The Next Season (novella) Page 2

  ‘Is that who I think it is?’ asked Hewie, the service station owner, as Shaun stepped inside and approached the counter. Hewie’s sun-weathered face was pressed up against the glass as he peered towards where Zoe was now sitting in Shaun’s ute.

  Shaun lifted a shoulder as he put the can on the floor and dug his wallet out of his pocket. ‘That depends who you think it is.’

  Hewie turned to look at him, his bushy grey eyebrows almost joining together as he frowned. ‘Stop being a smartarse. What’s Zoe Bennett doing back in town?’

  ‘Beats me,’ he said, slapping his credit card down on the counter.

  Hewie looked at the card but didn’t pick it up. ‘Didn’t you two have a thing together once?’

  ‘Memory like an elephant, haven’t you, Hew? You considered joining the CWA?’ Shaun pretended he didn’t feel a pang in his heart at the mention of what he and Zoe had once shared. He might have been young, but he’d been head over heels for that girl. One of local hero Sandee’s strays; he’d felt an overwhelming urge to look after her, to give her the kind of home she truly deserved. But just like Melissa, she’d had other ideas entirely.

  Hewie scowled and snatched up the card. ‘Cheque, savings or credit?’

  ‘Credit.’ The quicker he got out of here, away from Hewie and Zoe, the better.

  Hewie did his stuff and then shoved the EFTPOS machine towards Shaun, who punched in his PIN number, slid his card back into his wallet and then picked up the jerry can.

  ‘You tell Zoe I said hi,’ Hewie ordered as Shaun turned to go. Then, much to his annoyance, he added, ‘And if you have any brains above all that brawn, you’ll forget about Melissa and pick up with Zoe where you left off.’ He nodded out the window towards Shaun’s ute. ‘From what I see, time has been more than kind to that girl. And besides, best way to make one woman jealous is to hook up with another.’

  This time it was Shaun’s turn to scowl as he stormed out the store without another word to Hewie. The servo owner would have been better suited as landlord of The Wildwood Tavern, where after a few drinks most people would be happy to pamper his love of gossip or accept unsolicited advice. But his suggestion made Shaun’s hands fist.

  Go out with one woman to try and make another one jealous. Did he think they were still in high school?

  Two

  Zoe could almost hear Shaun’s feet pounding across the tarmac as he stalked out of the service station and headed her way. Although he’d been lovely when he found her by the side of the road, he’d seemed a little edgy on the short drive here and while he’d been filling the petrol can he’d been distant—to put it nicely. And it appeared his mood had deteriorated further, for now he sported a thunderous expression on his otherwise ridiculously gorgeous face.

  She squirmed in her seat, nerves churning her stomach as she heard the thud of the can when it landed on the ute’s tray. Shaun wrenched open his door, plonked himself in his seat, almost tore off the seatbelt in an effort to tug it across his body and then turned the key in the ignition without even a glance in her direction. The confined space of the cabin felt stifling and she thought about breaking the silence but didn’t know what to say.

  She’d already attempted small talk. When she’d asked him about himself he’d shut the conversation down quickly, and when she’d mentioned gossip he’d zoned off in some kind of trance. He seemed light years away from the carefree, life of the party, surfer god he’d been in high school. Back then he’d worn a permanent toe-curling grin and serious hadn’t been in his emotional vocabulary. It was strange to see how much he’d changed, although his combo of grumpy and distant didn’t at all affect his rating on the Richter scale of hot. He still had it in spades.

  In the end she went with, ‘Shaun? Are you okay?’

  He turned his head as if he’d only just realised she was there and their gazes met in a moment of pure spark. Then he turned back to watch the road. Zoe’s mouth went dry, her skin felt too tight for her body and her brain turned to sludge.

  ‘Fine,’ he said, but she swore his hands tightened on the steering wheel.

  Starting to get cranky at his terseness—she hadn’t asked him to rescue her—her gaze lingered on his long, strong fingers, which she couldn’t help but notice were free of any telling gold bands. A stupid spark of glee flickered in her heart but she quickly extinguished it. Just because he wasn’t wearing a ring didn’t mean he didn’t have a girlfriend who’d likely be furious when she heard he’d spent part of the afternoon helping an old flame.

  A jealousy so strong it felt like it had assaulted her tightened in her gut at the thought of any other woman laying a finger on him. And that was insane, because no way was she in the market for any sort of relationship after what had just gone down in her life. Still, Zoe hated uncomfortable silences—she reckoned that stemmed from all those times she’d been deposited in a new foster home and everything had been awkward and quiet the minute her social worker left.

  She’d try one more time to lure him into conversation and if it didn’t work, well, they’d be back to her car by then.

  ‘How’s your family?’ she asked, thinking this had to be as safe a topic as any. Shaun had always adored his clan.

  She saw his shoulders relax and his grip loosen on the steering wheel. Victory!

  ‘They’re great.’ The corners of his lips tilted upwards, but it wasn’t the fully-fledged smile he always used to have when talking about his older siblings. He’d idolised them all, been desperate to follow in the footsteps of his brothers, both of them talented craftsmen like their father. ‘Troy’s married with kids and Luke isn’t far behind. We all work together at Elliots. And Hannah’s having a baby.’

  ‘Really?’ Although Zoe didn’t plan on kids herself, she smiled. Who didn’t like babies, with their cute button noses and rolls of delicious fat? ‘That’s great. When did she get married?’

  He chuckled.

  ‘What’s so funny?’

  ‘She’s divorced actually, but she’ll be married again soon. It’s a long story, but basically Hannah married someone in Vegas and—’

  ‘As in Las Vegas?’ she interrupted.

  ‘Uh huh. She’d been working and traveling around America and met this guy she supposedly fell in love with. They got hitched at some Elvis chapel, she got pregnant, the wanker decided he didn’t want her or the baby and so she came home to raise the kid alone.’

  ‘Oh.’ Zoe’s heart filled with sadness for Shaun’s sister, whom she’d always adored.

  ‘Hold onto your tears, Zo-Zo,’ Shaun said, using the nickname he’d called her when they were together. ‘This story has a happy ending.’

  She smiled and relaxed into the seat, only to realise they’d arrived at her car already. Reluctantly she followed Shaun’s lead as he placed his hand on the handle and opened his door.

  ‘Within a week of coming home, Hannah met a guy called Matt. Remember the Brown twins? Cate and Claire. They were a few years below us at school.’

  She thought back, her memory snagging on the image of two blonde bombshells. ‘I think so.’

  ‘Well, Matt is their half-brother,’ he continued as he heaved the heavy can off the back tray and started towards the Kingswood. His arm muscles flexed as he did so, but Zoe ignored the vibration in her belly at the image as she listened to him talk.

  ‘He grew up with his dad on the other side of the country, but while he was here for Christmas, he bought his mum a house—as you do. Matt met Hannah when he came into Elliot’s to buy furniture for it, and the rest, as they say, is history. He fell for Hannah even though she was pregnant with another man’s baby and now they’re engaged.’

  ‘Wow, that’s some story. I’m pleased for her.’

  ‘Yeah. It’s good. Matt’s a top bloke, and Hannah deserves a bit of happiness. They’re planning their wedding, but they’re not rushing down the aisle. After the debacle of her first marriage, she wants to do this one right.’ He looked at her seriously and she thought
he was about to say something meaningful, but all he said was, ‘Can you open the petrol cap?’

  ‘Sure.’ She turned away so Shaun couldn’t see her face fall—what had she expected him to say? That he hoped they’d maybe have a happy ever after in the end too? Pfft! The stress of the last few weeks had obviously gotten to her. Or maybe it was simply seeing him again after all these years?

  But she’d had her chance with him and she’d walked away, and she didn’t believe in regrets any more than she believed in revisiting the past. Most memories were good for a reason—because the passing of time made them into more than they’d ever been in the first place. Despite her tumultuous thoughts, Zoe slid the key into the petrol cap’s lock and opened it with ease.

  Before she could offer to do it herself, Shaun had lifted the can and begun pouring petrol into the hole. She didn’t know how much he’d bought but it looked to be a lot more than she would have been able to afford on her own. That would help. Hopefully she’d have found herself a job and received her first pay cheque before she needed to fill up again.

  The question was how to thank him? If she offered to buy him a beer at the pub, she’d have to drink water alongside him as she could only afford the one drink. And there was always the chance he might think she meant the offer like a date.

  ‘Thanks so much for this, Shaun,’ she said, trying to fill the silence that had descended once again. ‘I promise I’ll pay you back the moment I can.’

  He looked at her as he shook the last few drops of petrol into the tank. ‘There’s really no need.’ Then he screwed the lid back on the can and straightened up. ‘It was good to see you again.’

  That was her cue to agree with him, but she found the words caught in the back of her throat. Did he really mean that? As mortifying as it had been to have him finding her in a petrol drought on the side of the road, and then not being able to afford a fill-up, the idea of saying goodbye so soon literally made her heart ache. It had been nice hearing about his sister, but Zoe wanted to hear about him. Aside from the whole relationship-status thing, she also wanted to know what he’d been doing for the last seven years. She wanted to hear about his work, about the things he’d crafted recently, and what he did in his spare time aside from surfing.

  There were so many questions swirling in her head that she felt like some kind of journalist in mad pursuit of an interview.

  ‘Bye Zoe,’ he said again, before she’d found the wherewithal to speak. He tipped his cap in a polite retreat, as if he were a stranger who’d stopped to help. Her heart pounded in her chest. It felt wrong to simply let him walk away when they’d once been close in the most intimate way.

  ‘I might see you round?’ She cringed at the hopeful tone in her voice. Could she sound any more desperate? But after the initial shock of seeing him again… Well, it had been nice to see a familiar face. Right now, she could do with a friend.

  He shrugged, barely slowing his steps as he tossed a reply over his shoulder. ‘Maybe. Say hi to Sandee for me.’

  ‘Will do.’ Zoe lifted her hand to wave but it fell to her side before she followed through. He wasn’t looking anyway. She stood by her car, frozen, unable to stop herself watching him as he climbed into his ute. The motor roared to life and then he sped off as if he couldn’t get away from her fast enough. She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised. It may have been seven years since she first left Wildwood Point, but they hadn’t exactly parted on good terms. All her fault of course. If he’d recognised her before he approached her car he might not even have stopped to help.

  Forcing herself to put thoughts of Shaun Elliot out of her mind—or at least make a damn good attempt—Zoe took a deep breath and hopped back into the Kingswood. She smoothed her hands over the steering wheel. ‘All set to go again, Jemima,’ she said as she turned the key in the ignition. The car rumbled to life and she indicated to move back onto the road. She couldn’t wait to see Sandee. At least she’d be guaranteed a warm welcome there. It was almost dusk now so she kept a look out for kangaroos as she drove the short distance to Sandee’s place on the other side of town. The closer she got, the more she relaxed.

  When she turned into the driveway of a house less than two hundred metres from the clear and always sparkling Indian Ocean, the smell of home cooking wafted in through her open window. She moaned. If her nose had it right, that aroma belonged to Sandee’s famous chicken schnitzel and she prayed there’d be enough for her. Grabbing only her handbag from the front seat of the Kingswood, she all but ran up the short drive to the open front door, figuring she could get the rest of her stuff later.

  Sounds of Giggle and Hoot on the TV in the lounge room mingled with the clinking of knives and forks on plates in the kitchen.

  Feeling lighter already, Zoe grinned as she called down the hallway. ‘Anybody home?’

  Within seconds she heard chairs scraping, and a child who looked to be about three years old careened out of the kitchen and ran towards the front door. ‘Who you?’ the little girl asked, coming to a halt just before she slammed into Zoe.

  Before Zoe could answer her golden-haired, freckle-faced, rosy-and-plump-cheeked interrogator, another voice sounded. A voice that was more comforting to her than a warm mug of Milo and an electric blanket on a chilly winter’s night.

  ‘Zoe? Is that you, my darling girl?’ As Sandee appeared from the kitchen and came up behind the tiny girl, Zoe’s eyes prickled. But she sniffed away her tears because if she started crying now, there was the distinct possibility she wouldn’t be able to stop.

  ‘Sandee,’ she said instead, smiling as the only woman who had ever come close to being a mother to her reached out and pulled her into a hug. She sighed as the older woman’s arms closed around her and knew that she’d made the right decision to come home.

  ‘It’s so good to see you.’ Sandee pulled back slightly and scrutinised her with a loving expression. Zoe predicted her next words before she said them. ‘What have you been eating lately? Rabbit food? Come into the kitchen and let me get a proper meal into that scrawny body. Then we can chat.’

  Zoe laughed. Only Sandee could call her scrawny and make her feel special. ‘That sounds just about perfect,’ she said and then glanced down at the little girl. ‘Hi, I’m Zoe. What’s your name?’

  The little girl folded her arms across her chest. ‘Reese. Who are you?’

  Sandee chuckled as she stooped down and scooped the child into her arms. ‘Zoe is one of my special girls, like you.’ She smiled affectionately at Reese. ‘Now, come and finish your dinner.’

  Zoe followed Sandee and Reese down the hallway, glancing at the black and white photos that lined the bright yellow hallway as she went. It was Sandee’s Wall of Fame, where she placed a photo of every child that ever came into her life. There’d been hundreds. Some only stayed a couple of nights and some a few years, as Zoe had, but Sandee treated them all as if each were the most important thing on the planet to her. She paused a moment to look at the photo of her, taken at the school swimming carnival only a few weeks after she’d moved to Wildwood Point. Sandee had been the first person who’d ever attended a school event for her, ever made her feel like she was worth barracking for. This had been the first photo she’d smiled in for a very long time and Sandee’s place had been the first house to feel like a home. It still felt like that.

  When you walked through Sandee’s front door, you’d think hers was just a normal, happy family. All the kids wore smiles, were clean, well dressed and obviously well fed, and they enjoyed banter round the dinner table. That was all down to Sandee. She was like a magician. Kids came to her from broken places with sullen faces and damaged hearts and she taught them what love was, and how to believe in themselves again. Zoe had firsthand experience of this, and in her opinion Sandee was the best person in the universe.

  Fighting the lump that had formed in the back of her throat at these thoughts, Zoe stepped into the kitchen and glanced around the table to take in the faces of the kids currently
under Sandee’s care. There were four children of varying ages.

  ‘Daniel,’ Sandee said as she put Reese down on one of the dining seats that sat around the table, ‘can you go get the chair out of my office for Zoe?’

  The lanky, tall boy, clearly the oldest, put down his fork and scooted off to the office, returning quickly with a black swivel chair. Sandee made a space for it around the already full table and then handled the introductions.

  ‘Zoe, I’d like you to meet Daniel, Bailey, Gemma and you’ve already met Reese.’

  ‘Hi guys.’ Zoe smiled around the table.

  The kids looked at Zoe a little suspiciously at first, but when Sandee told them she was one of them they accepted her without question. Although she enjoyed the subsequent chatter and pitched in with the clean up as if she still lived here, she couldn’t help her happiness when all the children were finally in bed and she could sit down with Sandee and a glass of wine in the cosy lounge room.

  Sandee sighed happily as she sunk down into a pile of brightly coloured zany cushions on one end of the couch. ‘It’s unbelievably good to see you.’

  Zoe’s thoughts were almost identical as she plonked herself down on the other end. ‘You already said that, but… Ditto.’ She grinned and then took a sip of the locally produced sauv blanc. Being back in this house made her problems seem light years away.

  Comfortable silence reigned for all of ten seconds before Sandra said, ‘Something tells me you don’t have a happy reason for coming. When we spoke last you sounded a little down. Has something happened with Jasper?’

  That was Sandee all over. She never pressured anyone into spilling their guts, but somehow they always did. Although telling Sandee her woes would be mortifying, keeping it all cooped up inside would send her to the loony bin. She needed to get it off her chest.

  ‘I’ve lost everything.’ That seemed as good a place to start as any. For the next half hour she shared all the gory details about what had happened with Jasper and confessed her utter financial desperation. Between them, they finished one bottle of wine and started on another.