make some salads to go with the barbecue? And maybe a couple of desserts as well?’
Faith said something but it was muffled, as if she’d covered the phone. More female laughter followed, and if he didn’t know better, he’d say it belonged to Ruby.
‘What’s so funny?’ he asked.
‘Nothing, nothing. It’s one of those have-to-be-here moments.’ She took a breath. ‘I take it there’ll be more than just us three at this party. Ruby’s here now. Do you want me to ask her?’
‘Ruby’s with you?’ He couldn’t keep the surprise from his tone.
‘Yep, we’ve been plotting together. For the ball.’
More laughter.
‘Sure. Ruby’s invited, and Ryan if he wants. Do you need any help with the cooking?’
She snorted. ‘You’re offering to help cook? Don’t worry, I suspect Ruby will be far greater help than you. See you tomorrow.’
‘Sure,’ Monty replied to nobody as he stared at the blank screen on his phone. On the one hand, that conversation had been as close to normal as any they’d had in a long while, but on the other it almost felt like she didn’t need him anymore.
Don’t be stupid. He shook his head as he tossed his phone down on the passenger seat and started the ute. Faith was allowed to have friends aside from him; he wanted that—yet as he drove back to his place, all he could think about was the fact he was supposed to be on that Barking Ball committee too. Neither Faith nor Ruby had bothered to inform him about this afternoon’s meeting. Logically, he knew it was because they didn’t want to bother him during seeding, but it still hit a nerve.
He hadn’t even wanted to be part of the stupid committee in the first place.
Trying not to dwell on the Faith-and-Ruby situation, he headed for the shower the moment he got home. He scrubbed hard and fast, ridding his body and mind of the tension that had built up during the last few strenuous weeks. It was the end. In less than a fortnight, he’d be heading south to Clancy’s Breakaway, where he’d spend the rest of his days working for himself. His house was half-packed, the moving truck booked. There was no turning back.
The thought should have made him feel better than it did.
Determined to pull himself from this funk, he turned some music up loud while he dressed. The thought of seeing Faith tomorrow both excited and terrified him. He didn’t think he could handle it if he lost the best friend he’d ever had.
No. He wouldn’t let that happen.
***
At three o’clock the following afternoon, country music blared from Adam’s iPod docking station on the cottage’s verandah and Monty and Adam sat back with their first beers.
‘Man, that tastes good.’ Adam stared at the bottle like it was some kind of god.
‘Damn straight.’ Monty stared ahead at the woodpile they’d spent the last few hours creating. He couldn’t wait till it was late and dark, when everyone would form a circle around the bonfire to roast marshmallows, tell bad jokes and, depending how much they’d had to drink, sing a few off-tune bush songs.
He glanced at his watch.
‘I swear that’s the tenth time you’ve done that in the last few minutes,’ Adam said.
‘Done what?’
‘Checked the time. Un
less you’re checking out that ugly mole on your arm.’
‘Shut up,’ Monty replied good-naturedly. ‘Anyway, how come moles are called beauty spots on women and they’re ugly on men?’
Adam chuckled. ‘Nothing about you is beautiful, mate.’
Monty shook his head and laughed. Then without thinking, he checked the time again.
Adam snorted. ‘Are you worried Ruby’s not going to show or something?’
‘What?’ Monty dragged his eyes from the long driveway to look at his friend.
‘Ruby Jones.’ Adam clarified. ‘I figure she’s the reason you’re acting like that crazy rabbit in Alice In Wonderland and checking the time every five seconds.’
‘You figure wrong. We broke up. Not that we were really ever together together.’
‘I’m sorry, man. You didn’t say.’
Monty shrugged. ‘Didn’t I? We’ve been busy.’ He’d been so focused on worrying about how to right the rift with Faith, it hadn’t crossed his mind mention it to Adam.
‘What happened?’
He hesitated for a second, but decided that he needed to get it off his chest. ‘Faith happened. We slept together when we were down south.’
‘Holy hell!’ Adam almost fell off his seat. ‘What are you telling me? Are you and Faith together now?’
‘No. No.’ Monty shook his head, suddenly aware this news might be as much of a shock to Adam as it was to him. That maybe Adam would be hurt by it. ‘Faith’s like a sister to me. But now everything’s weird between us. It’s all fucked up and I have no idea what to do about it.’
‘Man.’ Adam took a slug of beer.
‘I hoped you’d have some better advice to give than that,’ Monty grumbled. ‘You guys had a thing together. How’d you get back on level footing?’
‘Well, for starters we only fooled around. We never actually did the big S.E.X. However…’ But before Adam could continue, the first car rolled over the horizon.
‘Look, forget I said anything,’ Monty said, jumping to a stand. ‘Don’t say anything to Faith, and just pretend you don’t know. I want to get things back to normal between us, okay?’
‘My lips are sealed.’
As he squinted to see whose car was approaching, Monty’s stomach flipped. How pathetic that he was nervous about seeing Faith.
Adam followed him up. ‘Looks like here comes Normal and Ruby. Let the party begin.’
Faith’s four-wheel drive got closer and eventually parked under an old gum tree in front of the cottage. Monty and Adam went to help unload the food, and as Faith’s car door opened, her sunny laughter drifted out from inside the cabin. The familiarity of that sound worked like soothing music for Monty’s soul. Excitement stampeded over the top of his awkward nerves and he smiled at the girls.
‘Afternoon, ladies. Good to see you both.’ He couldn’t wait to crack open another beer and catch up on everything Faith had been up to these past few weeks.
As she climbed out of the vehicle, he noticed she looked different. Although she wasn’t as polished as Ruby, who was wearing designer jeans, fashion boots and a city-ish jumper, he didn’t recognise her outfit. Maybe another one she’d bought in her mission to change things in her life. He’d certainly never seen her wear such tight-fitting, soft-coloured jeans to a barbecue before. Her cheeks were rosier than normal too. She wasn’t as heavily made up as Ruby, yet she didn’t need to be. Natural beauty shone from her smile.
‘Good to see you too, gentlemen.’ Faith’s tone told him she believed them to be no such thing. ‘Now, give us a hand with all this stuff.’
The four of them traipsed round to the boot and Faith peeled back the door to reveal an absolute feast. They spent the next ten minutes carrying everything inside and setting it up on the trestle table. While they were doing so, more utes arrived, and before long the noise of excited chatter rivalled the stereo. Having lost sight of Faith when she’d gone to greet Ryan, Monty did the rounds inside and out, carrying a beer for each of them.
He spotted her chatting with Ruby, Simone and Frankie. Realising it would be rude to bring only one beer, he went inside for a few more, but when he returned, the others had drifted away and Faith was on her own. He all but bounded down the steps towards her, not wanting anyone else to intercept.
‘Hey, Faith. Brought you a beer.’
‘No thanks.’ She looked down at the five he was carrying. ‘I don’t really feel like drinking tonight.’
‘Okay. Fair enough.’ Wondering if she wasn’t drinking for fear of doing something stupid again, he put the extra bottles on one of the crates that had been scattered around the garden as makeshift chairs. ‘So, how’s you?’
‘Fine,’ she said, offering him what was undeniably a forced smile. His heart ached at this awkwardness between them. ‘You’re all finished seeding now?’
‘Yep. All done. Adam is stoked to have his first season as boss under way, and Mr Burton seems pleased at the way he handled it. Still, I reckon it’ll be hard for him to step back completely.’
‘That’s understandable.’ Faith smiled. ‘I think no matter what job you do, when the time comes to retire, you’ll always have mixed feelings—farming even more so because it’s not just a job, it’s a lifestyle.’
‘Yeah, you’re right.’ And suddenly they were talking so normally.
‘Speaking of retiring, I wonder how Tim and Nora are feeling about leaving Clancy’s Breakaway?’
Before Monty could tell her that he’d spoken to Tim a fair bit, Adam walked past them. Faith reached out and grabbed him by the arm. ‘Great party, mate.’
‘I’ll drink to that.’ Adam lifted a bottle to his lips and took a long slug. ‘Thanks again for all the food. You should think about starting a catering business or something.’
‘Hah. Let me get the ball over and done with first.’
‘Why aren’t you drinking?’ he asked, nodding towards Faith’s empty hands. ‘Has this bloke not offered to get you one yet?’
‘I offered,’ Monty said, gesturing towards the extra bottles.
‘I didn’t feel like it,’ Faith replied.
‘Bollocks.’ Adam scooped one up, screwed off the lid and handed it to Faith. ‘This here’s a party, remember?’
‘Fair enough.’ She laughed and then raised the bottle to her lips.
That’s when normality took a hike and Monty caught himself staring at her mouth, watching the way her lips closed over the rim of the bottle, imagining other things they might close over. A few droplets of liquid escaped, running down her chin, and she wiped them off with the back of her hand. He fought a deep desire to reach out and hold her, to kiss her. The intensity of his feelings scared him. Thank God they were in the company of others.
Ruby and Simone sidled up to join the group.
‘Looks like we’re missing out on all the fun,’ Simone said, wrapping her arm around Adam and reaching for a beer. ‘Hi, cuz, any hot blokes coming tonight I should know about?’
Adam shook his head and rolled his eyes. ‘No idea.’
Making a concerted effort to act normal, Monty addressed the three women. ‘So, how are things progressing with the ball?’
‘Really good,’ Faith replied.
‘She’s too modest,’ Simone admonished. ‘They’re awesome. Tickets are sold out, you know, so even before we factor in the raffle and the fabulous things we have to auction on the night, it’s been a success. And people are coming from miles around. Faith is gonna raise squillions.’
Faith blushed a little.
‘I’ve got a new suit on order,’ Adam announced, puffing out his chest.
‘What? You mean you’re not going to wear that old corker from your B&S days?’ Faith teased.
Monty cringed, laughing along with Faith as they recalled what Adam had once called The Wondersuit. Pale blue and two sizes too small, he’d looked like Greg from The Brady Bunch whenever he’d worn it.
‘Nah. Thought it was time for an upgrade.’ He grinned. ‘Wh
at about you ladies? Got your dresses picked out yet?’
Fashion didn’t interest Monty, but when Ruby mentioned she’d helped Faith pick out a gown, he almost choked on a mouthful of beer. No one else appeared to think the situation odd.
He watched the interaction between his best friend and the woman she couldn’t stand only a few weeks earlier, and puzzled at what had changed between them. After another round of drinks, a couple of the Burtons’ farm workers asked when the barbecue would kick off.
‘Don’t you know about responsible party hosting?’ one of them joked to Adam. ‘You’re supposed to serve food along with the alcohol.
The Burtons had just turned up, and Adam wanted to go over and support his mum before the crowds scared her off. Seeing this, Monty offered to get the barbecue started. Simone went with Adam to see her aunty, and Monty returned to the verandah where he found Ryan nursing a lone bottle of beer.
‘Evening, Monty,’ Ryan said. His usual cocky grin spread wide on his face.
Monty nodded back. ‘You finished seeding too, then?’
‘Yep. Yesterday.’ He smiled and nodded towards the front of the yard. ‘Well, well, well. I wonder what the constabulary is doing here?’
Monty followed Ryan’s gaze and saw the new cop approaching from his parked patrol car. He shrugged. ‘Adam must have mentioned it to him, I guess. Probably just trying to be friendly.’
‘Constable Noble’s friendly all right.’ Ryan chuckled.
He’d stopped next to Faith and the others. Monty watched as the policeman smiled and the ladies laughed at something he said. Faith flicked her hair over her shoulder and Monty clenched his fists at his side. What could he possibly be talking to her about?
‘You better watch out,’ Ryan said. ‘I reckon the new bloke might have his eye on Ruby.’
‘What?’ Monty frowned, his gaze lingering on the exchange. He hadn’t considered the possibility that Constable Noble might be interested in Ruby.
All of a sudden, he couldn’t understand why anyone would look past Faith.
Chapter Twenty-One
‘Nice to see you ladies again. Hope you’re watching your speed, Miss Forrester.’ Drew tipped his head slightly.
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