Outback Secrets by Rachael Johns

Chapter Twelve

Every time the multicoloured fly straps that hung above the pub door swished open that night, Liam looked up, expecting Henri.

Every time it wasn’t her, disappointment fought with relief.

No matter how hard he’d tried to distract himself with woodwork and pub work, she’d been on his mind all day. Ever since that damn kiss on the beach.

Although he’d already established he felt some attraction towards her, he had not expected to feel the kind of intensity he had when he’d pressed his mouth against hers. He’d meant it to be a quick smooch on the lips, merely long enough to distract Henri from his scar and throw some more fuel on their facade, but somehow tongues and hands had become involved and before he knew it, his body temperature had skyrocketed.

The barely audible groans she’d made into his mouth as her hands gripped his shoulders had turned him on something chronic and it was only when he felt his erection flare that reality had landed. This was all an act. Of course she’d kissed him back; she’d clearly realised that someone was nearby, and her lies depended on putting on a good show.

His damn swimming trunks had provided little cover, but he hoped he’d managed to pull back before she’d noticed just how dedicated he was to her cause.

Then again, was anyone that good an actor? Could Henri be that good an actor? Or had she felt something just as powerful as he had?

When they were leaving the beach, he’d almost suggested she come back to the pub and they do a little private rehearsal, but she’d been eager to escape and, as there was no one in sight, he’d had no excuse to kiss her again to try and suss out the situation.

But, so what if she’d felt the same sparks? That didn’t mean they should act on them.

Out of the corner of his eye now, Liam registered movement at the door again. He looked up to see a woman entering. Not Henri, but someone who looked incredibly similar to her—only a few decades older, a few pounds heavier, and with hair dyed a soft brown to masquerade her greys.

He picked up a cloth and a glass that had already been polished and started rubbing as Fiona Forward stalked towards him.

‘Good evening, Liam,’ she said, perching herself on the closest bar stool. He rarely saw her without a smile, but tonight her expression was pensive.

‘Evening, Mrs Forward. You here for the CWA dinner?’

She nodded. ‘And, please, call me Fiona. Now that we’re practically family, I don’t think we need to be so formal, do you?’

‘Family?’ He almost choked on air. No wonder Henri felt the need to make up stories.

‘Well, I know it’s only early days, but I haven’t seen Henrietta light up talking about a man for a long while, and it’s been even longer since she showed any interest in anyone in the Bay.’

‘Can I get you a drink?’ Liam asked, unsure how to reply to that. Lying in theory was one thing, but blatantly telling untruths to someone’s face didn’t sit right with him. Yet he’d promised Henri, so he couldn’t throw her under the bus.

‘I’ll have a glass of pinot grigio, please. I came a little early because I thought it would be good for us to have a chat beforehand and get to know each other better.’

‘Sounds great,’ he lied, turning to grab a cold bottle from the fridge and taking his sweet time filling a glass before handing it back to her. Part of him was surprised Fiona had taken this long to drop by.

‘So, tell me, Liam, what is it that you like about my Henrietta?’

‘Um …’ He cleared his throat. Telling her that he thought her daughter was sexy as hell was probably not the way to win over a future in-law, even if that in-law was pretend. ‘What’s not to like? She’s funny. Smart. Strong. I like that she dances to her own beat. We’re still getting to know each other and I’m loving it.’

Fiona twirled her glass around but didn’t take a sip. From her expression, he couldn’t tell whether his answer had satisfied her or not. The hair on the back of his neck prickled.

‘Not to be too intrusive,’ she said eventually, ‘but as far as I recall you haven’t really had a serious relationship since you arrived in town, so I’m curious as to your intentions?’

He blinked. ‘I’m sorry?’

‘Well, I know Henrietta’s a very pretty girl—even if she does her damn best to hide it—but is that all she is to you? A summer fling?’

Geez, country people didn’t beat around the bush.

He swallowed and glanced around for someone who needed serving, but Dylan and Lara had it covered. What would Henri want him to say?

‘Well, as you said, it’s only early days, but I really like her. I haven’t had many serious relationships in my life because I’ve … well, until Henri, no one has made me want to curb my wild bachelor ways. But in the short time we’ve been together, she’s totally got under my skin. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds.’

Lord, he deserved an Academy Award for that little spiel, but Fiona wasn’t done with her Spanish Inquisition.

‘That’s wonderful to hear, but how exactly will a long-term relationship work for you? Henrietta’s job takes her all over the world for long periods at a time, and your hours aren’t exactly conducive to a relationship either.’

Liam tensed a little. Fiona was right—being a publican would be hard on a relationship, and hell, he didn’t even want one, but it still slightly irked him that she had certain ideas about him.

‘That’s true,’ he said after a long pause, ‘but I guess where there’s a will there’s a way. I’m sure Henri and I will work it out.’

Apparently not happy with this answer, Fiona changed tack. ‘But it’s not just the lifestyle, is it?’ He kept his mouth shut because it was clearly a rhetorical question. ‘Being an ag pilot is one of the most dangerous professions there is. Everyone says air travel is the safest kind of transport but that’s bullshit when you include agricultural flying.’

He drew back slightly at the sound of prim and proper Fiona Forward cursing, but she just barrelled on.

‘Did you know that the incidence of death and injury amongst ag pilots is over one hundred times Australia’s national average for all other work-related injuries? The statistics speak for themselves. I just don’t understand why Henrietta insists on gambling with her life every single day when there are plenty of other, safer careers she’d be good at.’

‘Maybe so,’ he said, unable to resist coming to her defence. ‘But if all ag pilots decided to do something safer, where would that leave farmers who need crops spraying or livestock mustered? And what about bushfires? Without people like Henri risking their lives dropping water bombs, Australia would probably lose a lot more lives to fire.’

Fiona did the sign of the cross. ‘Maybe so, but if you truly care about her the way you say you do, surely you have some concerns about her career as well?’

Liam wanted to tell her that life had no guarantees—you could have the safest job in the world and one day some psycho could turn up wielding a gun and obliterate all you knew—but instead he nodded.

‘Of course I do. From the way she talks, it can be tough being a female in what is essentially still a male-dominated industry and I truly admire her for that. But you’re right, the idea of anything happening to her doesn’t bear thinking about.’

The smile that blossomed on her face told him she approved very much of his answer. She reached out and patted his hand. ‘This has been a good chat, Liam.’

By the time Fiona’s friends arrived and she went off to join them, Liam felt in dire need of a drink himself. And that feeling was very rare these days.

‘Why the long face?’ he heard Lara ask, and for a second he thought she was talking to him, but then he turned to see she was addressing Jim, a retired shire worker and one of his ‘Poker Pensioners’.

The man all but slumped against the bar. ‘Me house is being eaten away by termites.’

Lara made a face that said exactly what she thought of that.

Stifling a laugh as he recalled Lara’s reaction when she’d seen her first huntsman spider, Liam turned to the older man. ‘That’s no good. Haven’t you had regular treatments?’

Jim looked at Liam like he was on drugs. ‘Who can afford that? It’s a bit like insurance—bloody rort.’

Liam raised his eyebrows. ‘You don’t have insurance either?’

‘Don’t lecture me, kiddo. I didn’t come here to be made to feel worse.’

Knowing exactly what he came for, Liam went to grab a pint glass, but Lara was already on it. She filled it to the brim with Jim’s favourite beer.

‘That’s on the house,’ Liam said as she handed it to him.

‘Thanks.’ Jim wrapped his stubby fingers around the glass and lifted it to his mouth. ‘Reckon I could go a Bunyip Burger as well.’

‘No worries.’ Liam called the order through to Macca in the kitchen as Lara went off to see if any of their other customers needed refills.

They were reasonably busy tonight because in addition to the usual Friday night crowd, the local CWA were also having their Christmas meeting. There was only a dozen of them, but you’d be mistaken for thinking that number was a lot greater—the women were noisier than the barely legal blokes who frequented the pub on Friday and Saturday nights to play pool.

‘Is your termite problem treatable?’ Liam asked as Jim turned to go join his mates.

He sighed. ‘If I had the funds to fix it, it would be.’

‘How much exactly do you need?’

‘Just under three grand.’

‘Sheesh.’ Liam grimaced. Even playing twice a week as he usually did, Jim would have to win a lot of games of poker to make that kind of money when his fellow players only ever bet with five-cent coins.

‘I know.’ He sighed loudly. ‘Where’s a poor pensioner supposed to get that kind of money?’

Liam shrugged as Jim downed almost half the pint in one go. ‘Maybe you could ask for some kind of payment plan?’

‘When have you ever known Phil McDonald to give a damn about the little folks?’ he asked.

Rex, who’d been drinking quietly next to Jim, snorted. ‘You’d have more luck asking the bloody Queen for a loan.’

Liam had to admit Rex was probably right. Phil was not only the owner of pretty much the only pest control company that serviced Bunyip Bay, but he also happened to be a local farmer and the Shire President. All he seemed to care about was making sure the town’s sporting facilities were top notch and that the road out to Glenorchy—his prized Merino sheep farm—was sealed.

‘Well, good luck,’ Liam said, before going into the kitchen to start collecting the steaks and parmies for the annual CWA dinner.

‘You need some Christmas tunes in here,’ said Karen Barker as he put a plate laden with Macca’s roast veggies, cauliflower cheese and a well-done steak in front of her. ‘There’s only two weeks to go now, you know?’

How could he forget with everyone constantly reminding him? ‘You wouldn’t be able to hear them over the top of your chatter,’ he retorted, his tone far lighter than he felt.

‘Bah humbug, Liam. Why are you such a Grinch?’ asked Susan O’Neil, her large dangly reindeer earrings rattling as she spoke. ‘Wouldn’t hurt you to put up a few decorations.’

His chest tightened, because they were wrong: it would hurt—so very, very much. He’d sent Lara down to the shop to buy them Christmas crackers and seeing the packet waiting on the bar to be put out on the table was bad enough. What more did they want?

‘Oh my goodness! Bah humbug!’ exclaimed Mandy Sawyer, with what sounded very much like a witch’s cackle. ‘Get it, Bar Humbug—that’s what you should rename The Palace at Christmas.’

The others thought this hilarious, all except Henri’s mum who told them to leave him alone.

He tossed her an appreciative smile, then left them to their laughter as he went to fetch the next lot of meals, taking a quick moment to collect himself in the kitchen. It was stupid that even after so long, just the word ‘Christmas’ almost had him coming out in hives, but it did. December was his least favourite month of the year and he couldn’t wait for it to be over.

When Liam returned, he brought Lara with him in the hope to get in and out faster, but the women were all deep in conversation about a community garden they were hoping to start next year anyway. That was the one good thing about these ladies—they always had so much to discuss that their conversation moved on at the speed of light.

Just when he thought they’d managed to hand out the rest of the meals without drawing any further attention to himself, Eileen Brady called to his retreating back, ‘What’s Henrietta up to tonight?’

‘She should be here soon,’ Fiona Forward answered for him with a smug smile as she winked at Liam in a manner that suggested the two of them were in cahoots in some kind of secret scheme. If only she knew the truth! ‘She was having dinner with Hannah, Callum and the kids first.’

He nodded as if he knew this and then retreated quickly before the women could start teasing or grilling him on his phony love-life. That was another good reason to steer clear of ever getting involved with anyone in Bunyip Bay—in a small town a romance was rarely between two people; the rest of the residents also felt it their right to have their say.

The next couple of hours passed quickly and just when Liam was beginning to think Henri wasn’t going to show up after all, the fly strips parted again and there she was.

The sight of her stole the air from his lungs.

She looked different this evening and it was only when she got closer that he realised what it was. The chocolate-brown locks that were normally captured in a high ponytail were falling in soft waves around her shoulders and she was wearing lipstick. Red lipstick. And mascara. Her sensible boots were still on her feet, but instead of her usual jeans or scruffy shorts, she wore a knee-length denim skirt and a figure-hugging blue tank top that was almost as revealing as her swimsuit.

Praising God for the particularly warm weather tonight, Liam stepped around the bar to greet her. He’d only meant to kiss her on the cheek but couldn’t resist placing his mouth on hers instead. After all, wouldn’t that be what a real boyfriend would do?

‘Get a room!’ he heard someone shout from over near the pool table. In the dining room, the CWA ladies applauded.

Henri laughed and rolled her eyes as they pulled apart.

‘You look fabulous,’ he said, resting his hand on the small of her back.

‘Thanks.’ She grinned up at him, then whispered, ‘Thought maybe I should go to a bit of effort for my fake boyfriend. Great acting by the way.’

‘I’ll have you know I was the lead male role in the high school production three years in a row.’

‘Wow. I’m impressed.’

‘You’re not so bad yourself.’

‘Well, although I didn’t have your esteemed training, I was pretty convincing when I lied about something Tilley or one of my brothers did to me to get them into trouble.’

He forced a laugh. ‘Geez, remind me not to get on your bad side! Now, can I get you a drink?’

Henri glanced towards the dining room and waved at her mum. ‘I’m shattered, but I’d better have one drink. Make sure Mum gets a good glimpse of us together before I head upstairs.’

‘She and I have actually already had a bit of a chat.’

‘What? Really?’

‘She gave me the third degree, wanted to know if my intentions were honourable.’

‘Oh God,’ Henri groaned. ‘What did you say?’

‘I told her that your flying concerns me just as much as her and that I planned to make you fall so much in love with me that you couldn’t bear to spend a moment away from me because I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you.’

‘Hah! Do you think she believed you?’

‘Hey.’ He cocked his head to one side. ‘Didn’t you just say how good an actor I am? I reckon she’s ready to add my name to the family bible.’

Her eyes crinkled at the corners. ‘Did she tell you about that too or was that just a lucky guess?’

He laughed, took her hand and started back towards the bar. ‘So, what’s it to be tonight? Guinness or whiskey?’

‘Just a glass of house white, thanks,’ she said, taking the stool next to Rex and nodding hello to Lara and Dylan, who were busy serving.

Liam slipped back behind the bar to pour her wine. ‘How was your day?’

‘Exhausting,’ she replied as he handed her the glass, experiencing what could only be described as a jolt as their fingers brushed in the exchange.

What the hell was wrong with him? He liked women as much as the next straight guy, but he couldn’t remember feeling such a visceral reaction to someone since …

He froze. Since Katie.

‘What did you get up to?’ he asked, pushing that unwanted thought from his mind.

‘I helped Andrew feed the sheep, then I dug their shit out from under the shearing sheds to fertilise Mum’s roses.’

‘You did all that in today’s heat?’ He couldn’t help but be impressed.

‘Don’t you know we country people are tough?’

There wasn’t much chance to talk after that, which was probably a good thing. Liam took dessert into the CWA ladies, cleared empties, refilled glasses, and chatted to locals as they came and went from the bar. Henri sipped her drink and quietly surveyed the scene.

‘Sorry things are a bit hectic tonight,’ he said.

‘It’s fine. I don’t want to distract you.’

You might not want to, but you definitely do.

He cleared his throat. ‘Can I get you another drink?’

She glanced long and hard at her near-empty glass. ‘Nah, I should probably go and say hi to Mum and her friends anyway, and then I might call it a night.’

‘Okay.’ He slipped his hand into his pocket and offered her his key.

‘Thanks.’ As she took it, she leaned across the bar, grabbed a fistful of his shirt, yanked him towards her and kissed him on the lips. ‘Goodnight, Liam.’

‘Goodnight, Henri,’ he managed as she turned and started towards the dining room.

And good luck, he thought. Those women would be like a school of piranhas begging her for information.

But then again, wasn’t that what she wanted?