‘It just seemed like a good idea,’ he said to Mac.
‘So let me get this straight. You haven’t been on a horse for bloody ages. You spend all your days sawing timber and hammering nails. And now you’re moving into big-time catering?’
Luke bit back an urge to tell him to pull his head in. ‘It’s a family get-together,’ he said patiently.
‘But if I was a suspicious type, I’d suspect a female’s hand in this. I sense a little feminine prompting. Is this another new girl, or someone we’ve already met?’
Luke gritted his teeth. Until now, he’d been happy with the way Sally had become more and more involved in his project, ringing him with thoughts about various decorating touches . . .
But now he realised that the party spelled danger, a very real chance that his family would jump to all sorts of wrong conclusions about Sally.
Their ‘strictly casual’ relationship was going well. Really well. Brilliantly. Sally had become a regular visitor and everything about being with her was way better than Luke had ever dreamed. But it would be ruined if the family got nosy, aided and abetted by his best mate playing the smartarse.
‘You’re wasting your breath,’ he told Mac tiredly, as if bored with this conversation. ‘Our entire family has a vested interest in Moonlight Plains and we have to work out what to do with it now. If we’re going to have a gathering to discuss its future, we may as well turn it into a bit of a party. It makes sense.’
‘Okay. Fair enough. I guess I was just enjoying the idea of a girl behind the scenes.’
‘Sorry to disappoint. And for what it’s worth –’
‘Hey, Luke!’ Sally yelled from the front verandah.
Luke spun around.
Sally stood in the doorway, dressed in shorts and muddy work boots, Jess at her side, tail wagging a greeting.
‘I was just wondering if you could help me –’ She’d raised her voice to reach him, but then she saw the phone in his hand. ‘Sorry, I didn’t realise you were busy.’
‘Who’s that?’ demanded Mac from the other end of the line.
Luke grimaced. No way would he incriminate Sally. ‘The tiler.’
‘You have a female tiler?’
‘Yeah. What of it?’
There was a snort of laughter. ‘Okay, mate.’ Mac could barely speak now between chuckles. ‘Say no more.’
‘Thank Zoe for her offer to help, will you?’ Luke responded tightly. ‘I’ll get back to her when I have firmer numbers.’
‘Sure. And I’ll leave you to your lonely, monastic existence. Good for you. All the best.’
Fuck. Luke pressed the button to end the call, pocketed his phone and crossed the bare wooden floors to Sally.
As always, the sight of her cheered him. She’d pulled her hair up into a butterfly clip, but strands had slipped out and now lay in curls at her neck, so bright in contrast to her pale skin. He wanted to hook his finger into a curling fiery wisp, to feel its silky softness.
‘Sorry if I interrupted something,’ she said.
‘Not really.’ Luke shrugged the phone call aside. ‘Were you looking for help?’
‘Yes, please. There’s an old concrete pipe in the pond, but it’s filled with mud and it’s too heavy for me to lift.’
‘No worries. I’ll take a look at it.’
As they went down the steps, Sally sent him a sideways, searching glance. ‘Everything okay, Luke?’
‘Sure. Why?’
‘I thought you looked a bit pensive.’
He gave a shrug. ‘I’m fine. Everything’s fine.’
But it wasn’t the truth. Mac’s teasing was a timely reminder that his family would almost certainly pester him about Sally when they met her at the party. If it was any other girl, he wouldn’t care, but Sally was different, still grieving. He would have to warn her, work out a strategy.
Right now, however, he had to deal with the pile of rubbish she’d dragged from the silted pond. ‘Bloody hell.’
Along with rocks and rubble and piles of mud, there were filthy beer bottles and cans, an old boot, a rotted wooden crate, and what looked like the bottom section of a metal-mesh garden seat.
‘An archaeologist would have a field day with this lot,’ Sally said with a laugh.
‘It’s disgusting. But you’ve done an amazing job, Sal.’
‘Thanks.’
She looked so pleased and pretty, despite the mud smears, that he couldn’t resist giving her a kiss. When she melted against him, responding with her usual enthusiasm, their kiss took a lovely long time.
‘That’s better,’ she said, smiling into his eyes. ‘You look much happier now.’
Luke kissed her again, couldn’t help it. But then he dragged his attention to the almost empty pond. Stepping down onto a muddy island, he tried to lift the concrete pipe. ‘That’s well and truly stuck. Reckon I’ll need a crowbar.’
Sally nodded. ‘So maybe I could make a start on clearing all the grass away from the edges.’
‘You don’t have to. It’s a big job.’
‘But I want to. I can’t wait to get a proper look at all the stonework and paving. I’ve never done anything like this before and I’m having a ball. Honestly.’
Her warm brown eyes were shining and she looked so genuinely happy Luke felt his throat constrict.
‘You know you’re one in a million, don’t you?’
‘Of course,’ she said with a cheeky grin and a tempting wiggle of her hips.
Somehow he resisted the overpowering urge to kiss her again. Three kisses within as many minutes might be breaking their ‘strictly casual’ boundaries.
‘I’ll get that crowbar and back the ute up so I can cart this mess away,’ he said instead.
By the end of the day, the pond and the circle of crazy paving that edged it were cleared. Luke and Sally sat in canvas camp chairs, enjoying a cold drink – beer for Luke and white wine for Sally – as they admired the results of their labours and made plans. They couldn’t fill the pond yet; it needed a new liner, which Luke would get from the local hardware store. Meanwhile Sally was going to check out Townsville’s nurseries for the most suitable water-loving plants.
‘What about fish?’ she asked.
‘They’re easy. I’ll catch rainbow fish from the river.’
‘So I can dangle my feet in here and have a pedicure?’
‘If you like.’ Luke shot her a grin. ‘And when you’re not here the fish can eat the mosquito larvae.’
‘Now you’ve spoiled the romance. So you don’t want goldfish?’
He shook his head. ‘They’d be a problem if the pond overflowed in the wet. We wouldn’t want goldfish washing down into the creeks.’
‘Pity. Goldfish are so pretty.’
‘Yeah, but this country already has enough problems with aquarium fish escaping into natural waterways.’
Sally pulled a face. ‘I didn’t know you were a greenie.’ But she countered this with another smile. ‘Actually, you’re right. Goldfish would look out of place here, anyway. They belong in cities.’
So do you, Luke almost said, but he refrained and downed the rest of his beer. Sally was staying the night and there was no sense in spoiling their happy mood with a chilling dose of reality.
Sally watched as Luke stood at the two-burner stove that was perched on the makeshift shelf where the flash new Italian five-burner would eventually sit. He was stirring scrambled eggs with a frown of deep concentration, and she decided he looked incredibly cute in his jeans and ratty old T-shirt, making sure that their breakfast was just right.
She couldn’t resist slipping her arms around him from behind and giving him a hug.
These days, just being around Luke made her feel incredibly happy. Last week, she’d even confessed this during another beach walk with Megan, and her friend had been so excited that she’d done cartwheels, literally.
‘It’s still only casual,’ Sally had warned her. ‘We’re not getting serious.’
&nb
sp; Megan, who’d recently announced her engagement to Barney, had rolled her eyes, but at least she hadn’t tried to argue.
Now, however, Sally suspected she had a problem. She was beginning to doubt her own hype. Surely, if her interest in Luke was merely casual, she wouldn’t be thinking about him constantly. Surely, she shouldn’t live for these visits to Moonlight Plains. And most certainly, she shouldn’t feel deeply depressed about leaving Luke here and driving back to Townsville.
She wondered if she should raise this with him some time soon. After all, she’d originally gone to great lengths to make it clear they had no long-term future. She’d insisted that their relationship could only ever be casual, and Luke – nice guy that he was – had respected her wishes.
Problem was, she’d been so bossy about this she’d left herself no avenue for learning how Luke honestly felt. He showed all the signs of liking her very much, but he never talked about their future, just took each day as it came. Which was exactly what she’d asked for.
She was still mulling over this catch-22 when he turned from the little stove with a smile of triumph.
‘Voilà!’ He held out two plates of toast topped with perfectly scrambled eggs.
‘Sensational,’ she told him.
He winked. ‘Can you bring the cutlery and cracked pepper?’
‘Sure can.’
They’d set the card table and chairs on the verandah where they could dine with a view of the paddocks and the bush while Jess remained close, snoozing in a patch of sunlight.
Sally carefully cut a wedge of toast and egg and took a bite. ‘Wow, this is delicious, Luke. Perfectissimo.’ Playfully, she rubbed her bare foot against his ankle. ‘A man of many talents.’
A brief quarter-smile flickered in his face then disappeared almost immediately. To her surprise, he looked unusually serious and his gaze didn’t quite meet hers.
Retracting her foot, she cut another corner of egg and toast. Luke was turning pensive again and his thoughtful frown unsettled her more than it should have.
If she probed him about it she’d probably annoy him. He’d been pretty quick yesterday to shrug it off. So she continued to eat, cutting dainty portions, paying careful attention to the paddocks and the flock of cattle egrets that took off, snowy-white against the trees.
But when she heard Luke sigh, a shiver skittered down her spine.
‘Listen, Sal,’ he said abruptly.
Until now she’d always loved the way he called her Sal. It sounded so relaxed. Easy, yet intimate. Like he was. Like their relationship was.
But now she was nervous.
‘We’re going to have to be careful about this party.’
So it was the party that bothered him. Sally felt a flash of relief. ‘Careful?’ she queried. ‘How?’
Luke shifted uncomfortably. ‘The thing is – you wouldn’t want my family jumping to conclusions about us, would you?’
‘No . . . I guess not.’
His green eyes were fixed on her, heated now, and deadly serious. ‘If they think you’re my girlfriend, they could get damn annoying. They could pile on the questions.’
After suffering Megan’s interrogations, Sally knew exactly what he meant. ‘You mean they’ll start checking out my ring finger? Asking you if you’ve set a date for the wedding?’
Luke grimaced. ‘Almost as bad as that, yeah.’
She knew she should be pleased that Luke was making every effort to keep their affair free of expectations, exactly as she’d requested. It was illogical now to feel disappointed.
Carefully, she said, ‘It shouldn’t be too hard to set them straight. I think the older generation accepts that young people in the twenty-first century have different attitudes.’
‘Sure.’ Luke was still frowning. ‘But I wouldn’t like things to get awkward for you.’
Sally gave him a reassuring smile. ‘I’m sure I’ll cope.’
When there was no answering smile from Luke, she forced herself to ask, ‘What are you thinking, Luke? Would you rather I stayed away altogether?’
‘Hell, no.’ Across the table, he reached for her hand. ‘I’m just suggesting that we should be careful. We’re supposed to be friends. You’re the journalist writing about the homestead. Not –’
‘Not your lover.’
‘Don’t get me wrong. I love what we have going. I love –’ His eyes shimmered as he rubbed his broad thumb over her knuckles. ‘I love your spontaneity.’ He drew a breath in and out before he went on. ‘But if you want to keep my sisters and my mother off the scent, you might have to be cautious. I reckon little things could be giveaways. With the women in my family, even just a look or a smile could be dangerous.’
Sally might have laughed if he hadn’t looked so adorable when he was concerned, but she felt a mad urge to tell him she didn’t care what the rest of the world thought.
She could hear herself telling him everything. Now. Openly and honestly. How much she liked him, not just in bed, but in so many ways. She’d had a ball getting involved with his project, and she simply liked being around him. He was warm, funny and sexy, and he was also wonderfully steady and reliable. In ways she couldn’t really explain, he made her feel centred.
Was this the right time after all? Should she be brave?
She switched her gaze to a point in the distance as she tried to think this through. An admission about her feelings could be quite a game-changer, and right now Luke was up to his eyebrows with last-minute finishes on the house, as well as getting ready for an invasion by his family and friends.
This party was all about the homestead and Luke’s hard work. It was about Kitty and her husband and the others who’d played a part in its history.
In the midst of all that, wouldn’t it be rather selfish of her to admit to falling in love with Luke? It would be like trying to steal the limelight.
No, she’d travelled a long way to reach this point and she mustn’t stuff it up now.
‘So do you agree?’ Luke asked, watching her.
Now it was Sally who had difficulty smiling. ‘Yes, of course I agree,’ she said. ‘I’d certainly hate to cause any awkwardness.’
‘Maybe you should bring a friend or two along to the party with you.’
‘As camouflage?’
He smiled. ‘It’s just a thought.’
What a prize idiot she’d been to imagine that she might co-host this party with Luke. Her task was to mingle with the crowd, to observe and to be virtually invisible.
If it was a week when Barney was out at the mines, she would console herself with Megan’s company. If Toby, who’d been Josh’s best mate, was available, she might invite him too. She would enjoy bringing them here, and they’d love the experience.
‘Do you know anyone with a tent?’ Luke asked. ‘I’d say most of the guests are going to have to camp out.’ He nodded towards the nearest paddock.
Sally cast a dubious eye over the paddock. ‘I thought people would stay in motels in town, but I guess if they’ve been drinking they’d be better off here. They certainly won’t all fit into the house, will they?’
‘Not a chance. I’ll have to get the furniture out of storage and I thought I’d set up bedrooms for my mother and Kitty – and possibly for Zoe and Mac, seeing they have the little guy.’
‘And the American woman?’
‘Hell, yes. I nearly forgot about her. I offered her accommodation, so I’ll have to have something planned in case she accepts. Thanks for the reminder. I think everyone else will have to be in tents.’
‘Will they mind?’
Luke smiled as he shook his head. ‘That’s how it’s done in the bush. Some folk will probably just swag down under the stars.’
‘Is that what you’ll do?’
‘Probably.’
She imagined lying under the stars with him. So romantic. ‘Quite an adventure,’ she said sadly, knowing that she’d probably be in a tent with Megan.
29
Things went a
little crazy for Luke over the following few weeks as an acceptance from Laura Langley Fox arrived and word of the party spread.
With all kinds of last-minute details to attend to on the house, as well as the expectation that he would keep an eye on the cattle, he resented the extra pressure that came with phone calls from family members.
Yesterday it had been his mother. ‘I was speaking to Sheila Douglas and I mentioned the old homestead and how you’d done it up, Luke, and she was so interested. She used to go out to Moonlight Plains for parties when she was a girl and she would love to see it again. It would be fine if I invited her to the party, wouldn’t it, dear? She wouldn’t take up much room.’
Mary Davies from the Historical Society also rang, expressing delight in Luke’s achievements. ‘Moonlight Plains was such a lovely old homestead,’ she said, her voice surprisingly warm and gushing. ‘I remember how my mother used to talk so fondly of going out there to play tennis on Sunday afternoons.’
She went on to ask ever so politely if the celebrations would be open to the public. Luke told her no, the party was private, but she was so disappointed he found himself extending an invitation to her committee members and their spouses, and the invitation was, of course, gratefully accepted.
Then Jim Mathieson, his mother’s eldest brother, the lawyer from Brisbane who’d bought the steers that Luke had branded, rang to once again express his gratitude and to check that all was well with the cattle.
Luke assured him the cattle were fine and then asked, ‘Will you be able to make it up here for the party?’
‘Absolutely, Luke. I’ll be there with bells on. I’ve posted my acceptance.’ A beat later, Jim added, ‘By the way, I hear you’ve invited Ed Langley’s daughter.’
Luke was surprised that Jim knew Laura’s father’s name. Most of the family just referred to him as the American airman. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘It should be interesting to meet her.’
‘Interesting indeed. I suppose you ran that by your grandmother first?’
Luke frowned, detecting mild reproach in Jim’s question. Jim was his grandmother’s eldest son, and quite caring despite living at a distance. ‘Sure,’ he said cautiously. ‘I told Gran I was sending an invitation.’
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