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Bypassing the after-match celebrations again, Molly headed home for a shower and to get dressed in red and white for the evening. Then she drove to Nathan’s and found Vicki already there, running around with a vacuum cleaner and duster.
‘I don’t know why she’s bothering. By the time everyone leaves tonight the place will be a lot messier than it is now.’ Nathan scratched his head.
‘She needs the distraction,’ Molly muttered. Vicki had been valiantly trying to be cheerful all week since returning from Darwin, but everyone saw through her attempts. ‘It must be hard, saying goodbye to her man so often.’ She’d hate that, couldn’t imagine being married to someone who was often away for long stints.
‘It gets to Cole too,’ Nathan admitted. ‘I don’t know why he went and signed up in the first place. I get wanting to do something for your country, but it’s hard on family and friends, and yourself. I doubt I could do it. In a way I admire him.’
Molly’s sympathy lay with Vicki, but she kept that to herself. Holding up the plastic container she’d brought, she said, ‘I’ll put this in the freezer and find something useful to do.’
‘I hate to tell you this but everything’s pretty much ready. We can kick back and relax once madam’s finished making a racket with the sucky motor machine.’
‘You’ve been spending too much time with your nephews. Sucky motor. I’ll give you sucky.’
‘I wish, but we’re not alone.’
Molly headed for the kitchen, swallowing her laughter. Nathan was so relaxed it was hard to believe he was the same man she’d known only a couple of weeks ago.
‘You two have come a long way in a short time,’ Vicki said with a grin minutes later as she packed the cleaner into its cupboard.
She couldn’t have overheard their banter. ‘True. We’re not about to kill each other any more.’
‘It’s great. He needs someone like you in his life. Make that he needs you.’
Molly looked around for Nathan. Having him overhear Vicki was the last thing she wanted.
‘Relax. He’s out in the conservatory, making sure there’s enough gas for the barbecue. It should’ve been the first thing he checked. But that’s Nathan.’
‘What do you mean by that?’
‘He can be the most disorganised male you’ve ever met when he’s not at work. It used to drive Cole bonkers when they were flatting together.’ Vicki headed for the kitchen. ‘Ready for a drink? I’m not talking coffee or tea.’
‘Why not? Everyone will be turning up soon.’ As long as Vicki didn’t start going on about Nathan she was happy to relax. Relax. A new word in her vocabulary. Suddenly relaxing had become part of her routine, along with having fun and mixing with people without looking over her shoulder. And starting to trust a man. ‘I’ll have a beer.’
‘Coming up.’
She sank down onto the cane couch in the little nook off the kitchen where she could see out across the lawn to the sea, and if she turned her head slightly to the left Nathan out in the conservatory filled her sight, rubbing the stainless-steel lid of the state-of-the-art barbecue, bringing out the shine.
‘Here.’
She took the bottle and settled down further into the thick cushions. ‘This is the life.’ Then she sat up straight. That might sound like she was trying to weave her way into Nathan’s home for her own gain. ‘I mean, how better to spend a Saturday afternoon than with friends?’
‘Take it easy. You’re more than a friend to Nathan.’ Vicki was eyeing her over the top of her own bottle. ‘I meant what I said before. You’re good for him, and I think he’s good for you. I don’t know anything about your life before you came to work with us, but you’ve changed since my birthday. I’m putting some of that down to Nathan. Am I right?’
This was what good friends did. They talked, and then she’d have to give some answers back. She wasn’t ready for that. Or was she? ‘Yes, you’re right.’ Looking outside again, she sighed with happiness. Then an image of Nathan chasing his nephews across the lawn out there swiped her, and the warmth that had started filling her slowed, chilled. Children. He’d made no bones about wanting a family. He’d been honest, whereas she’d lied—if only by omission.
‘Molly? What’s wrong?’
Her gaze drifted back to the man tipping her world upside down. She wanted to tell Vicki nothing was wrong, but she couldn’t. ‘It’s early days. We don’t know each other very well yet.’ She knew he liked having his inner thighs stroked, that it hurt deeply when he lost a patient, that he adored his nieces and nephews. Family. She stood up. ‘Let’s see what else needs doing.’
‘Molly, sit down, and I promise to shut up.’
Because she wanted friends in her life and not just as numbers on her phone, she plonked her backside back on the couch. Anyway, she liked Vicki and didn’t want to upset her. ‘Here’s to a great night.’
‘I’m going to put some music on. I never could understand why Nathan doesn’t have it playing all the time.’
‘Because I like to hear myself think.’ The man himself lounged against the central kitchen bench, a beer between his fingers and a lopsided smile on his face.
Molly sucked in her stomach. It was so unfair. He was gorgeous. He was everything she wanted in a man when she moved forward.
Hey, you are moving forward.
Yes, but there was some way to go before she’d allow permanence into the picture. Even though things were beginning to stack up as she wanted, it was early days.
While the other two gave each other chee
k and talked about people and events she knew nothing about, Molly did some serious thinking. She had begun falling for Nathan too quickly. She trusted him as she’d once trusted Paul. He was fun, and caring, and sharing. Paul had once been fun, and caring, but sharing had been replaced by selfishness. She needed to step back, get to know Nathan better, if he hung around—and he acted as though he intended to.
Which brought her to the real problem. She had to tell him the truth. Because if she did fall in love with him, that was far too late.
‘You going to daydream all afternoon?’ Nathan tapped her shoulder.
If only that’s what she was doing. Forcing a smile, she said, ‘Got any better suggestions?’
He laughed, which went some way to lightening her mood again. But the clock was ticking. She had to tell him she couldn’t have children.
* * *
‘I didn’t think they’d ever leave.’ Nathan locked the door behind Hank and Myra before trailing into the kitchen where Molly was putting the last of the dirty glasses in the dishwasher.
‘They’ve really gone?’ Her knuckles were white as she gripped a dirty beer mug. She’d become more distant as the night had progressed.
What’s up, Mol?
‘The place is quiet, isn’t it? Apart from the music, and I’ve lowered the decibels considerably. I might have to drop leftover desserts in to the neighbours in the morning as an apology.’
‘Good luck with that. I don’t think there’s much left.’ Glasses rattled against the wire rack as she put the mug in the washer.
‘Want a nightcap?’ They could sit and talk in the nook, where it was warm and cosy.
‘No, thanks.’
‘Tea?’
‘No.’
‘Bed?’
Shaking her head, she shut the washer and flicked the dials. Then she leaned back against the bench, her hands gripping the edge of the counter at her sides. Apart from the low hum of water swirling inside the dishwasher the house was quiet. Too quiet. Filling with foreboding.
