Eddie could hardly believe her ears. Aimee was gushing, and Aimee never gushed. And since when did she love musical theatre? That was news to Eddie.
‘Eddie and I will both be there at the concert.’ She turned to Eddie. ‘Isn’t that right? Of course, we’ll be working but we’ll still hear you sing.’
Eddie stared at her. Aimee knew she wasn’t planning to go to the concert.
‘Working?’ Harry asked.
‘I’m volunteering to help out the St John Ambos,’ Aimee explained.
‘Only because it guarantees her a night off without her kids,’ Eddie said, ‘not because she’s into volunteering.’
Aimee had the grace to blush. ‘True,’ she said. ‘Unlike Eddie here who can’t help herself. Her sense of responsibility is bigger than most people’s.’
Harry cocked his head, and Eddie opened her mouth to explain but Aimee beat her to it.
‘Eddie volunteers for the State Emergency Service,’ she said. ‘Although God only knows why.’ She shuddered. ‘Those orange SES overalls do nothing for her hair or complexion. I keep telling her the St John Ambulance green would suit her colouring so much better.’
Eddie elbowed her.
‘What?’ Aimee said. ‘It’s true.’
Eddie groaned loudly.
‘Anyway, as I was saying, I loved you in The Lion King. I’m going to have to drag Eddie down to Melbourne to see Les Mis.’
‘That’d be great. I’m sure she’d enjoy it.’
I’m sure I would not.
‘Is everything ready?’ Eddie asked, trying to keep her tone even.
‘Yep, people are starting to arrive now,’ Harry said. ‘The lambs are cooked and ready. I’ve gotta go and get my surprise sorted and I’ll be back.’
‘Ooh,’ Aimee gushed. She clutched his forearm. ‘Eddie loves surprises.’
‘No I don’t,’ Eddie replied.
‘Is that right?’ Harry winked at her. ‘I’ll keep that in mind.’
He turned and strode across the hall and out the door. As much as she tried, Eddie couldn’t take her eyes off his backside.
Beside her, Aimee was almost purring. ‘He is divine,’ she said when he was out of earshot.
Eddie slapped her friend on the arm. ‘You’re already married. Stop drooling.’
‘I’m not drooling. But Eddie, come on! Did you look at him? He is hot.’ Her eyes lit up. ‘You have to ask him out.’
‘No, I don’t.’
‘Why not?’
Eddie flung her hands in the air. ‘I know virtually nothing about him. He probably has a girlfriend, a guy like that. Yep, definitely has a girlfriend. Or wife. Or he’s gay. Plus he doesn’t live here.’
‘No wedding ring,’ Aimee said with a smirk. ‘First thing I checked.’
Eddie wasn’t going to tell Aimee it was the first thing she’d checked too.
‘And if he was gay we’d know,’ Aimee continued. ‘Yallambah’s a small place, remember. People talk about things like that. I guarantee he’s single, straight, and starving for love. I saw the way he looked at you.’
Eddie groaned aloud. ‘Aimee, pleeease don’t say or do anything to embarrass me.’
‘I won’t. But come on, you have to admit he’d make a hot hubby.’
‘Since when am I looking for a husband?’
Aimee fixed her with the look only a best friend could get away with. ‘Hmm, do you want me to answer that? If I remember correctly, you were looking at wedding dresses and engagement rings not that long ago.’
‘That was –’
‘Before you came to your senses and realised Jarrod was a jerk,’ Aimee finished the sentence for her.
Eddie hung her head.
‘Aw, I’m sorry, sweetie.’ Aimee was immediately contrite. She pulled Eddie into a hug. ‘I know you loved him, but he wasn’t the right guy for you.’
‘Wish you’d told me that two years ago, then I wouldn’t have wasted so long waiting around for him to propose. Which clearly he had no intention of ever doing.’
‘Um, I did tell you if you remember. More than once.’
Eddie sighed.
‘Sorry. Too soon?’
‘It’s fine,’ Eddie said. ‘Anyway, can we please agree that Harry Baxter might be hot, but that I’m not interested? I need time to get over Jarrod.’
‘No, actually, you don’t. But because I’m your best friend I’m going to allow you time to grieve or whatever it is you think you need.’
‘Thank you. How thoughtful of you. How much time are we talking?’
Aimee grinned. ‘You have one week. I’m going to invite Harry to our annual New Year’s Eve party, then I’m going to get both of you tipsy and lock you in a room together.’
Eddie laughed. ‘Since when have you and Gus had an annual New Year’s Eve party? You’re less of a party animal than I am, which is saying something.’
Aimee didn’t reply other than with a wiggle of her eyebrows. Eddie relaxed. Aimee was all talk and no action. There’d be no party and no set-up.
At least Eddie hoped so.
Chapter 12
Harry couldn’t wipe the smile from his face after the encounter with the Eddie and Aimee in the kitchen. He’d warmed to Aimee immediately. She and Eddie were clearly close and he made a mental note to keep her on side.
Eddie was attracted to him, he was sure. He saw the way she looked at him and was certain she found him every bit as attractive as he found her.
He watched her through the servery window talking to Aimee. Wish I was a fly on the wall. He could almost guess what their conversation was about, judging by their body language. His gaze followed her movements and again his blood quickened. Eddie intrigued him. He was drawn to her obvious strength – she’d organised the entire Christmas dinner on her own and was an SES volunteer – but he was also drawn to the vulnerability he saw within her.
He’d suggested a casual drink sometime and although it had been a throw-away line and a chance to get her phone number, now he wondered whether he should ask her out properly. Maybe even for dinner. Anticipation skittered through him, quickly replaced by a niggle of uncertainty. He shook his head to clear his mind. Why was he thinking of starting something with Eddie? Apart from the long-distance issues, everyone knew relationships between actors and non-actors never lasted. Plus, she was probably carrying a tonne of baggage after breaking up with her boyfriend so recently. The last thing she needed was a rebound relationship. His mum was right. He was always attracted to damsels in distress.
It’s what had first appealed to him about Riley. Like him, she’d come from the country and struggled to fit into the theatre lifestyle. She also hated the drugs, the alcohol, the parties, and hated how everyone slept around. So they were a good pair. Their relationship worked well for both of them. A knot of concern tightened around his chest. What would Riley do if he told her he was interested in asking someone out? It wasn’t that they were mutually exclusive, but in the years they’d been together neither of them had expressed an interest in seeing anyone else so it had never been an issue.
Still, he couldn’t wait to see Eddie’s reaction to his surprise. Crossing his fingers that she’d love it, he grabbed the Santa outfit from his car. He was heading to the toilet block out the back of the hall to get changed when Simon pulled up with the float.
‘Great timing,’ Harry said. ‘Thanks for doing this, mate.’
‘All good. I needed to get out of the house for a bit too,’ Simon said.
‘How’s everyone doing?’
When Harry left, the mood was as tense as if a thunderstorm was brewing and everyone was sitting and waiting in expectation for the deluge of rain that was guaranteed to come. After the most sombre Christmas breakfast he could ever recall, Harry had escaped to the stables to think.
Things with his father had been the same as always from the moment he stepped through the front door. At first, Harry’s worry over his father’s health forced him to try a softer approach, b
ut Jim proved to be as taciturn as ever, refusing to acknowledge anything was wrong or have any sort of meaningful conversation with Harry about what was happening.
It was while he was grooming the horses that Harry had come up with his plan to surprise Eddie. It hadn’t taken much to rope in Simon to help.
‘I’ll unload Dolly and get her harnessed while you get into your gear.’ Simon glanced at the armload of clothes in Harry’s arms. ‘Too stinkin’ hot to wear a Santa suit, if you ask me. The temperature gauge on my car said it’s thirty-eight and still climbing. If I were you I’d wear the hat and leave it at that.’
‘I’m used to the heat on stage,’ Harry said. ‘And it wouldn’t be the same for the kids if I didn’t dress up.’
‘S’pose you’re right.’
Ten minutes later Harry was dressed. He’d found his old makeup kit out in the shed at home and transformed his face into that of an old man, even using latex to make a bulbous nose. He put his glasses back on and checked himself in the cracked mirror above the sink. He was very happy with the effect. Hopefully he’d be the most authentic-looking Santa the Yallambah community had ever seen. Straightening the white wig and beard, he checked his belt was securely buckled over his pillow belly, and stepped outside.
Simon roared laughing. ‘Jeez, mate, if I didn’t know it was you I’d think you were about eighty.’
‘Ho, ho, ho,’ Harry replied in a deep baritone voice.
Simon slapped him on the back before helping him into the buggy. ‘Always the actor.’
Harry settled into the seat and took the reins. ‘Darn it. I forgot the presents.’ He turned to Simon. ‘Can you duck inside and find Eddie for me? She’ll be easy to spot – tall, slim, long dark hair, keeping everyone in line. Can you ask her where the presents are?’
‘Give me five minutes.’
It took Simon ten. Harry used the time to walk the pony in circles and get used to the feel of the soft leather reins in his hands and the turning circle of the buggy. He’d grown up around horses, but he’d never sat behind one in a tiny buggy. It was more fun than he expected and he promised himself to take Olivia and Jackson out for a spin while he was home.
‘Jeez, she’s a looker,’ Simon said when he returned lugging two large red sacks. He slung them into the buggy at Harry’s feet.
‘You reckon?’
‘Too right. Feisty too. Demanded to know who I was and what the surprise was.’
Harry laughed. ‘Sounds like Eddie.’
‘The sack on the left is for the boys, the one on the right for the girls. She’s named all the presents. I tell you what, she’s an organised chick, that’s for sure. She’d put even my wife to shame.’ He patted the pony on the rump. ‘Off you go then, mate. I’ll see you back at home later. You don’t need me to hang around here, do you?’
‘Nah. You can take my hire car and I’ll drive your ute and the float home.’
‘Give me a yell if you need a hand and I’ll drive back in.’
‘Thanks, Sime.’
‘No worries. Any time.’
*
Aimee looked as though she was trying to land a jumbo jet. Noticing her wild gesturing, Eddie rushed to Aimee’s side.
‘What’s wrong?’ she asked.
‘Nothing’s wrong, but go and take a look outside,’ Aimee said. ‘Your surprise awaits. I tell you what, if you don’t ask Harry out, someone’s going to steal him from under your nose. Not only is he cute, he’s adorable.’
Eddie raced to the door and stepped outside. As soon as she saw Harry dressed as Santa, sitting, not as she’d expected on the back of a fire truck, but in a little carriage attached to a Shetland pony, she shrieked and danced on the spot like a child.
‘Surprise,’ he called out. ‘Ho, Ho, Ho and Me-e-e-rrry Christmas.’
‘I love it,’ she cried, clapping her hands.
Kids of all ages came out of the woodwork, shouting and squealing with delight. It took Eddie and Aimee ages to calm them down. Finally they formed a straight line, alphabetically arranged, and one by one each child climbed into the buggy beside Harry, went for a short ride, received their present, had a photo taken, and hopped down. It took poor Harry over an hour by the time every kid had had their turn and every parent snapped a photo, but eventually the sacks were empty.
Eddie climbed up beside him. ‘Hello, Santa,’ she murmured. ‘Got a pressie left for me in your sack?’
Harry grinned at her. ‘Maybe,’ he drawled.
Eddie tried to squeeze his nose. ‘How did you make this?’
He brushed her hands away and gave the prosthetic a wiggle. ‘How do you know it’s not real?’
She laughed. ‘No one has a nose that ugly. Or big. Besides, I’ve seen your real nose and it’s cute.’
He pulled a face. ‘Are you making fun of my new nose?’
‘Have you checked the mirror?’
He laughed. ‘I thought it looked okay.’
‘More than okay. You look perfect as Santa and the kids loved it. Thank you.’
‘My pleasure. Glad I could help.’
‘I’m so happy I could kiss you right now,’ she said.
He took off his glasses and pursed his lips. ‘What’s stopping you?’
Heat surged in Eddie’s cheeks and she forced herself to look away from his teasing eyes. What was wrong with her? She had to stop flirting with him.
‘I . . . ah . . . um,’ she stammered. She scrambled to grab from the hundreds of words swirling in her head but couldn’t catch the right ones to form a coherent sentence. All she could think about was kissing Harry. She needed to bring the conversation back into safe territory.
He nudged her with his elbow, breaking through her whirling thoughts. ‘Come on, what’s stopping you?’ Harry repeated, puckering his lips again.
Eddie laughed. ‘Hmm, let me think. Maybe the outfit? Or maybe the fact you look like a ninety-year-old man.’
Harry slumped back into the seat and pouted. ‘You don’t like older men?’
‘Not so much. And not when you look like my grandfather!’
‘What about a man in uniform?’ He wiggled his fake bushy eyebrows at her and they moved up and down like hairy caterpillars.
She chewed on the inside of her cheek to stop from roaring with laughter at how silly he looked. ‘A uniform? Hmmm. Now you’re talking my language.’
He snapped to attention, saluted and leaned forward. ‘So if I take off the Santa suit, put on a uniform and invite you over for a drink tonight, you’ll say yes?’
She hesitated.
‘Say the word, Eddie. Police, fire, ambulance. Even SES. I’m sure I can rustle up a uniform from someone in the town.’
She allowed her eyes to flick from his face to his lips, which were stretched wide over perfectly straight teeth. A drink? Tonight. Should she? There was nothing to stop her. Absolutely nothing. And it would be the appropriate thing to do, given everything he’d done to help her today. A quick drink was the perfect way to say thankyou for all his hard work.
‘What time?’ she asked.
‘You could come home with me now, if you want.’
She shook her head. ‘I need to finish everything in here and tidy up. Then we have the community carols by candlelight on the lawn.’
‘Sounds like you’re making an excuse.’
‘No excuse, I promise. But you probably should go home first, get in the shower and remove that gunk from your face. Then I’ll consider that drink. How can you stand it? You must be roasting in that suit.’
‘It’s not so bad, but now you mention it, a cold shower sounds like a brilliant idea.’ He stared at her and there was no missing his meaning.
Mental images filled her head. She blinked. ‘It might be too late. By the time I help pack up it could be close to ten. Maybe we should give it a miss this time.’
‘Ten is fine with me,’ he said. ‘It’s not late at all. You have to remember my work hours. I’m used to being up late. Honestly, it’s f
ine, even if it’s later than that.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Totally sure.’
‘Okay. I’ll need your address.’
He scratched at his jaw. ‘Actually, how about I come to your place instead? I’m staying with my folks. Might be awkward.’
She bit her lip. ‘That sounds okay.’
They stared at each other for a moment, and Eddie was trying to work out what to say next when Aimee came flying through the door and bounded down the steps and across the grass towards them.
‘Santa, phone call for you,’ she called, holding out her phone to Harry. Her face was paler than usual.
‘Who is it?’
‘Your sister. She’s been trying to call you for the past hour.’
‘Damn. I left my phone in the pocket of my shorts.’ He took Aimee’s phone and held it to his ear. ‘Claire?’
Eddie’s stomach fell as fast as Harry’s face.
‘Sorry, Eddie. I need to go. My father’s had a fall, he’s at the hospital.’ He pulled the beard down and jerked the hat and wig off his head, shoving them into her hands. ‘I’ll call my brother-in-law and see if he can come and pick up Dolly.’
‘Leave her with me. I can sort her out.’
‘But what about the buggy and all the gear? Have you ever towed a float before?’
Eddie shoved him gently in the direction of the toilet block with a look that said it was a stupid question. Of course she’d towed a float. He’d bet she could back it up in a straight line too – something he couldn’t do.
‘Go and get changed,’ she insisted. ‘I’ll sort it.’
‘But –’
She pushed him again. ‘No buts, Harry. You need to get to the hospital. That’s what’s important. I’ll take care of everything else.’
‘I’ll make it up to you later.’
She smiled. ‘I’ll hold you to that.’
*
As Harry scrubbed at his face in the dingy bathroom, his mind came up with all kinds of scenarios to explain why his father had fallen. Claire said he’d gone outside and probably tripped on a hose in the garden. Was that it, or was it something more sinister, like a heart attack or something? When Claire found him, she said he was covered in blood from a deep laceration on the back of his head. She’d managed to stop the bleeding but reckoned it needed stitches, so they’d driven to the urgent care centre at Beechworth Hospital. Harry stared at his reflection and wished he had the proper stuff to remove the nose and makeup. After a while he gave up. He needed to get to the hospital more than he needed to make sure he looked all right.
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