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He saw Joy flinch and turned his back on her to finish loading boards into his van, swallowing his anger and taking several deep breaths in an attempt to calm down.
Nothing happened for a few moments, then he heard a shuffling. He waited a few more seconds before turning to see her walking away, her ridiculously high heels forcing her to stumble as they sank into the soft sand. He gave a sigh of relief but couldn’t help wondering if he’d made things worse.
Thirty-eight
It was only a week later, but by the time Easter Friday arrived, Cleo had almost managed to put Joy Taylor’s outburst out of her mind. Almost, but not entirely. She still woke up in a sweat, the woman’s comments ringing in her ears, the words clearer in her dreams than they had been in the light of day.
Will had told Cleo about his confrontation with the woman, that he’d told her to leave town, but Cleo still found herself looking for her everywhere she went and lived in fear of her appearing in the café. She couldn’t continue to live this way.
On the plus side, Hannah seemed happier and, now school holidays had arrived, she was more relaxed.
The café was closed on Good Friday, and Cleo had decided to invite Hannah, Kerri-Ann and a few friends around for a barbecue. It was her way of thanking them for their support over the past few months. When Hannah asked if she could bring Nate, Cleo had agreed, but hesitated when her daughter mentioned bringing Owen, too, before reluctantly agreeing. Ailsa and Martin would be there, too, along with Bev, but not Will.
Cleo experienced a fierce ache every time she thought of the man with whom she’d come close to falling in love. But she hardened her heart at the memory of Joy Taylor and her not so subtle threats. She may – as Will thought – have left town, but Cleo wasn’t convinced. And she had no intention of inflaming the woman any further.
Cleo hummed to herself as she cleaned off the table in her courtyard. It hadn’t been used for so long, it had collected a fine layer of dirt. Then she mixed up her favourite marinade, brushing away a tear at the memory of the last time she’d made it, the night she invited Will to dinner, their first real evening together, and the kiss at the end of the evening. She sighed for what might have been, then took herself to task. She had a good life. Her friends were coming to lunch, and… Unbidden, tears began to course down her cheeks, threatening to drip into the marinade.
By the time the doorbell rang, Cleo had washed away the tears, refreshed her makeup, dressed in an impractical pair of white pants teamed with a bright yellow linen shirt, and tied her hair into a bun on top of her head. She was determined this would be a good day, even though a tiny part of her wished it could be different, that Will could be here, too. She wondered what he would be doing today.
‘Hi, Cleo.’ First to arrive, Bev gave Cleo a warm hug and handed her a bottle of wine. ‘I know you said not to bring anything, but I couldn’t arrive empty handed. How are you?’
‘I’m fine.’
Bev peered at Cleo. ‘How are you really? You’re still determined to cut ties with Will?’
‘What else can I do, Bev? You saw the state I was in when that woman turned up last Friday. She could still be in town. If she knows Will and I are no longer an item, she might leave us both alone.’
‘You think she’ll leave Will alone?’
Cleo bit her lip. ‘Maybe not, but he won’t be in danger – at least I hope not.’ She knew if could be a forlorn hope, and hadn’t they got together in the first place to save Will from being pursued by Joy Taylor? It was all too hard. But she wasn’t sure what the woman was capable of and didn’t want to provoke her. She shivered at the memory of the expression on her face.
Cleo had just poured wine for Bev and herself, when the bell rang again to announce the arrival of Ailsa and Martin, closely followed by the three young people carrying a box containing an Easter egg along with a chocolate bunny. Cleo smiled and hugged everyone.
‘I know how you love chocolate, Mum,’ Hannah said.
Hannah did, too, and Cleo, knowing no one was ever too old for chocolate, especially at Easter, had placed a bowl of small easter eggs in the middle of the lunch table and, for dessert, had baked a chocolate fudge cake, having managed to worm the recipe out of Ruby.
‘Thanks, honey.’ Cleo put the box aside for later. She’d indulge tonight when she was alone and needed something to cheer her up.
Kerri-Ann was last to arrive, bearing both a bottle of wine and a box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates. ‘I wasn’t sure what to bring,’ she said, handing them over and hugging Cleo.
‘They’re perfect, Kerri-Ann. I’m so glad to see you.’ Cleo returned her hug. ‘The others are out back.’
There was a pause in the conversation when Cleo and Kerri-Ann appeared in the small courtyard, then Ailsa came forward to greet her, followed by Hannah and Nate.
Cleo gave a sigh of relief to see the two girls hug, and she was thrilled to see the way Hannah and Nate looked at each other. Her daughter was in love, and he appeared to feel the same way. She shared a glance and a smile of complicity with Ailsa who was also watching the young couple.
In true Australian fashion, the men took over the barbecue, leaving the women to chat over their wine and organise the rest of the meal.
‘Will not coming?’ Ailsa asked, when she and Cleo were collecting salads from the kitchen.
Cleo shook her head. ‘I told you what happened last Friday, Ailsa. I can’t risk her causing more trouble. Will and I were… it was good. But it won’t kill me to be alone. I managed before he came into my life.’
‘I know… but you were so good together. I thought…’
‘I did, too.’ Cleo paused, remembering Will in this very kitchen, how he’d seemed to fill it with his big frame and cheerful manner. She almost broke down. ‘It’s better like this,’ she said, forcing herself to sound cheerful. But better for whom, she wasn’t sure.
Everything was going well, the steaks perfectly cooked and the beer and wine flowing. The conversation had moved from discussion of the decision the council would announce the following week, whether the discovery of dugongs would result in the rejection of the planned development, to Owen’s chances in the surfing championship next day.
